The book takes a couple chapters to understand the flow and get the characters sorted but once you settle in it’s easy to follow.

Some spoilers*
This book fanned the flames of my hatred towards men. Lisa Jewell really makes you feel that stomach turning anxiety every time one of the women falls for a lie. You find yourself mentally (and sometime audibly) screaming “Noo!”. The web of lies and deceit are woven so perfectly through this story and when you realize the extent of it, it’s quite chilling. It’s a perfect mix of thriller and mystery that keeps you flipping the page.

Don’t Let Him In

4/5 ⭐️

I don’t read a lot of Mystery/Thrillers but when I do I know Lisa Jewell won’t let me down and, once again, she did not disappoint!

In “Dont Let Him In” the lives of several women are destroyed by a con man à la Dirty John. We get a dyak narrative told from the perspectives of the con man’s current wife, his next targets adult daughter and a flashback narrative in the POV of the con man “himself” (ahhh I hate even calling him that in this review!”

Ash, a woman in her late 20s who lives at home following the brutal murder of her father, is a fantastic main protagonist that we get to follow as she does the detective work of finding out who her moms new boyfriend is. Upon meeting him she is immediately suspicious but given her recent history she doesn’t feel like she can come outright with her distrust so she begins to build evidence with an unlikely ally - her late dads ex girlfriend from 30 years ago.

Nina, Ash’s mom, is a strong woman with her own flaws but ultimately she has good instincts and deep love for her family.

Martha, the con man’s wife, is so sympathetic and she is a great character to follow to understand why women go along with his schemes.

And the con man himself, whatever his name is (Simon, I suppose?) is just the worst. Lisa Jewell does a wonderful, albeit horrifyingly accurate, job of portraying him as the piece of garbage he is. Her ability to write the word salad and gaslighting that manipulators like him ACTUALLY SAY was uncanny. My heart rate was up all throughout the book but ESPECIALLY when this man was talking (and talking, and talking)

The way everything culminates is also incredible and I loved all the story lines and victims being able to converge and face their abuser. The ending was, for once, almost happy (as happy as it could be I suppose) given Lisa’s past books I was expecting something a lot darker and I’m genuinely not complaining. FOR ONCE we caught the bad guy.

For what I was expecting, this book hit all the beats I needed it to. I was in a bit of a slump going in but I finished this baby in one night!

Overall, a great addition to Lisa’s collection of works!

4.5 stars rounded up. This was fast paced and had multiple POVs which I really enjoyed. The chapters were short and I love that, especially with the constant changing POVs. I did like this one more than None of This is True, as I wasn't a huge fan of that one. While it was a tad predictable, I still found myself on the edge of my seat wanting to see where the story was going. It was quite insane how connected everything was and just how many people had been roped into this guy's lies. He is the ultimate con artist and it's actually crazy just how deep his cons go. Getting his POV really made the story that much better to me, being in his head was so interesting. The ending wasn't my absolute favorite but it certainly wasn't bad. Overall, this is a great thriller for those who enjoy manipulation, drama, and toxic relationships.

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

Ash Swann’s life is already unraveling when her father, Paddy, dies suddenly. As she and her mother, Nina, struggle to move forward, they’re contacted by an old friend of Paddy’s—Nick Radcliffe. Charismatic and polished, Nick quickly wins Nina over, bringing a spark of happiness back into her life after such a devastating loss. But Ash isn’t so easily convinced. Suspicious of Nick’s too-perfect persona, she begins digging into his past, certain he’s hiding something and planning to exploit her vulnerable mother.

Meanwhile, in another town, Martha, a florist, lives what appears to be a picture-perfect life with her devoted husband, Alistair, and their children. But cracks begin to show when Alistair starts taking frequent work trips, going completely off the grid with no explanation. Tired of his vanishing acts and growing web of lies, Martha sets out to uncover the truth about the man she thought she knew.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed how the different perspectives intertwined to build another compelling suspense novel from Lisa Jewell. Although the shifting timelines were occasionally a bit tricky to follow, they didn’t diminish the story’s impact. I found myself completely hooked, racing through the pages to reach the conclusion. In the end, all the intricate details came together for a satisfying and well-executed wrap-up of the plot.

An engaging read with a powerful message about resilience and unity. I enjoyed seeing the women come together to take down such a truly awful villain. He was easy to hate, and by the end, he got exactly what he deserved. While the story kept me interested, some parts didn’t fully land for me, hence the three-star rating. Still, it’s a worthwhile read for those who enjoy thrillers with strong female leads. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for a digital Advanced Reader Copy.

This book was super good! I was kind of confused for the first 25% of the book and had a hard time keeping the different characters and different timelines straight. Once I got past that and figured it out, I really enjoyed. One thing Lisa Jewell is super good at is keeping you on your toes, however, I feel this one was more predictable than some of her other books.

The overall story and plot were good, but the execution fell a little flat for me. The characterization wasn't strong enough and some events/dialogues didn't feel believable. The ending was a great punch, but the middle left some to be desired.

Okay, an honest review of this book. Did I like it? Yes! Did I love it? No. Did it keep my attention? Yes, I was interested in the timelines and the characters' stories. It was woven together well and creatively done, in my opinion. I was kind of confused in the beginning and not sure if the author did this on purpose or if it was just my brain not processing correctly. The story did start to make sense, and I found I could put the beginning pieces together. I also found that I knew everything, plot wise, going on in the story at this point. I am also not sure if this was intentional either... There was a small mystery going on, but the character that it involved wasn't very developed, and I found I didn't care what happened to them. Lol. Don't get me wrong, the story is good, just not really suspenseful, and there is no real twist for me. I don't want to leave a description of the book as I feel you should go in blind and form your own opinion. It still gets four stars from me based on my enjoyment of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for a digital Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. I received an ARC from NetGalley and I couldn’t wait to get into it. I love reading Lisa Jewell’s books because she is a fantastic writer who has a wonderful way of laying out stories and characters that draw you in. Everyone feels like a real person and the events that happen to them feel real. If I didn’t have other things going on I could’ve finished this book in a day. I didn’t want to put this book down even to sleep but I had to at some points. I wanted to stay up reading so bad that I was actually yearning for the days I had insomnia. One of the side effects of my cancer treatment is that I sleep mostly through the night so no late night reading for me anymore. I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going on for each character and how things would work out for each of them. I feel like if I write too much about the actual story I’d be spoiling it so I’ll just say READ THIS BOOK AS SOON AS YOU CAN. If you like books that make you feel things and fleshes out all the characters and keeps you guessing then this is definitely the book for you.

Things are not always as you see them and this book is a great wake up to people just in general. How do we handle these same situations?

I will be honest. It took me a bit to get into this book. The story lines are needed for end result but it was not grabbing me as some do. That being said do not give up on this book. It was overall a great book that goes so fast just over half way through you miss the slower portions haha

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the chance to read an early release.

This was so much fun and such a perfect quick thriller! I've not read from Lisa Jewell before, despite having several of her novels on my radar for years now. This was a fantastic introduction to her writing - which I loved - and kept me hooked the whole way through.

I went into this with very few expectations, but was still slightly surprised to learn this is not a mystery. I thought there would be some amount of guessing throughout the story. I didn't mind that it was all thriller, no mystery, only surprised to see it.

At first I thought this was progressing too slowly . . . surely there can't be *that* many women who would fall for this guy's con? I worried that the story was too reliant on the flimsy idea that even the smartest, most capable women would fall for what, to the reader, is such an obviously awful man.

But I stuck with it and I realized, eventually, that the slow burn was just that: an intentionally-paced slow burn, constructed so that we could witness the true psychology of this con man and his victims. All of my concerns were addressed; the nebulous character of Nick Radcliffe/Alistair took more shape, and I became so ridiculously invested in if—and how—he might be stopped.

Animalistic, slick, tense. You have characters to root for, to pity, to mourn, and at the heart of it all, someone to despise. I consider this an obsessive and almost cathartic narrative; well-built suspense that morphs into a thrilling climax as it nears the end.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not the run-of-the-mill thriller! A psychopathic, narcissistic con-artist who doesn't let anyone get in his way is ruining lives all over England--how many women and children and business partners will he destroy? He never seems to get away with any substantial fortunes, just enough to get him into the next con and leave a trail of debt in his wake--how far will he go before he is caught? For anyone who's ever felt manipuated and/or gaslighted, who seems to fall for the wrong partner every time, who questions the authenticity of random strangers who cross their paths--this book is for you! This man can NOT be trusted, but how will all these women find out about each other and put the pieces of the puzzle together?

I really enjoyed this book! At first, it's a bit confusing with a lot of different storylines, but then you get it, and you just want to keep reading to see what happens. I really liked how it ended.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I was soo excited I got a Lisa Jewell book. Overall I liked it. It was a lot to unpack with soo many POVs and pieces to this crazy puzzle. And can we please shut up Nick or whatever his name is really.

This book was a good mystery. I love most of Lisa Jewell's writing. I did find myself struggling to follow the storyline for a while, but I was able to put it all together at the end. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I would like to start off by thanking netgalley for the arc of this book.

Lisa Jewell has become an automatic read for me. Once again she keeps me on my toes and makes me second guess everything I thought I knew.
Nick Radcliffe is what some might consider the perfect man. He has good taste, a perfect smile and knows exactly how to put others at ease. He is exactly what widower Nina Swann needs after her late husband is tragically killed on the tube platform unexpectedly. To Nina's adult daughter, Ash, something just doesn't seem right. She thinks he is almost too polished, and too good to be true. When Ash starts digging into Nicks' background, everything starts to crumble around him.
Martha is a florist that lives in a neighboring town with her infant daughter, two young sons and her devoted husband Alistair. Alistair has been having to travel more and more recently for his work and that is when Martha starts to get a little curious and suspicious. What comes about from this, no one can see coming. Soon Martha, Nina, and Ash's life start to come crumbling down and they start to become interwoven more and more.
I finished this book in two days that is how good it was. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will always be reading anything Lisa Jewell writes.

This book was fine! I enjoyed the alternating POVs, but I feel like it was MUCH less of a thriller and more of just domestic suspense. The ending was pretty far-fetched too but this was a quick enough read that kept me just engaged enough to continue with the entire book.

4.5 STARS!
Lisa Jewell returns with another compelling psychological thriller in Don’t Let Him In, a dark and twisty tale that explores the complexities of grief, deception, and the hidden lives of men. I could not put this book down and finished it in less than 24 hours!

The story unfolds through the perspectives of three women: Nina, mourning after the sudden death of her husband, a resteraunteur; Ash, her skeptical daughter; and Martha, a florist whose husband Al's frequent absences have her on high alert. Their lives become intertwined with Nick Radcliffe, a charming and enigmatic man who may not be who he appears to be. As secrets unravel, the narrative builds to a shocking and satisfying conclusion.

Jewell's strength lies in her character development. Each protagonist is richly drawn, with distinct voices and emotional depth that make their experiences resonate. The alternating viewpoints and timelines are handled seamlessly, keeping the reader engaged without confusion. The pacing is brisk, with suspense escalating steadily, though some readers may find the ending a bit too neat compared to the tension built throughout the novel.

While the book delivers a gripping and immersive experience, it doesn't quite reach the heights of Jewell's previous works like Then She Was Gone or None of This Is True. However, Don’t Let Him In is still a standout in the domestic thriller genre, offering a satisfying blend of suspense, character study, and emotional payoff.

For fans of psychological thrillers that delve into the complexities of human relationships and the darkness lurking beneath the surface, this novel is a must-read!

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t even call it a straight up thriller. This read more like a drama. I struggled to focus on this one and lost interest pretty early on. I also found it hard to keep track of the characters. I have really loved some of Lisa Jewell’s books in the past but for me personally, this was a miss.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!!