4****
Where to start? Well all I can say is this book is fantastic and there was not a moment that I didn’t want to pick it up and carry on. The storyline was fantastic, one that keeps you questioning what will happen next or what is round the corner. This book has a good amount of characters all of which were very well detailed so you get a real connection to each one. I only reduced the star rating by 1 because I really wanted more descriptions of certain events and felt that some things were skipped/rushed. I will read anything that Lisa brings out so I already cannot wait for her next book.

this took a turn I didn’t expect
Dramatic as heck
Loved how one of the main mcs was a podcaster and so we had those clips within the book.. love media in stories duh
Josie? Wtf is going on with her
Deffo trust issues, you never knew what or who to believe
TW- discussion of abuse & child abuse
Ending was twisty, I expected something bigger ? But it was super enjoyable & for sure one of my fav Lisa Jewell’s thus far

4.5

What can I say Lisa Jewell never disappoints! Another fantastic, dark, chilling, twister of a read which kept me on the edge of my seat. So many questions after the ending though!

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

“None Of This Is True” is a compelling and engrossing story, full of surprises, beautifully written with a clarity and command of style, all of which qualities make it one of those books one cannot stop reading – even if pacing oneself would be a sensible option!

I loved the whole ensemble, from the familiarity of London settings both social and geographic, the contrasting lives and aspirations, to the acts and emotions of the complex characters and relationships that both endear and repel, and the cleverly woven twists and turns of the plot.

Highly recommended.

This book keeps you on the edge revealing small parts of the what's going to happen but never the entire truth.
We know about some twists but you're kept turning pages as you want to know who and why.
We are also left wondering what is true and what is make-believe.
Lisa Jewell did an excellent job and some parts of this story are quite creepy and disturbing.
Well plotted, excellent character development and storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

None Of This Is True was SO good: a twisty delight of a book where I never quite knew what would come next. As the title suggests, truth - and how people tell it - is central to the narrative, and the character of Josie is particularly compelling.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5: this is the perfect holiday read.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors, so I had been relishing the prospect of curling up with this, and it certainly did not disappoint. As ever, the divine Ms J pulls the reader in from the start with her skilled world-building and well-drawn characters. And what an intriguing premise: finding your “Birthday Twin”!

Quite by chance, while celebrating her 45th birthday in a restaurant, Alix Summer meets a woman called Josie Fair, whom, it transpires was born on the same day, in the same hospital. Alix hosts a popular podcast, interviewing various successful women who have made their mark on the world in one way or another. When, soon after their initial meeting, she bumps into Josie outside her children’s primary school, the pair strike up a conversation and ultimately Alix agrees to interview Josie for another podcast, with a slightly different angle.

Soon Josie has wormed her way into Alix’s life and, although slightly discomfited by the woman and her increasingly alarming revelations, Alix feels compelled to continue recording the podcast, certain it will attract listeners. But the more Josie Fair reveals, the more Alix regrets ever embarking on such a venture.

Throughout the narrative, the reader is given glimpses of how events will unfold in the form of snippets from the Netflix series airing recordings from Alix’s podcast, and through interviews with various people, connected mainly with Josie. From the outset, we know that the denouement will be grim: that within weeks of meeting Josie, Alix’s life will be left ‘in shreds’ with three people dead – but not until much later do we learn who or why. As ever, Lisa Jewell deftly weaves a twisty, labyrinthine plot with believable if not always likeable characters. No spoilers, but suffice to say it’s probably wise never to invite a stranger into your home...

Absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it too highly – now for the Netflix series, please!! A solid five star read.

My thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Random House and Lisa Jewell for the ARC.

Intriguing and enjoyable read. Loved the main characters.. the birthday twins. I hadn't worked out the plot or the end but was gripped all the way through. First book I have read by this author and it will not be my last.

In this thriller two women that are celebrating their birthdays meet by chance. Alix is a podcaster and likes to tell stories and Josie is a woman with a story she wants to tell.

Lisa Jewell knows how to write a thriller and I am a huge fan of her writing style. Every book she writes draws you in and will have you turning the pages so fast to find out what is going to happen. This book was no exception.

I really enjoyed the podcast element and getting to know the characters. Josie is an example of an amazing unreliable narrator which I always love. She is pretty sick and twisted and in her own way believes her actions are helpful. I was chucking at her obsession with denim, I could imagine her character so clearly.

There are twists and the ending will have you second guessing everything in the book.

There was a couple of little plot holes that had me thinking would that really happen? So that made me drop my rating a little. Despite this I burned through this book in a couple of days and I just know so many people are going to love this thriller. It will definitely make you think at the end.

Another smashing thriller from Lisa Jewell!

This was one of those books that you just want to keep reading "just one more chapter" and before you know it you are up way past bedtime.

Alix Summer is out with a group of friends celebrating her 45th birthday when she meets Josie Fair, her birthday twin! They were born on the same day, at the same hospital. Josie researches Alix and discovers that she has a successful podcast talking to women who have turned their lives around to find success. Josie wants to make big changes and pitches the idea to Alix to follow her along the way to change her life.

Alix has her own problems with a husband who has restarted going on drinking binges and not coming home. She is intrigued by Josie's idea and, dare I say it, enjoys hearing about Josie's life that has more challenges than a husband going on a bender.

As you may guess from the title, Alix starts to suspect that there is more to Josie than meets the eye. Where will it all end?

If you liked 'The Family Upstairs' you will love this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and PenguinRandomhouse for my early copy of the latest brilliant book by @ lisajewell
This was an excellent thriller. From the minute the main character Alix meets her ‘birthday twin’ there is a feeling of unease, which continues to build throughout the book. Plenty of suspense, great writing and well developed characters. This was one I found unputdownable!!

"It was almost as if I knew, even then, that there was no way back. That once I'd befriended the monster, that was it. For life."

This has to be one of my top thrillers of the years and yes, I know it's only May, but Lisa Jewell is a master and this is her at her twisty best.

Alix Summers is a successful podcaster, with a loving husband and two beautiful children.
She's out celebrating her 45th birthday when a woman approaches her and says they're birthday twins.

It's Josie Field's 45th birthday as well but the two women couldn't be more different. Alix is glamourous and outgoing while Josie is quiet and appears unassuming.

Josie becomes interested in Alix's podcast, about women who change their lives for the better.
When the two women bump into each other a few days later, Josie convinces Alix she would make for an interesting subject, as she's about to make big changes to her own life.

As Alix records Josie's life story, one of abuse and trauma, she becomes more embroiled in her birthday twin's life on a personal level as well. But, things take a dark turn and Alix realises Josie's hiding some terrible secrets.

Fact and fiction become blurred.

The book begins with an excerpt from a Netflix series script that's been made of Alix's podcast about Josie. The reader is informed right off the bat that it's true crime series about murder. But whose?

The author reveals delicious tidbit by delicious tidbit as the novel progresses. We have both Alix and Josie's viewpoints but can we believe anything we're being told? I was fascinated, engrossed and horrified.

This thriller has everything you could possibly want: murder, secrets, betrayal, and dark, dark twists. I can't fault it.

Having never delved into the works of Lisa Jewell before, I was intrigued by the positive buzz surrounding her previous books. With a leap of faith, I embarked on her new literary adventure, although I must confess that it took a while to fully immerse myself in the story. Nevertheless, as the plot unfolded, the tantalising podcast snippets hinted at an impending calamity, leaving me on the edge of my seat.
The novel's pacing may initially seem slow, but it masterfully builds suspense, assuring the reader that something significant looms on the horizon. Jewell expertly weaves a web of intrigue, maintaining an air of mystery throughout the first half of the book. While the podcast snippets didn't give away any concrete details, they artfully insinuated the existence of a dreadful event, adding to the mounting tension.
Around the midpoint, the narrative gains tremendous momentum, captivating me completely and rendering the book unputdownable. It was during this enthralling portion of the story that Jewell's writing truly shines. The author's ability to engage and grip the reader is commendable, transforming a slow beginning into a thrilling page-turner.
As the story hurtles towards its conclusion, the intensity escalates, and the plot becomes packed with revelations. Jewell's skilful penmanship artfully unveils a subtle yet impactful reveal, casually slipped into the narrative. This unexpected turn of events sent shockwaves through my senses, leaving me in awe of the author's ability to surprise and captivate. The ending tied up loose ends while leaving room for contemplation, resulting in a satisfying conclusion.
"None of This is True" has left an indelible impression on me, compelling me to explore more of Lisa Jewell's literary creations. Despite the slow start, the book's irresistible allure and the author's adept storytelling won me over. I look forward to delving into Jewell's previous works and eagerly anticipate her future releases.

None of This Is True" by Lisa Jewell is a captivating contemporary fiction novel that delves into the complexities of relationships, secrets, and the power of storytelling. Set in a small English village, the story unfolds through the eyes of multiple characters, each grappling with their own truths and lies.

Overall, "None of This Is True" is an engrossing and well-crafted novel that keeps readers intrigued until the final page. Lisa Jewell once again demonstrates her ability to delve into the intricacies of human relationships and deliver a satisfying narrative that will linger in readers' minds long after they finish the book.

Another great book from a great author.

4.5 🌟

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book! Having only read one other book by this author which I didn’t massively enjoy, I was pleasantly surprised by this book!

I liked the different setting it had with it flipping between normal life and then the future Netflix documentary it will become. I was just questioning what it is that is said in the podcast that they are recording that could lead to a whole Netflix documentary around it? What had happened to this woman?

Jodie is very unsettling at times and as the title shows you just don’t know what to believe and who is actually telling the truth about the events of her past & present. I really was left guessing up until the end. I really like Alix throughout it, she was just a good person who wanted to help.

Overall one of the better crime novels that I have read in a while and has definitely opened me up to reading more works by her!

I think this is Lisa Jewell's best work. I am and always have been a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and this book proves why over and over again. So fast paced with nuggets of information dropped in left right and centre - had me guessing until the last moment. A classic! Brilliant job!

I was immediately sucked into this unnerving and gripping story.
There's just something morbidly fascinating about true crime pod casts- although that's not how it sets out.

Alix and Josie meet while celebrating their 45th birthday's at the same restaurant, and a few days later, Josie deliberately crosses Alix's path. What starts out as a seemingly innocent friendship soon turns into a nightmarish situation.
Secrets are revealed, shocking events happen, and everything flipped.

I found Josie to be creepy, stalkerish, and obsessive in nature and an incredibly
unreliable narrator, which just feeds your need to discover the truth! And none of this is true... or is it?

One of the best books I have read this year! I am already recommending it to my friends and family for when it is published - I have not shut up about it since I started it. I could not figure out what was happening at any point and it was amazing. Such an interesting premise following Josie as she makes a podcast about Josie's "life story" that turns out to not be as it seems. The two women have an interesting and weird relationship - Josie is somewhat obsessed with Alix and begins to almost stalk her and her family before Alix discovers the truth. A definite 5-star read!

WOW Lisa Jewell you have excelled yourself with this book. I absolutely LOVED it!!!

This book is very dark and full of twists and turns, I didn't know what was going to happen next.

At first, the layout, with how it was set out with the interviewing for the podcasts did throw me a bit, but then I could see it was set up perfectly for the book.

Josie is written perfectly, you really didn't know what to believe and somethings still keep you guessing.

Definitely worth a read!!!

What a fantastically gripping thriller!!! I loved the format of this, with the action going from past, to a present ‘Netflix’ crime documentary, whilst you watch how the story unfolds. I loved Alix, couldn’t work Julia out and was utterly hooked until the end. I stayed up until 2am on a school night to find out the final pieces!! Thank you so much for this arc, I think it’s one of Jewell’s best!