One of the best books I have read in awhile, I couldn’t put it down. Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint!

Trust Your Instincts

None of This is True is a psychological thriller about two women who, through a chance encounter, learn they are birthday twins. Their unlikely meeting turns into a podcast in which shared confidences become the motive for murder.

Meet Josie Fair, a 45-year-old part-time seamstress. Married to a man significantly older, she has decided to change the course of her life in her 45th year. Alix comes into her life at just the right time--a podcast host, she is the perfect woman to help Josie share her intriguing story. Alix and Josie’s lives become intertwined in more ways than one, culminating in a chilling crime.

Chapters alternate between Josie and Alix. Josie is alluring, but she is also intense and odd. She is off-putting but enthralling at the same time. Her story is questionable, and I was waffling back and forth while reading this on her reliability. Alix’s chapters are not as interesting as Josie’s, but she adds a level of stability to the story.

Interspersed between chapters are interviews filmed for a Netflix series called “The Birthday Twin.” These tidbits add another layer to the events, but the snippets don’t show the whole of the situation until the end when the truth is finally revealed.

This is an addictive page-turner that I couldn’t put down. Josie is a train wreck of a character that I couldn’t look away from. Her character is one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel. At the same time, themes include pedophilia, alcoholism, and physical and emotional abuse, so it is not a fun read. It is also dark, tense, suspenseful, and has some major creepy vibes. The ending gave me the chills.

I haven’t loved Jewell’s most recent novels, but this one is back to form.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

My first thought is I have no words. Although this psychological thriller was gripping from the beginning it was also very disturbing and semi confusing with what was reality and the makings of a twisty confusing thriller. I rounded up from 3.5 to 4 stars because I did only take 24 hours to read it, so in my mind that's 4 star quality. Can totally see this becoming a movie.

Wow, what a ride this was! Dark, creepy, and just when you felt like you figured it out, here comes another twist, right to the very end. This was my first Lisa Jewell book and I'm now a forever fan.

Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my review.

Wow, could this really be Lisa Jewells best book yet? I have read almost all of her back list and I think the answer is yes! This is an amazing psychological thriller, where just like the title suggests, none of it is true. Even until the very last page there is a twist, that you wont see coming. You may think you know how the story is going to unfold but you don't.
The characters were fleshed out and well developed. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded with the back and forth between the story and the Netflix original show. I enjoyed the suspense and lead up to the conclusion. There were no outlandish twists and turns that a lot of authors use to create shock value, which I appreciated.
My only complaint, and this is personal and does not take away from the story at all, is the use of the pandemic at the end. I know that the timing of the events in the story lineup with that timeline in real life, but I read to escape real life not be reminded of it, This only happens at the end of the story and doesnt take away nor add to the overall story.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone. I can see this making it in to my top favorite thrillers of the year video,

None of This is True is a typical Jewell book. Like a bag of chips, I can't stop.
Two women meet who share the same birthday. Their lives become entangled. A podcast leads to dark secrets and then the risk to an entire family.

Scary, enticing and you won't put it down

Wow! Lisa knows how to make you trust no one, and I mean that in the best way! The first half of the book you are constantly asking yourself who’s the most suspicious? And the answer is everyone! This book was almost 5 stars for me up until the last 20%, but the way everything comes together just knocked it down to a 4.5 stars for me! So for this review I’ll be rounding up.
I definitely think the writing style of this book will entice a lot of people as a good chunk is told in past podcast recordings, and then present documentary series narration.
This book was a wild ride and genuinely had me not able to guess the twist!

Dare I say the twist wasn’t twisty enough? In really expected more. The build up was great but the ending fell flat for me.

Just finished #Book16 @lisajewelluk #NoneOfThisIsTrue early read thanks to @netgalley ! This was a really unique read. I always find it amusing to read books from other countries and trying to pick up on the slang haha! I really enjoyed how the story developed. Could do without the "parts" - they didn't really fit the layout of the book. Otherwise, a really good twisted thriller and that keeps you guessing and questioning until the last page - literally! I enjoyed the relateableness of the process with a podcast and Netflix being a large part and intertwining them to create an in-depth story. #52bookchallenge📚 #52booksin52weeks @goodreads #goodreads @amorbidbookclub ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! What a book! I could not put this one down. The unreliability of the characters and questioning who to trust and believe had me at the edge of my seat!

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy to read for an honest review

WOW!!!! First, I’m so thankful to receive the ARC digital copy of this book publishing 8.8.2023. This was a great psychological thriller that I needed to spice up my reading. This book has so many twists and turns. This makes the reader keep guessing until the very end. I also thought LJ did a nice job with juggling a few various plot points while not losing the reader or being confused. I think this was an excellent balance with different characters, but all somehow get tied into the main problem. Loved it!!

This is a great read! Writer builds the story well and leaves you wondering who is telling the truth!

Lisa Jewel wrote another winning novel! Out of the six books I read by her, she always delivers a disturbing and eerie story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and this book was no different.

Alix Summers and Josie Fair are nothing alike except for having the same birthday. Alix hosts a true crime podcast, and Josie is married with two children with a complicated life. Both women met at a bar when they were celebrating their birthdays. Josie became obsessed with getting to know Alix and coerced her to have Josie on the podcast. The things that Josie confesses to Alix are shocking and might not be completely accurate. Her lies and her actions might cause Alix and her family in grave danger.

The delivery of this book was fantastic. The story was dark, eerie, and compelling. It was everything I wanted in a Lisa Jewel book. The writing style was perfect too. I loved how Jewel can build suspense gradually throughout the book, and I will still be shocked by the ending. The podcast and the Netflix series recap added a fresh and unique spin to the story. None Of This Is True is a fast-paced, gripping psychological thriller that will lead you to a world of deception with this addictive read.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Atria Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

4.5

WOW. WOW. WOW is all I have to say after finishing this book. I finished it in two days and opted out of plans with friends to finish it. I think Jewell took the ever common podcast theme, and put new twist on it. It was original, gripping, and unputdownable.

Josie and Alix are birthday twins. They were born on the same day, in the same hospital, on the same year. Josie comes from a traumatic past. At 14 she fell in love with a 45 year old married man, then had two children, and has continued to live under the shadow of her husband ever since. Alix, is a successful podcaster whose marriage is on the rocks. On their 45th birthday, Josie and Alix run into each other in the bathroom on their birthday, where they dubbed each other "The Birthday Twins".

Josie then begins to seek Alix out in different places across London: her child's school, outside her home, and at a coffee shop because she wants Alix to do a podcast on her life. Alix, who feels like she is in a work rut, agrees and the relationship between Josie and Alix begins. As the podcast unfolds, Alix becomes increasingly uncomfortable around Jodie. She notices things begin missing from her apartment and people who she is interviewing for the podcast don't make Jodie out to be this damaged woman she claims to be.


Although the ending was a little dragged out, it will absolutely make you think and debate for weeks to come.

Surprise, surprise - another Lisa Jewell book that hooked me in right from the start, gave me the creeps, and had my jaw dropping.

“Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin!”

Josie Fair and Alix Summers end up celebrating their 45th birthday at the same gastropub. This is an unusual outing for Josie (her and her husband Walter usually stay at home and get takeaway), but it’s just another day in the life for beautiful, blonde Alix and her friends & family, who are in a very celebratory mood.

Josie follows Alix when she goes into the washroom and mentions that it’s also her birthday. She finds our they were born on the same day, at the same hospital. From there, Josie pursues an interesting acquaintance with Alix, who is the host of a popular podcast. Alix wouldn’t call their relationship a friendship (Josie may disagree…), but she does agree to take her podcast in a new direction, interviewing Josie about her life and the changes she wants to make going forward.

Slowly, you learn more and more details about Josie’s life, and it is dark & bleak. But, can you trust Josie, and how much of her story is the truth?

Lisa Jewell is just so good at writing odd, off-putting characters… you can’t put your finger on it, but for some reason they give you the creeps, and their peculiar actions, though seemingly innocuous, give you goosebumps (taking trinkets, all the denim, the baby food???). They make you uncomfortable, they sometimes even repulse you, but also, you need to keep reading to know more. Against her better judgement, Alix wants to hear Josie out and give her the chance to tell her story.

What to expect:
• Dual POV (in the third person)
• Strange & mysterious family dynamics
• Age gap marriage (and not in a cute, romcom trope way)
• A small dog that goes everywhere with Josie
• Podcast transcripts / screenplay excerpts throughout

For some reason, I also just love reading UK thrillers because then I get to Google terms like Weetabix and water closet to find out what the heck they mean. They just give a book some extra charm (as a US reader).

Add this one to your TBR friends, it will be out in August!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Atria Books for the advanced eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was a literal page turner, the story was so creepy and compelling and fast paced. Sometimes I think the podcaster as narrator genre is overdone, but it worked really well here. A solid thriller.

Another solid thriller from Lisa Jewell. Following 2 birthday twins as they embark on making a podcast together. It soon becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in this story. Compulsively readable and full of suspense but at points this book reminded me so heavily of other thrillers, I couldn't help but feel like I'd read it before.

Um.....this book is flipping amazing!!!!

I could not swipe the pages fast enough and stayed up way too late several nights because I HAD to find out what was going to happen!

The only problem now is this book was sooooooo good, everything else seems meh.

This is now my favorite Lisa Jewell book. A close second is WATCHING YOU and THEN SHE WAS GONE.

Brief Synopsis:

Alix Summer "befriends" an odd woman named Josie Fair after a chance meeting at a restaurant while celebrating their 45th birthdays.

Josie worms her way into Alix's life, becoming the subject of Alix's podcast. Josie's life story is troubling and terrifying and soon Alix's life no longer seems her own but instead is manipulated by Josie.

Is Josie capable of murder? Bodies start piling up so yes maybe.

Lisa Jewell has created an astonishing, heart-stopping (at times, heart-wrenching), unpredictable masterpiece here, folks.

Alix Summers is a popular podcaster. Josie Fair is just — Josie Fair. They don’t know each other until they meet coincidentally at the same restaurant both celebrating their 45th birthdays. They soon meet again and come up with a new idea for a podcast which sparks a complicated turn of events to follow.

I am absolutely obsessed with the interspersed scenes from the Netflix show about the podcast. It creates an element of intrigue and potential foreshadowing I’ve never seen before. Brilliant. The mystery is addictive. The twists are satisfying. The suspense is all-consuming. You think you know, and then oh, wow. You really don’t.

Go read this book the first chance you get. It releases on 8/8/23!

Thank you to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and Lisa Jewell for the advanced copy.

Lisa Jewell books always get me! I was so excited to get an ARC of her new book! This one was filled with so many twists and turns and takes you on a roller coaster of emotion…and the ending?!?! I loved the podcast/Netflix/story mash up of writing as well!