None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

“None of this is true” could easily be labeled as a crime and psychological fiction story packed with mystery and suspense. Fans of this genre will love reading it because it does justice to the genre. The story is full of surprises, bringing readers to the edge of their seats and giving it all their attention while reading.

The novel has criminal activities, drug usage, and sexual assault scenes, making it inappropriate for readers below the age of 18. It is a standalone book, and the writer does not intend to turn it into a series.  It reminded me of Lessons in Chemistry with its realistic characters and strong emotions. The book is more than just a thriller.

None of This is True Summary:

This could easily be labeled as a crime and psychological fiction story packed with mystery and suspense. The story involves Josie and Alix, who have their birthdays on the same date and are called birthday twins. Josie is oppressed by her husband, Walter, who has always controlled her in every possible way. She is young but married a man much older than her and has two kids, Roxy and Erin. Alix is a beautiful true crime podcaster. Both of them meet at a restaurant where they are celebrating their birthdays.

Alix’s podcasts are motivational and showcase stories of women and their success after jumping those hurdles that came their way. Josie meets Alix and says she’ll be going through some significant events in her life. She wants to be a part of her podcast. They begin recording at Alix’s home, and while recording, Josie steals some souvenirs from there and gradually steals some big and expensive things, like a diamond bracelet. 

Alix has some differences with her husband Nathan as he goes drinking and does not return home for days. One day, Josie comes to Alix and tells her that she and Walter had a fight and need a place to stay. Initially, Alix was reluctant but then agreed to keep her. While waiting, as usual, Josie starts stealing other stuff from Alix’s house, such as jewelry pieces and business cards.

During the podcast, Josie tells her daughter Roxy had a perfect friend named Brooke who was being controlled by her husband Walter, just like her. Walter had a physical relationship with her, and after knowing this, Josie left Walter. It was later found out that Brooke had disappeared. But where? We don’t know that for now. You can also read Verity by Colleen Hoover.

Nathan asks Josie to leave their house now. Josie went up to Alix’s room and did something strange. Any guesses? Josie met her childhood friend Katelyn and asked for her help. Josie left the house, and Alix found a woman’s contact number in Nathan’s pocket. Nathan is not home for some days, and Alix reports to the police for his kidnapping. Later, it is found that Walter is dead. But who killed him?

Publisher	Atria Books
Published Date	July 20, 2023
Language	English
Hardcover	384 Pages
Award	Goodreads Choice Award (Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023))
Age Rating	18 +
ISBN-10	1982179007
ISBN-13	978-1982179007

Nathan’s dead body is also found in the water. Who do you think is the killer, Alix or Josie? Roxy’s friend Brooke is also found dead. I am wondering who killed her. Roxy reveals to the police about her mother, Josie, and how everything she has been telling is a lie. Josie’s claim of Walter’s wrongdoings was also fabricated. Josie was a controlling and toxic mother who was insecure about everyone around her.

“Then Zoe and Alix turn the conversation away from the Huge Coincidence and immediately Josie sees that it has passed, this strange moment of connection, that it was fleeting and weightless for Alix, but that for some reason it carries import and meaning to Josie, and she wants to grab hold of it and breath life back into it, but she can’t.”

None of this is True

Erin comes out of a coma and tells that Josie killed Brooke. The podcast became a Netflix series. Josie moves to a new place and writes a letter to Alix confessing that she gave drugs to Nathan but was unaware that he would die from them. In the end, it is revealed that Roxy and not Josie killed Brooke. Josie cooked up stories to save herself and her daughter from being convicted.

Oh my God, there are too many murders. (Rolling eyes)

Main Characters:

Alix Summer:

Personally, I think Alix Summer does a fantastic job hosting the podcast and truly captures people’s attention. Her character is portrayed as very curious, as they always ask questions that help us understand her better. Alix’s journey of discovering the truth is exciting and gives a unique viewpoint to the story.

Josie Fair:

Josie Fair has a hidden past that she keeps from everyone. It is like a story being told in a podcast. The complex background adds to the overall mystery of the book.

Walter Fair:

According to me, Walter Fair represents Josie’s spouse in the show. The character gets stuck in Josie’s problems, making things even more complicated.

Erin Fair and Roxy Fair:

Erin and Roxy Fair are essential parts of this mystery. The secrecy around their presence initially adds to the suspense of the story. Also, their role in Josie’s life adds emotional depth to the narrative.

Nathan Summer:

According to me, Nathan Summer is a foil for Alix. The character of Nathan, Josie’s husband, adds more depth to the story by introducing new perspectives and conflicts, making the story more exciting and thought-provoking.

Pat O’Neill:

I think Pat O’Neill, Josie’s mom, could impact Josie’s background and current situation. She brings a family touch to the narrative.

Brooke Ripley:

Brooke Ripley, Roxy’s girlfriend, adds a new dimension to the story by introducing an element of external relationships. Her character’s actions and dialogues help the reader know more about Josie’s life.

Review:

I found the story both engaging and enthralling. I didn’t even think of leaving the book in between once. The author has unraveled the story in a manner that kept me guessing. I was rushing to find out the concealed secrets and hidden murderers. I found the co-incidence of Alix and Josie being born on the same date and even in the same hospital attractive. 

Josie’s character was mysterious, and I was trying to find out her agenda, which wasn’t very clear. Erin later revealed that Josie was insecure about her children and that her husband Walter loved them more than her. I found this a bit silly of Josie. I mean, who gets jealous of their children? 

I liked Alix’s character, which wasn’t complicated and had nothing to hide. She had a simple, relatively innocent character who was not getting Josie’s tactics and lies. Overall, the story had good twists in the plot, but there were too many murders. Why would Josie kill so many people? And if she did, what were her reasons? I couldn’t get my answers.

Trigger Warnings:

People who are going to read “None of This is True” should be cautious about the presence of extreme content themes such as violence, abuse, and others. Lisa’s story might trigger strong emotions because it revolves around sensitive topics. The story is modelled in a way that delves into the intricacies of human experiences, even if they are unpleasant. For those with specific theme triggers or otherwise sensitive, navigating through them cautiously is better.

What Else Has Lisa Jewell Written?

Lisa Jewell has an extensive bibliography with a diverse range of works. In her earlier career, she explored women’s fiction and romantic comedy, contributing to the Ralph’s Party series (1999 and 2010), Thirty Nothing (2000), Roommates Wanted (2000), One Hit Wonder (2001), A Friend of the Family (2003), Vince and Joy (2005), 31 Dream Street (2007), The Truth About Melody Browne (2009), The Making of Us (2011), Before I Met You (2012), and The House We Grew Up In (2013).

Around 2014, Jewell transitioned towards psychological suspense, marking a notable shift in her writing style. This phase includes works like The Third Wife (2014), I Found You (2016). The Girls in the Garden (2016), Then She Was Gone (2017), Watching You (2018), The Family Upstairs (2019), Invisible Girl (2020), The Night She Disappeared (2021), The Family Remains (2022), and None of This is True (2023). This evolution in her storytelling demonstrates Jewell’s versatility and ability to traverse different genres while captivating her readers with compelling narratives.

Books Like None of This Is True:

If you want to read more captivating stories, then definitely “None of this is true” by Lisa Jewell, who will fall. Explore the three suspense novels to read for a thrilling experience:

1. Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena (published July 25, 2023)
2. The Only One Left The Only One Left by Riley Sager (published June 20, 2023)
3. Good Bad Girl Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney (August 29, 2023)

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s:

Conclusion:

“None of this is true” is a captivating book exploring relationships’ complexities. I will give this book 4.3 stars for its storyline and epilogue. It depicts how even close relationships can be toxic and selfish at times. The book unfolded gradually while revealing some hidden secrets of the present as well as the past. Alix and Josie are birthday twins, and they decide to record a podcast together where Josie reveals some things about her life, such as her husband physically accusing his daughter’s friend Brooke and even his daughter Erin. Later, it turns out that Josie is telling a lie. 

Josie leaves her husband and starts living with Alix for a while, during which she performs mysterious actions like stealing things and dropping secret papers in Alix’s husband Nathan’s pocket. This makes Alix think that her husband is cheating on her. Later, Nathan is drugged by Josie, and he dies. Walter also dies, and the murderer is secret. For Brooke’s murder, first, the story showed that Walter might have killed him, then Erin accused her mother Josie if killing her, but in the end, it is revealed that Josie’s daughter Roxy killed er her friend Brooke. Everyone is dispersed, living alone, having no happy ending to the story. (Grabs a tissue and sobs while writing this).