LISA!! I love her books so much! This one was great- lots of twists and mystery. Slowly making my way through her backlog and loved this one!

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Paddy Swann was pushed in front of a train and killed. Sometime later we see a person delivering flowers to his family and it's clear that something is not right, this family is the focus of "something, someone". What takes place in this book is/was so unbelievable to me since I don't watch TV and missed any shows that may have focused on what is going on here. I do follow True Crime on the internet but have never focused on what this book shows us. So, I was so skeptical of how this could happen but in the end, as things play out and we learn more, I can see this taking place to the "right" women, good women, smart women, women you'd least expect to have this happen to them.

The way the story is laid out it was hard for me to figure out what was going on and how each character fit into the story. With patience, all will be revealed and there are several reasons for all the confusion. Someone here is a big liar, the confusion and misdirection is intentional, a feature of a certain character. We meet a gorgeous fifty-something man whose good looks and confident demeanor will turn the heads of men and women. He's very good at what he does but we don't really know of the extent of what he does for much of the story.

I wanted to shout at so many of the women but it was too late for some of them. Paddy's daughter Ash has suspicions but because of her recent past and actions, her opinions hold no weight. Family is so important in this story and it's family that is at the greatest risk, the victims spread wide and far, the damage done is vast. This made for great discussion with Mary Beth, Jayme and DeAnn.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Absolutely another five-star thriller from Lisa Jewell! This is exactly the kind of book I love—one that sucks you in right away and is so fast-paced and gripping that you just have to keep reading—no matter what time the clock says! There is a large cast of characters, as the premise of the book rests on the fact that the male protagonist has interacted with A LOT of people over the years. Jewell’s ability to reveal a little bit at a time, and to set you up for what is to come, is masterful. This is a story that could potentially happen to anyone and that is a large part of what is so compelling. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

This follows the lives of a wife and daughter after losing their spouse/father. We also are following the lives of two other main characters through multiple POVs. One day a man crosses paths with the wife and daughter, and begins inserting himself into their lives, but is he who he says he is?

I enjoyed the multiple POVs, but I felt as though the story was lacking the suspense I usually feel from Jewell's novels. The ending was too predictable, in my opinion. Overall, it was an ok read for me.

I think I just found my new favorite Lisa Jewell book! 5⭐️

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and captivated throughout the whole story. I loved the short chapters and the alternating POVs. I don't want to get too much into the plot of this book in my review because I think it is best to go into this one blind. I loved that this book dove into a darker and more psychological element than her other books. When I realized what was truly going on I was mind blown. I will be recommending this to anyone and everyone that will listen. A new favorite!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this one, but found it extremely difficult to keep track of the different story lines. While this is usually one of my favourite authors, this book was not for me.

I love when an author gives us a character that is so vile you want to toss your kindle. Lisa Jewell provided us with exactly that! You'll see exactly what I mean as you make your way through this addictive thriller.

Paddy Swann, a beloved restauranteur was horrifically killed when he was pushed in front of a train. Now his widow Nina is ready to move on and has found the most charming new man in Nick Ratcliffe. Only her daughter Ash isn't as welcoming.

Martha is a successful small business owner who fell for the charms of her current husband Al. Having a new baby and running her flower shop she is exhausted and Al is never around to help. But love is blind...

How does it all fit together. Well, leave it to Lisa Jewell to fit the storylines together like pieces of a puzzle. Absolutely flawlessly!
This book was a suspenseful, gripping thriller that was unputdownable! Loved every bit of it from beginning to end! 🙌🏼

My favorite Lisa Jewell book to date!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books

Lisa Jewell has done it again. I absolutely loved this book.!! Three women, one man. Is he a con man or the perfect man? Told from multiple points of view you will find out who Nick and Al are, a man you will love to hate. This is a captivating, page turning, psychological thriller you wouldn’t forget . You’ll have a hard time putting down. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC

After devouring None of This is True in 2023 and Breaking the Dark in 2025, I was chomping at the bit for another thrilling novel by Lisa Jewell in 2025 and Don't Let Him In did not disappoint. Jewell's meticulous storytelling creates tension with every turn of the page in this latest thriller.

Nick Radcliffe is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. He’s just what Nina Swann needed in her life after her husband’s unexpected death. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. Looking for answers, Martha plants a tracking device in his car.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.

Lisa Jewell excels once again at giving us a gripping thriller that has us on edge throughout our reading experience. However, what stood out most in Don't Let Him In was Jewell's adeptness in character development. Each protagonist—Nina, Ash, and Martha—is crafted with depth and complexity that makes them feel remarkably real. This made it extremely easy to connect with these characters and the struggles they all face and feel for them as they uncover what is really going on.

As someone who can tend to struggle with following each character in a novel I was weary about how I would keep up with each of Don't Let Him In's storylines. However, Jewell's skillful narrative structure allows for seamless transitions between each character's story without losing any momentum or clarity. The author's writing style effortlessly captures each of the women's unique voices, drawing me into their worlds while maintaining an overarching sense of suspense throughout the book.

Don't Let Him In comes at you with breakneck speeds, but Jewell doesn’t sacrifice depth for pace. Instead, she crafts twists that are both unexpected yet entirely plausible. Jewell makes me question everything about who to trust and how to accept deception if faced with it in real life. The suspense, tension and lies had me turning each page as fast as possible to see where things were headed.

The conclusion of Don't Let Him In stumbles slightly with a rather tidy ending. I was hoping for a bit more ambiguity; however such a minor hiccup does little damage to the engrossing chapters preceding the climax.

Don't Let Him In is yet another fantastic thrilling novel by Lisa Jewell. The author has truly carved out a spot in my future readings of any upcoming novels. Jewell continues to prove herself as a master storyteller capable of conjuring up some thrilling mystery that will continue to suck me in. While, None of This is True might slightly edge Don't Let Him In for me, this latest outing is still likely to be one of my favorite thrillers of 2025.

This felt incredibly fresh yet reliable Jewell.

I loved the quick chapters, it was instant intrigue from page one, Jewell has such a knack for grabbing the audience and keeping them planted. The characters were the right mix of messy, psychotic and vulnerable we have empathy and we have mixed feelings that surface with each chapter. It’s simply solid.

This book had me craving more con artist thrillers it’s something I don’t see done often or well but Jewell nailed it.

Don’t Let Him In is a multi-POV thriller that follows the lives of three women and the mysterious man that connects them. The premise of the story is what pulled me in, but five stars are just out of reach. While Jewell does an excellent job building her cast, this book felt like too slow of burn. There was simply too much bulk at the beginning during his relationship with Tara that it made it hard to move through. But the twists and turns made up for the slow start, ultimately earning it four stars.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC!

4.5!

This book follows many people. One being Nina, who lost her husband Paddy in a tragic accident. The second is Nick Radcliffe, and I can’t go any more I. Depth without spoilers.

This book is multi POV, multiple timelines, and decently paced!

Lisa did a great job at making you feel direct anger toward the MMC!

I really enjoyed this one!! :)

And of course Lisa does it again. Now it wouldn’t be my number one from her but it’s so good!! I was writing down names to keep track of who is who; where and when.

Lisa goes through three women’s lives between four years and present, and how they unravel together. It was truly interesting and of course the end was a good punch to the face! Well done!!

Thoroughly enjoyed. Probably one of my fav reads so far this year. I have never felt so passionately that a character should get what is coming for them maybe since John Paul in Bad Sisters. This was well written and intriguing. I highly recommend.

After just reading Alice Feeney's Beautiful Ugly, I went into this book with low expectations. And thank goodness I did, because once again, just another tired mystery, with bad writing to boot.

After Paddy Swann is killed in a tragic train incident, his family is devastated. Soon after his funeral, Ash and her mother receive a keepsake from his so-called friend, Nick Ratcliffe. Ash immediately distrusts Nick, sensing he's not who he claims to be. As his lies unravel, the women in his life finally take action.

Completely predictable, I skimmed to the end and rolled my eyes MASSIVELY cause it was just such a ridiculous premise. OVER THIS GENRE until someone else can prove me wrong.

3.5-4 stars.
From about 60% to the end, I loved this book. However, I almost gave up in the 60% because of how slowly information was dragged out. Glad I didn’t give up and glad this ended in feminine rage.

4.5 ⭐️

This just may be my FAVORITE Lisa Jewell novel yet!

⚠️ Some men should come with a warning label: “DON’T LET HIM IN!”

But since they don’t-three women, connected together by one man-are going to learn this lesson the hard way…

Restauranteur Paddy Swann was beloved by all of his customers right up until the day a man pushed him in the path of an oncoming train, leaving behind his wife Nina and their two grown children, Ash and Arlo.

Shortly after Paddy’s funeral, Nina and Ash, receive a package in the mail from Nick Ratcliffe, an old friend of Paddy’s. It contains a nondescript lighter that once belonged to him decades ago, along with a thoughtful note. This unexpected gift draws Nick and Nina together when they get together to reminisce —much to Ash’s dismay.

She senses that something is off about this man who seems “too good to be true”, but her Mom won’t take her seriously, so she will have to play detective to see if her hunch is right.

The third woman is Martha-a small town florist whose second husband, Al is frequently absent from home…

The book is a little bit confusing during the initial few chapters as we get the the alternating POV’s of several characters, (indicated by a change in font) but once I had everyone straight in my mind, the story quickly became COMPULSIVE reading and hard to put down!

I was rooting for Ash to find the evidence she needed, and was throughly entertained from start to finish! What more can we ask from a book?

Available June 24, 2025

Thank You to Atria Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! As always, I am offering my candid thoughts!

This was a wild, nail-biting ride of a thriller, and Lisa Jewell delivers another amazing novel. Paddy, a restaurateur, is pushed in front of a train, leaving his wife, daughter, and son. After the funeral, Paddy's wife receives a package from a man named Nick who used to be friends with Paddy. Nick and Nina start a relationship soon after. The second story line follows Martha who is struggling in her marriage with Al. Both story lines start to intertwine, and that is when the fun (not for the characters) begins. This was a fabulous domestic thriller, and it just strengthens how much I love Lisa Jewell's novels.

Great read! Lisa Jewell never disappoints! She keeps me on the edge of my seat every time! I highly recommend this title.

I normally LOVE Lisa Jewell - but Don't Let Him In will not be a favorite. It was good, but not great and at times didn't feel very Lisa Jewellish. There are a lot of characters and too much to keep up with. It felt repetitive at times and a few parts were a little too unrealistic for me. I wouldn't call it a thriller more like a domestic suspense.
I appreciate the ARC and will purchase this book for our library