September 2023 Standalone BOTM - None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

[Alaina]

Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

**This BOTM thread will be open until October 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Alaina]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[okay. I have no idea who is who or what’s happening but I’m intrigued. Was the water drugged? Where is his wife? Was he cheating on her? Who is this lady picking him up? I have so many questions floating around in my head. I need answers! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Sunday, 9 June: (view spoiler)[okay, so, it was Nathan in the prologue for sure. Right? Especially since it seems like he regularly cheats on Alix. Poor lady. Idk why she’s with him? Maybe I’m just assuming the ultimate worst out of him but I don’t like him. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Thursday, 19 June: (view spoiler)[I have so many questions. I see that both women are not happy in their marriages and whatnot. But what’s the overall story? The murders? Where’s her other daughter and why does erin eat baby food? I’m so confused but very very intrigued. (hide spoiler)]

[SavsLibrary]

Starting this today, probably.

[SavsLibrary]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ I am BEYOND confused.. Obviously both women are unhappy. Josie seems a little off her rocker. What's going on with Erin? (hide spoiler)]

[Erica]

Savannah wrote: "Starting this today, probably."

just starting today, I had completely forgot about this one lol

[Erica]

(view spoiler)[a little weird that someone wouldn't find it unconventional to talk to randoms about what time they're born, lol (hide spoiler)]

[SavsLibrary]

Erica wrote: "[spoilers removed]" as an astrology girly, i definitely ask randoms questions like that oops

[SavsLibrary]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ absolutely mind boggled. Ok here's my theory. Josie killed Walter, he's been dead the entire time she was at Alix's house. She finally snapped. Potentially maybe she killed Erin? She keeps saying that Erin is 'fine' and 'wherever she is, she's safe' like... maybe she means she's dead. Glad that Alix started calling her out on her lies, but I feel like that just pushed Josie closer to the edge. I think that Josie is going to kill Nathan -- idk how the actress fits in to all of this? Maybe she's gonna try to get Nathan to cheat on Alix with the actress and then kill Nathan after? or just expose him to Alix to win her back? Leaning towards murder because of all the interviews saying how shocking the story is.

ALSO the whole thing with brooke ripley... I think she's dead. Idk where, but she's dead. Perhaps that's what she was telling Walter they had to tell Alix about that Alix would never understand (according to Walter)

Idk if I believe Josie about Walter abusing Erin and Brooke? Ughhhh I do not know what way is up here.

Josie is an enigma, that's for sure (hide spoiler)]

[Erica]

Savannah wrote: "Erica wrote: "[spoilers removed]" as an astrology girly, i definitely ask randoms questions like that oops"

haha i guess i would just find it creepy if someone was asking me those questions in the bathroom

[Erica]

ch 9
(view spoiler)[ okay so i was confused for a little bit but I think now I am following who is who and their relationships to each other. What is up with Josie's kid? is there a reason why they are always in their room and the baby food jars? I feel so bad and grossed out by the fact she was 14 and walter in his 40s. Alix's husband sounds like a douche canoe (hide spoiler)]

[Erica]

(view spoiler)[ do you think the title means nothing from Josies story is true? She seems to have some kind of mental health issues going on (hide spoiler)]

[Erica]

July 9th (view spoiler)[ Josie is a kleptomaniac! I wonder why she has to keep all these things from the same person. It is like she is obsessed with her and wants to get as much as she can from her and keeps them like a murderer keeps trophies from their victims (hide spoiler)]

[Erica]

(view spoiler)[ wow I dont even know what to say to the ending. So it wasnt all Josie and her girls seem to be a little psychotic too? Do you think that was Josie is saying on the bus at the end is true, or just another false narrative she believes is true? (hide spoiler)]

[SavsLibrary]

Erica wrote: "July 9th [spoilers removed]"

Oh definitely! She gets obsessed and takes things from people that are the object of her affection/obsession. Do you think she was obsessed with Roxi and that's why Brooke was killed?

[SavsLibrary]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ this is absolutely BANANAS. So think that Josie killed Brooke and made Walter think that Roxi did it, so they hid the body together. Of all the stories, I'm more likely to believe Erins... overall, had a great time reading it. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Alaina wrote: "Prologue: [spoilers removed]"

leave is to Lisa to start her book this way...

(view spoiler)[ my first assumption when she said water and coffee is they are cops?? but also thinking the water might be drugged?

who is the girl? seems like she might be frightened with how she's walking (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Savannah wrote: "Part 1: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ so much happening!! I usually dont' annotate my books, but I feel like there's so much going on I had to get my thoughts out on sticky notes lol.

first off 15 year old with a 42 year old... that's crazy. It seems like Josie is starting to fall off her rocker. I don't know if I trust what Walter is saying about her making up realities to fit her, but I don't doubt it.

First red flag should be things going missing around the house & JOSIE digging into the trash can!! I'm curious to what happened with the daughters... (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Savannah wrote: "Part 2 ."

(view spoiler)[ I agree with Walter being killed especially with how the last part ended... also no idea what happened to Erin but wouldn't be surprised if she ran away or was killed as well.

no idea what's going on with the actress. Josie has something up her sleeve with what she found in Nathan's clothes. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

finished (view spoiler)[ wasn't expecting that!! I'm happy it was clarified at the ending of who killed what. To think that Walter just had a heart attack, then Josie tied up Erin in a fit of rage!!

I didn't think it was Roxy that killed Brooke!! I wasn't expecting that and it makes sense with why Roxy ran away then..

AND walter was dating Josie's mother before!! wow.. what an evil child (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Just wow!

Prologue - Sunday, 23 June: (view spoiler)[This is so eerie right from the start, I definitely see some stalkerish traits in Josie and have a feeling that she assumes Alix to have the perfect life with a loving partner, no money trouble and two cute kids which she might want for herself and that is why she might be getting closer to her. Alix on the other hand has her own problems with Nathan's out of control drinking. I was immediately disgusted with Walter and i fear he may be abusing Erin in some way considering he leaves his bedroom at night (hide spoiler)]

Tuesday, 25 June - Thursday, 11 July: (view spoiler)[While walter is a freaking pedophile, it doesn't seem like Josie is that much sane herself. I thought she wanted Alix's life but now it's clear she is kind of obsessed with her and would want Nathan out of the picture. Maybe she was the one picking him up in the prologue? I am almost afraid to find out what Josie is talking about when she said she was going to tell Alix what they did with the girls. erin still eating baby food is all kinds of weird and i am so curious to get to know about this whole mystery (hide spoiler)]

Friday, 12 July - Wednesday, 17 July: (view spoiler)[I am trusting Josie less and less and I feel like instead of Walter pursuing her all those years ago, it might have been very well the opposite, even her friend Helen said that it was like Josie wanted Walter to want him, doesn't make him any less of a pedophile though. I suspect that the two deaths mentioned in the book might be Walter and Erin and Josie killed them before coming to Alix's place. I find it weird that Alix is just letting her stay with her despite such erratic behavior. Don't know how much trust is in Josie's accusations of Walter abusing Brooke and Erin (hide spoiler)]

Thursday, 18 July - Thursday, 25 July: (view spoiler)[YIKES Josie turned out to be such a manipulator, there was no abuse of any kind after all. Thank god Erin is alive but now I am afraid the second death could very well might be of Nathan's. Josie went to such a great extent to make sure Alix and him break up, it's diabolical but everything has started unraveling now. Now i understand the title of the book i guess, nothing the readers read so far was the truth and Josie played everyone so well. I want to see how, if she eventually gets caught (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ what a tremendously twisted ending, i do not believe Josie's version of the events at all and feel like she might just be making up a story in her head to make herself believe she was a good person after all. I am sure it would have turned up in the autopsy if Walter had had an heart attack. Poor Nathan, losing his life that way wasn't really fair to him or his family. I am glad atleast Brooke's family got the closure they deserved after all these years and the sisters Erin and Roxy now live together supporting one another. What an incredible read this was (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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