Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In is a wild psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go.

When Paddy Swann, a beloved restaurateur, unexpectedly dies, his wife Nina and daughter Aisling are left grappling with their grief. Aisling moves back home to support her mother, but when Nina begins dating the charming and enigmatic Nick Harding, Aisling’s alarm bells start ringing. Something about Nick feels off. His stories don’t quite add up, and his charm feels calculated. Aisling can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something, but every time she tries to catch him out, Nick proves he’s always one step ahead.

Meanwhile, Jewell introduces us to Martha, a small-town florist navigating the chaos of a newborn late in life. Exhausted and overwhelmed, she’s growing increasingly frustrated with her husband Alistair’s constant absences. But what starts as marital resentment spirals into something much darker when secrets about Alistair begin to surface.

As the story unfolds, Jewell expertly builds the tension, connecting these two seemingly separate lives in ways that are as shocking as they are brilliant. Clues are scattered like breadcrumbs, and just when you think you know where the story is going, it twists in an entirely unexpected direction.

This isn’t just a tale of suspense—it’s a deep dive into trust, deception, and the ways people aren’t always who they seem to be. Jewell’s gift for crafting deeply flawed yet compelling characters shines here, and the pacing is relentless, with every chapter leaving you desperate for the next.

If you love stories that keep you guessing and characters that stay with you long after the final page, Don’t Let Him In is a must-read. Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride of twists, lies, and an ending that will leave you stunned.

#DontLetHimIn #LisaJewell #AtriaBooks

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Lisa Jewell’s latest book, “Don’t Let Him In” and it exceeded my expectations.

I received the ARC last night and I stayed up all night until I finished the last page.

What a thriller!

Loved the multiple POV’s , the insanity of the protagonist/antagonist, but most of all, I loved the ending.

You’ll have to read it to find out.

Highly recommend .

I gave this book a 4/5 stars and here is my review. Also included in goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity to read this gem!

"Oh my gosh.
The rollercoaster this book gave me. Absolutely captivated by EVERY SINGLE WORD written in this damn book that I finished it in one night. You know the book is written well when you just want to throat punch the MMC. Absolutely just 'strangle' the guy.

First of all, the first couple chapters gave me a run for my money trying to keep up with everything that is going on. SO many POVs that I had to write everything down. A little slow start but shortly becomes such a thrill to read. Secondly, now, my only opinion, wish there were POV names so I wouldn't get so confused. Also, the first and third person stuff too. IDK, all the new characters that showed up got me hella messed up. It would've been a 5 if this wasn't an issue, but anyways.

Nina, had just lost her beloved husband due to a madman pushing him in front of a train. Ash, Nina's daughter having to move back home after a mental setback from her previous job. Martha, a mother of two grown boys and a newborn baby. All connected through something evil. Or dare I say, someone.

A must read. ABSOLUTE MUST READ. So many twists and turns and slaps in the face and GAH. I can't even.

Special shoutout to Netgalley for providing me with this rollercoaster of a book to mentally destroy me."

Another Lisa Jewell banger in the works. Per usual, highly readable, single day read. This one is a little bit more psychological and less thriller-y than some of the others (because you already know who the villain is from the start) - it reminded me a little of her earlier work (The Third Wife) -- still, incredibly enjoyable; I sped through it!!

OMG! I just finished Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In, and that is my take-away: OMG!!! The fact that Ms. Jewell’s mind came up with this insane psychological thriller is just mind-blowing.

From word one, my hackles were raised by the antagonist’s words and behaviors, but I had no idea how depraved one person could behave. As the novel progressed and the plot and timelines came together like puzzle pieces, it only made the revulsion grow stronger. But that is what makes the best art: being able to tap into our feelings and elicit a reaction.

In my case, with this novel, the reaction was not a mild one. The empathy that I felt for all of the people impacted by the lies and manipulation was extreme. It made me remember that one partner that always had all of the answers to my questions, but never could be depended on for consistency or reliability. That was always borrowing on tomorrow’s gamble and never repaying debts. Ms. Jewell hit the nail on the head with her prose, and it was terrifying in its universality.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this outstanding and unforgettable ARC!!!

5 Stars – Absolutely Gripping!

Lisa Jewell has done it again! Don't Let Him In is a masterclass in suspense, weaving together a story so gripping I couldn’t put it down. I was fortunate to read this ahead of its July 2025 release, and I can confidently say it’s one of her best works yet.

The story pulls you in from the very first chapter, and the tension never lets up. Jewell’s ability to create layered, believable characters shines here, making it impossible to tell who to trust. Just when you think you’ve figured everything out, she throws in twists that leave you completely stunned.

As someone who has read and loved all of Lisa Jewell’s books, this one felt like a step above—an intricate puzzle with emotional depth and heart-pounding suspense. It’s the kind of book that keeps you reading late into the night because you have to know what happens next.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, mark your calendar for July 2025. This is one book you won’t want to miss!

I’d give this a 2.5. I was pumped to get this ARC from NetGalley and I think I just had higher expectations from the get go. Nothing surprised me here at all. Even the final reveals that we were led to believe would be shocking I had called. After reading some reviews and the synopsis I thought this one was gonna really knock my socks off but in the I felt it went on a bit longer than it needed to, was predictable, and didn’t really give the women the ending they actually deserved after all they’d been through – even if he did get what he deserved. Some characters also felt like they existed solely to move the plot along and had no real role or reason for being included.

This one fell short for me! Can’t win em all.

I’ve been a Lisa Jewell fan for many years, but I don’t think this book was one of her best. It would have been a DNF if it was by any other author. I’m glad I stuck it out until the end, but I wouldn’t recommend it as one of her top stories.

Thanks of much for the review copy. This is quite the page turner. Parts of the book reminded me of the You series in a good way. People are going to love this one.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
Publishing date - 06/24/25
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and Lisa Jewell for this eARC. Lisa Jewell fans, you WILL not be disappointed with this one! This is my new favorite Lisa Jewell book! I have read most of her thrillers and this is the BEST one yet. I could not put this one down!! Finished in a few days … sitting here Christmas night … exhausted but had to keep reading to see what was going to happen with this one. Loved the shocking ending and gripping storyline. Highly recommend this one!!

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
Publishing date - 06/24/25
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and Lisa Jewell for this eARC. Lisa Jewell fans, you WILL not be disappointed with this one! This is my new favorite Lisa Jewell book! I have read most of her thrillers and this is the BEST one yet.

I won’t spoil plot or provide a synopsis of this one for you. I went into this book blindly and not knowing anything about what it was about has made this book one of my top reads for this year.

Gripping and intense ; this domestic thriller is one I highly recommend when it releases next year.

Don’t Let Him In
By Lisa Jewell

💝 First of all, thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and Lisa Jewell for providing me with this early copy for free in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book so badly. But man, it was hard. First of all, this story has been told before. The Dear John events, podcast, and Netflix show all exist and Jewell didn’t even mention them. The similarities are too obvious to be ignored. Because the story is familiar, it was incredibly predictable. By the 50% mark, I was bored. The pacing slowed and I couldn’t help but just want it to wrap up already.

I also hated every single character in this book. There wasn’t a single one that I related to or wanted to be friends with. Six or seven women and every single one of them was dumb as rocks and weak minded enough to continue to fall for such obvious bullshit. It was offensive to women everywhere and cheapened the abused spouse experience. When they finally got their revenge it wasn’t even fun to witness!

It did have some redeeming characteristics. Lisa Jewell is a great story teller and she wove this web and then ripped it apart masterfully. I also really enjoyed having Nicks point of view throughout. I think Jewell did a nice job climbing into the head of a psychopath and showing the reader just how mental unhinged he was, as we watched him convince himself that he was a decent man throughout.

Overall, I was disappointed that the story had been told before. Have we reached the point in history where we’ve run out of unique ideas? And there was a missed opportunity to reference that this was based off a true story and to credit the original women and reporter who were involved in the dear John saga.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy predictable popcorn thrillers with weak female main characters.

#eARC # advanced copy #bookreview #bookstagram #booktok #booklover #domesticthriller #thriller

Not my favorite of Lisa Jewell’s. The constant POV switching and back and forth of the timeline made it to where you always knew what was happening. There wasn’t any “twists” or anything unexpected. I enjoyed the development of the plot and the resolution at the end. 3.5/5 for me!

Thanks Net Galley for the ARC for this read!

I received an ARC digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books. Thank you.

I should have known this would be a wild ride. I was sucked in at the very beginning, finishing this book within 2 days. I HAD to know what happened. Every moment that I had a chance to read, I picked up this book instead of any others I had started.

I have only read a couple of Lisa Jewell's books. Don't Let Him In will have me looking out for all the books she has written that I haven't got to yet.

Tara, in debt, two grown children, married to Jonathon Truscott.

Martha, in her 40's, two teenage sons, one toddler daughter, owns a flower business and married to Alistair Gray.

Nina and Ash, grieving after Ash's father and Nina's husband, Paddy Swann, dies at the hands of another.

Nick Radcliffe, tall, handsome, striking blue eyes, just wants to give everyone what they want.

A fascinating domestic thriller by Lisa Jewell. The book starts with a seemingly simple premise - someone needs to pay for what they've done. It seems like the story will be shifting be shifting between two timelines - one told by Ash through the lens of a recently grieving family, having lost their patriarch Paddy, and another told by an unknown man four years prior. Is it Paddy? Is it someone related to Ash's family? Is it the person who delivered flowers to the memorial at the beginning of the book?

As the reader arrives at Part Three, we have discovered that this is not a book shifting between two timelines, rather it is a book that is following the life of one man with multiple identities, yet no identity at all. As Ash's suspicions about the man, known to her as Nick Ratcliffe, grow, she investigates more about his past while the reader learns more about his motivations via flashbacks from his perspective.

This book will take you on a wild ride as the web of lies is revealed. Enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy.

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this in advance of its anticipated release.

Lisa Jewell fans, you WILL not be disappointed with this one. This is was an absolute stress inducing, rage inducing (the kind where you yell at characters in the book while the other person in the room with you just kind of gives you the side eye with slight concern) slam dunk of a book.

It had my head spinning and I was locked in immediately, unable to put it down.

I don't want to give absolutely any spoilers away, so go into this blind. You won't be disappointed!

My favorite Lisa Jewell book! I have gotten through all of her thrillers and this is the best one yet!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I have devoured every Lisa Jewell book and this was the same. I love her writing and she always delivers when I need a solid, well written domestic suspense.

What the heck did I just read?!
I was tense, on the edge of my seat (okay, I’m lying—I was already on the floor, scrambling to pick up my dropped jaw), breathless, nail-less, and utterly captivated until the final page of this book, simmering with mounting pressure! Lisa Jewell has done it again! She’s written another brilliant thriller that instantly gets my vote for the Goodreads Choice Awards as the best thriller of the year!

This time, she’s given us one of the most detestable villains I’ve ever read. This new antagonist made my fists itch—I wanted to spit at the character and regularly punch him! I lost count of how many times I cursed him with every horrible thing he did, only for him to outdo himself a few chapters later with something even worse! I kept waiting for justice, and as the latest twists hit me like a slap in the face, I couldn’t stop wondering: What if he gets away with it again?!

I won’t spoil the experience for you, but I can honestly say that while the story starts off a little slow, it quickly becomes one of Lisa Jewell’s best books—a guaranteed mind-blower! And the scariest part of it all? Villains like this one could easily exist in real life. With their perfect faces, flawless bodies, charming manners, and their ability to hide behind a façade, they’re like wolves in sheep’s clothing. Everything in this book could actually happen, making this villain even more terrifying.

A Quick Recap
This whirlwind, smartly executed, twisty mystery begins with the tragic death of Paddy Swann, a highly successful restaurateur, who is pushed into the path of an oncoming train by a schizophrenic man in his early thirties. Paddy leaves behind his 53-year-old wife, Nina; his problematic daughter, Aisling (Ash), in her mid-twenties, who has returned home after a psychological breakdown; and his son, Arlo, in his early twenties.

After Paddy’s funeral, Nina receives a note and a package from a man named Nick Radcliffe, who claims to be Paddy’s former colleague. Along with the note, he sends her a lighter that once belonged to Paddy. Nick’s words are so sincere and kind that even Ash is impressed and encourages her mom to write back. What Nina doesn’t expect is that this man—described as a “silver fox” reminiscent of Patrick Dempsey’s McDreamy—will eventually turn their correspondence into a romantic relationship, beginning a year after Paddy’s death.

Meanwhile, the second storyline follows Martha, in her early fifties, is a florist raising two teenage sons from her previous marriage and a baby girl she gave birth to at 47. She’s also struggling in her marriage to Al, whose demanding job keeps him constantly traveling, unreachable, and emotionally distant. Despite working hard, they’re always short on money, and their relationship seems to be falling apart under the weight of secrets and unspoken issues.

As the storylines intertwine, the revelations are heart-stopping, jaw-dropping, and utterly unpredictable. Just when you think the plot couldn’t possibly go any further, it does—and you’ll find yourself nodding in reluctant agreement, thinking, Okay, yes, it could actually happen.

Overall Thoughts
Gripping, flawlessly executed, and packed with heart-throbbing intensity, this domestic thriller is one I highly recommend! I’ve already declared it the best thriller/mystery of the year. Don’t even think about missing it—order your copy ASAP!

Special Thanks:
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this fantastic thriller’s digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

"Don't Let Him In" was another stellar thriller by Lisa Jewell. The novel follows multiple women during different time periods who are all conned by the same man (and goodness, he is absolutely awful!). I couldn't put this novel down. Not only was the plot fast paced, but Jewell sprinkled in plenty of twists along the way. Overall, another hit for Jewell!