Lisa Jewell has announced that her bestselling crime novel and psychological thriller None of This Is True is set to be adapted by Netflix as a new feature film—and we’re predicting it’s going to be a huge hit for the streaming platform if the response to the book is anything to go by.
None of This Is True, the 21st novel from the New York Times bestselling novelist, was deemed one of the best books of 2023 in the crime genre, becoming a Sunday Times bestseller immediately after publication and claiming the number one spot on Audible for six weeks in a row. In May 2024, the novel won Crime Book of the Year at the Capital Crime Awards and has been praised by critics and readers for its ‘gloriously dark’ (Lucy Foley) and ‘utterly addictive’ (Claire Douglas) plot.
None of This Is True tells the story of two women brought together by a chance meeting with sinister consequences. Two strangers, Josie and Alix, celebrate their 45th birthdays at the same pub. Realising they’re ‘birthday twins’ the women share a lighthearted exchange in the bathroom, but as their relationship develops it becomes darker and toxic, underpinned by Josie’s jealousy and obsession with successful and charismatic Alix.
“I wanted to do a stalker novel, a little bit of a Single White Female-y thing because I’d never written about that,” Jewell told PEOPLE. Jewell elaborated to Shondaland that to explore this theme further, she came up with the concept of two women living parallel lives. The author continued: “I thought an interesting dynamic would be to introduce two characters who discovered that they’re birthday twins—they’re born on the same day in the same place—and the contrast between the way their lives have panned out.”
After the phenomenal success of Baby Reindeer, it’s clear there’s an appetite for the genre, but we’re seeing that modern takes are far more nuanced than the more brash portrayals in film and TV historically (Fatal Attraction‘s bunny boiler springs to mind).
(Image credit: Ed Miller/Netflix)
Like Baby Reindeer‘s Martha, Josie is a complex and layered character who has experienced mistreatment of her own, as well as mental health struggles. Baby Reindeer quickly became one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of all time, boasting 10.4 million viewing hours in its first week of release. This was not only due to its gripping real-life plot, but also the sensitive and astute portrayal of issues like sexual abuse, harassment and loneliness.
Jewell announced that None of This Is True is being adapted by Netflix on Instagram, with a post explaining that the author has been ‘sitting on this one for a super long time!’ The writer also commented that ‘everyone is desperate to get it made, and I know you lot are even more desperate to watch it’, adding the actor she’s ‘manifesting’ to play Josie. Ruth Wilson, whose creepy Alice in Luther showed her talents for sinister roles, would be the author’s top choice. American playwright Eleanor Burgess, who penned 2020 drama Perry Mason, is tipped to pen the script.
Jewell’s news was met with excitement by fans, who commented in their droves on how this is just the beginning of the author’s relationship with the streaming platform. “Omg omg OMG!!! Although I still think that all your books should be made into films, this is just the beginning!” wrote one.
While another commented: “Congrats! I want to see this happen also for The Family Upstairs.” And a third wrote: “While reading I kept wondering when will Netflix do it. For me, it was a matter of when – not if! Such intelligent writing – you’re a league of your own. I hope they also take up Family Upstairs and Family Remains.”
With the success of crime writer Harlen Coben’s Netflix adaptations, with Safe, Stay Close, The Stranger and Fool Me Once all topping the UK charts and some globally, it would be no surprise to see much-loved crime writer Jewell follow in Coben’s footsteps.
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell (paperback)
If you want to read None Of This Is True before the Netflix show drops, None of This is True is currently on offer on Amazon UK for just £5.
Lisa Jewell has steadily become one of the top thriller novelists in the country since she penned her first crime novel, The House We Grew Up In in 2013. Before that, the writer focussed on romance and family dynamics, releasing Ralph’s Party in 1999 at 26 after reading Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity and recognising the lack of young female writers at the time. “It’s something I thought I would do once I had more life experience,” Jewell told Shondaland. “I didn’t think young women like me wrote novels.”
After her debut book, Jewell released hit after hit, but it was her 2019 novel The Family Upstairs that catapulted Jewell to new heights of literary fame. The book was a phenomenal success, selling over a million copies worldwide and prompting a sequel after demands from fans, entitled The Family Remains. Our money’s on this one for a follow-up adaptation.
Netflix secured the rights to 2023 novel None of This Is True after a bidding war. Actress and producer Molly Sims will produce the film via her multimedia production company Something Happy Productions, with Jewell acting as an executive producer. No directors or actors have been announced for the production yet.