As a semi-regular listener of Jo Piazza's excellent podcast, Under the Influence, I was VERY excited to finally read this book - and, I'm pleased to report that it did not dissapoint! If tradwife content is something you are even remotely aware of, this book will resonate with you. Jo knows these content creators in and out, and she spares little in skewering them. And, its a very satisfying murder mystery! This one definitely hit all of my sweet spots, and I'm guessing that it will for a lot of others as well. I'll be heartily recommending this one all summer!

This is a local author I've met and always read her work. A former journalist, she is incredibly smart and a jack-of-all-trades kind of person who is just plain interesting at everything she does. This particular novel of hers is a trad wives murder mystery. It's quick and compulsively readable, but don't expect your average thriller. This one is more of a dark comedy akin to The White Lotus. It's really over the top and exaggerates everything that influencing and trad wives are to create a thrilling narrative at the same time. It was a fun read!

A tradwife influencer, a murder, and a whole lot of secrets—Jo Piazza’s Everyone Is Lying to You had me completely hooked from the start.

When journalist Lizzie reconnects with her old college friend Bex—now Rebecca, a wildly successful influencer with a seemingly perfect life—she never expects to be pulled into a murder investigation. But when Rebecca’s husband is found brutally killed and she disappears without a trace, Lizzie is forced to untangle the truth behind the carefully curated facade. As she delves into the dark side of social media, she uncovers layers of jealousy, betrayal, and secrets that could prove deadly.

Piazza masterfully weaves a fast-paced, sharply written thriller that kept me flipping the pages. The twists are perfectly timed, the tension is palpable, and the social media commentary feels both timely and chilling. If you love thrillers with a side of influencer drama, this is the perfect summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is engaging, timely, and interesting. While there is is a mystery and it’s a doozy what makes the book stand out is the foray into the momfluencer and tradwife trends that populate our social media feeds. The momfluencer conference backdrop serves as a window into issues of motherhood, patriarchy, sexism, and more. Strongly recommend.

I enjoyed this one, but I’m not sure how many more books about Instagram influencers we need. I didn’t fully buy into the storyline between Lizzie and Bex, two main characters. She really seemed to “jump” quickly and fly across the country to meet her — that seemed to be a bit far fetched. I also wish there was more time to develop their rekindled friendship. It was somewhat unbelievable that Lizzie would remain invested when things when awry.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Ugh, I loved this thriller. As a woman who has spent plenty of time scrolling Instagram comparing herself to other women and mothers, I totally relate to the premise. Lizzie is a somewhat struggling journalist whose best friend in college, Bex (now Rebecca), is a prairie wife momfluencer with a massive following- people love her ranch life and her 6 kids. Lizzie is shocked when Rebecca reaches out and invites her to write a story about a major announcement she’s planning at an upcoming influencer conference, particularly because Rebecca dropped her as a friend years ago with no real explanation. Lizzie agrees and chaos ensues.

Loved the strong female characters; even if they weren’t all necessarily good, I liked the hustle and grit. I also enjoyed the multiple perspectives. I found this to be quick read that kept me engaged until the end. My favorite line: “men have hobbies; women struggle to shower.” Will definitely be recommending this one!

Thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel!

This book is so on tread. I loved everything about this book. It was like peeling back an onion and looking inside the lives of influencers but seeing the real thing. This story was fast paced, there are some good twists, lots of drama, and of course the writing is sharp. This book is fun and thrilling. I always love Jo Piazza books and this one was so good!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and clever mystery based on social media, the “tradwife” trend, and how influencers lives aren’t always as they seem. Really enjoyed it.

I thought this was a fun idea for a domestic suspense story. The trad wife and influencer event combo was entertaining and I especially enjoyed the look at how the big influencers create their seemingly perfect lives on camera. (Sidenote, now I’m very curious about the fake home or rental kitchen for content - is this a real thing??)

This starts off fairly slow, but if you like influencer behind the scenes content like I do, you will still be invested in the plot. The story picks up and it becomes much faster paced in the second half. I was able to predict many aspects of the plot but still was entertained.

The MC was a tad dramatic in her thoughts and was a bit angsty. There were some repetitive aspects and a few clunky word choices and phrases… I’m still trying to figure out what a woman described as a drill sergeant dressed as a picnic table means 😂 There is a strong feminist message which I love, but it was a little too preachy for me. I tend to connect better to more subtle messaging.

Overall I really liked it. It’s a fun escapist popcorn thriller with a message and was a quick read. This comes out in July and would make a great poolside or beach read!

Thanks Dutton Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

Everyone Is Lying to You is one of those books that you're never really sure what you're getting into, and still it ends up 1000% better than you expected. From mommy bloggers to prairie dresses, this high-stakes trad-wife influencer thriller keeps you turning the pages until the unexpected and perfectly executed conclusion. #killerinfluencers

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza.

Everyone Is Lying to You is a delicious thriller. I really enjoyed the concept of looking behind the curtains at the real lives of tradwife influencers, and the facade they create. Couple that with murder and you've got yourself a great story.

I looooved this! It was the perfect thriller/mystery. I loved the plot, the characters, all of it. I’m a huge fan of The Sicilian Inheritsnxe book and podcast. This was so different, but amazing. Pre order now!

This was SUCH a fun and addicting read! I loved every minute of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars - Really, really enjoyed this one!

Wow, I really loved Everyone is Lying to You! This book was such a fun and unpredictable ride that had me hooked from the first page.

The story centers around Lizzie, a struggling writer, and Rebecca (or Bex, as Lizzie used to know her), a now-successful social media influencer who’s gone full "trad wife" and has a massive following. When Bex reaches out to Lizzie with the chance for an exclusive interview that could revive her career, it seems like a golden opportunity. But, of course, things get way more complicated and twisted from there.

What I really enjoyed were all the layers in the story. Each piece of the puzzle was revealed so perfectly, and the twists—wow—caught me totally off guard. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface, and it kept me guessing the whole time.

I also loved how the book brings in social media culture. There are tons of references to influencers, scandals, and the wild world of online fame. It felt so real and relatable, and it added a lot of depth to the story.

I've read standalone Jo Piazza books and both of the of Jo Piazza and Christine Price books- both of them are pretty much a must-read for me at this point. This book follows some family drama regarding some famous influencers, and was a page-turner for me. The drama! How much every single character was hiding! The characters! This book was such a fun read (if you can call a book about a murder "fun").

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like Ballerina Farm, MomTok and Gone Girl had a baby. Fun momfluencer thriller. Read this with your book club!

Rebecca Sommers is an influencer with millions of followers obsessed with her picture perfect ranch life with a beautiful husband and six precious kids.

Lizzie used to be her best friend in college but their friendship ended abruptly over a decade ago. Lizzie has been following along with her former wild bestie Bex’s rise to fame.

Lizzie is shocked one night when Bex DMs her inviting her out to the MomBomb Conference to write a feature about Bex.

Things aren’t always what they seem on social media and Lizzie gets a front row seat to the lies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Dutton for the ARC. Opinions are my own.This book is like Ballerina Farm, MomTok and Gone Girl had a baby. Fun momfluencer thriller. Read this with your book club!

Rebecca Sommers is an influencer with millions of followers obsessed with her picture perfect ranch life with a beautiful husband and six precious kids.

Lizzie used to be her best friend in college but their friendship ended abruptly over a decade ago. Lizzie has been following along with her former wild bestie Bex’s rise to fame.

Lizzie is shocked one night when Bex DMs her inviting her out to the MomBomb Conference to write a feature about Bex.

Things aren’t always what they seem on social media and Lizzie gets a front row seat to the lies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Dutton for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Five-Star thriller right here and you’ll want to get your hands on it! The main subject of the book is lifestyle and mom influencers and how what you see on the screen is not how things really are. I would wager a guess that that’s the case more often than we know. The moral of that part of the story is not to compare yourself to a life that looks perfect on your phone screen.
The thriller plotline is suspenseful with excellent twists that kept me guessing. When it all came together in the end, I knew I never could have predicted it.

TW: domestic violence

Lizzie and Bex were absolutely inseparable during college, so it was heartbreaking to Lizzie when her friend abruptly ended their six year friendship with a nasty email. Fifteen years later Lizzie is surprised to get a DM from Bex, now know as Rebecca, offering her the chance to write a story chronicling her life as tradwife influencer at a huge conference called MomBomb. Initially excited by their reunion, things quickly go downhill when Bex’s husband Gray is found brutally slain and Bex is missing. Lizzie embarks on a quest to find her friend and uncover the truth of Gray’s murder.

I was a big fan of Jo Piazza’s last book, The Sicilian Inheritance, so I was so excited to be approved to read this ARC. The wait was worth it because this my first “I absolutely loved it/don’t miss” thriller of 2025. Told in the alternating perspectives of Lizzie and Bex, Everyone is Lying to You lays out an intriguing plot, seeds it with multi-layered, fascinating characters and the twists keep coming. Five very enthusiastic stars to this enthralling thriller.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

3 stars

Lizzie is a magazine writer, formerly with one of the big news weeklies, (or monthlies, I forget) but now she’s grateful to have a job with benefits at a women’s magazine and she’s praying it doesn’t fold before her husband finds a new job or finishes his book. In college she was BFFs with Bex who is now Rebecca Simmers, one of the most popular #tradwife influencers. They had a major falling out not too long after college so they haven’t spoken in years but Lizzie secretly stalks her on Instagram (not in a bad way, just like, you know, how you would if you were Lizzie.) Now Bex has contacted Lizzie, pitching her a big story she insists she can only share with Lizzie. They agree to meet at a conference for influencers.

Cut to swanky-ish hotel in the desert somewhere in the….I don’t know, Utah area? I can’t tell. It’s not important. I just like to situate myself. Lizzie meets with Bex and they reconnect over alcohol and cheeseburgers, the great equalizers. That same night Bex’s husband Gray is murdered at their ranch which is a few hours away and Bex is the number one suspect. And she has disappeared. However, she’s left some clues for Lizzie and has declared her innocence. Can Lizzie find Bex and figure out what is going on?

This is my second #tradwife thriller in the past month, and, just like in the first book, one of the first things that happens is that these videos (and these people’s lives) are all revealed to be a great big sham. Of course they are. These women don’t live on some godforsaken ranch fifty miles from everything with a husband who think it’s their job to wear dresses, (and these are always beautiful dresses, right? I’ve seen the dresses those LDS sister wives on the Jeff’s’ properties wear. THOSE are the Godfearin’ woman dresses that look like the Amish decided to start wearing Easter Egg pastels for Spring to change things up a little. Not these Scott McClintock for Gunne Sax (trust me, they were big in the day) beauties that have gorgeous full skirts that make your waist look tiny, but then a tight bodice that pushes your boobs up and out. That’s not what Jesus wants!) have babies with the same first initial, homemake everything (I mean, if you make a homemade angel food cake once you’ll curse yourself as an idiot then go buy the one at Kroger for $6.99 the next time and not spend $38 in ingredients plus use every bowl you have) and keep sweet.

Now, full disclosure. I am not above hate watching/reading. I hate watched the Duggars all the time. I hate watched an episode or two of that horrible Kate Gosselin woman with all the kids. Every “Housewives” show I’ve ever seen is a hate watching. Just looking at a photo of any Kardashian/Jenner is a hate watching/hate crime against me.

I got this book because I love to hate on the idea of #tradwives. But the shameful part is….I’ve only ever seen one #tradwife video and that was attached to a BuzzFeed story. You know, BuzzFeed. Where I get all my hard news. So, basically I’m just a hater. Is it because I feel bad about myself? Is it because I don’t really cook, don’t have six perfect children (or any imperfect children) and I’m taking it out on these women who have everything I cannot? Friends, I have searched my heart and the answer is…..no. Those things are facts, but it’s really that I don’t like the idea in ANY woman being submissive to ANY man for ANY reason unless you guys have some sex games thing going on that isn’t my business, but please have a safe word. And I hear your arguments, “well, that’s what the Bible says” and “isn’t feminism all about choice?”

As to point 1, um, fuck that. The Bible, while having a few lovely passages and some nice thoughts also advocates for the killing and rape of women, the killing of children, the killing of almost everyone, slavery (HUGE fan of slavery) and about a thousand other things that no decent person can support. It was written by men, and only men a long, long time ago. Point 2: I hear what you are saying, but nearly all of these women have children. Many children. Boat loads of children. What about their choices? For both the boys and the girls. If this is only type of relationship they see, how will the girls know they have the choice to have equality with their partner? And how will the boys know that very few women today are willing to submit to anyone? But I digress.

As a lawyer in the book notes, this is likely just a fad (except for those poor FLDS women,) soon the zeitgeist will move on. I generally avoid these “shocking twist” thrillers, as the twists generally aren’t all that shocking (notable exception, obviously: GONE GIRL). The book is fine, not terrible at all, except for the author confuses east and west at one point, which then made me wonder if _I_ was the one confused for a minute, like you do. So, read if you like reading about influencers.

I know I've said this before- "I couldn't put this down!". Therefore, at the risk of sounding redundant, I couldn't put this down! There is a blurb comparing this title to Gone Girl, and though I see the similarities, I actually think that I prefer this book. I've read a couple books by Jo Piazza in the past, and I've really quite enjoyed them, but I think this, by far, is my favorite in her catalog.
Yes, there is a horrible, graphic murder of a man- if we can call him that- but there are also a ton of women who are a lot stronger than they're given credit for. The world at large sees them as meek, prairie-living, submissive "trad wives", but they're so much more than that. They're intelligent and driven, able to parlay both the positive AND tragic occurrences in their lives into mega money-making opportunities. They're devoted- to their children and their adoring followers, not to the husbands the world expects them to simp over. They're always a step ahead- not willing to just accept what is given to them and shutting up with a smile, but to instead figure out a way to use what they're given to further themselves and their careers. I admire these women. Social media is a game, one that is, indeed, full of lies. Piazza has her finger on the pulse of that, and I really got a sense of that whole reading this book. In a market that seems to be oversaturated lately in all things "influencer"-related, the plot and characters of this book were a breath of fresh air. It was wonderful to read something with a well known trope, spun around and left lying on its head. Will I recommend this book? Obviously. As I've ALSO been known to say in my reviews, I cannot wait to see what Jo Piazza writes next- but I hope the success this book will surely see carries her right up to her next release date. A must read!