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Book club questions for None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell delve into themes like obsession, secrets, identity, storytelling, and how discovering the truth can have scary consequences.
Did you like this novel?
From the very start I felt like I was part of the characters’ world, piecing together secrets and mysteries much like I would in real life. There are so many elements in this novel, and I think it’s an awesome pick for discussion with your book club!
This blog post contains the book club questions for None of This Is True, and I have also attached a printable PDF at the bottom of your post for your convenience. I hope this helps!
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
I’m excited to hear your unique perspectives during our book club discussion, and I have shared some additional recommendations below.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
Summary | Ending Explained | Book Club Questions
About the Author
Lisa Jewell is an accomplished author born in London in 1968. Her journey began with the hugely popular debut novel, Ralph’s Party, in 1999.
Over the years, she has penned a total of nineteen novels, with a recent focus on gripping psychological thrillers such as Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, and The Night She Disappeared – all acclaimed selections of the Richard & Judy Book Club.
With her works translated into more than twenty-five languages, Lisa is a bestselling author gracing both New York Times and Sunday Times lists. She resides in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters, and the best dog in the world!
Book Club Questions for None of This Is True
1. How did the book’s title shape your expectations of the story and its characters? Were there any specific aspects you were skeptical about right from the beginning due to the title?
2. Reflect on the concept of sharing a birthday. Can you relate to the sense of connection and curiosity that Josie and Alix feel? What do you think drives Josie to assign such significance to this seemingly ordinary coincidence?
3. In the initial chapters, how does the author lead us to view Josie in a sympathetic manner? What techniques does Lisa Jewell employ to portray Josie as slightly eccentric or lonely, and how does this affect our perception of her as harmless?
4. Both Josie and Alix are haunted by their pasts and driven by their desires for change. How do their personal histories shape their actions and decisions? How does the pursuit of transformation impact their interactions with each other?
5. The book highlights Josie’s online behavior as a “lurker” on social media, never posting or engaging but simply observing (page 21). How does this behavior manifest in other aspects of Josie’s life?
6. As Alix uncovers more unsettling details about Josie, she continues the podcast interviews without intervening. Do you think Alix should have taken action? How might the outcome have changed if she had?
7. Josie expresses the belief that Alix is the answer to her life’s challenges: “Alix is the answer to everything, somehow” (page 135). Why does Josie place such hope in Alix’s impact on her life? How do you interpret Josie’s aspirations at this point in the story?
8. Revisit the scene where Josie confronts and physically confronts Walter. Given the story’s conclusion, how does this scene shed light on their relationship dynamics?
9. Throughout the book, the concept of truth is explored, especially in the context of Josie’s narrative. How does Josie’s perception of reality influence her actions, and how do other characters respond to her version of events?
10. During the dinner gathering at Alix and Nathan’s home, it becomes apparent that Josie hasn’t informed Walter about the podcast. Alix perceives Josie’s behavior as a “classic Josie maneuver,” indicative of her haphazard and carefree approach to life. Do you align with Alix’s portrayal of Josie, viewing her as impulsive and thoughtless, or do you suspect Josie might possess a more calculated side?
11. The characters’ secrets have far-reaching consequences that affect not only their own lives but also those around them. Discuss the ripple effects of these secrets and how they ultimately shape the course of the story.
12. How does the theme of social class impact the unfolding events in the book? How do the differing social classes of the two families play into the overall storyline?
13. Reflect on the revelations shared by Erin and Roxy about their pasts and recent experiences. Which aspects of their stories shocked you the most? Additionally, which of Josie’s fabrications did you initially accept as truth, and what influenced your assumptions?
14. As the novel progresses, we gain insights into Josie’s character and actions from multiple perspectives, including her children, her mother, and Katelyn. With these varied viewpoints, has your perception of Josie evolved or shifted?
15. In the final scene, Josie reflects on her past while on a bus, firmly convinced that her memories reflect reality. Do you find yourself inclined to believe her perspective, or do you think she might be deceiving herself?
16. In the first half of the book, what subtle hints or clues did you detect that hinted at a more complex reality in Josie’s life? How accurate were your predictions as the story progressed?
Selected Reviews for None of This Is True
“Jewell’s newest could be her best yet… A terrific novel from a consistently satisfying writer.”—Booklist
“With so many versions of events, the ending shatters, leaving readers to decide whose is the truth…[it’s] hard to look away from.” —Kirkus
“Gloriously dark and twistier than a twisty thing.” —JOJO MOYES, New York Times bestselling author of Someone Else’s Shoes
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book:
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it’s been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.
Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother’s past or background. But when Ruth’s desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth’s carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone.
But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.
When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years.
As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
From the author of the Reese’s Book Club Pick and the New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time comes a new heart-stopping thriller in which a missing-person case unravels deeper, darker secrets that lead a detective to an impossible moral choice.
Not everyone who is lost should be found…
22-year-old Olivia has been missing for one day…and counting. She was last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again.
Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get.
Because the criminal at the heart of the disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn’t a gun, or a knife: it’s a secret. Her worst one. And her family’s safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia – and must frame somebody else for her murder.
If you find her, you will lose everything. What would you do?
Printable PDF
Feel free to distribute these questions to your book club members before your meeting. Simply click the link below to download and print the PDF file.
Happy reading! ❤️