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False Prophet
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26The cult drama of The Girls meets Yellowface’s searing exploration of lies, immigration, and identity in this propulsive literary thriller debut.
A grieving actor-turned-memoirist reimagines his mother’s encounter with Jonestown’s Jim Jones—except it’s mostly all lies . . .
A propulsive debut that follows a grieving actor reimagining his mother’s run-in with Jim Jones, the deadliest cult leader of all time–the only problem is, it’s mostly all lies...
Actor Jal Persad is enjoying moderate “where do I know you from?” success when the death of his mother, Rita, sends him into a tailspin he hadn’t seen coming—after all, how could he grieve a woman he barely knew? Rita had grown up in Guyana during the rise and fall of the Jonestown cult, but never spoke of her home to Jal, always keeping him at a distance.
After months of avoiding work, a misunderstanding at lunch with his manager leads Jal into a web of lies. He soon finds himself writing a memoir of his mother’s adolescence, one that places her in direct contact with Jim Jones himself. There’s just one issue–Rita never met the man, and Jal knows that. Suddenly, the book goes viral, and Jal must face the looming threat of exposure, and his own guilt.
Alternating between Jal’s rapid rise and Rita’s distorted story, False Prophet confronts the intergenerational legacy of colonialism, the allure of power, and the age-old question–how much of yourself are you willing to lose to succeed?
A grieving actor-turned-memoirist reimagines his mother’s encounter with Jonestown’s Jim Jones—except it’s mostly all lies . . .
A propulsive debut that follows a grieving actor reimagining his mother’s run-in with Jim Jones, the deadliest cult leader of all time–the only problem is, it’s mostly all lies...
Actor Jal Persad is enjoying moderate “where do I know you from?” success when the death of his mother, Rita, sends him into a tailspin he hadn’t seen coming—after all, how could he grieve a woman he barely knew? Rita had grown up in Guyana during the rise and fall of the Jonestown cult, but never spoke of her home to Jal, always keeping him at a distance.
After months of avoiding work, a misunderstanding at lunch with his manager leads Jal into a web of lies. He soon finds himself writing a memoir of his mother’s adolescence, one that places her in direct contact with Jim Jones himself. There’s just one issue–Rita never met the man, and Jal knows that. Suddenly, the book goes viral, and Jal must face the looming threat of exposure, and his own guilt.
Alternating between Jal’s rapid rise and Rita’s distorted story, False Prophet confronts the intergenerational legacy of colonialism, the allure of power, and the age-old question–how much of yourself are you willing to lose to succeed?
- GenresFiction
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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March 13, 2026I'm intrigued by this premise but simultaneously apprehensive...
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February 21, 2026
I went into this one completely blind. I’d seen it floating around on NetGalley and thought why not haha. The cover with the little Chihuahua face hooked me immediately. It looked quirky and maybe a little weird in a fun way. This is definitely not my usual type of read, but I’m really glad I gave it a chance.This book follows Jal Persad an actor who is grieving the death of his distant mother Rita. After her passing he spirals and ends up fabricating a memoir about her adolescence placing her in direct contact with Jim Jones during the rise and fall of the Jonestown cult in Guyana. The only problem is None of it is true. (Coming from a religious school background where in my Bible four class we did a whole thing around cults with this cult in particular. I’m really glad I picked this book up) What starts as a misunderstanding snowballs into a full blown literary lie and when the book takes off Jal is forced to confront guilt, exposure, and the consequences of building success on something false. The story alternates between Jal’s present day unraveling and the distorted version of his mother’s past with digging into themes of immigration, identity, colonialism, power, and the cost of ambition.It’s very intense in a quiet psychological way. I wouldn’t call it fast paced action but it’s definitely propulsive in how it keeps tightening the web around Jal. Watching him justify his choices and dig himself deeper was both fascinating and uncomfortable. There’s a heavy focus on identity who gets to tell certain stories what we inherit from our parents and how much of ourselves we’re willing to sacrifice for validation or success.Even though this isn’t my typical genre I appreciated the message. It made me think more than I expected it to. It’s not exactly a light read, but it’s unsettling in a way that stays with you once you finish it. Definitely a surprising read for me and proof that sometimes picking up a book just because the cover is interesting can lead you somewhere totally unexpected.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A debut with a gripping premise that seems to succeed as a literary exploration, and yet fall slightly short as a novel. Farhadi's False Prophet features some beautiful prose and compelling thematic exploration, leading me to wonder whether this work could have benefitted from more time in the oven.
In an effective and compelling structure, alternating chapters between the main character's true story and the one he's fabricating, we're taken on a journey of grief, truth and reality. The way themes of immigration, colonization, grief, family relationships, power and fame come together is artfully done and deserving of praise. The questions it poses – about who gets to tell a story, own a story, decide the truth and whether truth matters over the meaning we create together – are profound and compelling, and presenting them through this premise and series of events is a bit of genius that casts a depth that can't be minimized.
My love for its thematic work is why it saddens me to say the quality fluctuates throughout the book, delivering stunning passages at times, then choppy summations of events at others. When reading criticism of how the main premise resolves itself, I wonder whether people have somehow missed everything the book is telling them, and that pains me. But then I cannot deny how its weak stretches might be to blame for its failure to be heard, causing readers to reduce it to a thrilling plot that fizzles out rather than being taken in the way I was.
How long I took to find the words for this review, and how I find myself still itching to discuss its themes and ideas with other readers, makes its success undeniable to me despite it all. I look forward to seeing more from Farhadi in the future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In an effective and compelling structure, alternating chapters between the main character's true story and the one he's fabricating, we're taken on a journey of grief, truth and reality. The way themes of immigration, colonization, grief, family relationships, power and fame come together is artfully done and deserving of praise. The questions it poses – about who gets to tell a story, own a story, decide the truth and whether truth matters over the meaning we create together – are profound and compelling, and presenting them through this premise and series of events is a bit of genius that casts a depth that can't be minimized.
My love for its thematic work is why it saddens me to say the quality fluctuates throughout the book, delivering stunning passages at times, then choppy summations of events at others. When reading criticism of how the main premise resolves itself, I wonder whether people have somehow missed everything the book is telling them, and that pains me. But then I cannot deny how its weak stretches might be to blame for its failure to be heard, causing readers to reduce it to a thrilling plot that fizzles out rather than being taken in the way I was.
How long I took to find the words for this review, and how I find myself still itching to discuss its themes and ideas with other readers, makes its success undeniable to me despite it all. I look forward to seeing more from Farhadi in the future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Jal Persad is a moderately successful actor struggling with the death of his distant mother, Rita. In the midst of his grief, he ends up fabricating a memoir about her life in Guyana during the rise and fall of the Jonestown cult, despite knowing that much of what he's writing never actually happened.
What I found most interesting was how the novel parallels Jal's deception with the manipulation used by cult leaders themselves. As his memoir gains popularity, he becomes increasingly trapped by the story he's created, constantly trying to justify his choices while sinking deeper into the consequences. It made for an uncomfortable but compelling reading experience.
The alternating chapters between Jal's present-day life and the fictionalized version of Rita's past worked really well. Even though Rita is at the center of everything, there's an intentional distance to her character that highlights one of the book's biggest themes: how little we sometimes know about the people closest to us.
This isn't a fast-paced book, but it's incredibly thought-provoking. It explores grief, identity, immigration, colonialism, ambition, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives. I didn't always like Jal, and I don't think you're supposed to, but watching his unravelling was fascinating.
I appreciated how much it made me think about truth, belief, and how easily people can be drawn to a compelling narrative.
Thank you so much Melville House & Afsheen Farhadi for the #gifted copy!
All opinions are my own 🖤
What I found most interesting was how the novel parallels Jal's deception with the manipulation used by cult leaders themselves. As his memoir gains popularity, he becomes increasingly trapped by the story he's created, constantly trying to justify his choices while sinking deeper into the consequences. It made for an uncomfortable but compelling reading experience.
The alternating chapters between Jal's present-day life and the fictionalized version of Rita's past worked really well. Even though Rita is at the center of everything, there's an intentional distance to her character that highlights one of the book's biggest themes: how little we sometimes know about the people closest to us.
This isn't a fast-paced book, but it's incredibly thought-provoking. It explores grief, identity, immigration, colonialism, ambition, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives. I didn't always like Jal, and I don't think you're supposed to, but watching his unravelling was fascinating.
I appreciated how much it made me think about truth, belief, and how easily people can be drawn to a compelling narrative.
Thank you so much Melville House & Afsheen Farhadi for the #gifted copy!
All opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A literary thriller pulsing with suspense, tension and fine storytelling exploring, lies, identity and immigration.
Jal Persad is enjoying some success as an actor when his mother dies causing him to crash emotionally. But why? He hardly knew his mother, Rita, who grew up in Guyana during the time of Jim Jones. When a misunderstanding with his manager leads to Jal spewing a pack of lies, he pursues writing a book about her - that is, her life with Jim Jones, a man she never met. When the book goes viral, Jal is faced with the dilemma of exposure and its guilt. How much is he willing to do in order to succeed.
The book alternates between Jal’s story of the book and Rita’s “distorted story. What emerges is a story about the intergenerational effects of colonialism and the effects of power. I really liked the book’s setting and premise. Very clever.
My thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for allowing me access to this ARC.
Jal Persad is enjoying some success as an actor when his mother dies causing him to crash emotionally. But why? He hardly knew his mother, Rita, who grew up in Guyana during the time of Jim Jones. When a misunderstanding with his manager leads to Jal spewing a pack of lies, he pursues writing a book about her - that is, her life with Jim Jones, a man she never met. When the book goes viral, Jal is faced with the dilemma of exposure and its guilt. How much is he willing to do in order to succeed.
The book alternates between Jal’s story of the book and Rita’s “distorted story. What emerges is a story about the intergenerational effects of colonialism and the effects of power. I really liked the book’s setting and premise. Very clever.
My thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for allowing me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 I was especially interested in this because of the cult ties and the apparent lies. Jal invents a warm and passionate backstory for his cold and distant pregnant mother involving Jim Jones and Jonestown. Hollywood actor turned writer, Jal presents this as a factual memoir from his fetal stage of life.
But just how Jim Jones spun the truth to gain followers, Jal is no different. I don’t feel sympathetic towards him or relieved if his foes (ones seeking the truth) back down. And just like Jal, we never get to know his mother either. The memoir is just a story, and no one knows the real Rita.
I guess what I got from this is that there are a bunch of liars and false prophets, and many people are willing to blindly offer their faith.
Thanks so much to Melville House for the ARC! I did enjoy reading this. Pub date July 7!
But just how Jim Jones spun the truth to gain followers, Jal is no different. I don’t feel sympathetic towards him or relieved if his foes (ones seeking the truth) back down. And just like Jal, we never get to know his mother either. The memoir is just a story, and no one knows the real Rita.
I guess what I got from this is that there are a bunch of liars and false prophets, and many people are willing to blindly offer their faith.
Thanks so much to Melville House for the ARC! I did enjoy reading this. Pub date July 7!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one was a bit of a let down for me, after seeing comparisons to R.F. Kuang's Yellowface I think that I had my expectations for a certain type of novel too high. I found that I missed the sharpness of narrative and tension that I was expecting with the Yellowface comp. It started out pretty strong but the pacing and tension really waned in the second half and I found my attention drifting. It also didn't leave me with any strong feelings or impressions about the story or the main character, which is a must for a good read for me. Despite that, I still think that this was a solid read, it is pretty well written and I think that it has an appeal that would work well for other readers, I just wanted more.
April 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I was looking forward to this book, as I enjoy books about immigrant experiences and stories that navigate the fallout from obsession and lies like Yellowface. Unfortunately, “False Prophet” was a disappointing read. The book starts abruptly, with no compelling character development, and the reader is given no clear reasons or deeper reflection on why the main character makes the decisions he makes. Throughout the book, the dialogue is stilted, the narrative is choppy and simplistic, and the main character is completely one dimensional. The best part of the book is the “book within the book,” and yet even this part of the narrative remains paper thin and bogged down by poor writing.
I was looking forward to this book, as I enjoy books about immigrant experiences and stories that navigate the fallout from obsession and lies like Yellowface. Unfortunately, “False Prophet” was a disappointing read. The book starts abruptly, with no compelling character development, and the reader is given no clear reasons or deeper reflection on why the main character makes the decisions he makes. Throughout the book, the dialogue is stilted, the narrative is choppy and simplistic, and the main character is completely one dimensional. The best part of the book is the “book within the book,” and yet even this part of the narrative remains paper thin and bogged down by poor writing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wasn't sure what to expect when I cracked this open, but I absolutely devoured this novel. It's fast-paced and fun, even when it's extremely uncomfortable. For a summer thriller that incorporates themes of belonging, the impacts of colonialism, and false histories, it's just fantastic.
As someone who did a deep dive into Jonestown years ago, I appreciated how that was rendered. A lot of pop culture gets the Peoples Temple very wrong, and Farhadi takes great pains to build an accurate picture of what might have been happening there.
Highly recommend this book to folks who enjoy books about cults with a nuanced and smart political lens.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As someone who did a deep dive into Jonestown years ago, I appreciated how that was rendered. A lot of pop culture gets the Peoples Temple very wrong, and Farhadi takes great pains to build an accurate picture of what might have been happening there.
Highly recommend this book to folks who enjoy books about cults with a nuanced and smart political lens.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Melville House and NetGalley for the eARC
3.75 stars rounded up.
I found something intoxicating about this story and I didn’t want to stop reading. However I don’t think any of the characters were fully flushed out.
I didn’t understand enough about Rita, the real version or the fictionalized one. I also didn’t fully understand Jal. I understood his pain at losing his mother but so much else about him was left open and unexplained.
For it being a story in a story, I think it needed to be slightly longer to provide better context and motivations. That being said, it was still entertaining and I’d recommend this to some.
3.75 stars rounded up.
I found something intoxicating about this story and I didn’t want to stop reading. However I don’t think any of the characters were fully flushed out.
I didn’t understand enough about Rita, the real version or the fictionalized one. I also didn’t fully understand Jal. I understood his pain at losing his mother but so much else about him was left open and unexplained.
For it being a story in a story, I think it needed to be slightly longer to provide better context and motivations. That being said, it was still entertaining and I’d recommend this to some.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Afsheen Farhadi, and the publisher for granting me access to this ARC.
I wanted to like this book so much based on the cover and the premise. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. The story felt too abrupt and disjointed the majority of the time, and it left me feeling confused and wanting more more than anything else. Definitely sad about this, and I was very excited for this one.
I wanted to like this book so much based on the cover and the premise. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. The story felt too abrupt and disjointed the majority of the time, and it left me feeling confused and wanting more more than anything else. Definitely sad about this, and I was very excited for this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was heartwarming and the narrator wasn’t as cynical and diabolical as the one in yellow face. I think the alternating stories was a good narrative choice. The sharpness of yellowface is what made me interested and i didn’t find it in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Melville for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Melville for the ARC!
Did Not Finish
April 16, 2026DNF. Even though I loved the premise, I was totally turned off by the start of this book. It gave no explanation for the mc’s behavior and his choices. And the stories in the story were not compelling at all. I didn’t feel connected to anything in this book which made me dnf this. I think this just wasn’t the book for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
False Prophet has a very interesting premise, but it unfortunately just didn't work for me. It felt like nothing happened in the book. There didn't seem to be any consequences, or character development. There were some points of tension, but even those seemed to immediately evaporate into nothing. While an interesting addition, the story within the story also felt flat.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sounded like an interesting premise, and started alright, but the second half didn’t hold my attention, and I skimmed it. I didn’t develop a strong opinion about the book and its characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 ⭐️ rounded down
Thanks to Melville House and Lavender PR for the advance copy. Look for my review for The Nerd Daily coming soon!
Thanks to Melville House and Lavender PR for the advance copy. Look for my review for The Nerd Daily coming soon!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews