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Friday, July 14, 2023

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Expected publication August 8, 2023
 by Atria
3.75/5 stars

I have been a long-time reader of Lisa Jewell, eagerly anticipating her latest book, None Of This Is True, set to release on August 8.

Alix and Josie, who share the same birth date, decide to celebrate their 45th birthday at a local restaurant. Little do they know that their chance meeting will lead to a dangerous relationship with deadly consequences. This twisted tale revolves around a local podcaster and her birthday twin. What initially starts as a promising new series takes an unexpected turn that neither of them anticipated.

None Of This Is True is a skillfully written psychological thriller that kept me captivated throughout. Josie is a prime example of an unreliable and unlikable character, while Alix is more relatable, albeit with some questionable decision-making. The story delves into dark and twisted themes of dysfunctional families, complicated relationships, and hidden secrets. It is narrated from the perspectives of both Josie and Alix, which left me feeling unsettled at times but also eager to uncover more.

The only drawback I found was the ending, which I won't delve into to avoid spoilers. Nevertheless, this book offers a refreshing departure from Lisa Jewell's recent works in terms of tone and style. She returns with her signature suspenseful storytelling and unique plotlines, making None Of This Is True a must-read for fans and newcomers alike.

My thanks to Atria books, via NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review .

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