None of this is True by Lisa Jewell Book Review

In her latest book, None of This Is True, Lisa Jewell tells a thrilling story about a family that is rocked by a scandal. The novel follows the lives of Alix Summers, a podcaster and Josie Fair, her birthday twin. It’s an exciting, edge-of-your-seat adventure that will appeal to readers who love suspenseful stories. Let’s dive into this review!

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Synopsis

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.

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 Alix’s series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Alix agrees to a trial interview. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep digging.

Slowly Alix 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.

Soon she begins to wonder who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

About The Author

LISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another nineteen novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.

My Review

None of This Is True follows the lives of Alix Summers, who is a well-known podcaster and her birthday twin, Josie Fair whom she meets at the pub on their 45^th birthday celebrations. Josie has a great new idea for Alix’s podcast, the story of her life as she changes. Typically, though, all is not as it seems, and Josie is completely different to what Alix thinks she will be. The story unfolds through several twists and turns as we find out more about both characters and their families and the dark secrets that hide behind both of their lives.

The characters in None of This Is True are well-developed and will keep readers hooked until the very end. Alix and Josie are very different characters, Alix is very together and has what seems to be a perfect life, and Josie is much more rough and ready though professes to want to change and have Alix document that through her podcast. There are a number of minor characters whom we see throughout and which add perfectly to the intrigue. Each character has flaws and strengths that make them relatable and real.

I felt that Josie’s character was strange from the outset, but I couldn’t have guessed the full extent of what was about to happen, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the page until I knew everything!

Lisa Jewell’s writing style is fast-paced and engaging. She keeps readers on their toes with unexpected plot twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. Her use of vivid descriptions also helps bring the characters to life, which usually makes it easy for readers to connect with them on an emotional level. However, on this occasion, didn’t connect as much as I would have liked either main character.

However, in None Of This Is True the format is much different to her usual format and from the opening we get the idea that this is a Netflix series which has been produced from a number of interviews rather than just a podcast. We know it leads to something big and not what we are expecting from the outset but it’s not until near the end that we find out what that is. I loved this format; it was slightly confusing in places but it all ties together perfectly by the end.

Overall, I don’t think this was the best Lisa Jewell book I have read, and I’ve read quite a few of hers as she’s one of my favourite authors but I enjoyed the new format and the premise of the book. I sometimes get concerned when an author brings out new releases so quickly that they will lose their appeal, often becoming very similar, this wasn’t similar to the others but didn’t have the usual pizazz she normally produces.

My previous reviews of Lisa Jewell’s work

Rated