The story is told in multiple POVs from the MMC, who is a pathological liar and con artist, and from some of the women he scammed, I mean, loved. This man is truly twisted and his crimes continue to escalate as he chases the dream of a life he thinks he is owed. The reader is constantly wondering, will this guy ever get caught and will justice be served? The pace is pretty quick, and Lisa handles the multiple POVs and points in time well. It still doesn’t top my favorite of hers, None of This Is True, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.

Lisa Jewell delivers one of her darkest and twistiest thrillers yet with "Don’t Let Him In". This gripping psychological suspense pulls readers into a web of emotional tension and disturbing secrets that unravel with every chapter. The plot is jaw-dropping, the characters deeply flawed yet compelling, and the pacing perfectly calibrated to build dread and anticipation. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers who appreciate character-driven narratives, psychological depth, and slow-burning suspense that explodes into shocking revelations.

This book was great! I loved the characters and the villain was extra villainous. I like how the author intertwined the stories to help thicken the plot.

**4.5 stars**

This was a very tense read! Some parts were shocking, sometimes upsetting, and I found myself saying “OMG nooo!” at various times and to various females in the story. I did guess one part of the story pretty early on but this story is sooo layered there’s no way I could guess everything. It’s hard to relay the plot without giving stuff away but it starts with the death of Paddy Swann and we meet his family the day of his funeral and so begins one of the best thrillers of the year.

I will admit some of the women in this book made me want to through my kindle/phone across the room and it took a bit of time to really get going but once it did and I understood what was happening I couldn’t stop reading/listening. The women in this story made some choices about marriage that I do not understand, when you read it you will understand what I mean.

While I’m very thankful for the e-arc I received via NetGalley from Atria Books, once I saw Richard Armitage was one of the narrators for the full-cast audio production I gladly spent an Audible credit to preorder the audiobook. He was the perfect narrator for the male character.

This will definitely be one of my top thrillers for 2025.

I usually love Jewell's books, but this one was just so-so for me. It was clear early on that Nick and Al were the same guy and that he was scamming two women. But the shifting POV and timeline were hard for me to navigate and didn't add up to a suspenseful read. Neither of the women were relatable, though the daughter who was suspicious was more fully developed. A good summery read but not a favorite.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for the advanced copy!

Book Review: Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Lisa Jewell delivers another gripping psychological thriller in Don’t Let Him In, a tangled web of charm, deception, and buried secrets. Told from the perspectives of three women—Nina, a recent widow; her cautious daughter, Ash; and Martha, a seemingly content wife and mother—this novel unravels slowly, but with purpose.

Nick Radcliffe, the man at the center of their intersecting lives, is classic Jewell: magnetic, elusive, and increasingly sinister. The strength of the book lies in how Jewell plays with perception. To some, Nick is salvation; to others, he's a red flag in human form. As Ash digs deeper into his past and Martha questions the cracks forming in her marriage, a creeping sense of dread builds that kept me turning pages late into the night.

While the pacing lags slightly in the middle and some twists feel more predictable than shocking, the emotional tension and character development remain strong throughout. Jewell explores themes of trust, grief, and intuition with her signature finesse, and the story crescendos to a chilling, satisfying finale.

Fans of slow-burn suspense with multiple POVs and character-driven drama will find Don’t Let Him In a compelling read. The title is a warning—and a promise.

Review for “ Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell ”

1. Plot Uniquenes :3.5/5
2. Pacing and Coherence : “2/5
3. Emotional and Interllexrual Engagekent : 2/5
4. Twists and turns : 2/5
5. Protagonist Character Development : “ 3.6/5
6. support character development : 3.5/5
7. Setting and atmosphere : 3/5
8. Chapter Organization : 3/5
9. Conclusion and tied loose ends : 4/5
10. Overall rating of book : 2/5

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️

The only reason I’m giving this less than a 4 stars is because of Nick fucking Radcliff (I know it has nothing to do with the book itself, BUT I’m mad, let me be 😤)

This book made me feel anger I have never felt toward a book before. The way I almost threw my kindle across the room with that ending omg (I would have thrown the book if it was a physically book)

I have never hated a character soooooo much. The way I hate & enjoyed the book at the same time ☠️ only LJ has the power to do that.

holy, definitely read it, but be prepared to feel rage and murderous

This is my favorite LJ novel by far! I flew through this one. There’s multiple timelines, alternating POVs and storylines. As the storylines intertwine the reader can slowly sort out the timeline (which was the fun part for me). This unique process was flawlessly executed. Short chapters. Fast paced. Disturbing yet clever. Unputdownable addictive thriller. I don’t want to say much about the plot because I do feel you should go in blindly but I will say this is more of a domestic suspense thriller than psychological and it centers around a narcissistic male who manipulates multiple women out of thousands of dollars (which sadly does happen IRL). Brilliantly written. Highly recommend grabbing a copy!

4.5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you NetGalley, Lisa Jewell and Atria books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 rounded up.

It took a lot for me to not DNF this one. It was very messy and honestly felt over the top. I may be done with trying to read anything from this author, as I tend to not enjoy her work. It’s just not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Lisa Jewell did it again. I love the plot for this and always wonder how people have secret lives that nobody knows about. There were added twists at the end too that I didn’t expect. I feel like each character got their own time and storyline and development. It never got confusing having so many separate stories.

For this one I struggled with the multiple timelines in this one. It was because of a short term memory problem I have, not because of the book or writing. A grieving wife is offered a lighter that belonged to her husband and quickly connects with the man who offered it. He’s a local restaurant owner and he seems to have it all together. Soon we meet some other women who all weave into the story of Nick and you learn that not all is as it seems with him. The characters were well developed and Lisa brought a strong twist that you don’t see coming as usual.

Hold onto your seat as you might want to throttle someone while reading this. As a reader, you're put into the point of view of a man, but you can tell this man is off in his way of thinking. Everything is rationalized and sugar-coated in his brain. Everyone and everything is the problem, not him. He's God's gift to the world.
We see the perspective of Ash Swann who is living with her mother after the sudden, tragic death of her father. This virtual stranger is now in their lives claiming to be her father's old friend. He's charming and makes her mother happy, but she senses something isn't right.
We also see through Martha's eyes, a florist with 3 kids and a disappearing without a trace husband takes the world on her shoulders. She starts to unravel emotionally when her husband isn't around to help and can't be reached.
This book is great and kept me intrigued hoping everything would sort itself out. I went through such a range of emotions while reading as more and more information came to light and slotted together. The epilogue was immensely satisfying!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book. I really enjoyed the different narratives on this one and seeing how they merged together. It was a fun read and definitely kept me invested.

Paddy Swann—54 years old, husband, father, the life of the party—is dead. Murdered. Pushed onto train tracks. But who did it… and why?

When his daughter Ash, 25, receives a mysterious condolence card, it leads her straight to Nick Radcliffe, the charming owner of an upscale London bar. And from there, things only get more complicated.

While it wasn’t a heart-pounding thriller, the story had enough intrigue and character-driven moments to keep me interested and curious to see how it would all unfold.

Goodreads review posted 06/28/25

. I really enjoy Lisa Jewell’s works. She has become an author who I will always be excited to read her new releases. And I was very excited and thankful to receive this.

This book was enjoyable. I will say I feel like the first 40% seemed to be slightly anticlimactic. It was good for setting the bases of the story and giving the background of the various characters whose points of view we are in. I wouldn’t necessarily classify her books overall as very thrilling, but a good psychological mystery.
This one, however, in my opinion was a bit predictable. I still enjoyed my time overall, and think if I had had more time to read this in larger quantities over a shorter period of time, I may have more consumed by the story than I was. The last 20% of the book is what had me most intrigued. Even though I knew where it was going, I was still interested in how it was going to get there.

For me, this one doesn’t quite live up to some of her other books I’ve read, but I would still recommend this to others who are looking for a mystery book that is less of a heart pumping thriller, but still intriguing.

Wow! My stomach was tied in knots, almost from the beginning. You may want to clear your calendar for this one.

A gorgeous man, who thinks he deserves everything has had many women in his life. But how much of his relationships are based on truth?

This book is a wild ride, filled with lies, deceptions, real or imagined love. The main male character should be despised, but he blinds people with who they think they see. He is really gifted. There are so many characters, it might be a little difficult to keep track.

Queen Lisa does it again! I have read a majority of her books & this one did not disappoint! I was hooked from the first page. I finished this book in a day! I am obsessed with Lisa Jewell and can’t wait for the next book!

WOW! Three women's lives collide as they find out they have been married to the same man! The way the author weaved in the man, all his different persona's was crazy. I kept thinking to myself, these women can't possibly be fooled by him.
Recently widowed, Nina and her daughter, Ash, get a letter from a man who claims to have been friends with Nina's husband. Nina becomes interested in finding out more about him, while Ash is very suspicious. When we find out all the misdeeds of Nick/Al/whoever else he is, the craziness ensues!

Thank you to Netgalley and atria books for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

While Don’t Let Him In wasn’t my favorite of Lisa Jewell’s novels, it still highlights just how incredibly talented she is as a writer. One of the things I admire most about her storytelling is the way she weaves together multiple perspectives so seamlessly. In this book, we hear from a variety of characters, each voice distinct and purposeful, which really enriches the reading experience.

What stood out most to me was how deeply she leaned into Nick’s character. Getting a glimpse into the mind of a villain is always unsettling, but Lisa Jewell handles it with such nuance and control. She doesn’t just write a bad guy—she fully inhabits his perspective, making it both chilling and compelling.

Even if this one didn’t hit quite as hard for me as some of her others, I can’t deny the skill and craft behind it. Lisa Jewell remains a master of psychological suspense.