In 'None of This is True' by Lisa Jewell, two very different women come together as a result of being 'birthday twins'. Born at the same hospital, on the same date, Alix Summer - a glossy instagramer and podcaster, and Josie Fair - an apparently downtrodden seamstress, end up in the same pub celebrating their 45th birthdays in very different ways. Alix is surrounded by laughing friends and family, while Josie sits opposite her elderly husband struggling for conversation and feeling uncomfortable in the more expensive surroundings. When Josie tracks Alix down and suggests she make a podcast about their different lives and the changes she is on the cusp of making ,Alix agrees. Little does she know that it will lead to the podcast becoming True Crime.

This was a highly enjoyable read from Jewell. Framed around a Netflix documentary based on the podcast, the novel takes us inside both Josie's and Alix's minds, as well as using added commentary from 'interviewees' and podcast exerts. Josie is a highly unreliable narrator and as the story progresses the readers allegiances change, as does there understanding of events. I was gripped throughout and sad for the book to end. I would recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

There are two ladies born on the same day. Fate appears to bring them together in a pub on their 45th celebrations.
One approaches the other and initiates conversation.
Over the next few days and weeks they appear to bump into each other again and again.
They start working with each other on a podcast. Stories are told and confessions are made.
But out of everything that we’re reading, which parts are truth and which are lies?
Who can be trusted?

A gripping tale or deception, perception and murder.

Josie and Alix meet while celebrating their 45th birthday at thesame restaurant. Later they learn they were born in the same hospital. They call themselves ' Birthday Twins'. Josie becomes obsessed with Alix and when she learns that Alix hosts a podcast, Josie shows interest in sharing her life story.

This book was just Wow!! As the title goes, this one had me guessing till the end. There was a constant sense of unease and as a reader I was being manipulated with Josie's story throughout the book.

The premise was executed in a unique way as some chapters were interviews filmed for a Netflix series called 'Say Hi to your Birthday Twin' and some alternated between Josie and Alix's PoVs. Something about Josie is off right from the start. The author leaves you with breadcrumbs here and there as she slowly peels off layer upon layer of twisted lies and by the end I was still not sure of what to believe.

Lisa Jewell is pure genius for writing a dark, twisty and gripping thriller which is a must-read. Definitely her best book yet. I loved every second of it.

Thank you @netgalley and @lisajewelluk for an eARC to read and review.

This is a dark and twisty psychological thriller that follows two women who meet by chance during a birthday meal out. They learn that they are birthday twins. Both were born in the same hospital on the same day and year. After they meet they become friends but one of them is not what the other is expecting.

This is well written, fast-paced with plenty of twists that will leave you wanting to know what happens next, every time you pick up the book.

The characters are well-drawn. They are dark and complex, especially Josie. Her character is the most unreliable of them all. I won't say too much as you need to discover their true colours for yourselves as the plot unfolds.

Jewell's books have been hit and miss in the past, but this one had me gripped and think is my favourite so far!!

If you're looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller, this is definitely one to give a go.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers Random House UK, Cornerstone, for my digital review copy (eARC).

These are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I am sharing them voluntarily.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

I really enjoy reading Lisa Jewell’s books and this was no exception. I found the story quite unique. I don’t remember reading anything about podcasts in this thrilling way.
Alix and Josie felt real to me, except that Josie’s story became darker and more complex. I felt for Alix, she was completely taken in by Josie and I wanted to warn Alix not to get involved with Josie.
A brilliant ending which made me feel emotional, which I think is the sign of a good read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and share this book.

Lisa Jewell is without a doubt one of the finest authors for twisted thrillers and she has certainly nailed it once again with this one.

One of the easiest five star reads of the year.

⚠️ Don't start reading this unless you have a spare 4 hours as you will not want to put it down!

Alix Summers is a podcaster. She is married to Nathan and they have two children. It's not the easiest marriage as Nathan has a drink problem, often staying out all night.

While out celebrating her 45th birthday, Alix crosses paths with Josie Fair, who is also out celebrating her 45th birthday. What are the chances? Born on the same day, in the same hospital!

A few days later, Alix bumps into Josie again, outside her children's school. Josie has been listening to Alix's podcasts and suggests to her that she could interview her as she is hoping to change her life. Alix agrees to a trial meeting with Josie and even though she finds her rather strange, she is compelled to discover more about Josie's life and the dark secrets she has been hiding.

Chapters written from multiple points of view with podcast and interview scripts, which makes this feel like a real true crime documentary. So cleverly written.

If you are looking for a twisty thriller with an extremely creepy, unhinged character, an annoying husband and a disturbing, but totally riveting plot, then this is for you.

I think this is the best book I have read from the author (and I have read and enjoyed several). Totally different to any of her others but wow, just wow, what a read.

This has a really dark sinister vibe to it that will get under your skin and you won't be able to sleep til you've finished it and worked out what has happened. The characters all have quite serious flaws yest they are so human and believable, it won't take many pages til you feel like you really know them. I finished at 2am last night and kept thinking about Alix and Walter all day at work.

Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? What is the truth here and what is being hidden? As the secrets start to spill, it’s easier to see who the victim is here. Love the format of podcast to Netflix, brilliantly written with some characters not as you expect. This is a truly creepy book, that I was sometimes reading from behind my hands.

None of this is True is quite different to anything I’ve read by Lisa Jewell in a while.
Alix and Josie meet by chance at a local bar while separately celebrating their 45th birthdays and discover they are birthday twins, even born at the same hospital. Alix is a successful podcaster who is searching for a new idea, and dealing with issues in her marriage. When Josie gives her an idea to look at ordinary women who are looking to make fundamental changes in mid life, Alix takes the bait and is soon embroiled in a situation far beyond her expectations. Josie tells her stories of her life as a child bride, the abuse of her children and others and how she needs to escape. As Alix records the podcast and Josie becomes more and more entwined in her family’s life, she beginning to question how much of the other woman’s story is true?
And that’s when the really bad stuff starts happening…
It’s an incredibly clever novel, you never quite know what is happening or how much of Josie’s life is invented. As the book is interspersed with material from a Netflix documentary you can safely assume if all going to get pretty dramatic, and it certainly does.
I could put it down and loved the ending, still keeping you guessing!

Wow! What a roller-coaster of a book. When Alix Summer celebrates her 45th birthday with a meal with friends, she doesn't know that the woman she bumps into in the loos will change her life. Josie tells her that they are birthday twins as she too is there celebrating her 45th birthday with her husband.
Josie consequently inveigles her way into Alix's life telling her she has a story for Alix's podcast. As time goes on and she does more recording the thought does occur to Alix, is this true?
It appears that Josie has an agenda, and it's not very nice.

It's no secret that I have quite the love/hate relationship with psychological thrillers these days. Yet, I can never resist the lure of a good blurb and so, once in a while, my stubbornness (?) in sticking with this sub-genre is rewarded by finding something like 'None of This Is True'. Boy, am I glad this popped up on my radar. It's a goodie.

As soon as Josie arrived on the scene, she gave me the creeps. Introducing yourself to a perfect stranger in the bathroom of a restaurant because you're birthday twins seemed awfully cringe-worthy to me. So yes, something immediately felt off about Josie and I nearly caught myself shouting at Alix to run a mile. But Alix has a podcast and is looking for a new and interesting subject. Josie might just be it. Having just turned 45, she's apparently on the cusp of great changes in her life. And even though Alix also finds Josie unsettling, she agrees to an interview.

Josie's story is uncomfortable to read. A lot of what she talks about in the podcast is awfully disturbing. She's had quite the hard time of it. Or has she? Is Josie a reliable narrator? Is what she's telling Alix the truth? Alix can't really figure things out. Until she realises that Josie has wormed her way into Alix's life and home. Sure, it's always somewhat frustrating when a character can't see what you, as the reader, are seeing. But in this case Lisa Jewell is forgiven as sometimes these things are just necessary to move a plot long along.

None of these characters are particularly likeable. Each and every one of them is flawed and untrustworthy. They lie and hide secrets, which makes them unreliable. Some of the relationships are dysfunctional and extremely toxic. There is a ton of manipulation going on, and keeping the title of the novel in the back of your head just makes you question everything you're reading. Sometimes shocking, always compelling, and most definitely deliciously dark and twisted. My kind of story, really.

'None of This Is True' is brilliantly plotted. Multiple points-of-view, podcast snippets and parts of interviews for a Netflix show really make the whole thing feel like a true crime documentary. And it keeps the reader guessing as bit by bit, the extent of the relationship between Josie and Alix is revealed. The whole twisted tale is incredibly suspenseful and full of intrigue. It is impossible not to get drawn into this, to become invested, or to shake off that sense of impending doom.

Her truth? The truth? Some recollections may vary, I suppose. You decide.

None of This is True, Lisa Jewell

I am a fan of Lisa Jewell, and this book does not disappoint.

Podcaster Alix is celebrating her 45th birthday at the same restaurant as Josie, also 45…they are birthday twins! Josie then “bumps into” Alix during the school run and she contrives opportunities to see her. Alix learns a little about Josie and her past and arranges to feature her in a podcast about her life as well as her husband - the husband that she met when she was 15 and he was 42 and whom she married when she was 18.

A dark, twisty, psychological thriller. One that you will not want to put down and you know when you are reading this, it is just going to get worse. Alix doesn’t stand a chance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of this book, I rate it 5 stars.

"Hi! I'm your Birthday twin" are words Alix Summers wishes she'd never heard when her life suddenly collides with Josie Fair. The two women happen to meet at a local pub while they are out celebrating their birthdays. Although both women were born on the same day and at the same hospital 45 years ago, they couldn't be more polar opposites. Alix is a successful podcaster featuring successful women who've overcome difficulties. Josie appears to be unassuming, has a much older husband (in his 70's) and tells Alix she is looking to make big changes in her life and wants to tell her story. She convinces Alix her story would make a great podcast. Alix agrees but what follows is both chilling, disturbing and leaves us desperately trying to dicipher what is true and what isn't.

One thing I do know to be true is I absolutely freaking loved this book. It makes for compulsive reading and I completely devoured it. I loved that it was a slow burn suspense without the reader losing interest. I also loved the little snippets of a Netflix show called "Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin!" peppered throughout the book. I thought this was pure genius. These sections added intrigue and gave voices to side characters which added complex threads to be unraveled.

Lisa Jewell is a master of domestic thriller. I was teetering on the edge of my seat while reading this book and OMG the ending. You'll have to read to find out. One spoiler I will give is both the dog and the cat are OK at the end. So you can relax while reading, well almost.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me with a copy to read and review

Five massive stars!

I could not put this down and absolutely raced through it.

The mix of awkward Josie and effortlessly glam Alix led to a much more unsettling story than I was prepared for; my stomach turned over several times with absolute dread (it’s not scary but it is DAARRRRK).

Bloody fantastic. Thank you Cornerstone for my review copy!

Often I wonder what to write in a review, is it too short? Too long? What can I say without giving anything away? Dare I use the word twist again 😎

This review was different, I knew from about 10% in how I would describe this book….its 1 word and its ‘Genius’
There’s so much could say about it but for me readers approaching it need to know as little as they can and then be immersed into it, and honestly you will be
The whole thing is Genius
That’s it 🤗

Another corker from Lisa Jewell. A page turner that I found hard to put down. The narrative is made of different character's perspectives and scenes from a Netflix documentary, yet I was unsure about who to believe at certain moments. This would be a good choice for a reading group.

I have read a couple of other books by this author previously and like those I found this one to be mostly slow to moderately paced BUT this one had some additional breath taking moments when amongst the narrative I was reading a part of the podcast would be revealed hinting at the future and making me keep turning the pages as fast as I possibly could!
The characters in this fascinating story are well written and mostly believable in this occasionally highly emotive story. To say much more than this would give far too much away and having enjoyed this read so much, I really don't want to give any hints away and spoil that discovery for any of you.
This was a great read which I devoured in about 36 hours and it only took that long because life got in the way!

I have long enjoyed Lisa Jewell's writing and this new offering doesn't disappoint in any way She has a knack of describing and developing characters in a way I've rarely encountered with other authors and the stories always take a route I do not expect.

In short, None of this is true is superb and I cannot recommend highly enough. Well done Lisa.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Josie and Alix first meet on their 45th birthday and Josie feels an immediate connection. As their lives become more entwined, life before they met seems a distant memory. But how well do you really know someone?

This was another super easy read from LJ and it was so addictive! I love how she shows her readers the story rather than telling. I really enjoyed the reveals along the way and I was completely invested. As usual, LJ doesn’t choose easiest subjects, but I loved the drama!

The Girls was my favourite LJ…until now! NOTIT will be published 20th July 2023!

Absolutely superb! This novel is slow and drawn out and perfectly paced to ratchet the tension as tight as it can go. This story is about Alix and Josie who despite being on opposite ends of the financial spectrum meet while out celebrating their birthdays in the same venue. It flips between excerpts of a podcast made by Alix during interviews with Josie about her life so far as well as telling the story from both their viewpoints. Alix is irresistibly drawn to Josie and Josie makes the most of this to the point where I felt absolutely wrung out from the tension of wondering how it could possibly end and trying to carry on hoping for the best.