For my next read, I dove into None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, a story that starts with a seemingly chance encounter—but quickly turns into something much darker.
While celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer meets a quiet, unassuming woman named Josie Fair. As it turns out, they share the exact same birthday—complete strangers, yet “birthday twins.”
Their paths cross again just days later outside Alix’s children’s school, and this time, the connection deepens. Josie reveals she’s been listening to Alix’s podcast and believes her own life story could make for a compelling feature. She claims she’s on the verge of major life changes—and reluctantly, Alix agrees to tell her story.
But as the interviews continue, Alix begins to realize there’s something unsettling about Josie. Her life is far more complicated—and far more troubling—than it first appears. Still, Alix can’t seem to pull away.
Before long, Josie has worked her way into Alix’s world… and even into her home.
Then suddenly, she’s gone.
And it’s only after Josie disappears that Alix begins to uncover the truth—one that leaves her at the center of a chilling story she never meant to tell, with consequences that threaten everything she holds dear.
What unfolds from there is less of a straightforward mystery and more of a slow, tightening spiral. The story is told through a mix of perspectives, recordings, and interviews, which makes everything feel unsettlingly real, like you’re piecing together something you maybe shouldn’t be hearing. Just when you think you have a handle on what’s true, something shifts.
Josie is one of those characters that gets under your skin in the strangest way. She’s not loud or obviously threatening, but there’s a quiet intensity about her that feels off from the beginning. And the deeper you get into her past, the more uncomfortable it becomes. Nothing is quite as it seems, and every detail feels like it might matter later.
What really stood out to me was how the book plays with perception. How easily we can believe someone’s version of events when it’s presented the right way. Alix, who is used to telling other people’s stories, slowly loses control of the narrative, and that shift is both fascinating and unsettling to watch unfold.
There’s also this underlying tension the entire time, like something is just slightly out of place. It’s not always fast-paced or action-packed, but it doesn’t need to be. The unease builds in a way that keeps you turning pages, trying to figure out what’s really going on—and who you can actually trust.
By the end, you’re left with more than just answers. You’re left with questions. About truth, about manipulation, and about how well we can ever really know someone else… or even ourselves.
This one definitely stuck with me after I finished it. And I will be reading more from this author!