None of This is True Book Review

Content warning: this review mentions alcoholism, domestic and sexual abuse, and grooming.

Ever since I read Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, I have been wanting to read more of her work. I understand that her thrillers focus on families and are edgier than most. An example of this is one of her latest novels, None of This is True. It contains all Jewell’s hallmarks, is on par with Then She Was Gone, and has a fantastic audiobook.

None of This is True is about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own true crime podcast. Popular podcaster Alix Summers celebrates her 45th birthday at her local pub when she crosses paths with Josie Fair – an unassuming woman. She, too, is celebrating her 45th birthday. In fact, they are birthday twins. A few days later, they run into each other again, this time at Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks that she might be an interesting subject for her series. She tells Alix that she is on the cusp of great changes in her life. Alix agrees to interview her. 

As they progress, Alix discovers that Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated. Although she finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Soon, Alix realizes that Josie is hiding some deep, dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie finds a way into Alix’s life and later her home. But as quickly she comes into Alix’s life, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover the terrible and terrifying legacy that Josie left behind and she becomes the subject of her own podcast with her and her family’s life under mortal threat. Alix wants to know who Josie Fair is and what she has done.

None of This is True contains some of Lisas Jewell’s trademarks. It contains a focus on realistic families. While Alix seems to have the perfect life, husband, and kids, it’s not actually that way. Nathan – Alix’s husband – is an alcoholic despite being a loving husband and father. This is why Alix goes back and forth on leaving him even though she loves him. 

As for Josie, her life is messed up to some degree. She is raised by a single, narcissist mother. Then, she marries a man who is a lot older than her and has two daughters, who are not always well behaved. At first, I felt sorry for Josie, for she appeared to be a classic example of a domestic abuse victim. I even cheered for her when she stood up to Walter – her husband – during an argument. I could easily see what Alix saw in Josie and why she would want to record a podcast about her. She even explicitly states that the podcast was a distraction from thinking about her own life by looking at someone else’s. However, it becomes clear that Josie is not as much of a victim as Alix initially thought. The second half of the book made me want to handcuff Josie and haul her off to jail. 

Like with Then She Was Gone, parts of None of This is True were predictable to some degree. I had a good feeling of what had occurred during the second half. However, to quote the review of the former, “two-thirds in, the book fulfilled and defied my expectations.” How so? Jewell has this knack for basically saying, “Yes, it was exactly what you thought happened and worse.”

This is why I don’t mind the predictability of her books. The worst part about fear is when it actually happens and feeling powerless to stop it. Jewell plays onto this quite a lot. In this case, Alix fears that Josie might infiltrate her life in more ways than one. This and much worse occur. It still shocked me and made me want to do a double-take when I heard what finally went down.

It takes a bit to get going with many of the creepy and horrific stuff happening in the second half. Despite this, the exposition effectively paints how Alix and Josie’s lives are and sets up the relationship between the birthday twins. The novel needed time to develop these to show how Josie is not the person she claims to be.

I have only one complaint about the book. It needed to end sooner. It almost veered into Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King territory with how many endings it had. I feel that it should’ve concluded after Alix makes her final warning to Josie on her podcast after the latter disappears. However, I would’ve kept the epilogue with Josie on the bus years later.

The best part of reading this story was listening to the audiobook. It’s narrated by Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey with a full cast. Walker is an actress best known for her roles in British shows like Spooks and Unforgotten. She has a Cate Blanchett-voice, which allows Alix to appear calm and put together. It’s also a great tone for someone working as a podcaster. Walker speaks in this cadence for most of the audiobook, so when Alix’s life falls apart, the narrator lets loose and conveys the emotional breakdown well. 

Brealey is an actress best known for her role as Molly Hooper in the Sherlock BBC series. She has also taken part in recording audiobooks like Julia by Sandra Newman, The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold, and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. She plays Josie with meekness with a notion that there’s more than what she lets on. When Josie goes deranged, Brealey conveys that the character may not have the self-awareness to realize what she has done.

While the performances were extremely good, what set this audiobook apart from others is the production. Since the novel involves a podcast and recorded interviews, the sound design mimics the kind of audio heard in both. As someone who runs a podcast, I can attest that this was done effectively with its clear, crisp sound. I also liked how during the recorded interview segments, the interviewer is barely heard because of how far away the microphone is from them. This puts more of the focus on the interviewees and their truths. The music during the podcast parts was great too as it portrays a sense of foreboding without shoving it hard into people’s ears. This is why I recommend people to listen to the audiobook over the book because of how good the former is.

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell is a wonderful thriller. It paints a realistic picture of the lives of the two main characters, which effectively sets up their relationship. Although it can be predictable, it still does a good job pulling the rug from under readers with its twists and turns. I’m still going to remember how I felt when I read those particular moments. Above all, the audiobook is incredible with its narrators and production. I would recommend this to all readers, especially those who love suspense, particularly books like Gone Girl; stories that involve podcasts and lives being unraveled; and want more from their audiobooks. It was one of the most thrilling novels I’ve read in awhile, and I can’t wait to read more of Jewell’s work.

Before I go, I want to let everyone know that I will be recording another episode of the Adapt Me Podcast next month. The hosts of the Badass Literature Society podcast – Michael, Barabara, and Lauren – and I will discuss how we would adapt this novel. Keep an eye out for the link.

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