Don't Let Him In: A Novel

This book is amazing! I will say the women in this book got on my nerves! The plot and twist were cool! Nick/Alistair (Al,) is a piece of work!

This novel is a well-crafted, engaging thriller, featuring concise chapters that facilitate a swift reading experience—an attribute I have come to associate with this author. The narrative frequently shifts between timelines and alternates between first- and third-person perspectives. While this narrative structure initially required some adjustment, it ultimately contributed to the book’s complexity. Although I remained interested in the story’s resolution, I found the plot relatively predictable and not as compelling as I had hoped. Regrettably, this particular work did not rank among my favorites from this author.

This reminded me of the show You, in a book version (though the show was originally a book series). There are a lot of characters to keep track of and at times it gets confusing who is who. I was often wanting to shake the shoulders of the women and their decisions, but the main character is unique in that there is nothing redeeming about him to us, the reader. He is always insufferable, unsympathetic, sociopathic. Fairly quick read, not Jewell’s best or worst book.

https://cerebralspice.wordpress.com/2025/09/21/book-list-dont-let-him-in-by-lisa-jewell

Jewell again gives readers everything they want in a psychological thriller! This is, I think, my favorite of her books to date. It is a must-read!

Clear your calendar-I can't remember the last time I read a book so quickly. Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors (so I might be biased) but this wasn't my favorite of hers. Is it a bit formulaic? Sure. Stupid female characters? Sure. But I could also see something like this happening (well except one of the things but I don't want to give that away). There have been convicts in jail that convinced female guards to help them escape so… (not this story!) but you can see how it could happen…

This story is told in dual timelines (now and 4 years earlier).But like all dual timelines, they eventually run together. There are a lot of characters so pay attention! Alistair/Nick is the ultimate con man. The blurb pretty much tells you that Nina and Martha are involved with the same guy. I liked that some chapters were told from his POV-gives you so insight into how he is trying to manipulate everyone. I liked Ash, the daughter, and how she teamed up with someone from the past to help her put everything together. I did not see the final twist coming in the epilogue. At the beginning of it, I thought this was too ridiculous (and it is!) and I was going to give 1 less star because of it but then it redeemed itself.