Minnie's Fiction Addiction

Alix Summer is a popular podcaster known for documenting the lives of interesting women. One evening, while out celebrating her birthday, she meets Josie Fair — a woman born on the same day, at the same hospital. Josie is quiet, awkward, and strangely fixated on Alix. She proposes herself as a podcast subject, claiming her life story is ready to be told. Intrigued and a little flattered, Alix agrees.

But as the recordings progress, Josie begins to reveal a disturbing past filled with secrets, manipulation, and trauma. The deeper Alix digs, the more she realises that Josie may not be who she says she is — and that by letting her into her life, Alix has opened a door she may not be able to close. When Josie suddenly disappears, Alix is left at the centre of a story she no longer controls — one that could destroy everything.

👀 First Impressions:
From the moment I saw the title and tagline — “You’re not the only one watching” — I knew this was going to be a mind-bending thriller. Lisa Jewell has a knack for twisting reality in the most unsettling ways, and this book promised a blend of podcast culture, unreliable narration, and sinister secrets. I was instantly intrigued by the concept of a podcaster stumbling upon a stranger who insists they’re destined to be friends — and more disturbingly, that their stories are tangled in unexpected ways.

✅ What I Liked:
The structure is incredibly compelling — a mix of traditional narrative, podcast transcripts, and interviews that gradually unravel the plot. Jewell masterfully plays with perspective, making you question what’s real and who’s telling the truth. Josie Fair, the so-called “birthday twin” who inserts herself into Alix’s life, is one of the creepiest, most fascinating characters I’ve come across in a long time. She’s written with just the right amount of ambiguity to keep you constantly guessing her motives.

Alix, the podcaster, is a strong but flawed protagonist. Her reactions feel authentic, especially as the story spirals into darker territory. The pacing is sharp, the tension is relentless, and the ending… well, it’s the kind that makes you want to flip right back to the beginning to hunt for missed clues.

❎ What Didn’t Work for Me:
While the format adds a lot of intrigue, the shifts between podcast and prose can occasionally break the flow, especially in the second half when events escalate rapidly. Some readers might find the ambiguity in the resolution a bit frustrating — Lisa Jewell leaves just enough open-ended to make you question everything, which won’t work for everyone.

💭 Overall Thoughts:
None of This Is True is a chilling, cleverly constructed psychological thriller that explores obsession, truth, and the blurry line between content creation and exploitation. Jewell’s storytelling is as sharp as ever, and the book lingers long after the last page. Fans of true crime podcasts, unreliable narrators, and stories that keep you second-guessing everything will find a lot to love here.

🛍️ Where to buy:
To grab you copy of ‘The Mysterious case of the Alperton Angels visit HERE

Final Rating ★★★☆☆½
Twisty and binge-worthy with a chilling premise, but some plot elements stretched believability by the end.