What the actual fuck? Literally nothing about this book is as it seems. Every character is flawed, every one is obnoxious (even the bloody rat dog!) and then.....and then ...the ending? It's a complete, mind-blowing punch to the gut that left me reeling. Jewel is a master of deception, and this book is a testament to her genius.

This book is incredible. It is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. It makes you question everything. You don't know how to trust or who to believe.

I was pulled in from the beginning and fully engaged throughout. The podcast / documentary style of it suited the genre and the storyline perfectly. It made the entire story, which had some dark but ultimately recurring themes that have been seen in many other books in this genre, feel very fresh and unique.

The podcast angle was interesting because alongside the sense of distrust created, it reminds you that podcasts are another form of media. They may feel like a natural and unrehearsed conversation between 2 friends usually, but they are actually constructed for a purpose. That means that they contain stories of all types - from the most truthful, raw and honest reflection of someone's experience all the way to the most bold faced lies and fabrication. It really makes you question which type of story you are being told through this podcast.

Either way, I loved this book. It really made you question who to trust and who to believe. In reality, I made the storyline much darker in my head than what actually transpired, at first anyway. I'm not sure if that was the author's intention or whether that says a little bit about me as a reader!

Overall, this was a polished, clever and fascinating book worthy of 5 shiny stars.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book, I was drawn in from the first page and I couldn't put it down. You think you have it all worked out and suddenly you realise you haven't. I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

Lisa Jewell has been an auto read author for me for a long time. This book has cemented that status. I loved this book. I don't think there is much I can say that won't spoil the story but read it!

Firstly, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Cornerstone for the eARC for an honest review. I got the audiobook from Spotify Premium.

This book was an epic audiobook. The different formatting was brilliant and made this one of my favourite thrillers of all time.

📚✨ A gripping, emotional rollercoaster with characters that really stayed with me. Lisa’s storytelling is sharp and heartfelt, weaving mystery and family secrets into a compelling read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Definitely a 5⭐️ must-read for fans of contemporary fiction with depth and heart!

#NoneOfThisIsTrue #LisaJewell #5StarRead #ContemporaryFiction #BritishBookstagram #BookReview #EmotionalReads #PageTurner

On her 45th birthday, Josie Fair is out celebrating with her husband Walter at the local pub. Across the room, another celebration is taking place. Alix Summers, also turning 45, is surrounded by balloons and friends. Intrigued by the coincidence, Josie follows Alix to the bathroom and declares that they are “birthday twins”—born on the same day, the same year.

Alix is a podcaster, married to Nathan, and mother to two young children. Josie, having found and listened to all of Alix’s podcasts, decides she would make an excellent subject for a new series. Just days later, Josie stages a “chance” meeting outside a local primary school and pitches the idea: Hi, I’m Your Birthday Twin!

Alix agrees, unaware of what she’s getting into.

As the recordings unfold, Josie shares her life story—a disturbing tale involving her much older husband, Walter, whom she began seeing at just 14 years old. Alix is horrified, immediately seeing Walter through the lens of grooming and abuse. But that’s only the beginning. As Josie’s narrative deepens, so does the mystery. Her life is full of dark turns, but how much of it is true?

Alix has problems of her own. Her husband Nathan struggles with alcohol, frequently disappearing on binges. When Josie ends up temporarily staying in their home, the tension escalates. Josie manipulates her way in, preying on Alix’s kindness, but her presence grows increasingly invasive.

Things come to a head when Josie is forced to leave. Nathan is missing again. Walter is nowhere to be found. Her adult children are absent from the picture. What secrets is Josie hiding?

Told primarily from Josie’s point of view over the span of June to July 2019, the novel cleverly weaves together podcast transcripts and dramatized scenes from a fictional Netflix Original Series based on the events. This layered narrative keeps readers questioning what’s real, what’s exaggerated, and what’s outright fabricated.

The novel is a masterclass in unreliable narration and psychological suspense. The characters are deeply flawed and fascinating, the plot twists are perfectly timed, and by the end, you’ll be second-guessing everything you thought you knew.

This is a thought-provoking and chilling read—ideal for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy peeling back the layers of messy, complex lives. If your book club picks this one, prepare for some lively discussions. There’s a lot to unpack.

Verdict: Don’t miss this one. Trust no one. And decide for yourself: Who’s telling the truth?

I’m honestly at a loss for words after finishing this intense, chilling, and brilliantly twisted thriller—easily one of Lisa Jewell’s standout novels.

From the first few pages, you're pulled into a gripping psychological narrative, where nothing is quite as it seems. The story cleverly unfolds through a mix of podcast-style reporting and timestamped accounts, creating a documentary-like atmosphere that adds to the suspense. Though it begins at a measured pace, there's an underlying sense of dread that builds steadily until everything unravels in a whirlwind of chaos.

As the plot deepens, warning signs pile up and tension mounts. By the second half, the intensity skyrockets—one disturbing revelation follows another, leaving you breathless. It’s like being caught in a symphony that gradually accelerates, until the final, devastating twist crashes down like a dramatic crescendo. The ending hits hard—it’s powerful, shocking, and leaves a lasting mark.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.
As a fan of Lisa's other books I had to read this but it has been sat on my kindle for far too long.
It's rare for me nowadays but I read this book in one day as I couldn't put it down!!
I was hooked from the prologue and I also couldn't work out whether I trusted Josie or Alix through the story.
I loved the twists and the story and the narrators and that I just didn't want to stop reading. Usually a book sucks me in and then it gets a bit drawn out but loved this from beginning to end! Only March but could this be a contender for book of the year? Absolutely brilliant!

I think I may have gasped about 200 times in the book. I didn’t know who to believe and I still don’t at the end. I love Lisa Jewell but this is definitely my favourite book of hers and I can’t stop recommending it to everyone!

This was just so so clever and brilliantly written, it was poignant and believable completely keeps you guessing right to the last page. I related so much to the characters and felt bereft by certain parts of the book, one of her best I loved it

Wow! What a dark, twisted and suspenseful book. Lisa Jewell has done it again and has had me gripped from cover to cover!

I find thrillers to be very repetitive sometimes, which is why I have ventured away from them so much. However, the premise for this one was so different and unique, never having read anything like it and I was hooked. It's a book that is very easy to follow and it moves at a reasonable pace. There were little clues hidden the whole way through the narrative that started to piece together the more I read on.

A true crime podcast becomes a Netflix series, featuring birthday twins and the most unreliable narrative which keeps you on your toes and continually guessing what on EARTH is going on?! Gripping.

As always Lisa Jewell gives us everything we could possibly ask for in another excellent story. I’ve no idea where her ideas for plots come from but long May it continue.

I'm not sure there are even words to be able to review this one.

It's been a while since I was gripped so utterly. The twists and turns just leave you gaping. The characters were phenomenal: the way they were portrayed not only left you guessing, but left you unsure about the sanity of them. Just as you think you're getting the measure of Josie, something happens that makes you doubt everything you've been told so far.

I loved the way this story was told: not only through the narrators, but the snippets of other 'media' included. It gave you breadcrumbs to follow down a chilling path, but you never had any idea where the road was leading. Plus these snippets worked perfectly to give you pre/misconceptions, letting you think one thing as the story caught up, without ever knowing if it was the truth.

None of This is True completely immersed me. This is a definite recommendation for anyone who likes a thriller, or likes to be gripped. Lisa Jewell has once again created a masterpiece. If you want a psychological thriller done right, this is the author you need, and None of This is True is no exception.

A fantastic read.

Oh my days!!! This book is sensational!! I listened to the audiobook which I think really added to the whole experience. Nicola Walker is a queen and can never do any wrong in my eyes so having her voice Alix was a genius move. Read/listen to this book, have your mind blown and then wait impatiently for the next Lisa Jewell.

Alix and Josie are both celebrating their 45th birthdays in a local pub. It turns out they were actually both born in the same hospital too. When they meet again a few days later, Josie tells Alix that she wants to appear on Alix’s podcast, as she feels like her life is about to change. Although she finds Josie quite odd, Alix agrees. As their conversations develop, Alix realises that Josie’s life is full of dark secrets and Josie has now fully embedded herself in Alix’s home and life. But then she disappears and Alix realises that somehow, both she and her family are now in danger. I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and will always read whatever she writes. I devoured this book and simply couldn’t put it down. It’s a thoroughly gripping, twisty thriller and I still didn’t know what the truth was at the end! Josie was a very fascinating creepy character and I thought the plotting was so clever and intricate. I can imagine the pinboard absolutely covered in string criss-crossing everywhere during the planning for this one! A highly compelling page-turner that even seasoned thriller readers may be shocked by.

I know I am in for a good read when I pick up a Lisa Jewell book and this is no exception - I didn't want to put it down. It is a fabulously clever story which will have your head in a spin as you question everything that is going on and try and figure out where it is headed. The format means the tension and suspense builds really effectively - and as for the ending .....

When picking what book to read next, I had a craving for a really good thriller. Something that was going to have me gripped, chasing threads of a story to figure out what had happened. None of This is True came through and delivered for me.

The biggest selling point of this for me was the audiobook narration and production. I cannot recommend it enough. The story is told via prose, podcast recordings, interviews and news reports. All of this added a level of depth to the story telling that had me absolutely hooked and I could not stop listening. Of course for all of that to work, there needed to be an amazing plot and Lisa Jewell had that nailed down. There was so much deception with lies on top of lies that I was in a constant state of uncertainty. I had no idea what was true, what was a version of a truth and what was an outright lie.

It was no secret from the start of the book that Josie was a troubled woman. There was something off about her from the start and although I felt like there was some genuine trauma, I had the underlying feeling that she wasn't 100% genuine. Her character unravelling through the chapters was fascinating. Alix on the other hand, had her family problems, but she always felt like a put together, emotionally intelligent woman. She certainly had far more patience than I would have and I felt it was unfortunate that she'd been dragged into this drama.

If you're going to read this book, I encourage you to choose the audiobook. It was so engaging and so well done that I honestly believe it bumped my rating of this book up to a 5*. Great story with twists upon twists. Cannot wait to read more Lisa Jewell.

The queen of crime has done it again! Another superb novel from Ms Jewell. She gets better with every novel and this was no different. I can't wait to se what she releases next.