Lisa is a number one New York Times and Sunday Times author who has sold over ten million books worldwide and been published in over twenty-five languages. As Josie strike up a conversation in the ladies room she realizes not only were they born on the same day…but in the same hospital. So we also know, right away, that something very bad happened to Alix’s husband after he was picked up in the opening pages! Even Jewell herself has said her thrillers follow a general trend: now and then timelines, unlikable characters, at LEAST one teenage POV. 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.

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell is a masterfully crafted work of psychological fiction- the kind of dark, edgy and suspenseful story that makes Lisa Jewell one of my favorite authors in this genre. By the time Alix feels unease, Josie has wormed her way into Alix’s life and home, with repercussions that are unforeseeable and devastating. This isn’t a pleasant read, and it can easily become too much, but the exploration of themes like obsession, manipulation and warped mindsets did appeal to me. I know this is fiction but I could not ignore certain aspects of the story no matter how much I tried.Lisa Jewell's latest Psychological Thriller grabbed my attention from the start and held it all the way through. It's a testament to the author's skill in creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

If you're looking for help with a personal book recommendation, consult our Weekly Recommendation Thread, Suggested Reading page, or ask in r/suggestmeabook. In 2019, “Birthday Twins” Alix Summers and Josie Fair meet for the first time on their forty–fifth birthday in a pub where they have both come to celebrate- Alix with her husband and friends and Josie with her husband. Slowly Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has cajoled her way into Alix's life - and into her home. She loves that Nathan thinks she’s pretty, but she also wishes that Nathan could see the beauty in less conventionally attractive women too. The reader knows this isn’t going to end well, but when the inevitable twist came, I had to pick my jaw off the floor…it was brilliant.Alix Summer is a popular podcaster who is celebrating her 45th birthday when she meets Josie, also celebrating her 45th birthday. but… there’s something about Josie… 🤔…something bizarre…she wears denim… ALL the time… heck her curtains are denim… look 👀. Josie reveals shocking secret after shocking secret about her dangerous past and even MORE dangerous present -- stories of grooming and abuse that haven't quite ended yet. As Alix learns increasingly dark details about Josie’s life, she is disturbed but she doesn’t intervene, nor does she stop the podcast interviews. Matters become dark when Josie turns up on her doorstep bloodied and bruised, her version of events bringing into question the nature of truth and who is manipulating whom.

Over hours of conversations, Josie shares an unsettling tale of how she came to be married to Walter. Their unlikely meeting turns into a podcast in which shared confidences become the motive for murder. With her dream home and two lovely children, Alix is happily married, yet recent issues in her marriage leave her seeking a distraction. One of the women is a podcaster and the small piece of information about being birthday twins starts a relationship that is faster than a runaway locomotive.I adored the unreliable characters, their dark secrets, the fateful collision of their two different worlds in the same corner of London.

It doesn't end there, these two women seemingly share frustrations with each of their respective partners. Alix's life is nowhere near as shiny as it appears on the surface and Josie is just a fascinating character. 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 breathe life back into it, but she can’t.The underlying messages are great although some could have been fleshed out more, and the writing style just works a treat for me. Instead it seemed an ideal opportunity to show how divergent women’s lives can be in spite of similar beginnings. My inspiration for this book was taken much more from TV documentaries such as Abducted in Plain Sight, Don’t F**k With Cats, The Tinder Swindler, etc.