I found Don't Let Him In to be just okay overall. Lisa Jewell weaves multiple storylines throughout the book, which at times felt a bit overwhelming to keep track of. However, she does a solid job of tying everything together by the end, which helped bring some payoff to the complex narrative. While it wasn’t my favorite of her novels, fans of layered suspense may enjoy it. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I had previously read one Lisa Jewell book, which was a great thriller, and so I had very high expectations from this book. However, this book was frustrating and hard to read. It takes a few chapters to understand the different points of view and the multiple characters, which is often the case for thrillers, but what made this disappointing was that the narrative around Nick/Alistair/Jonathan seemed to be going around in circles. His act of lying, appearing loving, and crying fake tears was repetitive and annoying. Women putting up with his disappearing acts and gaslighting was a bit too much.

Perhaps the biggest issue I had was the predictability. There was no plot twist, and the story was flat in the last third of the book. There is also not much discussion about why Nick became the way he did. There was a brief mention of him just being this way since childhood and not being happy with things/ always wanting more, but that seems like a weak justification or explanation. The only goal achieved in this book seems to be to create an unlikeable character who is vindictive, greedy, violent, and a stalker, without much background into how or why.

Overall, this is far from the great thriller that was promised.

"Don't Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell is a twisty 5-star thriller! Nina Swann is trying to pull her life back together after the sudden and tragic death of her husband. She meets Nick Radcliffe, a man who immediately puts her at ease. But Nina’s daughter, Ash, is instantly suspicious of Nick, he seems too perfect and always knows just the right thing to say. Meanwhile, Martha and Alistair appear to be living a happy life, even with Alistair always traveling for work, it seems he has the family's best interests in mind.

This is a well-written story told through multiple POVs and timelines, all expertly woven together to build toward one fantastic conclusion. Twist after twist keeps you wondering just how far out of control things can spiral and the answer is: extremely far! At times, you'll be shocked at how much one character is able to get away with and frustrated by how they’re allowed to keep going. While this may be fiction, it’s disturbing to realize that situations like this do happen in real life.

It’s been a few years since I last read anything by Lisa Jewell, and this book reminded me of just how talented she is. I won’t be waiting years to read another one of her books!

Thanks to Atria Books, Lisa Jewell, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

3.75⭐️

First I’d like to extend a thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy of this book. My thoughts are my own.

While I did not find this book to be very suspenseful or mysterious, I found the psychological thriller aspect to be well executed. The author did a great job capturing the essence of a narcissistic psychopath, providing seemingly realistic inner monologue and giving you a chilling viewpoint on the gaslighting, steamrolling and manipulation he repeatedly uses to gain control of people and situations.

Although at first I was upset about the lack of strength and awareness many of the women in this book possessed- having had an unhealthy relationship myself in the past that took me four years to recognize and leave (nowhere near the extent of this book), I understand that while this may be unfathomable or outlandish to some, this is an unfortunate reality that many people do face.

I’ve only read one other book by this author that I very much enjoyed but this book did feel quite slow at times and I felt that it danced in circles. Although the nature of those types of relationships are repetitive, for the purpose of the book and keeping the readers interest, I felt that this could have been edited down a bit as I found myself skimming the pages.

Overall, I wouldn’t call this a mystery or very suspenseful but this book was a good psychological thriller and I’m glad.

Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In continues her signature blend of psychological suspense and domestic tension, with a slow-burning plot that keeps readers intrigued. The characters are layered and flawed, adding emotional depth to the narrative, though some readers may find their development a bit uneven. Jewell’s writing remains compelling, with atmospheric scenes and sharp dialogue that heighten the sense of unease. However, the pacing feels inconsistent at times, with a buildup that takes a little too long to pay off. While the twists are clever, they may feel familiar to fans of the genre or Jewell’s previous work. Overall, it’s a solid but not standout thriller—gripping in parts, but not quite as unforgettable as her best.

The only reason this isn’t 5 starts is because I feel like this is the most predictable of her books and I was missing the normal twists and turns! Even with that said, I loved how the story unfolded and was truly left amazed. The epilogue was the only part I didn’t see coming!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've only read one other Lisa Jewell book and I loved it. So, I went into this a bit overconfident, believing that I was in store for another twisty, unputdownable read.

Unfortunately, that's not how this one went for me. This dragged, leaving me very unmotivated to pick it up. I spent nearly two months slowly trudging through this, which (in my eyes) is not the mark of a good mystery. In fact, I'd argue this isn't really a mystery at all. There are no true curve balls in this. No guessing game. The entire time, you know exactly what (and who) you're dealing with. It's more of a domestic drama than anything else. And while I'm not totally against that, it's really just not what I was wanting or expecting from this author.

In a nutshell, Ash has recently lost her father under really terrible circumstances. Shortly after, her mother begins seeing Nick, a guy who immediately begins raising red flags in Ash's eyes. Given her mother's vulnerable position (and the fact that she will be inheriting Ash's father's chain of restaurants), Ash believes Nick has ulterior motives.

And guess what? He does. We learn very quickly that Nick isn't who he says he is; that he is essentially a sociopath that preys on women in every way (emotionally, financially, sexually). He has a pattern of behavior that is never limited to just one con. He jumps from woman to woman, caring little about the potential overlap. The book is alternated from first person POV (told from Nick's perspective), as well as third person POV (focusing on Ash's). It's a weird way to structure a book... and certainly not my favorite.

While I'm into reading about complex, flawed characters, this one felt very... limited. There's no good reason for why Nick is the way that he is. The author seems to attribute this to a case of nature over nurture, which isn't really something that aligns with my belief system. I believe humans are more complex than that. However, if you're cool with reading about someone who is a villain for the sake of being a villain, this one might work for you more than it did for me.

Martha is a successful business owner married to her husband Al. When Al starts disappearing more frequently, Martha begins to feel something isn’t right.

Nina Swann tragically and unexpectedly lost her husband recently. Still a grieving widow, she meets Nick Radcliffe who says he knew her late husband and she lets him into her life. Nina’s daughter Ash is suspicious of Nick, realizing something is off about him and begins digging around.

Both women are on a collision course to the truth, but is either woman prepared for the darkness they will uncover?

Don’t Let Him In has a strong start but a bit of slow build up. In the beginning it was easy to keep track of what was going on, however as the web of lies gets deeper there is more to follow and while I didn’t get lost I’m just not a fan of thrillers where I have a lot to keep track of.

I have mixed feelings as I really wanted to love this book. This wasn’t your average thriller with all the twists and turns. Don’t Let Him In was predictable and I found it hard to stay engaged. I know this will be a book many people love, it just wasn’t it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC opportunity. This is an honest and voluntary review.

I requested this book because I usually love Lisa Jewell novels. “Don’t Let Him In” was just an okay read though. I was expecting a thriller, a mystery, some suspense & maybe even some twists along the way, but this felt very straightforward about how the man was playing these women on repeat.

Wow! Talk about complicated relationships. It all seems impossible, but the book is so well written that I understood how everything could have happened. Highly recommend.

I am a big fan of the author but this book just did not hit. Other readers will love this but it fell flat for me. There were multiple POV’s and dual time lines to keep track of. There were a lot of characters to keep straight too. I was able to figure things out pretty quickly. About halfway through I was asking myself how it’s not almost over yet. I read it fast hoping it would get better or there would be some wild twist. For me it was just okay.

Thank you for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review

This is a clever and suspenseful book by the amazing Lisa Jewell!
I stayed up late, I woke up early to read this book as I was immediately immersed in the story and wanted to know how it would all come together.
There are multiple women who are conned by Nick/Al/and every other name that he goes by. He embeds himself in their life, has children with some of these women, ultimately skims/scams money from them, and lives a lie in every aspect of his life.
Nina's daughter is on to "Nick"...I was so glad she was persistent and kept at it to figure out what was going on.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This is the most diabolical Lisa Jewell book I’ve ever read! My jaw dropped a few times, and I had a lot of fun with it. I absolutely loved it. And I am usually tough on thrillers, but I wouldn’t change a thing. This was unhinged!

Wow, that was intense! Lisa Jewell certainly knows how to engage readers with her clever prose.


Synopsis: Nick Radcliffe embodies charm and sophistication, and his infectious smile can warm even the coldest of hearts. He effortlessly puts those around him at ease, making him a perfect fixture in Nina Swann's life, especially after the painful loss of her husband. Yet, to Nina’s perceptive adult daughter, Ash, Nick's polished demeanour feels all too perfect, almost too good to be true.


Martha, the heart and soul behind a charming flower shop, had always revelled in the peaceful rhythm of her life in a neighbouring town with her adorable infant daughter and devoted husband, Alistair. Typically, Alistair and Martha's days together were filled with the sweet scent of blossoms and laughter. However, a shadow had begun to creep into her idyllic world. Martha couldn't ignore the unsettling shift in Alistair's routine; his work commitments had him away more and more, sometimes disappearing for days on end.


Nina, Martha, and Ash tread a treacherous path, inching closer to a shocking truth that promises to be darker than their wildest nightmares. Though they think they share an unbreakable bond, an unsettling shadow lurks beyond their awareness, threatening to fracture their connection and upend their lives. The chilling echo of a warning haunts them: don’t let him in. As they stand on the precipice of revelation, the past—like a vengeful ghost—refuses to stay hidden, poised to burst forth in ways they never imagined. The air is tense as they prepare to confront the secrets that could alter everything.

"Don't Let Him" was my first experience reading Lisa Jewell, and I was excited to dive in, even though I had no idea what to expect. I highly recommend going in blind to avoid any spoilers.

OMG, it was brilliantly written! Jewell’s writing captivated me from the very first page and kept me spellbound until the end. I had a hard time putting it down. I stayed up all night reading and didn’t stop until my eyes blurred and I could no longer keep going.

Get ready to encounter one of the most despicable villains! This character's deeply ingrained misogynistic attitude made my blood boil, and I wanted to throttle him multiple times. There were moments when I wanted to scream—"Wake up, give your head a shake!" My eyes hurt from rolling so much, especially at the character's gaslighting and methodical manipulation. An evil, calculating psychopath is the best way to describe him.

I eagerly anticipated how all the characters' points of view would tie together the loose threads, and the ending did not disappoint! I won’t forget these characters anytime soon. It was brilliant how Lisa Jewell gradually revealed their backstories, making you question what was fact and fiction while leaving breadcrumbs for readers to follow. It was a gripping, well-paced psychological thriller that kept me on my toes.

You need to read this! I highly recommend grabbing a copy. Pre-order your copy today! Expected Publication Date June 24, 2025

I want to thank Atria and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I didn’t care about the characters or the story. It felt like a chore to read.

Finally read my first Lisa Jewell!! This one was definitely worth it! 🙌

This one is multiple POV with lots of characters so a bit confusing at first but it kept me hooked all the way through! You quickly realize what’s going on but you see just how worse the MMC is as the story progresses. I did not see the twist coming and the epilogue was satisfying! Pick this one up, book peeps! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Lisa Jewell for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! I need to finally get to The Family Upstairs that’s been on my TBR forever!! ❤️

Another twisty thriller from Lisa Jewell! I want to start by saying- I love her writing style. It’s fast paced with short chapters and reads like an easy flowing conversation with just enough detail. 🤌🏻Don’t Let Him In stays true to this style. It may seem a bit confusing at first with the introduction of many characters and storylines, but it is all nicely pulled together by the end. I found the plot unique (con artist); however, the number of women included felt a bit redundant (Laura, Tara, Amanda, Nina, Martha, Ash, Jessica, etc😅). It made me wonder how someone could possibly have had so much time to build that number of relationships. I just kept waiting for the MC to get what they deserved.


SPOILER ‼️



I would have liked to have heard more about Simon’s obsession with Ash (why pretend to be her teacher? Why get her committed? Was this just a way to antagonize her father?)

Don’t Let Him In was a very fun and quick read for me, but then again all of Lisa Jewell’s books have been that way. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for providing me with the ARC of “Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell.

I was underwhelmed by this book. Although I was able to read it fast, it felt as if I was ready it with the intention/ hope of being shocked or surprised. However, that didn’t happen. I feel that in my past reading experiences with Lisa Jewell’s books, I have found the story, itself, dark and shocking, and didn’t expect a plot twist; but with this one, nothing was shocking at all. It was honestly not very fun to read because you are in the bad guys head and know how and why everything happens as it happens. Even the small things that were left to be small surprises, I found easy to figure out. Slightly disappointing, as I love many books by this author. I think I hold her to a higher standard because of this, however this was just really not that good and if anything, confusing for no reason:(

What did I just read!?! Lisa Jewel has done it again. Don’t let him in is a thriller that you can’t put down. The main character is a psychopath preying on women. It’s infuriating that these women can’t seem to see through him. How many victims will it take? Thank you Lisa Jewel , NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and early copy of this amazing book.

I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it. My heart rate was high the whole time. It’s an infuriating story with characters that make your eyes go a little wide — a well-written thriller.

Jewell writes clearly, making these things feel much closer than anyone wants them to be.

If you’re looking for a web of confusion, unreliability, and concern, this is the book for you.

My biggest qualm is that I wanted more at the end.