Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In is a psychological thriller that drags you into a slow-burning horror—not the kind with jump scares, but the kind where you feel trapped alongside the characters, watching something awful unfold in real time and being utterly unable to stop it. The book begins with uncertainty and then becomes repetitive. The repetition, however, might be intentional. It mirrors the sense of entrapment the female characters feel—caught in a cycle of powerlessness and manipulation. The antagonist feels like a Frankenstein’s monster of every red-flag date you’ve ever had or heard about—manipulative, insidious, and chillingly real. The female characters are relatable in their vulnerability, which makes their situation all the more horrifying. While there isn’t a lot of traditional character growth, the emotional realism makes up for it. You care, deeply—even when you're frustrated with their choices. The central tension—trapped in emotional and psychological abuse—is palpable. While the drama occasionally feels like it circles back on itself, it reinforces the claustrophobic dynamic. You feel stuck with the characters, which, again, may be deliberate. It’s unsettling, but effective. Don’t Let Him In explores emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and the subtle ways coercive control can manifest in relationships. This book had me yelling internally at the characters—please just see it, please leave. A compelling, frustrating, and emotionally engaging read that does a great job showing the slow, suffocating nature of psychological abuse.

i thought there would be a lot more action in this book than there was. i felt like nothing really happened for the first 50% and then i thought we were finally getting somewhere, but it slowed down again at the end. it was fine, but could’ve been 100 pages shorter.

DNF - I got about 25% in before setting it aside. It was too slow to start making meaningful connections. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this prior to publication, though! I still believe Lisa’s fans will lift the storyline up in a way I couldn’t.

One man living lots of different lives. Lots of women getting royally screwed over by one man. I was so angry at the male main character throughout the whole book, and couldn’t wait to see if he got what he deserved. This book had my blood pressure up from beginning to end and was very well written. Lisa Jewell fans won’t be disappointed.

Thank you Atria Books @atriabooks Netgalley @netgalley and Lisa Jewell @lisajewelluk for this free book!
“Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Thriller. Location: The south coast of England. Time: Present.

Tall, well-built, well-dressed, blue-eyed, white-haired Nick Radcliffe (50s) knows just what you want, and has a smile that will sooth your soul. He’s just what Nina Swann (51) needs after husband Paddy’s unexpected death at age 54-pushed under a train by a stranger. But Nina’s daughter Ash (26) thinks Nick is too slick, too polished, too good to be true. She digs into Nick’s past, finding unsettling information.
In a neighboring town, florist Martha (40s) lives with 2nd husband Alistair, their baby daughter, and her 2 boys. Lately, Al has disappeared for days at a time. So Martha plants a tracking device in his car. Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course darker than anyone imagined. And all 3 wish they’d heeded the same warning: DON’T LET HIM IN.

Author Jewell has written another amazing thriller where the lines between truth and lies blur. Her smooth-talking Nick is a master of intimidation techniques like guilting, gaslighting, love-bombing. The point of view switches back and forth between the women’s stories and Nick’s narcissistic 1st person narrative. Jewell is a master of tiny details that come together to build tension until you can’t put the book down! It’s a stay up all night till you finish it page-turner for sure and it’s 5 stars from me👩🏼‍🦳

If you like Lisa Jewell’s previous books you’ll like this one.

This book is a tightly woven thriller that explores grief, suspicion, and the consequences of being too trusting. Told through interwoven perspectives—Nina, her daughter Ash, and a woman named Martha—the novel builds tension with expert precision. As the stories converge, the truth that unfolds is chilling and well timed.

The book excels in character development, especially in contrasting the vulnerable warmth of Nina, the sharp instinct of Ash, and the quiet unraveling of Martha. Each woman is compelling in their own way. The pacing is brisk without feeling rushed.

With themes of manipulation, betrayal, and female intuition, this book is a standout in the domestic suspense genre. I found this a gripping, emotionally charged story with a deeply unsettling twist. You’ll find yourself second-guessing every character—and checking the locks on your door.

Lisa jewel never misses. I will read anything she writes and this delivered on all fronts. I was so lucky to get to read it early. So thank you netgally

WowZers! I don't even know where to start but I think my first piece of advice is, avoid reading too much of the blurb or many reviews first if you're planning to read this. Not that they give a lot away but I think you'll get more out of the book if you just let it happen. I'm a big Lisa Jewell fan so I just requested it without reading much about it and I was beyond thrilled to get approval.

Needless to say, I was totally immersed in the story by the time I was a short way into the book and, if it had been up to me, I would've stayed up all night to finish it. It's not an easy read because there are quite a few characters and time frames to keep up with and the story goes back and forth so you need to pay attention. This is a story that plays out all too often in real life and it's always frustrating to realize how many gullible/vulnerable women there are out there. Reviews are mixed but I absolutely loved it!

My thanks to Atria Books, via Netgalley, for approving my request to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 24, 2025

I did spend the first 60% so confused as to what was happening and then was immediately hooked for the rest. I did not want to stop reading but I think that more had to do with the good the writing style is and how irritated I was with the characters rather than the plot. I think the premise of the book was well executed but I just don’t think I particularly like mystery novels like this. I was waiting for a plot twist out of left field and that never came. I still enjoyed my time reading and would recommend but not my favorite by Lisa Jewell.

I love how all the stories com together! It started off confusing with all the characters but eventually blossomed into a suspenseful story that kept my attention on every page!

Highly recommended!

Lisa Jewell is the author who first hooked me on thrillers. And, I always want to love everything of hers, but somehow they don't quite get there for me. It was a very slow build-up, but the ending was quite satisfying.

There is Martha who is married to Al with her sons from her first marriage and their baby daughter Nala.

There is Nina, widowed Paddy, who left her his three booming restaurants and two adult children, the oldest Ash who lives at home. And Nina is dating Nick.

There is Laura, who was abandoned by her husband Justin to raise her two daughters alone.

There is Amanda, whose husband died in an accident, leaving her a pile of debt and two boys to raise who are now adults.

There are numerous others stalked or scammed by a silverhaired man.

And, all of these are connected. But it's only slowly that you realize this. SO SLOWLY. It was a mystery, sure, but all of the action was in the last 40 or so pages.

The characters are lovely, flawed, and real. The idea that men like him exists is horrifying. But it is very realistic they would be targeted and fall victim to it even if we all want to think we wouldn't. Overall, it is an enjoyable read but not fast paces as expected.

A good man is hard to find, especially if you're reading Lisa Jewell's latest offering. Don't Let Him In is an entertaining novel about finding that special guy who may or may not be too good to be true. There are several women who are hoping that they have found the love of their lives, and some of their stories are told in flashbacks. Jewell wraps it up in a satisfying way. I really enjoyed this one!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝗲.”

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 6/24/25

*Thank you @NetGalley and @AtriaBooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: After her husband is murdered, Nina is contacted by his former friend Nick- and things become more than friendly quickly. Nina’s daughter Ash thinks something is off about Nick and she’s hellbent on finding out what. Across town Martha is a successful shop owner with a loving husband who begins to act strangely. Eventually, their lives all cross paths for a sinister reasons.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🎭Non-linear timeline
👣Long con
🎭Fast paced
👣Short chapters

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: A fast paced page turner! I found the layered stories/timelines to be a bit confusing at first but it didn’t take long for it all to click- maybe 10-15%. The MMC was so unlikable I was rooting for his downfall the whole time. Meanwhile I was rooting for the women in this story to come out on top. I found that the resolution to be very predictable and unsatisfying. This was second Jewell novel and while I was entertained, and compulsively turned the pages, I found this lacked the punch I was looking for.


TW: Domestic abuse, stalking

Don't Let Him In
by Lisa Jewell
Pub Date: Jun 24 2025

Lisa Jewell's latest book, Don't Let Him In was a very perplexing read! There are a lot of characters in the story, it's unbelievable how many of the woman were made to look as if they were clueless, had absolutely no common sense at all. The scary part is I can see how many woman could fall for this con...I can't say any more as I don't want to spoil the story.

I was hooked from the start. This is a great thriller!

Synopsis: Three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller. He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie. 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.

Many thanks to #AtriaBooks #NetGalley & #Don'tLetHimIn for providing me with an E-ARC of this great thriller!

I usually enjoy Lisa Jewell’s twisty domestic thrillers, but Don’t Let Him In fell surprisingly flat for me.

The premise had promise — a mysterious man, a family with secrets, and that creeping sense of something being off — but the execution didn’t quite live up to it. The pacing dragged in the middle, and I found myself waiting for a payoff that never really came. The characters felt distant and underdeveloped, especially the protagonist, whose motivations never quite made sense to me.

I kept hoping for one of Jewell’s trademark reveals to pull everything together, but instead, the plot meandered and wrapped up with more confusion than closure. Some moments were genuinely eerie, but they were few and far between.

Not her best work — if you’re new to Lisa Jewell, I’d recommend starting with The Family Upstairs or Then She Was Gone instead.

I was excited to get an ARC of this book (thanks Atria Books via NetGalley!) as I’ve enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s books in the past but unfortunately, this one fell short.

There were too many characters in the book to keep track of, every time a new chapter (with a new POV) came up, I had to take a second to remember who this person was and what their story had been so far. The stories of each individual person had too much information that was not needed that I often found myself skimming the pages until something interesting happened. With so many characters, it was hard to really get to know any of them and due to that, I had no feelings either way about any of the characters. I don’t want to feel indifferent about characters of a story.

The story was predictable and early on it was easy to see the direction it was going in. I will say, the ending was quite satisfying and made it worth reading the book to the end.

I would say this is a good book for those that aren’t into thrillers but do like mysteries. I wouldn’t classify this as a thriller but definitely has some good moments of scenarios in the story that in the end turned out to be different than what they first seemed.

What a thrilling ride. Lisa Jewell has done it again. This book left me.wanting more. A fabulous story of lies and deciet that leaves you in shock. A 5 star read for me!

This was my first book of this Author to read. It was different for me but I loved it. I believe i will be reading more from this author in the future

I love Lisa Jewell. I have read books with a similar plot line before, however, this one is done really well. It’s dark and twisty and a fast read. This is a great summer thriller.

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell is a fast-paced page turner! This book had me thinking and questioning throughout the whole book.

In this book we follow two story lines. Paddy Swann dies leaving behind his wife Nina and his daughter Ash, who has recently come back home to live with her parents. When Nina moves on with a past acquaintance of her father's, Nick Radcliffe, Ash is unsure about how she feels about this and him. Story line number two... Martha is a florist and divorcee with a new second husband and a new baby. He is the perfect man, but his demanding career keeps pulling him away and he is increasingly distant.

Watch as Jewell weaves these two stories together and more. She will have you guessing at every turn! Great writing with seamless shifting points of view. I often do not like stories that have so many shifting viewpoints, but Jewell executes this really well and I was easily able to follow it once I got into the book about 10-15% into the book and began to see the story unfold. I would definitely recommend this to fans of mystery, psychological thriller and Jewell's other works.

Thank you to Net Galley, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster), and the author for allowing me to read this advanced copy.