This is definitely my favorite Lisa Jewel yet. I think with thrillers the less you know the better. This was incredible. So twisty. Just when you think you know where your going, something changes.

Read if you like - domestic thrillers, psychological thrillers, podcasts, true crime, mysteries, thrillers revolving around mothers/children/childhood trauma.

This was a fun ride! A well developed thriller that had you questioning everything you thought was true. It was fast-paced and I couldn’t put it down!

Bone chilling, dark, twisty, mind bending thriller — this is one of the best works of Lisa Jewell. This book is so unique and fun. I didn't know where it was going, but I was so invested. Lisa Jewell always delivers — the writing is tight, fraught with tension and left me questioning everything right up until the very end.

A big thank you to Atria Books + Netgalley for allowing me to be an early reader for this one!

I honestly didn’t think I could ever replace my fave Jewell book ( the family upstairs) but here we are and I think this one is my new fave! At first I was a little bit confused as the layout of this one differs from the author’s usual style, but I loved it!

This was my second Lisa Jewell novel, and it did not disappoint. I was hesitant to pick it up at first because I am not a fan of books revolving around podcasts, but it sounded too good to pass up. I was not instantly pulled into the story, but by the end I was sitting on the edge of my seat. Josie was such an interesting character, and it was obvious early on that something was a little off about her and her family. She gave some seriously creepy/stalker vibes but was weirdly interesting to get to know. I enjoyed Alix's character, but I feel like her side of the story was less chaotic. I loved the podcast/documentary chapters. These chapters really helped get to know Josie from a whole different perspective and piece together everything that is suspicious about her. I absolutely love an unreliable, manipulative character and this story checked all my boxes. There was not really a twist, but it was thrilling to read regardless. The writing and flow of this story was excellent. Jewell set the perfect atmosphere and the perfect characters to match. This is one of my favorites so far.

TW: mentions of pedophilia, child abuse, accused incest, murder

As a Lisa Jewell fan, this did not disappoint. It ticked all the boxes you want in one of her books--super twisty and twisted plot lines, major family drama, paranoia/tension, and so many creepy characters! I loved it.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where do I even begin…this book was just 🤯 I was hooked the entire time!! I wasn’t sure how I’d like it being a podcast/true crime interview but it’s what made the book!! Now I hope they actually make a movie or series with this book..it would be so good!! Lisa Jewell is a great author! This is by far my favorite book that I’ve read of hers.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me enjoy this book before it was released. I’m gonna tell everyone that they need to read it!

Add this to your wish list- Lisa Jewell's new release is going to be THE thriller of the summer!

With last year's Things We Do In The Dark and The Last Housewife we saw in rise in thrillers focusing on podcasts. In the TV world, Truth Be Told (Octavia Spencer, Apple TV) is one of my favourite shows at the moment. So when Lisa Jewell's new book boasted a podcast/podumentary plot about a birthday twin- you know I was all in. Jewell is a master at creating twists and turns and when you think you know, that's when you realize you really don't.

This messy psychological thriller was cuckoo BANANAS (B-A-N-A-N-A-S) in the best way.

I recommend going into this book blind because even if you read the synopsis and try to make some predictions about how this story is going to go, you will be wrong. So so wrong. I loved the combo of pairing this genre with a podcast as it leaves the readers trying to tease apart fict from fact. And for those of you who like unreliable narrators? This is a special treat.

Thank you so much to Atria and Simon & Schuster Canada for my advanced copy. Best thriller I have read so far in 2023.

This book follows Podcaster Alix Summer, who is living the American dream. She has her dream job, lots of friends, a gorgeous rich husband who adores her and two adorable kids. One night whilst celebrating her 45th birthday at a restaurant she meets a woman, Josie who is also celebrating her 45th birthday. The two briefly chat and discover that they were born at the same hospital on the same day; however, the two could not be more different, as Josie is more of a loner and not very sociable. One day Josie pitches a podcast idea to
Alix and it becomes known as the Birthday Twins.

This book was very unique, and I could not put it down! I loved the interview style and the way everything was described from 'a girl or woman in a chair to the screen fades to black.' It really allowed me to be able to visualize everything! The book was mind blowing! I still don't quite know what to believe. Just when I thought I knew it all. I am still second guessing what I know or what I thought I knew. At one point I thought maybe I was entering the Bates Motel, but with the twists and sharp turns I was utterly shocked and flabbergasted! I really loved the ending! It felt complete, although, I would have really liked to see Katelyn pay for her part in everything. I really felt she just flew passed the radar and was given a "pass go" card.
The plot and character development were superb! I really loved learning more about each one of them. My favorites were Alix's husband and son. Very disturbing characters. This is my second book by Lisa Jewell and once again, she has crafted an excellently written story. I would 100% recommend this book.!

This book was a twisted page turner that kept my head spinning and I couldn’t put this book down! I was left speechless and I didn’t want the book to end! I was invested in every character!
Alix and Josie both meet at the pub on their birthday, they soon realize they were both born on the same day at the same hospital and their both turning 45! Josie immediately calls them birthday twins!!
Josie is a seamstress she’s married to man that is a great deal older than her , so much so he’s mistaken as her father. They have two older daughters together. Josie feels like her life is stuck and she dreams of a different life. She sees Alix as her way out and she’s determined to be part of Alix’s life.
Alix is a podcaster, she has two young children her husband and her are wealthy, but sometimes perfection hides cracks. Her husband drinks, but Alix is hardworking and determined to make her marriage work.
When Alix and Josie bump into each-other again after the night at the pub, outside her children’s school. Josie brings up an idea to Alix, she wants to share with Alix her life story and the exciting future she plans for herself in her podcast. Soon both woman’s life begin to intertwine. As Josie opens up to Alix about her past. Alix begins to wonder what kind of nightmare has she stumbled into, did she invite trouble into her own home in the disguise of her birthday twin? How many secrets can one woman have? Alternating between Alix and Josie meeting in the past and then in the present a Netflix series titled "Hi, I'm Your Birthday Twin" a true crime documentary . I loved this concept and it really added to the perfect mystery thriller! I was on the edge of my seat!! I don’t want to give to much away but please grab this book and thank me later!

Lisa Jewell was already becoming my favorite author, and this book might've just sealed the deal. I. Loved. It. Couldn't put it down.

A "coincidental" meeting between two birthday twins starts the most unlikely friendship... Josie is a 45 year old who is unsatisfied with her life and is ready to make new beginning for herself. And Alix is 45 year old gorgeous podcaster who is living Josie's dream life. In what is one of the best thrillers I've read in a while, these two women each have something to offer each other. But at what cost?

Buckle up and prepare yourself for a ton of twists and turns. You won't want to put this one down.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

I love this author, and always anticipate new books - this book did not dissapoint. I found it well written, exciting, and the plot enticing and new. While it held flames to other book plots, it used themes to weave its own, new story, and was very successful. I have recommended this book to my Young Adult book group, and I am excited to see their thoughts. A few of our members have a love of crime, and I think it will go down a treat!

This is a story about lies… I think, but can’t say for sure.

This book kept me on my toes & got under my skin. It made me want to stop reading because there was no way to stop what was going to happen next, but it kept me too hooked to do it. The examination of victimhood through the lens of an imperfect victim was interesting and done in a way that left me wondering at the end. All in all, this was a deeply unsettling psychological drama that I’ll be thinking about for ages.

Thank you so much @netgalley & @atriabooks for the ebook!

Lisa Jewell does it again!! Lisa is my favorite author, so I knew this would be great! This was a great suspenseful psychological thriller. Kept me guessing about who was telling the truth until the end! I still can’t decide who to believe. Loved this book! I will post a tiktok about the video closer to publishing date.

While celebrating her 45th birthday, podcaster Alix Summers meets Josie Fair. Turns out Josie is out celebrating her 45th birthday as well. Birthday twins! They run into each other a few days later and after listening to Alix's podcast, Josie is convinced she would be a great guest on the show. This could get interesting!

So I had an uneasy feeling for so much of this story which I think is fun when you are reading a psychological thriller. You know something is off but you just have to wait and see while the author gives you pieces of the puzzle here and there. It's a gripping novel I enjoyed from start to finish.

If you are a Lisa Jewell fan, you'll want to pick this one up ASAP!

As a fan of Lisa Jewell I was thrilled to get the chance to read this book early. Fans of Jewell will love this book and I am a huge fan of the slightly different format. I was torn between 4 and 5 stars for this book, but went with 4 after predicting some of the twist.

This book is told mainly from the perspectives of Alix and Josie as they go through the process of making a podcast. As the podcast progress, Josie reveals dark secrets and integrates herself more into Alix’s life and marriage. It’s hard to trust Josie’s perspective as we begin to see her stalker side.

The Netflix documentary offered a nice balance to the story, giving interviews from other people related to the story. It made the story more compelling and left me a wanting to get through the book faster to find out what happened.

The ending may leave some people questioning what really happened (in a way similar to Verity), but most people will fall solely on one side.

Overall a great read. Thanks to Net Galley and Atria books for the digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’m really really stuck between a 4 and a 5 here because IMO this is Lisa Jewell’s BEST! Wow at no point did I guess where this was going. I loved the podcast and Netflix show elements and I love how we were kept guessing and questioning right up until the very end. I also loved the commentary on feminism in a thriller. Lisa is also a queen of writing unlikable main characters, I mean Josie, girl, wtf. Do not miss this latest book from the queen of thrillers herself! Out this August 2023.

I loved this book. I loved the way it was written, I loved the suspense, I loved the characters. I didn't want it to end and I truly couldn't put it down!

None of this is true... the title is self explanatory. I was so enthralled with this amazing new novel by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Jewell. Truly a book to look forward to this year. I love how she writes and she keeps me enthralled. BEST book of the year!!

It is impossible to read this one without a skin-crawling sense of dread. It's one of those where everyone is lying a little bit, but some are lying a whole lot, and even after the book is done you still won't be 100% sure who is who or what is what. It was my first book from Lisa Jewell but it definitely won't be my last.

Synopsis: Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer 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 realize 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?