Lisa Jewell delivers yet again with another gripping thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. She has a real talent for crafting layered, believable characters whose lives slowly intertwine in unexpected ways. The connections between them unfold naturally, and while some twists were a bit predictable, others snuck up on me in the best way.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The pacing is spot on fast enough to fly through, but detailed enough to stay fully immersed. Jewell strikes a great balance between suspense and emotional depth, making it more than just a surface level mystery. If you're a fan of thrillers with great writing and character-driven plots, this one is definitely worth the read. Solid, satisfying, and hard to put down.

“Don’t underestimate him. Seriously. He’s always one step ahead. He can make people do anything he wants them to do.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now.

This is the seventh book I’ve read by this popular author and my ratings have ranged from 2 to 4 stars.

The plot was good but it was a bit confusing given all of the different aliases used by the main character.

Originally I thought the title referred to a warning to women not to let him into their homes / lives but a clever and different use of the term near the end of the book told me otherwise.

It really picked up pace near the end but the ultimate resolution was very unsatisfying.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy.

I had a hard time getting into this at first because there are so many characters, seemingly unrelated characters.  Each chapter featured different people, no explanation.  It was difficult to keep track of and that made it easy to set down.  Days would go by without me wanting to read it. This should have only taken me a few days to read, but it took three full weeks!

Eventually it became clear how these characters were related.  Once I found the rhythm of the chapters, I still struggled, because every other chapter is first person “his” POV, and Jewell made him so completely despicable that I could hardly bear to feel like I was inside his head. He was too much of a monster, it was just so unpleasant to read his POV.  

There are plot twists, but they were surprises only for the characters, never for me, the reader.  It all comes together nicely, except at the end, <spoiler>why didn't Ash and Jane arrange for a police officer to be present with the group, so that Nick aka Al aka whatever could not escape so easily?  They thought of EVERYTHING except that one so very obvious thing.  It made no sense. The only reason for it was to allow the epilogue to exist, where Amanda finally has the police waiting.</spoiler>

Overall, this was mildly entertaining, so I'll give it three stars.



<b>Things I had to Google:</b>
The Algarve - Portugal’s southernmost region, is known for its Atlantic beaches and golf resorts. Never heard of it!  Is this a popular vacation destination for Brits?

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell follows several characters and is dual timeline and POV.

We have a couple sets of characters that we follow throughout the story. First, we have a man named Nick Radcliffe who woes a woman named Nina who has just lost her husband of several decades. Nick seems a little "too good to be true" and Nina's daughter, Ash, has her eyes on Nick.

Another set of character, Alistar and Martha. Martha owes a flower shop and has a young daughter Nala. Alistar works for hospitality and helps hotels with issues they are having, but Martha can never seem to get ahold of him, even in emergent situations. Is he who he says he is? Is he having an affair? These are the questions that plague Martha as she's trying to run a business, take care of her young baby girl, and be a mother to two older boys.

I found the plot to be a little too convoluted for my taste. We had so many characters, timelines, and POV, that it was too much. I also found all of the characters to be incredibly naive and annoying. I didn't feel like I knew any of the characters really well, but yet the book felt too long. I also immediately knew where the book was going and was super disappointed because I typically dont "try" and figure them out. The writing did not feel true to previous Lisa Jewell books I've read, but I will still continue to read her books and recommend.

3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Don’t Let Him In is a gripping read that showcases Lisa Jewell’s signature ability to create a mysterious and intriguing atmosphere without veering into anything overly dark or morbid. Her writing draws you in with subtle tension and layered characters, keeping you hooked as the story unfolds. I appreciated how the suspense built gradually, creating a sense of unease that was compelling rather than disturbing. It’s a smart, well-paced thriller that kept me turning pages—definitely a solid 4-star read.

4.5

This was a totally fast paced, page turner of a Summer thriller in classic Lisa Jewell style. And I was here for it!

Paddy Swan was a super charismatic restauranteur, always the life of the party, until he is pushed into the path of an oncoming train and killed. He leaves behind a wife and daughter who are just devastated. Not long after the funeral, the ladies receive a box in the mail from a man named Nick, who says he was friends with Paddy long ago. In the box is a lighter he says belonged to Paddy and he thought they would want it as a memento. This gift starts to bring the Mother, Nina and Nick much closer together. he just seems to insert himself into their lives and Ash, the daughter is not happy about it. She then sets out to learn all she can about him and this connection to her Dad.

We also have Martha, living in a small town running her floral shop, hoping to someday expand. She is married to her second husband, Al. She has 2 older sons from a previous marriage and their new baby together. Al claims to be away working all the time, yet they never seem to have any money. She gets really suspicious when there is a family emergency and he's nowhere to be found.

More and more things start to emerge, and all three women start to question everything they know. This story had so many twists and turns that kept me guessing and furiously turning pages. I did figure out one part fairly early on, but that did not diminish my enjoyment at all. I loved watching Jewell seamlessly weave all of these plot lines together to form a super satisfying ending.

I did a combo of kindle and audio versions. The audiobook was full cast narration and extremely well done. Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this #gifted copy. Highly recommend if you like a fast paced thriller!

I am ride or die for Lisa Jewell. She has how to write a compelling thriller down pat and I go into her books expecting no less of amazing! This one was super twisty, fun and dark and I loved it

Thank you NetGalley for ARC. Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell is an electrifying psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first page to the jaw-dropping final twist. Jewell is a master of suspense, and this novel showcases her talent at its sharpest.

I’m sorry to say this one frustrated me. Don’t get me wrong, I love a book that seems totally random, but then comes together in the end. DON’T LET HIM IN does that, but it features so many characters and skips around so much, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.

Lisa Jewell puts you in the head of the grifter and his victims, who seem way too trusting for me, but isn’t that what infatuation does for us? I wouldn’t quite call this a thriller, it is more a slow study psychological drama.

I admit to getting frustrated about halfway through and skimming to the end to read the big twist - and yes, it was redeeming. Maybe if I would have stuck with really reading it, I would have enjoyed the conclusion more.

Thank you Atria Books for the early digital copy of DON’T LET HIM IN in exchange for my honest feedback.

The story starts off with the death of Paddy Swann, a famous restauranteur, who was pushed into the path of a train. His family is grieving- his wife, Nina; daughter, Ash; and son, Arlo. Nina receives a package from Paddy’s work colleague, Nick Radcliffe. The package contains a Zippo lighter owned by Paddy. Nina thanks Nick and starts texting with him. Soon, they are dating and spending lots of time together. Ash thinks things are fishy with Nick and starts investigating him.

Then, we follow Martha, who is raising two boys from a previous marriage and a new baby. She also owns a florist shop with her husband, Alistair. Alistair is the perfect husband, when he’s home. However, lately, he has been away for work and then his mother is ill. Martha starts to suspect her husband might be having an affair and starts to keep track of his excuses and locations.

This book kept my attention from the first page to the last. The short chapters kept this book flying along. I really liked Ash’s character; and I was rooting for her to figure out what was going on.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC to review.

Lisa Jewell is one of my auto buy authors and I always enjoy her books. This one was no exception, with lots of intricate plot twists and a creepy sociopathic villain. I listened to it on audio which might not have been the best choice for this story, though, as the back & forth timelines and array of characters were a little hard to keep track of. But they all came together by the end, and it kept me up way past my bedtime as I couldn’t put it down!

You know when you watch a horror movie and you have that unsettled feeling when the protagonist decides to go into a dark garage alone? That's how this entire book felt! Lisa Jewell's books are always paced perfectly to keep me up until 3 am to see what happens, and Don't Let Him In was no exception. This story unfolded with just the right amount of suspense, and the pieces fell into place perfectly. Don't miss this one!

This was a fun one! I love that Jewell deviated from her norm and gave us a slow burn psychological thriller that felt more like a character study than some of her other books. You’re not going to like the male main character, but you’re not supposed to. This con artist thriller is a deep dive into the ways in which (perceived) love can completely upend your world. You might shake your head at the decisions some characters make, but hindsight is always 20/20!

Definitely a solid thriller from the queen of psychological thrillers. There are a lot of characters, so be sure to pay attention to how they are all connected and the role they play.

This book had me wanting to know more as each page went on. I figured out rather quick that Nick wasn't a good guy. I just didn't realize just how awful he was. This book has many twists and turns and just when you think you have it figured out boy are you surprised! I highly recommend this book. I was also so excited to have received the arc of this book, as I was going to meet Lisa Jewell on her book tour. I wanted to see how different the discussion would be having read the book already. No spoilers are given at all!! And she still keeps you guessing.

Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.

The MMC is the most insufferable person. I could not stand him most of the book, especially when he was monologuing. To be fair, he wasn't the only one to talk for longer than necessary. A lot of the characters were real chatty. The story was interesting, but could have been shorter. I saw most of the twists coming a mile away, which is probably what made the book feel too long. I couldn't wait to get to the punch. In short, not Lisa Jewell's best book. But that won't stop me from reading another book by her. She's had several good ones.

I've enjoyed most Lisa Jewell books in the past, with the exception of None of This is True, which made me very hesitant to try Don't Let Him In. However, I found I really enjoyed this one! I will say there are a lot of characters to keep up with and at times it made it confusing, and somewhat difficult to tell which character's POV you are reading.

The story starts off with Nina and Ash Swann, who just lost their husband and father, Paddy Swann, who was pushed in front of a train. As they are mourning, they begin hearing from Nick, an old friend of Paddy's. Nina starts to take interest in Nick, while Ash is skeptical of him.

Martha appears to have the perfect marriage with her husband, Al. At least until she gets fed up with his behavior while he's away at work, and starts to question what he's really doing.
And then of course you get the man whose perspective ties it all together. What is he really up to? I do wish there had been a bit more detail about his family and background, but he's still interesting none the less.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Jewell (Then She Was Gone) thrills nonstop.

Lisa Jewell delivers another gripping thriller with Don't Let Him In. Known for hits like Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs, Jewell once again proves she’s a master of suspense. This latest novel hooks readers from the first page and refuses to let go. Twisting plotlines, unsettling secrets, and well-drawn characters build tension with every chapter. Just when you think you know what’s coming, Jewell turns everything on its head. Don’t Let Him In is a chilling, stay-up-all-night read that thrills right to the final page.

I love a good popcorn thriller, they are great for when I've read something heavy or just looking for an escape book. This one was good, a bit predictable but I did enjoy it.

There are no huge twists at the end and the premise is pretty much laid out from the beginning, but this one really kept my attention. I think Lisa Jewell is one of the best thriller authors out there and consistently writes good ones - this is the 9th book I've read my her and I haven't rated any less than 4 stars.

I usually really love Lisa Jewell but I was so confused.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.