Celebrating her 45th birthday podcaster Alix Summers bumps into Josie Fair who's also celebrating her 45th birthday. Josie feels that they have a connection and persuades Alix to use her life as a theme for her next project. Little does Alix realise the disturbing secrets that are about to be revealed.
Author Lisa Jewell has written a complex thriller that reads like one of those Netflix crime documentaries that you can't help but binge watch. Part of the storyline of None Of This Is True is based on a podcast that becomes a Netflix series titled “Hi, I'm Your Birthday Twin!” and this premise works really well.
The story alternates between events as they happen and excerpts from the documentary series which is made afterwards. The constant switching between present and future really add to the mystery.
From the start it looks as if this is a story of jealousy. It's obvious that Josie isn't happy with her life and she feels as if Alix has a perfect existence. As the story develops you begin to doubt much of what Josie reveals, particularly when this is followed by interviews with people who knew her. In terms of an unreliable narrator this raises the bar, at times we never know if we're hearing the truth, a half truth or a complete fabrication. It becomes clear that instead of being a victim Josie is an expert manipulator.
Part of Josie's skill as a manipulator is what she chooses to reveal. There are extremely disturbing elements to the story which garner sympathy from other characters and the reader. However, as we delve deeper into the background you begin to doubt everything read.
None Of This Is True is one of those stories that you devour in one sitting, constantly question what you've read and by the end want to go back to the beginning and re-read everything to see what you missed first time around.
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell will be published on 20th July 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for a review copy.
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