3.5 / 5 stars

Lizzie and Bex were inseparable in college – until Bex ghosted Lizzie after graduation, leaving her confused and hurt.

Fifteen years later, Bex has rebranded herself as Rebecca Sommers, a tradwife influencer with millions of followers who swoon over her picture-perfect life on a ranch with her six kids and handsome husband, Grayson. Lizzie, now a magazine writer juggling work and young kids in the Philly suburbs, is surprised when Bex reaches out with a career-making opportunity: an exclusive interview and an invitation to MomBomb, the influencer conference of the year.

But when Grayson is found murdered and Bex and her kids disappear, Lizzie is pulled into a messy world of secrets, jealousy, and betrayal. To find her missing friend and clear her name, Lizzie must piece together who Bex has become – and how she got there – while sifting through the facades and falsehoods.

This was a fast-paced, twisty read that I flew through in two days. I’ve been seeing a lot of influencer thrillers lately (influencers are the new podcasters of the thriller world), but what drew me in here was the layered mysteries at its core: Why did Bex ghost Lizzie all those years ago? Who killed Bex’s husband, and why? Where are Bex’s kids? The structure – present-day events from Lizzie’s perspective paired with Bex’s retelling of the past – kept me invested as I tried to piece everything together alongside Lizzie.

Speaking of Lizzie, she was easily my favorite part of the book. She felt incredibly authentic as a working mom of young kids, and her mix of curiosity and skepticism toward influencer culture made her so relatable. I also loved her dynamic with her husband – supportive, real, and refreshingly healthy for a thriller. Plus, setting her home life in the Philly suburbs? Always a win in my book.

The influencer commentary wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it was executed well, illustrating how curated those picture-perfect lives really are. There’s a recurring theme about how these tradwives are often the real breadwinners while their husbands are a mess – something I’ve seen before, but it worked here.

Where the book fell flat for me was the ending. There are four epilogues – which is about three too many – and a final twist about a character that didn’t add much or change how I viewed the story in hindsight. It was tied up too neatly in some ways, while also adding layers that felt unnecessary in others, knocking this down from a 4 to a 3.5 for me.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fast-paced domestic thriller with layered mysteries and a relatable protagonist and you haven't read about too many influencers yet, Everyone Is Lying to You is a solid addition to your summer reading list.

As a “bookstagrammer”, I really enjoyed the influencer meets tradmom meets Mormon wives theme. I found this read to be more exciting and fast paced than others I have read by this author. While some parts felt a little predictable, I had a hard time putting this one down!!

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.
I think I just read a book that was a cross between RHoSomewhere and the Mormon Wives. While entertaining, it was predictable. It was a substandard read for the summertime beach afternoon.

I love influencer type reads and always find it fascinating how much of it is as scripted as a reality tv show. This one shows it all, the truth, the lies, and, of course, the crime. Fast-paced and full of every type of personality you can find, this one was a real page-turner. While there were so many unlikable characters, there were others with just as many redeeming qualities that it balanced it out. This story was full of mystery and secrets hiding in every corner. It was fun and humorous but also dark and twisty. Overall, this was a highly entertaining read that can easily be finished in one sitting. Three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton, for this ARC.

Thank you Dutton for the gifted digital ARC!

Now THIS was a fun, albeit dark, spin on influencers. I am sometimes hesitant to pick up books where they are a focal storyline because I feel it's becoming overdone lately, but this was so well executed and such an interesting and unique plot I could not put it down.

The story alternates back and forth between Lizzie and her college best friend Bex (aka Rebecca, a super famous influencer). I was super invested in both storylines and even though the chapters were sometimes pretty long I really had a hard time putting this one down. I have had a hard time staying invested in thrillers lately so this was a breath of fresh air for me!

The final chapter was a bit of an unexpected gut punch, but I loved it. I am a huge fan of Jo Piazza's solo thrillers and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Everyone is Lying to you is intelligent social commentary cloaked in a fast paced thriller. Piazza offers a smart insider’s take on the world of influencers delivered through the eyes of one influencer and the friend she abandoned decades ago after college. The title’s meaning is reflected throughout the story - one where truly everyone is lying - to each other, to the public, to their families, and in some cleverly disguised ways - to you the reader. Beware that once you pick this one up, you’ll be inclined to (thankfully) ignore your own social media scrolling as you race through to the end. Highly recommend. Thanks Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the DRC.

What a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed the roller coaster ride of Jo Piazza’s “Everyone is Lying to You.” I must admit that I’m not part of the generation that goes down the rabbit holes of influencers but this story certainly provided some insight into that world. The story centers on two women, Bex (now known as Rebecca) and Lizzie, who were inseparable friends in college. Rebecca is now a major tradwife influencer and Lizzie is a reporter/writer. The story alternates between Lizzie and Rebecca, as each sheds new light on the events that bring them together. There is a murder, a cover-up, and so many twists and turns. The ending, while it wrapped up lots of loose ends, also provided some intriguing new twists which very possibly could result in a sequel. Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC.

Title: Everyone Is Lying to You
Author: Jo Piazza
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: July 15, 2025

I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Group Dutton via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Relevant • Juicy • Addictive

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.

Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a “traditional” Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.

One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition—an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.

At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I've enjoyed Jo Piazza's books in the past, so I added Everyone Is Lying to You to my list of 2025 anticipated releases. Of course, I was excited to receive an ARC ahead of publication and knew it would make the prefect read during the recent long weekend. And I will say once I started, I found it hard to put down.

Offering estranged friends reconnecting, social media/influencer culture, a conservative lifestyle, a grisly murder, and a sudden disappearance this one covers a lot of ground. It delivers interesting and dark commentary on #tradwife trends and what the lives of social media businesswomen actually look like. There are twists and turns along the way that keep me glued to the page and wanting to know how it would all come together in the end. Ugh, and Mr. Carmichael was the absolute worst - he gave me the ick right from the start.

Told in dual perspective format, both perspectives were necessary to move the plot along and reveal the details bit buy bit. It also kept me curious as to who the murderer really was and kept me flip flopping back and forth. I thought the ending was slightly rushed and didn't necessarily come together in a cohesive manner.

Everyone Is Lying to You was a wild ride! While it did require some suspension of belief and gets a little dramatic at times, it also offers an interesting behind-the-scenes look into the lives of social media's biggest influencers. What I really liked is how there is more than just a thriller here, something Jo Piazza does in most of her books. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• influencer culture
• soap operas
• social commentary

⚠️ CW: domestic abuse, violence, murder, death, death of parent, suicide, gaslighting, injury/injury detail, blood, gore, sexism, misogyny, miscarriage, infidelity, infertility, pregnancy, sexual assault, cursing, cancer, terminal illness, mental illness, post-partum depression, anxiety

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Everyone is Lying to you. Never forget it."

"The most successful hunters are always the ones who makes sure their prey are comfortable and unaware before going in for the kill."

I LOVED Everyone Is Lying To You. It was fun, twisty, and unexpected. I couldn't put it down, just when I thought I knew where it was going, I was wrong. I love it when books keep my attention and keep me guessing, which Jo Piazza did with this book. I hope this is the beginning of a series, because several characters need their own stories written by Piazza, too!

Thank you Libro.fm and Dutton Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I have been in a reading slump for most of 2025. I rarely reach for thrillers, but I decided to reach for one to see if it would help get me out of my slump. And boy did it! I’ve been telling everyone about this book because I think it’s fun and entertaining for Summer but it’s also very important commentary on social media, the “trad wife” aesthetic/trend and it’s political implications, and the rise of ‘the return of traditional values.”

SO good. I highly recommend it.

Synopsis:

“Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a “traditional” Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition—an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life. Piazza’s master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Pacing: I blew through this audiobook, trying to find a reason to keep listening as I went about my day. It held my attention so well.

The Concept: An influencer goes missing and her husband is murdered, just after she reconnects with a friend who is a reporter. Juicy!

The Audio Production—If you can, listen to it! I thought the acting was great and it added to the suspense.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Just a warning it’s on the gorey side!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Excellent Trad Wife Read

This is my second recent Trad Wife read & it did not disappoint. I find myself mildly fascinated/revolted by the concept so this was right up my alley. The book moved quickly and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting.

If you are looking for a suspenseful, interesting look at the Trad Wife, Influencer world you will enjoy this book.

3.75 stars. An entertaining tradwife thriller for sure. While the story didn't feel new in any real way, I loved the focus on tradwife/influencer culture, the implications for family members and the participants themselves. The biggest weakness for me was the one-dimensional approach to all of the villains. I imagine a lot of people will enjoy this one because it scratches the thriller itch and is an engaging read throughout.

Wow, I ate this one up. Devoured the entire thing one lazy Saturday afternoon. “Everyone is Lying to You” is a domestic thriller full of drama, secrets, and (of course) lies. The short chapters, multiple POVs, and dual timelines made this a bingeworthy popcorn thriller. This was a fun spin and intriguing commentary on social media influencers and “tradwife” trends. I was glued to the pages and could not stop reading. Really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book right after watching The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and honestly, perfect timing. I really enjoyed the look at influencer culture, specifically trad wives. That’s something that’s always been incredibly fascinating and mildly horrifying to me so I was very invested in the story. I loved getting both Lizzie and Rebecca’s POVs. I enjoyed the pacing overall, but I did think it moved a little too quickly towards the end. You do have to suspend your belief in reality a bit, but for a book like this, I didn’t mind. This book will definitely have you saying “Fuck the patriarchy”. There were several times I was legitimately mad (don’t worry, you’re supposed to be), but the look at power imbalances in marriages and insecure men was so interesting. I’d recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a quick paced read and enjoys reading about social media culture, but definitely check the trigger warnings.
CW: domestic violence, death of a parent, miscarriage, murder, death, child abuse, sexual assault, misogyny

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the digital reader’s copy!

Thanks to Negalley and Dutton I read an advanced copy. This book tells the story about 2 friends reuniting after 15 yrs. One of the ladies husbands is brutality murdered and they work together to figure it out. This book is much more than a murder mystery it’s about powerful women who get out of ugly situations and become strong, inspiring bad ass women. I really enjoyed this book, I couldn’t put it down.

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza was such a fascinating and propulsive read. Piazza's writing kept me fully engaged. It was fast paced and deliciously informative about tradwives and social media influencers. This book was my most anticipated book for July and it definitely did not disappoint.

Synopsis:
Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.

Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a “traditional” Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.

One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition—an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.

At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.
 
Piazza’s master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Publishing Date: July 15, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Libro.fm for providing me an eARC and ALC for this book!

Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college—they did everything together. But now it is 15 years later, and Lizzie hasn’t heard from Bex since she ghosted her on her birthday. Lizzie still follows what Bex is up to though, because Bex has become an Instagram influencer (#tradwife #christianwife #homesteader) and amassed a following of over 11 million. She has 6 kids and lives on a ranch where her life is seemingly perfect.

One night, out of the blue, Lizzie receives a DM from Bex inviting her to a mommy blogger conference, and giving Lizzie an exclusive interview. Since Lizzie’s been working at a struggling magazine, and because of how close they used to be, she accepts the invitation. While she is there, though, Bex’s husband is brutally murdered, and Bex is now the main suspect. Lizzie doesn’t believe she did it, but it’s hard to tell what is real as she uncovers the truth about some of the biggest influencers.

🐐🐓📱

I was telling my husband about this book recently, and his first question was: “so when is the movie coming out?!”

The plot does feel cinematic in the way that it unfolds. I think that this is an honest look at motherhood, but also at the misogyny that is prevalent in social media—especially directed at moms. Because of the characters in the story, the conversation about the exploitation of children on the internet for “mommy blogs” is addressed, but it is not explored thoroughly and is quite glossed over even at the end. Overall, this was an entertaining thriller and I think fans of A Simple Favor or Gone Girl will enjoy this one!

Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college, but after Bex got married and moved West she ghosted Lizzie. Now a famous influencer, Bex uses her full name Rebecca. Out of the blue, she invites Lizzie to a swanky resort where an influencer conference is being held to write an inside scoop for her magazine. The next morning Rebecca’s husband has been brutally murdered, her children are missing and she is nowhere to be found. Lizzie is caught in the middle and does know who to trust.

An edge of your psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. I learned a lot about influencers and the behind the scenes manipulation. #tradwife

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I met Jo Piazza last year and learned about her book The Sicilian Inheritance, which I love. When I found out I got approved for the ARC for Everyone is Lying to You, I had to devour it.

Told from multiple points of view, the book focuses on social media/the influencer world and how things are not what it seems comparing to reality. Also one of the major themes is the power dynamics with who has power in society: generational influence in a location versus being built up over time. Like other Jo Piazza novels, it touches upon what is a woman's vocation in society: the traditional idea of getting married and taking care of kids versus having a career to make your own money. There are a few plot twists throughout the novel. It is layered as a murder mystery where you are not only guessing who committed the murder but the reasons why (again, it goes back to who has power in society & a woman's vocation).

Thank you Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Everyone is Lying to You comes out on July 15, 2025!

Amazing take on tradwife influencer culture! I finished it so quick- I didn't want to put it down! Definitely a must read for anyone looking for a good suspense novel.