Celebrating her 45th birthday podcaster Alix Summers bumps into Josie Fair who's also celebrating her 45th birthday. Josie feels that they have a connection and persuades Alix to use her life as a theme for her next project. Little does Alix realise the disturbing secrets that are about to be revealed.

Author Lisa Jewell has written a complex thriller that reads like one of those Netflix crime documentaries that you can't help but binge watch. Part of the storyline of None Of This Is True is based on a podcast that becomes a Netflix series titled “Hi, I'm Your Birthday Twin!” and this premise works really well.

The story alternates between events as they happen and excerpts from the documentary series which is made afterwards. The constant switching between present and future really add to the mystery.

From the start it looks as if this is a story of jealousy. It's obvious that Josie isn't happy with her life and she feels as if Alix has a perfect existence. As the story develops you begin to doubt much of what Josie reveals, particularly when this is followed by interviews with people who knew her. In terms of an unreliable narrator this raises the bar, at times we never know if we're hearing the truth, a half truth or a complete fabrication. It becomes clear that instead of being a victim Josie is an expert manipulator.

Part of Josie's skill as a manipulator is what she chooses to reveal. There are extremely disturbing elements to the story which garner sympathy from other characters and the reader. However, as we delve deeper into the background you begin to doubt everything read.

None Of This Is True is one of those stories that you devour in one sitting, constantly question what you've read and by the end want to go back to the beginning and re-read everything to see what you missed first time around.

Simple perfection is how I would describe the latest work of art from Lisa Jewell.

I raced through this book and was desperate to finish it.

There was always a feeling that things were not quite as simple as first seemed. Told from a few different angles which I really enjoyed and added more enjoyment.

This is surely to be a bestseller for 2023.

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
I give this book 5 stars

Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie is also celebrating her 45th birthday. They are, in fact birthday twins. But soon she begins to wonder who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

*A sinister edge of your seat ride,
*Deliciously dark and totally twisted,
*I couldn't put it down, I loved it!
Have I got your attention……..good

This is a clever story within a story, a Netflix documentary about a podcast.l genuinely felt like I was watching a true crime story! We alternate between Josie and Alix’s pov and are given tantalising snippets of info to keep the reader addicted.
I was totally questioning everything I was reading!
Lisa Jewell is the queen of crafting intense domestic thrillers and for me this is one of her best.The most important question though………..is there going to be a sequel ????
With thanks to Netgalley,Lisa Jewell and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for my chance to read and review this book

Planning your summer TBR? 👀 You’ll want to pick this up 👀

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE is Lisa Jewell’s upcoming new book (out July in 🇬🇧 , August 🇺🇸) and it has allllll the vibes ✨A domestic suspense thriller about two women with very different lives but are “birthday twins”. Alix hosts her own podcast and becomes intrigued with Josie’s story… but their lives become way more interwoven than either of them anticipated 🫣🫢😬

Summing up in 3️⃣ words: Wild, Thrilling and Addictive. If you’re in need for a bingeable reads for your summer TBR- look no further 🤩 PERFECT FOR POOL OR LAKE SETTING! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

💭 Are you a Lisa Jewell fan? Is this one your radar?👇🏻👇🏻

Lisa Jewell does it again! There's a reason she is one of my favourite authors and that she's on my auto buy list!

Another read that is dark and at times makes you uneasy but one that has you hooked from the start right until the end!

The podcast and Netflix elements within a book were new concepts and worked well with the rest of the book

Wow! Lisa Jewel is sparkling again with her new novel. I love her books so much and this one is sheer brilliance. So much I’d love to rave about, so let’s go.

What a brilliant plot idea. Then there is all the twists, the reveals and the head spinning moments. Holy moly. Go in with joy and no expectations except you’ll be unable to put it down. I read this over 4 hours, finishing at 2:00am. I had to know how it ended. I’m not going into what it’s about too deeply as you can read that yourself (drives me mad when a review is just re~writing the blurb).

Two women, with the same birthday, born in the same hospital have a chance meeting. One living with a popular podcast and the seemingly perfect life. The other, well, nothing like the other. An idea is sparked. A story of a difficult life will be told and made into a powerful podcast. When you invite a stranger into your home recording studio you may want to do a full background check first. Oh my Lord this book is deliriously messy, juicy and twisted.

It’s dark, very twisty, surprising, thrilling and oh so good. Each character stands alone as brilliantly put together and expressed. I love it when characters don’t blur together. These characters will have you liking, then loving, then hating, repeat. I was flabbergasted at the reveals. This is a well plotted novel that plays with your head and heart. My favourite book of 2023 so far. If you’ve never read a Lisa Jewell book make this your first.

I did not see sooooooo much coming. I truly didn’t. I was sucked in and blindsided over and over. I highly, highly recommend this book if you like a really good psychological thriller that messes with your head. A huge 5 stars. Absolutely brilliant!

Without a doubt this is the best book I've read this year and it will take some beating. It is scary how easily Josie inserts herself into Alix's life although, I have to admit that I could have shaken Alix for being so diffident. She rarely makes a decision for herself rather she lets things happen to her. Of course someone as insidious as Josie knows who she can latch onto and quite frankly Alix was the perfect victim. You can never sit back and smugly think you now know what is going on because as soon as you become complacent there will be a massive plot twist and you're lost again. I couldn't wait to get to the end of this book and I thought it was inspired. The perfect ending to a brilliant book.

One of Lisa Jewell’s best books to date.

Josie and Alix are birthday twins, who meet by coincidence on their 45th birthday.

Fast paced, with lots of twists and turns, I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out the ending! I really liked the style of writing - like a documentary that kept you wanting more!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.4/5

One thing you can can always be sure of with Lisa Jewell is that she will produce a page-turner of a novel, even though some will inevitably be better in certain respects than others. I have yet to read a book from this author that I haven't enjoyed, but I think that "None of this is True" is the best she has produced since "The Family Upstairs" a few years ago.

Josie Fair enters the life of journalist and podcaster, Alix Summer, when they encounter each other whilst out celebrating their respective 45th birthdays. As it transpires, they are "birthday twins" - genetically unrelated, but born on the same day as each other and, in this particular case, also in the same hospital. Before long, Josie becomes the subject of the next podcast series that Alix is working on - and a very dark story starts to unfold as Josie gradually becomes more and more a part of Alix's life.

This is not the first time that Lisa Jewell has taken the theme of someone inveigling themselves into someone else's life, but there is a noticeably different feel to this novel than I have encountered in this writer's previous work. For the most part, the narrative progresses chronologically as the two women work on the podcast project. However, Lisa Jewell also intersperses sections from a Netflix TV series - and this is very cleverly handled. Although it soon becomes apparent that the Netflix series will be a future development resulting from the podcast, these sections serve an ingenious dual purpose. On the one hand they are a vehicle for providing additional information relating to the backstories of the characters, but simultaneously they drop intriguing titbits into the narrative relating to developments that have yet to be unveiled in the chronological storytelling thread. The result is an engrossing story packed with well-drawn, fundamentally flawed characters that leave you never quite being sure who you should believe.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

I have read all of Lisa Jewell’s books this one did not disappoint. My favourite book of the year so far.

Fast paced from the first page,

The characters are well written the story has you on the edge of your seat.
I don’t want to give spoilers just trust me and read this book!

Loved it.

None of This is True is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out None of This is True asap.

I have read many of Lisa Jewell’s books and would say that this is one of her best. It kept me hooked throughout with all its twists and turns.

Dark, original and very unpredictable! Lisa Jewell fans will love it.

It has taken me two days to even think about writing a review - I had to process everything I had just read first. My first reaction just wow!! I was literally speechless.

Josie Fair is a 45 year old mother of two grown up children. She has been with her husband for 30 years. She wears the same types of clothes she has done for the last 30 years and works part time in an alterations shop.

Alix Sunmer is a 45 year old mother of two small children. She lives with her successful husband in a lovely house and if a Podcaster.

This psychological thriller is the tale of two very different women who meet by chance and share the same birthday. This sparks a shocking chain of events which sees their lives become entwined and you will want to scream, shout and warn people about what you just know is going to happen. The story moves at about 100MPH and doesn’t slow down. In fact, the deeper into the story we delve the more your heart races.

You will not be able to put this book down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

None Of This Is True is Lisa Jewell’s best book yet! Make sure you have spare time or are prepared to ignore all around you as this is the ultimate page turner.

The plot, pacing and writing were perfect. It starts with Alix Summer and Josie Fair, at the same restaurant, both celebrating their 45th birthdays. Josie, accidentally on purpose, bumps into Alix in the ladies and discovers that they were even born in the same hospital.

On doing a bit of online research Josie learns that Alix is a well-known podcaster who has made a whole series of podcasts about successful women, After listening to all of the podcasts, Josie ‘bumps’ into Alix again and persuades her to do a podcast about Josie’s life which, according to Josie, is about to change for the better and is full of intrigue and interest.

We soon learn that Josie’s life is indeed unusual. She married met Walter when she was 14 and married him at 18 when he was 42. They have two girls, Roxy and Erin. Roxy is the youngest but left home at 16 and Josie hasn’t seen her since. Erin still lives at home but doesn’t eat solid food and hides in the bedroom so Josie hasn’t seen her for months as she leaves food outside the door. Josie wears a lots of denim and seems a bit of a kleptomaniac as she has a lot of other people's trinkets and small items. Including a few of Alix's as the story moves on.

Meanwhile, Alix’s homelife isn’t quite as perfect as it might seem to outsiders. Alix’s husband, Nathan, drinks too much and has a habit of not coming home for a day or two. He is always full of excuses and apologies but is doing this lots lately.

We learn of Josie’s story via a series of Netflix scenes which recounts Josie’s story as well as the accounts of those who knew the family. It’s a very clever and gripping way of pacing the story and makes much tension and a desire to keep reading. Be prepared to ignore all around you once you start this book!

With thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

None of this is True by Lisa Jewell. Another phenomenal thriller from Lisa.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Lisa Jewell for the chance to read this book ahead of publication date.

Lisa's books are always on my auto buy list. I've always had The Family Upstairs as a favourite, but this one is definitely a contender for the top spot!

I don't want to risk giving away spoilers this early. But WOW!

There's a true crime podcast element to the book, which I absolutely loved! Added a whole new layer to her storytelling. Loved the concept of it, and it was executed really well.

On the evening of her 45th birthday Alix crosses paths with Josie who is also celebrating her birthday at the same restaurant.

It doesn't take long for Josie to track down the famous podcaster and approach her with a new direction for her podcast. And before she knows it Josie has infiltrated Alix's life leaving behind nothing but chaos.

But who is Josie? What secrets is she hiding? Will Alix discover the truth before it's too late?

Make sure Lisa Jewell's latest thriller is next on your preorder list!

Alix Summer and Josie Fair meet at the restaurant where they're both celebrating their birthday. It turns out they're both 45, born on the same day at the same hospital. It's karma right? They run into each other again and that's when Josie proposes that Alix make a podcast about Josie's life story. She promises she has a story to tell and boy she wasn't lying.

Josie is the weirdest character I have met of late, with her always wearing denim, her habit of stealing little trinkets from Alix's house, and not to mention her family situation which seems even weirder. She has a husband who's in his seventies, a daughter who never leaves her room and lives on baby food, and another daughter who ran away from home when she was 16. What is going on in that house?!

Josie's story was very addictive to read and it soon escalates into a horrific family dynamic. Alix has her own family drama with her husband Nathan going on benders and not getting home till the morning but that is frankly not nearly as interesting as Josie's situation. Walter is dead against her sharing her story in this podcast but she decides to do it anyway. Her story is tragic. The only thing is that there was always this unsettling feeling at the back of my mind too because Josie was a little too encroached onto Alix so that didn't entirely sit right. Going forward there were also little hints that made me wonder. There are Netflix intro scenes set up and interviews with people who know or knew Josie so I knew something bad had happened and it created so much more intrigue and suspense, and I can totally see this turned into a real Netflix series.

The title played on my mind all the time and while it seems to simply give away the plot (which was a bit of a disappointment in advance), Lisa Jewell was still able to have my head spinning with the many shocking and twisty turns in the story. The author also ends the novel on a high note for me that kept me thinking for a while about the characters while I had made up my mind about them for a long time already.

None of This Is True is one disturbing dark ride that spirals totally out of control and you better hold onto your seat while reading this. If there's one truth I can share with you it's that I was completely engrossed in this novel. Highly recommended!

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: 20/07/2023
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The lives of Alix Summers and Josie Fair cross on their 45th birthday- when both realise they share the exact same birth date. Alix, a popular podcaster, is approached by Josie claiming that she would be a good subject for her next interview. Alix agrees to give it a go and had no idea what she was letting herself in for: a strange and complicated life story. But Alix couldn’t resist digging further and before she knew it Josie had firmly embedded herself in her life.
I would expect nothing less from Lisa Jewell than pure excellence; this novel delivers again! I found myself sympathising, outraged and surprised at various points throughout the book. Excellently constructed and I really felt like I could get to know the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Jewell and Random House for this ARC in return for an honest review.
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BOOK REVIEW

None of This is True by

Thank you to netgally and Century UK for letting me read this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:
When Alix and Josie meet in a pub on their 45th birthday, Josie asks Alix to record her version of her life so far for Alix's podcast. What Alix finds out about Josie's past is disturbing. What will happen?

My thoughts:
All of this is true - I LOVED it! I read it in 4 days, and I could not stop reading. Lisa Jewell sets the pace quickly. You want to hear what happens next in Josie's story. It is gripping and it deals with very triggering topics (please see triggers). I liked how the book was set out as well, with the chapters and then having the Netflix documentary about everything that happens. The Netflix documentary gives the reader enough information to make them want to continue reading to find out what truly has happened.

None of the characters were likable, and they were unrealiable. I couldn't help but feel frustrated with Alix 90% of time. I was literally shouting at Alix at different points throughout the book 😂

I really liked the ending. It is probably one of my favourite Lisa Jewell endings that I have read so far (my favourite endings being this and Watching You).

Has it beaten The Family Upstairs off the top spot? I'm not sure, but it is close!

Overall, if you like fast paced psychological thrillers, which has a hint of Netflix added, then this book is for you!!!

Triggers - abuse, death, stalking, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, overdose, addiction, violence (probably more but these are the ones I can think of right now).

I'm a huge fan of the author, and as soon as I saw the book on netgalley, I knew I had to read it. Its full of dark secrets from the past which kept me gripped. Its one hell of a roller coaster to read, and gripping. I could see this as a series on TV and I for one would certainly watch it!

Wow. Lisa Jewell does it again. If you need a book to get you out of a slump, this is it. None of This is True brilliantly marries the concept of a true crime docuseries with a real time twisty mystery. Jewell is a master at creating tense, heart pounding scenarios that literally have you up all night. Another five star review for the queen of crime.