Goodreads says, "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?"
Josie Fair has lived a tough life. She got married extremely young to a much older man who is controlling. She had two kids, who are grown now, and since then her life has been a bit of a letdown. After coming into an small inheritance, she decides to take her and her husband out to a fancy pub in town to celebrate her 45th birthday. While there, she watches a much more glamorous woman who is celebrating her birthday there as well. In the bathroom, she starts talking to this woman and realizes that it's her "birthday twin" as she was born on the same day and year at the same hospital where she was born. Slowly, Josie starts to become very interested in this woman, Alix, to the point where it's a bit of an obsession. Alix Summers's life is entirely different than Josie's. She is a successful podcaster, married to a businessman, and has two young children. Upon several "chance" meetings orchestrated by Josie, she convinces Alix to start a new podcast series on ordinary women who are about to change their lives. She shares a bit of her backstory with Alix and they realize that they might be on to something. But the more time Alix spends with Josie preparing this podcast, the more things start to get strange. Not only is Josie's life extremely upsetting and dark, she starts to realize that Josie's motives might not be as pure as she thought. Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True is one of, if not the, best psychological thriller I've read this year.
At first, I felt bad for Josie, because I thought she was a victim as she was only a teenager when she married a forty-year-old man. Cue the nausea. However, as I learned more about Josie, I realized how disturbed she was and she was much more complex than I thought. Jewell reveals this through interviews with other characters, flashbacks, as well as Josie's admissions; however, I was curious as to what was true and what was fiction. That is, essentially, the main conflict in the story. Who is telling the truth? I wanted to believe Alix as she seemed much more together.
This leads me to Alix in None of This Is True. She is a semi-famous podcaster living a rather comfortable lifestyle which is juxtaposed by Josie's abysmal housing near a bus stop. Josie is immediately attracted to Alix's shiny life. Her successful husband, two adorable kids, and even her slew of supportive sisters. However, the more time Josie spends with Alix, the more Alix's life becomes exposed. Perhaps it isn't so perfect once you peel back the layers? Josie starts to turn the tables on Alix and Alix gets sucked right into Josie's maelstrom.
I love a good psychological thriller in the fall and None of This Is True is so, so good. Jewell had me guessing up until the last second. It was twisty and dark, but nothing too upsetting that would keep me up at night. If you enjoy Gillian Flynn or Alice Feeney, definitely give this book a try. It's going on my "Best of 2023" list for sure.
Have you read None of This Is True? Are you a fan of Lisa Jewell? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
This one was great - her books rarely disappoint!
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to read more of her novels! Glad to hear you liked this one, Michele! Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteI actually don't think I've read Lisa Jewell before, but this sounds amazing! I want to know more about Josie, and it's always fun trying to figure what's real and what isn't.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like Jewell, Angela. This book is a good place to start. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteI loved this book too! I agree with your description of it not being so intense that it keeps you awake at night. Thrillers aren’t my typical read but I really liked this!
ReplyDeleteYes! It was the perfect amount of suspense! I definitely want to read more of her novels in the future. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, too! Thanks for visiting!
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