The Bookish Ashley

Jo Piazza’s Everyone Is Lying to You is the glossy, unfiltered, and delightfully unhinged thriller we’ve all been waiting for—a murder mystery wrapped in Instagram filters, influencer culture, and the dark side of “tradwife” perfection. Piazza takes aim at the curated chaos of modern motherhood and online fame, crafting a story that’s as biting as it is addictive.

The story follows Lizzie, a harried journalist and mother who reconnects with her estranged college best friend, Bex—now the polished and pious influencer Rebecca Sommers. Bex’s social media empire is built on an image of idyllic family life on a picture-perfect ranch, complete with a rugged husband and five angelic children. But when that husband is found dead and Bex vanishes, the facade fractures spectacularly. Lizzie becomes the reluctant detective in a world of algorithmic manipulation, buried secrets, and dangerous ambition.

What makes this book sing is Piazza’s signature mix of wit and social commentary. She doesn’t just skewer influencer culture—she dissects it. Every ring light, every “authentic” confession video, every mom-fluencer rivalry feels eerily real. Yet beneath the satire is a very human story about female friendship, jealousy, and the lies we tell to survive—online and off.

The pacing is cinematic and sharp, with short, propulsive chapters that make it almost impossible to stop reading “just one more.” The mystery itself is layered and unpredictable, with enough twists to satisfy even the most jaded thriller readers. Piazza also excels at dialogue; it’s snappy, smart, and dripping with tension.

If there’s one critique, it’s that some of the secondary characters—particularly the influencer side players—veer a bit toward caricature. But that’s a small quibble in an otherwise razor-edged, wildly entertaining ride.

In Everyone Is Lying to You, Piazza manages to turn a murder mystery into a mirror—reflecting the absurdities of our social media lives and the dangerous illusions we buy into. It’s juicy, thought-provoking, and just the right amount of toxic.

Verdict: A sharp, funny, and chillingly relevant thriller that peels back the filters on influencer life to reveal the rot underneath. You’ll devour it in a weekend—and think twice before you scroll again.