Review: None of This Is True

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping, twisty, and hard to put down.
Alix and Josie meet in a pub on what is both women's 45 birthday. Alix, a successful podcaster, is celebrating with friends, and Josie finds herself a bit envious of Alix and all she seems to have accomplished in her 45 years. Josie manages to run into Alix a few days later and finagle her way onto Alix's new podcast. As Josie begins to talk to Alix about her past, Alix begins to wonder if Josie could be in danger. But when Alix offers to help Josie escape what seems to be a horrible life full of abuse, pain, and trauma, Alix begins to wonder who is actually telling the truth--maybe Josie is the one putting Alix in danger.
The reader knows right off the bat that something bad has happened--at best untoward and at worst criminal. As the story goes back in time and the unfolding of Alix and Josie's relationship is shown, the reader is not quite sure who or what to believe. The author does a great job of creating a feeling of "off-ness." Something is not right, but no one is quite sure what it is. Is Josie telling the truth? Is Alix being manipulated? As the action ramped up, I had a very hard time putting the book down, and there were actually a few times where I said, "Oh no!" out loud.
My only issue with the book was the very end. I think it was intended for the reader to be able to draw their own conclusions about Josie, her past, and her actions, but to me the attempt at ambiguity cheapened the story just a bit. But I still really liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys twisty psychological suspense thrillers with narrators who might be a bit unreliable.

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