Jo Piazza: There’s Always More to the Story Than What’s Being Presented
Author Jo Piazza discusses how she combined her journalistic interest in influencer culture with her love of page-turning mysteries for her new novel, Everyone is Lying to You.
Jo Piazza is the international bestselling author of 12 books, including The Sicilian Inheritance and the Good Morning America Book Club pick We Are Not Like Them with Christine Pride. She’s also the host of the critically acclaimed "Under the Influence" podcast. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and three feral children. Follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Jo discusses how she combined her journalistic interest in influencer culture with her love of page-turning mysteries for her new novel, Everyone is Lying to You, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Jo Piazza
Literary agent: Byrd Leavell and Pilar Queen at UTA
Book title: Everyone is Lying to You
Publisher: Dutton
Release date: July 15, 2023
Genre/category: Thriller/Mystery/Suspense
Previous titles: The Sicilian Inheritance; Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win; The Knockoff (with Lucy Sykes); We Are Not Like Them (with Christine Pride); You Were Always Mine; How to Be Married; If Nuns Ruled the World; among others
Elevator pitch: A pulse-pounding thriller about an estranged friendship, a shocking murder, and the dark underbelly of social media influencer culture where everyone has something to hide.
What prompted you to write this book?
My work on the “Under the Influence” podcast really opened my eyes to the facade of perfection in influencer culture. There's this fascinating dichotomy between what's presented online and the messy reality behind the scenes. I wanted to explore that tension through the lens of a thriller, examining how far people will go to protect their carefully curated image, and the real cost of living a life that's more fiction than fact.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The book came together remarkably quickly—I wrote it in about five months. It actually began as a serial in my Substack newsletter Over the Influence, and it became so wildly popular with readers that we decided to turn it into a full book. Given the timeliness of the tradwife phenomenon, we pushed for a faster publication timeline and amazingly managed a nine-month turnaround from manuscript to bookstore shelves. The urgency actually helped maintain the book's cultural relevance, capturing this specific moment in influencer culture.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
One fascinating aspect of publishing a book about social media is how quickly the landscape changes. Terms and platforms that were trending during drafting might be outdated by publication. I worked closely with my editor to ensure the social media elements felt authentic but wouldn't become immediately dated. We also had interesting conversations about how to make the thriller elements work alongside the social commentary without one overshadowing the other.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised by how emotionally affecting it was to write about a fractured friendship. While researching influencer culture was fascinating, the heart of the story—Lizzie and Bex's relationship—kept pulling me in unexpected directions. I also found myself genuinely unsettled by how easy it was to imagine the darkness lurking behind picture-perfect Instagram feeds. The research revealed jealousies and rivalries far more intense than I initially imagined.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Beyond the thrill ride, I hope readers will think twice about the curated perfection they consume online. There's always more to the story than what's being presented, and sometimes the most polished exteriors hide the darkest interiors. I also wanted to explore the complexity of female friendship and how our relationships evolve—or dissolve—as our lives take different paths.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write what fascinates you, not what you think the market wants. My most successful books have always come from genuine curiosity or obsession. With Everyone is Lying to You, I combined my journalistic interest in influencer culture with my love of page-turning mysteries. When you're genuinely captivated by your subject matter, that enthusiasm transfers to the page and ultimately to your readers.
