Book Review: Don't Let Him In: A Novel by Lisa Jewell- Suspense Thriller

Hello, dear Readers,

My book review of Don't Let Him In: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: Don't Let Him In: A Novel

Rating:  4/5 Stars

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: June 24, 2025

Language: English

Hardcover: 368 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

A MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER READ from People, USA TODAY, theSkimm, E! News, Forbes, New York Post, CrimeReads, and many more!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell, three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller.

He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.

Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick 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. 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. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

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.

My Thoughts

I love Lisa Jewell and will read everything she writes; however, this book in particular was not as awesome as her other books. 

Mainly, for me, because I felt like a lot of the story was not necessary. It felt never-ending at times. It took me a lot to start getting into the story, but once I did, it got a little better. Slow-paced and different from other stories, the different time lines made it really hard to get through it. Like I said, I love her books and will continue reading, I just didn't love this one that much. 

Thank you, Atria Books and Netgalley, for the Free Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy 

None of this is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell-Suspense Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of None of This is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: None of this is True: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: August 08, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 384 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters, and captivating prose” (BuzzFeed), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true-crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappeared. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

My Thoughts

I still love Lisa's work and will keep reading her books. With that being said, this was not a favorite.

I liked it and enjoyed it but never understood how the "twin birthday" thing was really relevant to the story. Also, it was pretty infuriating, almost unbelievable how Josie got to have so much power and feel so entitled during the time she stayed at Alix's house. Also, who leaves their children at home with a complete stranger?. I just did not get it. 

Still enjoyed the book but not my favorite. I would still recommend it if you want a fast read. 

Wendy 

The Night She Disappeared: A Novel by Lisa Jewell-Psychological Thriller/Women's Fiction

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of The Night She Disappeared: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: The Night She Disappeared: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Women's Fiction

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: September 07, 2021

Language: English

Hardcover: 416 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes another riveting work of psychological suspense about a beautiful young couple’s disappearance on a gorgeous summer night, and the mother who will never give up trying to find them...

On a beautiful summer night in a charming English suburb, a young woman and her boyfriend disappear after partying at the massive country estate of a new college friend.

One year later, a writer moves into a cottage on the edge of the woods that border the same estate. Known locally as the Dark Place, the dense forest is the writer’s favorite area for long walks and it’s on one such walk that she stumbles upon a mysterious note that simply reads, “DIG HERE.”

Could this be a clue to what has happened to the missing young couple? And what exactly is buried in this haunted ground?

With her signature “rich, dark, and intricately twisted” (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Lisa Jewell has crafted a dazzling work of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page.

My Thoughts

Lisa did it again. Although this was another thriller, it felt slightly different from her other books. I think it has to do with the pace, was not slow but was not rushed either. 

We had the chance to know a little about each character, it felt to me not secondary characters but all of them played a role in how the story unfolds. 

I love that even though I fly through Lisa's books but I still enjoy them a lot, every single time. I cannot recommend her books enough.

Wendy

Book Review: Invisible Girl: A Novel by Lisa Jewell-Mystery/Thriller/Women's Fiction

 Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Invisible Girl: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: Invisible Girl: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Women's Fiction

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Language: English

Hardcover: 368 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Owen Pick’s life is falling apart. In his thirties and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct—accusations he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel forums, where he meets a charismatic and mysterious figure.

Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenage daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

With evocative, vivid, and unputdownable prose and plenty of disturbing twists and turns, Jewell’s latest thriller is another “haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author).

My Thoughts

I have come to love Lisa's books. I have not read them all (working on it) and although, I liked Invisible Girl a lot, my favorite still is When She Was Gone. 

I liked Invisible Girl. It kept me interested, good plot, however, the ending was missing something for me. More suspense, intensity perhaps?

Like I said, I enjoyed it a lot, and would recommend 100%. Excite to read more of Lisa's books.

Wendy

Book Review: Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell-Thriller/Suspense/Women's Fiction

 Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: Then She Was Gone: A Novel

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Women's Fiction

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: April 17, 2018

Language: English

Hardcover: 368 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

My Thoughts

I read The Family Upstairs a couple of months ago and loved it. Decided to read Then She Was Gone next, and now, I can say without a doubt, Lisa Jewell has become one of my favorite authors, and want to read all there is she has written before. 

Overall, I loved the book. Who could not love a great psychological thriller. The darknest, the creepy and twisted parts, addictive from beginning to end. And the ending, which was not supposed to be the way it was, author had a different version written, but glad it was the way it ended up being. 

I hated Ellie at the beginning of the book but then, I felt like that phrase "you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time" can easily apply to her, and at that point, I was able to empathize with her. One thing though is, I would love to have seen more background of how Noel got Ellie pregnant, and also how Ellie's sister ends up dating Ellie's old boyfriend, or more about Ellie's other sibling Jack. I felt there should have been more window for it, however, for most part, I followed through and liked the story. Very different from other stories on the same genre I have read before.

Excite to read more of Lisa's books and 100% recommend Then She Was Gone.

Wendy