did Lisa Jewell set the tone for new books in 2025? Yes she did

There isn't too much that I can say without giving away the pot to the book but what I can say is that this book follows a toxic manipulating narcist that is convinced that all his actions are justified. Nothing is his fault and everything is the effect of someone else's actions. Which made for a very interesting tale.

I loved that the chapters were short and manageable which helped to keep the narrators straight as there were three different tones - and two separate tine points.

If you are a fan of Lisa Jewell then I would highly recommend this one, similar to None of this is true but with a little bit less cheeky comments and instead convoluted characters with many motives.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster), and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.

I'm just going to start with the obvious three star rating. The multiple pov's and jumpy timelines almost gave me whiplash. I love, love, love Lisa Jewell, but this book just didn't hit like her others. I was intrigued by the plot and wanted to finish the book, but the timelines were a bit much for me. I don't want this to come off as this was a bad story. It just wasn't a story for me. If multiple pov's are a thing you enjoy, then tiff might be the story for you. I just felt stupid for the first half of the story.


We follow Nina and her daughter Ash, after Nina's husband and Ash's father, Patty is killed by being pushed onto the train tracks. A year after his death, a man named Nick gets in touch with them by writing a letter and sending a zippo lighter that used to belong to him.
We also have Martha with a new baby married to Al, and they have a daughter Nala, along with Martha's two sons from her prior marriage. However, Nick and Al might not be who they say they are at all. Beneath the surface might be something more sinister.

I would like to thank Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Expected publication June 24, 2025.

Ash and her mother, Nina, are trying to pick up the pieces after Paddy, Ash’s father, is killed. An old friend of Paddy’s comes into the picture and starts to get close to Nina, which Nina is not happy about. She feels like something is off with this man named Nick.

I want to start off saying that Lisa Jewell is one of my fav authors of all time. Her writing is very addictive and the way she unveils a story is perfection. This one is those things as well, but not my fav book by her. I did feel that this one took me a little longer to get into than normal. But that could just be me. I did feel that there were thrilling elements, but it didn’t feel like her normal thrillers. It felt more suspenseful and dramatic. It was a little confusing for the first third of the book. I also didn’t feel like there was really any surprises, but maybe there wasn’t supposed to be.

Overall I did enjoy it, but won’t be at the top of the 9 Jewell books I’ve read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy of this book!

I am a HUGE fan of all Lisa Jewell novels and while I enjoyed this book- it wasn't my favorite of hers. When Ash's father Paddy is killed, it leaves her mother Nina alone and to care for their family restaurants. Shortly after Paddy's death her mother receives a letter from Paddy's "Friend" who is trying to connect with Nina. Everything pretty much falls apart from there... the characters weren't very likeable and seemed pretty predictable in the end.

I was so excited for me, but overall it was not my favorite. The plot overall was enjoyable and I did find myself invested in what was going to happen. I really enjoyed the last 15% or so of the book. Unfortunately, the book started off slow, the twists were a bit predictable, and many of the female characters seemed to be shades of the same person. Overall I would say this is a good, but not great book.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC to review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Gripping, flawlessly executed, and packed with heart-throbbing intensity, this domestic thriller is one I highly recommend!
When Paddy dies from a deliberate shove in front of a train, it leaves his wife, Nina, and their daughter, Ash, devastated. In the midst of their grief, they unexpectedly connect with Nick, an old friend of Paddy's.
Martha, the owner of a florist shop, is married to Al, who tends to disappear frequently, leaving her confused and on her own to manage her business and their child.
The lives of these three women will intersect in surprising ways.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this fantastic thriller's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A great thriller from Lisa Jewell! I always like an unlikable character. Loved the dual timelines, leaving you wondering just how these people’s lives are connected. The only thing I’d say is that sometimes it was confusing as to which character and which timeline we were in. Sometimes I was reading the 4 years ago but thinking i was reading present day. Other than that I really enjoyed this book!

★ ★
so unfortunately this book was not good for me. super predictable, repetitive and after None of This Is True…such a let down. I only liked one maybe two characters and again it was soooooo predictable?!

Fantastic smart reading. Such a well written and paced book that will hook you from page one! I couldn’t stop reading this book and love how all the pieces worked together like a puzzle. I’d definitely recommend this book to a friend.

Oh wow what a wild ride. This guy was seriously a master con artist! I loved how quickly I tore through this book hoping to see him get caught! The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is because I felt like at times, his actions would have raised red flags way earlier and his excuses were out of control. I know con artists are con artists for a reason but some of his actions were a bit predictable and inexcusable.. loved the fast pace and exciting story line. Definitely recommend.

I love Lisa Jewell novels. If there’s one thing to expect from her stories, it’s that they are consistently good. Don’t Let Him In is no exception, and by the middle of the book, I was quite invested. I felt a bit on edge, hoping that Al—Nick, Simon... whatever his real name was—would be caught. The story unfolds across two timelines, allowing us to appreciate the intricate planning behind the long con narrative.

Ash has been merely surviving since the senseless death of her father, Paddy. Though he was short in stature, his larger-than-life presence was the center of their family. So, when her mother, Nina, starts dating an old colleague of Paddy’s about a year after his death, Ash isn’t upset, but she is a little wary.

Martha appears to have the ideal life—perfect husband, home, business, and family—until everything starts falling apart. Al begins to disappear for extended periods, leaving her to flounder at home while he remains completely unreachable. On several occasions, she finds herself in desperate situations, having to ask a friend to transport her and her sick child to the hospital and even shutting down her business because she has no childcare to get to work. She starts to worry that Al is having an affair, as his stories don’t seem to add up.

What Nina and Martha don’t initially realize is that they are both involved with the same man. He is a master manipulator, and his game is the long con. So long in fact that they are not his first victims. Ash quickly catches on and begins to untangle the web of lies. However, as the story becomes increasingly complex, she wonders: will her mother believe her? Does she even believe it herself?

There isn’t a major twist in this novel; it unfolds as you might expect from the beginning. However, the slow burn and anticipation building are where this plot truly shines. I found myself anxiously biting my nails, hoping they would catch him. Another great thriller from this author.

I received this ARC from Netgaley! MOVIE! NOW! PLEASE! I have got to see this book play out on screen! 5 stars immediately!! Lisa Jewell just keeps getting better and better! I could NOT put this book down! I literally carried it around all weekend and kept reading between activities (or during lol). This book had me on the edge of my seat! I NEEDED to know how this book would end. And I was not disappointed! The book was so solid that I felt like I was right there in the book with these characters (especially at the end!!)

Anyway, I will be recommending this book to everyone!

Lisa Jewell can be my go-to thriller author with twists and turns I’ll never expect. I was so on board with this novel and at the beginning, it definitely was a read I couldn’t put down. Unfortunately about halfway through… I knew where it was heading and almost felt like I’ve read a story / watched a movie very similar like this in the past. I loved her previous release, None of This is True, and would recommend that one for readers. This one could be a hit or miss.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for my digital ARC.

Loved this one! Lisa Jewell is one of my absolute favorite authors and I think this may be my favorite book of hers! I love multiple POVs and time jumping and how it all slides together in the end. It caught my attention quickly and then just kept ramping up the feels all throughout. Obsessed!

Another fabulous book by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Jewell. Although this one was a bit hard to follow at times because of its different timelines and storylines, I really enjoyed it and how all of the stories intersected and how it ended. I loved how the characters came together to get justice and the ending was perfect! I really enjoyed to way the characters were developed, especially the main character whose life was a twisted, intricate, extensive web of lies and deceit. Fun read! Kudos on another good book!

This was really good! It was a little slow getting into it at first because it was a lot of names and fake names and all sorts of that nonsense but once I got the hang of everything it was really fun. Not so much a thriller as some of Lisa's other books are I would say more of a mystery. I was never really on the edge of my seat in suspense. Overall really good though! But my girl Lisa rarely disappoints me!!

Exceptional book from Lisa Jewell. I'll admit, I thought I had it all figured out within the first few chapters and like true Jewell fashion, I was wrong. Delightful and entertaining.

This book was 5 stars for me. It kept me wanting to read to find out who this man really was! It just kept unraveling more and more clues at the book went on to discover his real identity.

The multiple points of view writing style took a bit of getting used to in order to follow along seamlessly, but definitely a book worth sticking with. This gave serious Dirty John vibes. Lisa Jewell is a “drop everything must read “author, and once again, she doesn’t disappoint. Thank you, Lisa Jewell, Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Don’t Let Him In.

This book was excellent and kept me hooked from the first page. This was my first Lisa Jewell and suffice to say that I will now be running out to get the rest of her backlist! The author did an excellent job of weaving the web of lies that the male protagonist created and had me questioning at every turn. I liked how interconnected it became as the story went on and the reveals at the end were A+. Definitely one of my favourite thrillers to date!