Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell Review: When a Villain Feels All Too Real

A slick manipulator, unsuspecting women, and Lisa Jewell’s trademark tension—brilliantly crafted, maddening to watch.

Synopsis

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.

Mini audiobook review

Narrators : Richard Armitage, Joanne Froggatt, Tamaryn Payne, Gemma Whelan, Louise Brealey, Patience Tomlinson

Personal taste: 3 stars
“Objective” taste: between 4.5 and 5 stars

Why two ratings? Because my personal taste doesn’t reflect Lisa Jewell’s genius—it reflects one of my biggest pet peeves: cheating. And yes, we know from the synopsis there would be cheating. Still, I wasn’t prepared for the villain to be this villainous—like a sociopath, but unctuous, slick, oily, charming to most… and absolutely revolting to me.

I couldn’t stand what he did to these women—and that’s exactly Jewell’s brilliance. She gives us a perfectly credible yet horrifying portrait of an egotistical, self-centered, and dangerous man.

I wanted to shake these women and yell, “LOOK! OPEN YOUR EYES!” He vanished for days, ignored calls, and they weren’t suspicious? The “I work in hospitality” excuse only goes so far. My frustration level? Sky-high.

I waited for the shoe to drop.
I wanted them to wake up.
I wanted him caught.

Told through multiple POVs (Nick, Ash, Martha, and more) and shifting between past and present, the story spans just a few weeks—yet also a few years—on its way to a tense and satisfying grand finale. The writing is excellent, the pacing sharp, and the suspense nerve-wracking… even if it drove me mad.

I’m still a huge Lisa Jewell fan, but this one pressed all my buttons—enough to skew my personal rating.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie