None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

This is meanto to be listened to instead of read!

Synopsis

Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth 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 her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she 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.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Audiobook review

6 resounding stars!

Narrators: Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey

First of all, this book is meant to be listened to instead of read!

The story centering around a podcast is just perfect being narrated with sound effects, added interviews and BBC broadcast. Audiobook is just the perfect format for that particular story.

And both narrators plus all the guests did an amazing job bringing that story to life!

Second: this was my first Lisa Jewell and it won’t be my last! I just know that I have found a new favorite author and I am going to binge read her back titles!

I have heard many say that this might be the best Lisa Jewell’s story and I can say that I had literal goosebumps listening to it!

I won’t reveal more of the plot than what’s in the synopsis as I don’t want to spoil your fun.

Alix Summers is a famous podcaster. She has won prices for her series on women overcoming very bad odds and becoming stronger, achieving great accomplishments. All these women are inspiring.

When celebrating her forty-fifth birthday in a restaurant, she’ll meet Josie Fair who happens to be her birthday twin.

Days after, they’ll bump into each other again and Josie, having listened to Alix’s podcasts, will offer Alix to do a podcast on her life. She says that very shocking things happened in her life and that she is on the cusp of a big change.

Alix’s instincts are telling her not to do that podcast. Josie is intense and unsettling. But Alix is also bored and wants to take risks. She’ll accept, never guessing that by the end of it, she’ll become the subject of her own true crime podcast and all the threats Josie will bring int her family life.

That book was simply brilliant.

The tension is slowly mounting. Josie seemingly meek and plain in the beginning will slowly appear very disturbing, fixating on Alix and her life. The things she’ll reveal to Alix are downright shocking but you can’t help a sliver of doubt slowly creeping into your mind. Is Josie really truthful? Or is she an unreliable narrator?

And if so, what is the truth? What happened all these years ago?

Josie becomes so obsessed with Alix that she’ll also mete out some life advices to her, not very happy when Alix doesn’t seem to heed them.

The atmosphere becomes suffocating.

It really was like watching a movie and knowing that something bad is about to happen. You want to shout to the hero to stop, and “Don’t do it because this is a bad idea!”. You are afraid to reach the end of the story because you have no idea how this could end happily and yet… you just can’t stop reading!

Because that’s gripping and you HAVE to know what will happen.

It was brilliant. It was more than intense. It gave me shivers and goosebumps. It elevated my heart rate and my blood pressure. It left me breathless, shocked and in awe.

I absolutely recommend this one if you love thrillers and true crime.

And do me a favor: listen to it!

Thanks for reading!

Sophie