Thank you to Atria Pub and Netgalley for a free copy.

I feel like this rating will be deceptive. I love Lisa Jewell and her books. I look forward to them.

This one just fell a tad flat for me. I didn’t hate the storyline or the way it played out.

I struggle w gaslighting. I don’t love it in books. But I can get past that because it’s a clear part of the plot. You can tell by just reading the synopsis. See below the part that really lost it for me.

The book was fine. The writing was great, as always. I just feel that marketing this as a thriller is giving an expectation this book cannot meet. This is a domestic drama.


Spoiler below. It’s not a crazy plot spoiler but it genuinely lends itself to why this book was frustrating.

<spoiler> I genuinely cannot get past consistent lying by men that’s so far fetched that women believe it. I just cannot. Nor the money aspect. A guy who you’re married to turns off his phone for days at a time. Then he comes back and is like oh o need £500 for my sick mother. He told you his mother was dead. And you just fork over the money? You should be bankrupt. </spoiler>

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OBSESSED!
This might be my new favorite book by Lisa Jewell ✨

You know that feeling when you start a book and just know you’re going to love it and devour every single page?

The writing is absolutely flawless, and I’m still in awe of how someone can weave together so many intricate pieces of a puzzle without a single misstep.

P.S. A big shoutout to the main male character for reminding me how grateful I am to be single right now 🫠

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

WOW....let me gather my thoughts...Nick/Damien/Alistar/Jonathan/Andre....ETC. How can a man go this long and trick this many women and trap them? I adore the character of Ash, who has been through so much, but still strives to get to the bottom of the story with Nick, her mother's new boyfriend, who is getting a little too cozy fitting into her late father's life. All roads lead back to this CORRUPT human being. WOW. I could not put this book down. Although it was a little slow in the middle, it is important to the overall plot to get to know this man. So grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Literally could not put this down because I could NOT wait for the reckoning of the Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. Sure to be one of the BEST mystery/thriller of 2025.

This book has a hell of a villain. A sociopathic, women-hating, gaslighting, love bombing overall horrific human being. He is the kind of guy you could do a 10 episode podcast about. Known by various names, he loves to manipulate and have relationships with women in a long con.

Multiple POV chapters that skip time and between multiple characters. Although this is a little confusing at first it comes together pretty quickly. Ash lost her father Paddy about a year ago, as a schizophrenic unhoused man pushed him onto the train tracks. He was a successful restauranteur and cookbook author. Now Ash's mother has gotten romantically involved with a man that she has some questions about.

The best thing about this book is that the victims are not stupid. Not by a long shot. They are smart, funny, good mothers. In one way or another, they have insecurities, but this guy is an absolute professional at getting women to fall in love with him and in believing his lies. It is so easy to hear a story like this and assume that the victim of a con man is stupid. Our culture teaches us to blame the victim- but I would caution the reader to thinking you are better than falling for a long con. The overall theme is showing the pattern of behavior... and the solution is always community.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be released June 24, 2025.

Lisa Jewell’s latest novel, Don’t Let Him In, is a psychological thriller that weaves together themes of loss, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships. The story centers around Paddy Swann, a once charismatic restaurateur whose tragic death sets off a chain of events that unearths secrets and tests the bonds between his family and friends. The narrative kicks off dramatically with Paddy's shocking demise, which leaves his wife Nina and daughter Ash grappling with their grief. The author captures their emotionality, portraying how the sudden loss reshapes their lives and relationships. The introduction of Nick Radcliffe, a figure from Paddy's past who sends a seemingly innocent lighter, serves as a catalyst for tension, drawing Nina into a web of connection that Ash instinctively distrusts.

However, while the character development is compelling, the pacing of the plot can feel uneven at times. Certain twists may seem predictable to some thriller readers. The book also seemed long and some scenes drawn out.

The novel ultimately serves as a reminder of the complexities of opening oneself up to others, capturing the warning embedded in its title—sometimes, it’s best to listen to your instincts.

#NetGalley @AtriaBooks

I enjoyed this book. The multiple POV and different timelines kept me intrigued & wanting to read. The antagonist was truly diabolical & I couldn’t wait to watch everything get pieced together. Lisa Jewell is a must read!

Lisa Jewell never fails to disappoint with the twists and turns! I could not put this down!
I was a little disappointed in some of the characters, and thought they could have been a little more fleshed out, but it was a fun read altogether.

This was, by far, Lisa Jewell’s best work. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough! What a great story!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
Hm mixed feelings on this one. While the story itself was captivating, albeit frustrating watching from a bird's eye view, I kept thinking how are all these women possibly falling for this guy? I kept waiting for the catch.
Then, apparently, there wasn't one.
While fast paced and easy to read, I caught myself waiting for twists that would take it in an entirely new direction only to be correct all along.
Entertaining, absolutely. Mind blowing twists? Not this one. Go in with clear expectations on Lisa's latest.

Shortly after the book begins, we are either dealing with one despicable man or possibly three of them. There’s the first person POV of a husband who's been married for four years to a woman with estranged adult children and it’s obvious he now despises her, but she hasn’t gotten the message yet. There’s newly widowed Nina (her restaurateur spouse was pushed off a rail platform into an oncoming train) and her sudden paramour, Nick, supposedly a friend of her late husband, who has gotten too friendly too quickly according to her adult daughter Ash. Then there’s florist Martha, married three years to Al, a former divorcee with a barely teen and a ten year old, who found herself pregnant in her mid-40s during her second marriage and now has baby Nala, while husband Al regularly disappears on sudden business trips and “forgets” to message her.

It’s very easy to quickly assume (within the first 40 pages) that the detestable narrator is also both Al and Nick and probably a few other names and this is going to be a miserable story of multiple naive middle-aged victimized women. If this depresses you immensely, stop here. If you have hope that someone will eventually wise up and deliver the appropriate justice to this jerk, keep reading with guarded hope, although you’ll swear none of these 21st century women know how to Google someone.

The plot seems to be influenced by the decade old real life “Dirty John” con man story (and Netflix series). Jewell lets us peer inside the mind of her narcissistic sociopathic character (the real Dirty John never truly revealed his motivations). All the more to despise him. The story proceeds with more twists (and women). It’s emotional and anger-inducing — Jewell has created the nastiest villain in a suspense thriller. But the book is also totally enthralling and you won’t be able to look away. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Sort of. The initially unnamed target of the cheating male narrator has unreal turquoise eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): YES/NO
There’s a Tesla (that nobody knows how to drive): YES Funny how Jonathan must pick up the key to Tesla on his way out, when there are literally no Tesla keys (it’s all controlled via a phone app). Oh, Martha, if you had access to the Tesla, you would always know where the car was without a separate tracker.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Can you say psychopath? Alistair goes by many names. Charming, he is able to "borrow" money from the many loves of his life. Unfortunately, he is never able to hold on to any money for long. This always necessitates finding a new woman, which he doesn't seem to have any problem doing. After playing this game for his whole life, it all starts to unravel when one of the daughters of his conquests becomes suspicious. What a great book. I could not put it down. This may be Lisa Jewell's best book yet. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the complimentary digital ARC. This opinion is my own and has not been coerced.

Lisa Jewell has done it again! I was beyond excited to get an advanced readers copy of “Don’t let him in”, I’ve slowly been working my way through all of Lisa Jewell’s books as she has become my favourite thriller author. This book did not disappoint, it had me engaged the whole time and wanting to pick up the book every second I wasn’t reading. I highly recommend her books to anyone wanting a fast past, captivating story that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time!

I overall enjoyed this book but felt like it was too long and not as cohesive as her other books. I feel like it could’ve been cut down by half, and did not need as many different stories in order to make the same point. The end was the best part and I felt like I was trekking to get there & wish it was a little more fast paced.

With Don’t Let Him In, Jewell once again proves her mastery of the psychological thriller genre, delivering a tightly woven, twist-filled narrative that will leave readers second-guessing everything until the very end. Fans of her previous work will find much to enjoy, and newcomers will quickly understand why she’s one of the genre’s best. Highly recommended for those who love a suspenseful, twisty read.

First off thanks to netgalley for providing me an ARC!
Spoilers in this review!
Ash's father, Paddy, has just died. Her father meant so much to her. Soon after, they got a couple things in the mail from a Nick saying he knew Paddy and sorry for the loss.
Her mother reached out and soon enough started dating. All of it seemed off to Ash but she had no proof.
The book flashes between current time, from Ash's point of view, then back in time from an unknown narrators POV.
Nick turns out to be a bad dude who has manipulated a lot of women. Overall, the book was insanely predictable and just not as good of a read. I found myself rushing through it. It was easy and interesting but not something I would recommend. Normally I love Jewel's work.

Wow! I have always loved Lisa Jewell’s books but this one is my new favorite of hers. This story is told in multiple timelines and with multiple intertwining characters but it’s never hard to keep it all straight because of the way Jewell writes. The male main character will make you want to SCREAM and the ending is just perfect. Will honestly be thinking about this book for a long time! LOVED IT

This was a great read full of twists and turns, and I finished it in one evening. With every twist in the story, the reader is constantly wondering what will happen next. One thing I found improbable was the main character's ability to maintain multiple identities in this day and age where valid Ids are needed for almost everything. Highly recommend!

Don’t Let Him In is written in different POVs. It can be tricky to follow and keep track, but as I kept reading, I was able to piece it together and it made more sense and enjoyed it more. The epilogue was great and really put everything together. It was a quick read and I would recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. Don’t Let Him In publishes on June 24, 2025

This was great. We follow three timelines that all weave together to shocking end. I will say that it was hard to follow the different viewpoints but it was okay. The epilogue was the best part of the ending.

Started this book in the morning and finished it before bed! Could not stop because of the suspense and wanted to be sure that the guy was found out to be what he was! You can only find books like this once in awhile. Recommend.