I have read many of Lisa Jewel's books & am fortunate to have heard her speak on a book panel in Bryant Park in New York City. DONT LET HIM IN is by far her best jewel yet! Far & away my fav by her!

This book is described as "kaleidoscopic" with three distinct voices intersecting & refracting in surprising ways. I must admit it took some getting used to whose P.O.V chapters were written in & jumping 4 years ago, 2 years ago & present day.

Lisa's signature style is those tiny details that build a fully fleshed out characters. This book is a page turner & readers will want to get to know the characters fully.

I don't want to give any spoilers. I will say the main male character has lights. Word salads and live bombs. He is not all he seems. He is too good to be true even though he has no permanent home or job. Then he begins pulling disappearing acts and scrounging for money.

Chapter 51 is very important (62% in) and starts to answer some of the many baffling questions.

I will say I felt Ninas character tends to change for the last 20% of the book. She went from being described as meek. Grieving widow to a woman who sounds more worldly. Sophisticated. Polished. Wealthy and confident.

Curious if you agree with my assessment of Nina & the book in general. Can't wait for everyone read so I can discuss it w fellow book lovers.

If you’re looking for a rollercoaster of a read that keeps you guessing until the very end, Don’t Let Him In delivers on every level. From the first chapter, the story pulls you in with compelling characters, rich atmosphere, and a plot that refuses to follow a straight line. Just when you think you have it figured out—bam! Another twist sends you reeling.

What makes this book stand out is not just the number of surprises, but how well they’re executed. Each twist feels earned, not forced, and the narrative never loses momentum. It’s a rare kind of storytelling that balances complexity with clarity, making it both thrilling and satisfying.

The author does an excellent job building tension, layering secrets, and creating characters that feel real—even when their actions shock you. By the time you reach the final pages, you’ll be thinking back to earlier moments, connecting the dots and marveling at how it all came together.

Whether you love mysteries, thrillers, or simply a well-crafted story, [Book Title] is a must-read. It’s one of those books that sticks with you long after the final page, and one you’ll want to recommend to everyone you know.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

I was able to get an advanced read of this through Net Galley and I’m very very thankful!

I was so graciously given an ARC of this title.

WOW! The characters were so very well written I literally just wanted to reach into the book and punch one of them. Great book! I would absolutely recommend it and read it over and over again.

If red flags, unresolved trauma, manipulative relationships, and an endless loop of déjà vu are your cup of tea—then buckle up, because this book might just be for you.

As someone who has genuinely enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s previous works, I went into this one with high hopes. Unfortunately, those hopes were met with a convoluted structure, a cast of characters that felt more like a roll call than a developed ensemble, and a plot that dragged its feet despite all the emotional chaos it tried to stir up.

The book juggles multiple timelines and points of view, which, when done well, can create a rich and layered narrative. But here, it felt more like literary plate-spinning—one false move and everything crashes to the floor. With so many names and backstories introduced (and reintroduced… and re-reintroduced), I often found myself flipping back pages just to remember who was who and why I should care. What really wore me down was the repetitive nature of the story. The same toxic dynamics played out again and again, just with different characters and slightly altered circumstances. By chapter fifteen, I felt like I was in an emotional Groundhog Day. Honestly, if the book had been trimmed by about 20 chapters, it could’ve delivered a much punchier, more compelling read.

To its credit, the epilogue did manage to surprise me—proof that there was potential here for a stronger payoff. Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t live up to that twist. The plot was otherwise predictable, and the characters felt more like archetypes than real people.

In the end, this wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read—far from it. But it definitely wasn’t Jewell’s best. A solid three-star read if you’re feeling generous, or as the kids would say: very MID

I’ve seen others describe this as Kaleidoscopic and that seems appropriate. So many cons are interwoven and overlapping in this one. Typically, Lisa Jewell’s books give me creepy crawlies, but this one just made me disgusted with the central male character. The author does a great job getting into the narcissistic con artist’s POV.

It’s been a while since I dived into a thriller, and this one completely captivated me! The plot was gripping, revealing disturbing and intense characters that took the suspense to another level. I could easily envision it as an episode of Dateline or 48 Hours, especially with someone like Nick Radcliffe—charming yet enigmatic until his true nature unfolds.

Nick Ratcliffe is a man who is evil and cunning and uses so many different names it is a miracle he remembers to use the correct name the person knows him by.

He knows how to get women interested in him while he is only interested in their money.

He finds out a woman's husband who owned quite a few restaurants has passed. He poses as an old friend of her husband's and sends a package to her with something he says belonged to her husband.

His charm pulls her in just as he pulls in many women.

We then meet Martha married to Al along with a few other women who have a connection to him.

Both Nick and Al always have some business trip taking them away from their families.

And what a trip they both are on.

DON’T LET HIM IN will have your mind spinning and whiplashing back and forth after each introduction of a character and a new scheme of Nick’s.

You will not where to turn and not know how Nick pulls it all off.

Lisa Jewell has outdone herself with this one even though it takes a bit to figure who is who and and how it all fits together.

If you love to hate a character, this book is for you.

He is despicable and has a ready lie for anyone who questions him and anything that might threaten his charade.

You won't be able to stop reading. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I was so looking forward to this one as a big Lisa Jewell fan, but it just didn't do it for me. It was less of a thriller and more of a mystery. Honestly, it felt a little dull and not as clever and twisty as her other books. The second you catch on to what is happening, the rest of the book is just a look inside a messed up person's head. The characters were kind of flat; I didn't really feel connected to any of them.

I will say, I liked how the ending came together, even if it was a bit predictable. It was very "female empowerment" which was fun to see.

Overall, if you're a big Lisa Jewell fan like I am, l'd definitely still give this one a read. You might like it more than I did!

Lisa Jewell is one of my most favorite author, especially after None of this is true, I vowed to read every book she writes so I was absolutely over the moon when I got this eARC.

We have Nina and Ash, mother and daughter dealing with the grief of losing their husband and father. One day enters Nick, he got those smile that can melt anyone in a sec. Even though Nina likes Nick but Ash doesn’t like his whole persona so she starts digging and comes across shocking things.

We also have a happily married Martha that’s living with her perfect husband and infant but as perfect as it might look from outside it’s not. When her husband stays out of town most of the days and every time asked got a perfect answer, she gets the feeling that something’s not quite right.

And then all of their lives tangles up and classic Lisa Jewell style it keeps you so intrigued that you can’t put it down!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for kindly providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my honest opinions.

i am very thankful to be given this arc. thank you netgalley. this book was so painful to get through and i feel like we were going in circles. usually thrillers make me want to pick up the book but this book made me not want to pick it up. i have thought about DNFing it multiple times. i really enjoyed her other novels but this one did not do it for me.

This book has made me realize that thrillers are subjective. What one may find thrilling, another may not.

I fall in the latter for Don’t Let Him In.

It felt more like the biography of a man scamming lonely, widowed women. I didn’t find anything thrilling about it.

The story was told in both a third person and first person point of view, both present day and past, often times breaking the fourth wall.

Did it have a satisfying ending? Of course. Don’t all thrillers? But it was the journey getting there that was a difficult one to travel.

Wow! What a whirlwind of a read. This is the Lisa Jewell style writing that first got me hooked on her books. Well written, multi faceted storyline with short fast paced chapters. Clear your schedule before starting it. Don’t Let Him In was a 2 day read for me, only because I started it late in the day and eventually had to give in to sleep -waking up early the next morning to finish it.
Thank You to NetGalley, Atria Books and Lisa Jewell for the opportunity to devour and thoroughly (yet somewhat guiltily) enjoy this ARC.

Nina Swann is the widow of recently deceased restauranteur Paddy Swann, locally famous in his own right for his vibrant personality. He was pushed in front of a train by a mentally ill man, leaving Nina and his daughter Ash grief stricken and trying to move on with their lives.

Shortly after Paddy’s death, Nina receives a letter from Nick Radcliffe sending condolences and claiming to be an old friend from his early restaurant years. Nick later sends an old zippo of Paddy’s wanting Nina to have. Soon after, Nick and Nina take their friendship to the next level, but Nina’s daughter Ash thinks there’s something off about Nick and mysterious appearance into their lives.

Martha is a local flower shop owner and mother of 3. Her last child, Nala, she had in her late 40s after remarrying a man named Alistair, who swept her off her feet with his extravagant gifts and getaways. However, four years into their marriage, Al becomes dodgy, unresponsive, and begins to disappear for days on end with an excuse always on end.

Don’t Let Him In follows the various viewpoints of Ash, Martha, and a mysterious man reminiscent of the tinder swindler. With her mother blinded by a new romance, Ash leaves it to herself to figure out what Nick is really hiding; seeking out Paddy’s previous girlfriend Jane to do so. Martha begins to investigate and wonder if Al is being truthful about his long workdays and ill mother.

Lisa Jewell never fails to disappoint me! Every time I think I have an idea of what’s going on, the end ties together perfectly for a gripping thriller. With the amount of true crime stories similar, I felt myself wondering how a man can charm women so much to have them second guessing every intuition they’ve ever known. This was a fast paced read that was impossible to put down until I reached the final page.

This one was just…fine.

The synopsis of this one sounded so interesting, but I just couldn’t get into it at all. After about halfway through, the story picked up a bit for me, but I never got invested with these characters, and found my mind constantly wandering.

I really enjoy Lisa Jewell, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher for this e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I jumped at the opportunity to read this ARC. This book will be released on June 24, 2025.

Nina's husband is killed. Later, she is contacted by Nick Ratcliff, an old friend of her husband. Nina's daughter is suspicious of Nick and his intentions.

This book is told from multiple points of view, in several different timelines. There are so many characters and so many different scenarios and stories. It is a tad confusing.
I typically love anything written by Lisa Jewell. Unfortunately, this one was just "ok" for me. It's not particularly "bad;" just not my cup of tea.

Lisa Jewell is either a huge hit for me or just average, but either way I’m always going to want to pick up her newest book.

Unfortunately for me, Don’t Let Him In fell into the “just average” category. I think this is because con man thrillers usually are not my vibe. I still read through this pretty quickly because Jewell’s writing works well for me, but I was left wanting more by the time we got to the conclusion of the book. & if I’m so honest, I have no idea how this man bamboozled so many woman. His long, rambling explanations / speeches had me rolling my eyes SO much. He sounded like he was full of crap, all the time. I couldn’t buy into him successfully ruining these woman’s lives for decades.

I did love all the woman coming together and how a lot of small details all tied up. I just wanted a little more of the sinister vibes that Jewell pulls off in some of her other books.

Overall, not a bad book by any means and many people will likely enjoy it. I’ll always be interested in the next book by the author, but this was just an average read for me.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

Don't Let Him In" by Lisa Jewell is a captivating psychological thriller that masterfully weaves together the lives of three women connected by one manipulative man. Nick Radcliffe, a charming and polished individual, enters the life of Nina Swann, a recent widow, and her suspicious daughter Ash. Meanwhile, Martha, a florist, struggles with her husband Alistair's frequent absences and financial secrecy. As the story unfolds, dark secrets and lies surface, revealing a sinister truth. With Jewell's signature twists and suspense, this novel delivers a thrilling page-turner that explores the complexities of human relationships and deception, keeping readers on the edge.

This one did not work for me. There were too many characters, points of view and timelines. It was often difficult to know who was talking and what was going on. To top it off, I did not find that all of the characters were well developed, so it made it even more difficult to keep track and feel a connection. I found that the story was predictable and hard to stay engaged in. That being said, the story did improve as it went out. There were a few twists and turns that were fun, but overall it was just not for me. Nina Swam met Nick a year after her husband's unexpected death and he is a breath of fresh air in her life. But Nina's daughter decides to look into Nick's past because she doesn't think he is everything that he says he is. Martha lives in a nearby town and starts to wonder why her husband Alistair has been disappearing for days at a time. What will these women uncover and will they be safe?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

Pros:
Same vibes and general mystery as all Lisa Jewell stuff
The characters are easy to keep separate

Cons:
I don’t like the first and third person POV
He gets so unlikable in his POV I wanted to stop reading
The ending kinda fizzles out?

I am generally a Jewell fan....but this fell short for me. To say, as many have already, it's "a slow burn" is being generous; it moves at a tedious pace. Constant back and forth time lines and took too long to hook reader.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review