this was sooooo good. very addictive, very twisty, exactly what I would expect from a Lisa jewell book. I love thrillers with different POVs and unique characters and chapters that make you want to keep reading!! thank you netgalley for the early copy I will absolutely be begging everyone to read this when it’s out 😋

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Don't Let Him In.

This was a solid book with a well thought out plot and an oh-so-hateable antagonist! My complaint is that the middle half of the book absolutely dragged. It felt like the main character just snuck around most of the book without it doing much to further the plot. I also found the parts of the story written in the past were unnecessarily vague and made the first few "past" chapters confusing. I would still recommend reading this, but can't say it was "unputdownable" for me.

3.5 stars, rounded up for the satisfying ending!

The titles explains it all in this one!

Lisa Jewell does mystery/thriller! Ash gets this uneasy feeling when her mom starts dating a mystery man that claims to have known her late father. After a mental health diagnosis will Ash be able to persuade her mom into taking her side this time?

I did end up enjoying this read but I will say that the first 40-60% was very, very slow. I was having a hard time keeping names in order. I do recommend maybe taking note of who is who as they are introduced. Sometimes I found myself pausing to kind of go through the Rolodex in my mind to remember which storyline I was in. I will say that the last 40% I was hooked, I needed to know what happened next. I would say this is a 3.5⭐️ read so I rounded up.

The book started a little slow with so many different POVs; however, it's well worth the setup. When the stories start to intertwine, it quickly becomes a great psychological thriller that's impossible to put down. The villain is detestable, but extremely well written and will keep you glued to the page to find out what happens to him.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to read this early. This book had such a great premise. Fun and new plot idea. It fell a little flat for me at times. Some things seemed out of place and the back and forth made it hard for me to keep track. I don’t start getting the hang of it until I was a good third of the way through the book. This story is about a restauranteur that passed away. A man reaches out and weasels his way into Ash and her mother’s lives say he knew Paddy back in the day. We slowly see this story unravel leading them to believe he may not be who he says he is. I feel like the ending of the story wrapped up rather abruptly.

I know I should wait to post this review since this book doesn’t come out until June, but I simply cannot wait to share this with you. My favorite Lisa Jewell yet; I thought this one was so good!

I honestly can’t really share much of the plot without giving anything away, so I will just tell you this: Don’t Let Him In is a thriller that will have you hooked from the beginning. I wouldn’t say it’s super twisty, but it builds suspense throughout the book so beautifully, and I just found it to be so well written. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the last 10%, I could hardly stand the suspense.

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to read this one early in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much @netgalley and @atriabooks. Don’t Let Him In publishes June 24, 2025 and I will be reminding you closer to that date that you need to pick this one up!

I think I held my breath through most of this book! Who? What? How? WHO???

Lisa Jewell is a master at writing psychologically thrilling stories with more twists and turns than a roller coaster - which ironically is what I felt I was riding while reading this book!

Put this one on your TBR right now! You won’t regret it!


Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy!

The sudden death of restaurant owner, Paddy Swann, leaves his family reeling. A long lost (unheard of) old friend sends condolences and a momento to his wife. The two start communicating and eventually begin dating. Her daughter, Ash, is immediately suspicious of the man who appeared out of nowhere and seems too good to be true. Her gut feelings lead to her uncovering a labyrinth of secrets about Nick.

This took a little time to get into but once I hit the 30% mark I couldn’t put it down and finished in a day. What an awful man!! It reminded me of the documentary from a few years ago called The Tinder Swindler. So many lies, so many secrets. The more Ash uncovered, the more shocked I was. I was cheering at the end and cheering even more after the Epilogue. This was a lot of fun! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I went into this book blind and I loved that, I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book. So many moving pieces that all came together. Just wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I guess I was hoping for a little more. But overall a great thriller and a book I would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Is Nick Ratcliffe the perfect new boyfriend for newly widowed Nina or is he something more as her daughter Ash thinks? Is Al the perfect husband for Martha? Money always seems to be less than she thinks and he sometimes disappears.

Lisa Jewell keeps you guessing (and screaming). Fun thriller.

Another page turner by Jewell. The publisher describes it as a kaleidoscope and I can see what they mean- there is a convergence of characters, lies and timelines that creates quite a story. And I’ll be honest I was pretty confused at times. You almost need a roadmap or a chart of who is who. That said, I still couldn’t put it down and was up super late reading it. I think her last book is still my fave but I think fans will still be pleased with this novel come next spring/summer (June release).

The way I loved this book but hated the main character was intense. He was so horrible. I wanted to scream. That’s poor women. Blesssss
This author is such a favorite of mine. I picked up the book and couldn’t stop. Omg!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell is a fast paced psychological thriller. When Ash’s father dies in a tragic accident the family has to find a way to move on. Then her mother meets Nick, a slick businessman that Ash just doesn’t trust. The story follows several different timelines that all intersect in the end. Every time a new woman was introduced into the story, I felt sicker. This definitely gave me “The Stepfather” movie vibes. It was just the right amount of creepy to keep me reading. Overall, loved it and would recommend to others.

Lisa Jewell's Don't Let Him In is dark, disturbing, twisted and impossible-to-put-down. Nick is a handsome con artist who preys on innocent, vulnerable women. He sets his sights on Nina, the widow of a charming restaurateur whose daughter Ash is immediately suspicious of Nick's abrupt disappearances and questionable excuses. Is Nick guilty of abandoning a slew of women and even children, only to reappear every time he falls on hard times? Ash is determined to uncover Nick's true identity, even if it means delving into her father's past and enlisting the help of his mysterious first love.

I don't think I've ever hated a character with the intensity that I hate Nick, and this is a testament to Lisa Jewell's phenomenal writing. I'm so grateful to NetGalley for the ARC of this unforgettable new thriller that will have your heart racing from the first page to the last..

I always enjoy Lisa jewell's books. It was interesting to read how nick/al/etc was intertwined in so many lives. This was a solid book by Jewell, as always

Thanks Netgalley for the free ARC! This book was good, very engaging and great storyline. I’m glad I requested this book because the actual storyline was way more appealing than the description.. I really liked all the quirky characters and their emotional insights and I do recommend this novel for your reading pleasure.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Lisa Jewell's "Don't Let Him In" captivates us from the first page by presenting an intricately woven thriller that feels intimately personal yet universally resonant. This novel plunges deep into the psyche, exploring the often blurry line between trust and fear.

This story centers around a seemingly idyllic family whose peaceful life is upended when an enigmatic stranger appears at their doorstep. Jewell masterfully builds suspense, using shifting perspectives to unravel the dark secrets each character harbors. Every twist and turn feels earned, a testament to Jewell's skillful storytelling and meticulous plotting.

Jewell crafts protagonists who are achingly real, flawed, and compelling. Their interactions are fraught with tension and emotion, painting a vivid picture of a family on the brink of unraveling. The stranger’s presence acts as a catalyst, forcing each family member to confront their deepest fears and insecurities.

The setting itself becomes a character, with Jewell's evocative descriptions bringing to life the moody, claustrophobic atmosphere that permeates the novel. This sense of place enhances the feeling of unease that grows as the story progresses.

What sets "Don't Let Him In" apart from standard mystery/thriller fare is its exploration of psychological themes. Jewell delves into the complexities of memory, identity, and trust, crafting a narrative as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling. The novel raises poignant questions about the nature of evil and the lengths to which people will go to protect those they love.

"Don't Let Him In" is a tour de force that solidifies Lisa Jewell's reputation as a master of psychological thrillers.

Jewell’s deft hand ensures that each revelation feels like a puzzle piece clicking into place, creating a satisfying yet chilling conclusion.

Highly recommended for fans of the genre and anyone looking for a gripping, emotionally charged novel.

This was hands down THE best book I've read in awhile! I never knew what move the MMC was going to take! Loved the ending

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early. I am new to Lisa Jewell but have heard wonderful things and was excited to pick this one up. The book was well written and kept my attention, enjoyed the characters. Unfortunately, I found all of the twists predictable until the last page. Would still give her another try.

A huge thank you to Netgalley & Atria Books for approving me for one of my most anticipated books of 2025! I'm still screaming about this. I dropped everything to read this as soon as possible. The book's main POV follows Ash, the daughter of a restauranteur, whose life ended when a man pushed him in the path of an oncoming train. Shortly after her father's funeral, she and her mother, Nina, receive a package from a Nick Radcliffe, a man who says he was a long-time friend of his. Much to Ash's dismay, the note and package bring Nina and Nick closer together. The second POV follows Martha, a small-town florist who dreams of wanting more. She lives with her husband, Al, their daughter, and her two children from a previous marriage. Most of the time, she feels like she is a single parent, especially when an emergency leaves her second-guessing her life. It seems like Nick and Al may not be who they say they are, leading these three women on a collision course of figuring out what is going on with their significant others.

I can't go into much detail because that would just spoil the book. What I can say though, is that it isn't a very "what is going on!?" type of thriller. It is very straightforward, and you figure out what is going on from the beginning. It's more of a how is it going to play out type of book. But that doesn't mean it's boring. I personally flew through the book because of how easy her writing was and because I wanted to know how it was going to play out in the end. The real thriller of this book is that it makes you realize that there are people like this out in the world, and it can happen to anyone. The situations throughout the book kept getting worse as time went on, and you just wonder when is it going to end. I wasn't a huge fan of this ending, hence why the four stars, but overall, I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait for everyone else to read it!