Title: DON’T LET HIM IN
Author: Lisa Jewell
ISBN: 9781529196023
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 456
Source: Private Copy
He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.
Nina Swann is intrigued when she receives 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.
Official Summary
21 August 2025
I have been looking forward to Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In. This is an expertly woven web of suspicion, charm, and danger, where the seemingly perfect man may just be the most dangerous thing of all. Fans are in for a treat with this one.
Nina Swann is still reeling from her husband’s sudden death when she receives a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of his. Nick is handsome, charismatic, and effortlessly charming — the kind of man who makes life feel lighter simply by walking into the room. But while Nina is drawn to his warmth, her adult daughter, Ash, sees something else entirely: a man too polished, too smooth, and just a little too perfect. Quietly, Ash begins her own investigation into Nick’s past… and what she uncovers sends up far more than red flags.
Meanwhile, in a nearby town, Martha is trying to build a happy life with her husband Alistair and their new baby. But Alistair’s work trips are becoming more frequent, and his explanations — while plausible — leave Martha uneasy. Her suspicions grow, but the truth she’s circling is darker and more twisted than she can imagine.
Jewell alternates between these women’s perspectives, slowly drawing their lives toward a collision with the same shocking revelation. The tension simmers with every chapter, fuelled by the reader’s knowledge that danger is inching closer, even as the characters try to reason it away. The result is a compulsive, layered thriller that combines domestic suspense with the creeping dread of a predator hiding in plain sight.
Don’t Let Him In is unsettling in the best way — a reminder that appearances are deceptive, charm can be a weapon, and the past has a way of clawing its way back. Jewell delivers another tense, character-driven mystery that keeps you turning pages late into the night. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.
Also by Lisa Jewell
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers 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 realise 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 disappears. 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?
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
LISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.
Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best-selling debut novel of 1999. Since then, she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
Thank you for visiting the blog. Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors, and this book reminded me why. While I have not read all her work, I have never been disappointed by any of her books. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite Jewell book? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
