None Of This Is True – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

None Of This Is True

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2023

62%

WISE Score

A twisty, bingeable thriller about a podcast that goes off the rails—just don't let the kids listen to the audiobook in the car.

None Of This Is True

book

2023

62%

WISE Score

A twisty, bingeable thriller about a podcast that goes off the rails—just don't let the kids listen to the audiobook in the car.

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Screenwise Verdict

If you’re looking for your next 'can't-stop-reading-until-2am' book, this is it. Lisa Jewell has moved past simple mysteries into something much more clinical and creepy. It’s the perfect read for parents who need an escape—just know that the 'escape' involves some of the most uncomfortable domestic situations imaginable.

For the family library, keep this one on the high shelf. It’s not that it’s 'explicit' in a trashy way, but the psychological darkness is intense. It’s a great pick for a book club where you want to argue about who was actually the villain.

Age Fit

This is strictly for adults and perhaps very mature older teens (17+). The themes of domestic abuse and predatory behavior are handled with weight, but they are extremely heavy and inappropriate for younger readers.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a dark psychological thriller centered on manipulation, domestic abuse, and toxic family dynamics. It is the opposite of 'feel-good' content.

Imaginative

Lisa Jewell uses a clever 'story within a story' structure, incorporating podcast transcripts and Netflix documentary snippets to keep the reader guessing.

Safe

Contains heavy themes of grooming, pedophilia, domestic violence, and psychological torture. Not a book to leave lying around for a curious middle-schooler.

Enriching

It offers a sharp, cynical look at the ethics of the true crime industry and how podcasters can exploit trauma for downloads.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Masterful pacing that makes it almost impossible to put down once the podcast starts recording.
The meta-narrative structure uses 'transcripts' and 'interviews' to give you a 360-degree view of the train wreck.
It's a sharp critique of our cultural obsession with true crime and the people who profit from it.
Genuinely unsettling atmosphere that stays with you long after the final page.

⚠

What to Watch For

The plot involves disturbing grooming and pedophilia themes that are central to the 'villain's' backstory.
It’s an unreliable narrator feast; if your teen reads this, they might need a debrief on how manipulation works in real-time.
The ending is intentionally ambiguous, which might frustrate anyone looking for a clean 'good guys win' resolution.

Conversation Starters

"Does the true crime industry do more harm than good for the victims involved?"
"Why are we so drawn to 'unreliable narrators' in books and movies?"
"At what point does Alix's ambition cross the line into negligence?"
"How does the book change your perspective on the 'perfect' families we see on social media?"

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