By Book Club Team 
None of This Is True Summary
In None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, Alix, a successful podcaster, meets Josie, a strange woman with dark secrets, by chance on their shared 45th birthday. Alix decides to feature Josie on her podcast, but as Josie’s stories unravel, her life invades Alix’s, turning dangerous. What starts as an intriguing story becomes a sinister web of obsession, manipulation, and deceit, leaving both women’s lives in chaos and readers questioning what’s real and fabricated.
| ✍️Author | Lisa Jewell |
| 📅Publication date | July 20, 2023 |
| ⭐Goodreads Rating | 4.12 |
| ✔️ISBN-10 | 1982179007 |
| 📆 Pages | 370 |
| ❔Topics | Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Adult, Psychological Thriller, Contemporary |
The Synopsis of None of This Is True
The story centers around two women, Alix Summers and Josie Fair, who meet by chance at a restaurant while celebrating their 45th birthdays. They joke about being “birthday twins,” but Josie, an unsettling woman with a mysterious past, becomes obsessed with Alix, a well-known podcaster. What begins as a casual encounter spirals into a dangerous entanglement as Josie inserts herself deeper into Alix’s life.
Alix decides to feature Josie on her podcast, intrigued by the disturbing revelations she shares about her life. But as Josie’s stories become increasingly dark and erratic—exposing trauma, toxic family relationships, and deceit—Alix struggles to distinguish truth from lies. This isn’t just a quirky podcast guest; Josie’s presence becomes invasive, turning Alix’s seemingly perfect life into chaos.
Throughout the book, secrets about Josie’s past unravel, including hidden truths about her family and her sinister behavior. Twists ensue, with dangerous consequences for everyone involved. Alix’s life and relationships come under threat as the boundaries between storytelling and reality blur. Eventually, the story reaches a boiling point with a chilling outcome, leaving readers questioning what to believe and challenging the notion of truth itself.
The narrative taps into timely themes about obsession, the ethics of storytelling, and how we consume real-life tragedies through media. Jewell keeps readers on edge with her clever pacing and layered storytelling, delivering a slow-burn psychological thriller that’s full of emotional depth and unexpected turns.
None of This Is True Genre
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell falls into the psychological thriller genre, with elements of domestic suspense. The story also explores themes like obsession, manipulation, and truth, giving it a contemporary, slow-burn feel that aligns well with mystery and crime fiction. Its modern twist on storytelling—through podcast interviews and dark family secrets—further enhances the tension and makes it a gripping read for fans of unsettling, character-driven narratives.
None of This Is True: Ending Explained [Spoilers]
The ending of None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell is complex and unsettling, leaving readers questioning the truth of events. Here’s a breakdown:
- Josie’s Deceptions Unravel: Josie’s manipulations come to light, revealing her as a deeply unreliable narrator. Throughout the story, she deceives both her family and Alix, feeding half-truths and lies. Her daughter, Erin, eventually discloses that Josie had been siphoning money from her streaming account, and much of what Josie claimed about their family dynamics was fabricated.
- The Fate of Nathan and Brooke: Nathan, Alix’s husband, is found dead near a cabin where he was being held, and Josie admits in a letter that she had drugged him, leading to his accidental death. Brooke’s body is discovered in Josie’s garage, and it is later revealed that Josie may have covered up her daughter Roxy’s involvement in Brooke’s death.
- Josie on the Run: In the final scenes, Josie is on the run, having dyed her hair and relocated, reflecting on the lies she’s told. Despite her manipulative behavior, she convinces herself that she acted out of love for her daughter, Roxy.
- Alix’s Life in Shambles: Alix’s involvement with Josie leaves her personal life in ruins. The events take a toll on her marriage and her sense of safety. The podcast they recorded becomes a Netflix documentary, turning the disturbing story into entertainment, which adds a final layer of commentary on the ethics of profiting from personal trauma.
The ending leaves many questions unanswered, deliberately blurring the lines between truth and fiction. It forces readers to grapple with the idea that, in real life, not all stories are neatly resolved—and not every truth is discoverable.
Who killed Brooke in None of This Is True? [Spoilers]
In None of This Is True, it’s revealed that Roxy, Josie’s daughter, was responsible for killing Brooke. Josie had initially lied and manipulated the narrative to protect Roxy, framing the situation differently to cover up her daughter’s involvement. Roxy killed Brooke after blaming her for personal turmoil, including running away from home. Josie’s decision to shield Roxy highlights the twisted family dynamics and further blurs the lines between love, manipulation, and deceit in the story.
None of This Is True Characters
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key characters in None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell:
- Alix Summers: A glamorous podcaster with a seemingly perfect life. Alix becomes fascinated by Josie’s story and decides to feature her on her podcast, but soon finds herself in a dangerous situation as Josie’s lies and manipulations unfold.
- Josie Fair: A deeply disturbed housewife with a traumatic past. Josie is obsessed with Alix and slowly infiltrates her life. As the story progresses, her deceptive nature and dark secrets are revealed, leaving chaos in her wake.
- Nathan Summers: Alix’s husband, whose relationship with her deteriorates as Josie’s influence grows. Nathan is later found dead, with Josie admitting to drugging him, unintentionally causing his death.
- Roxy Fair: Josie’s daughter, who plays a critical role in the story’s twists. It is revealed that Roxy killed Brooke, and Josie covered up the crime to protect her.
- Erin Fair: Another of Josie’s children. Erin becomes a victim of Josie’s manipulations and abuse. She eventually provides key insights into Josie’s character, helping to expose the truth about their family dynamics.
These characters drive the narrative, weaving a web of obsession, deceit, and manipulation that blurs the line between truth and fiction, making this psychological thriller an intense and gripping read.
None of This Is True: Netflix Release Date
Netflix is adapting Lisa Jewell’s None of This Is True into a film. While there’s no specific release date announced yet, the project is actively in development with Eleanor Burgess writing the script and Molly Sims producing. Jewell is involved as an executive producer, adding excitement to the adaptation process. With a lot of energy behind the project, it’s expected to be a gripping psychological thriller when it lands on Netflix, likely drawing comparisons to popular shows with dark, obsessive themes.
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