Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell review: You’ll never want to date again

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell: The review

Let me kick this review off by just saying that I’m so glad I’m not in the dating pool, because after reading Don’t Let Him In, the thought of meeting anyone new again is rather terrifying! As horrendous as the subjects it deals with may be though, this is a thriller I’ve not been able to put down, and I’ve loved everything about it.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors, and I’ve loved everything I’ve read of hers so far (which is around half of her back catalogue), but Don’t Let Him In feels rather different to her usual writing; something about the tone and the style. It’s no bad thing — this is a super fast-paced read which keeps you hooked with punchy thrills and short, sharp chapters.

It’s told from multiple perspectives. First is Ash, a 20-something grieving after losing her father in a terrible crime. She’s living with her mother, who, after a year of being a widow, starts dating someone new. A man called Nick, who supposedly knew Ash’s father. But Ash doesn’t trust him one bit. And the more she gets to know Nick, the more suspicious she becomes.

The second perspective is of Martha, a married mother of three, living in what she initially thinks is a perfect marriage. But her once-perfect husband keeps acting strangely. Should she be worried? Is her marriage really as infalliable as she thought it was?

The final comes in the form of a man’s first-person perspective, set four years before the other events of the book. The different narratives all weave a story that’s shocking but believable, and they’ll all keep you glued to the pages —especially when they begin to overlap.

Don’t Let Him In is such a cleverly written novel, giving you just enough information to piece together what’s going on without ever spoiling the tension or the mystery. It feels a bit like a sleuthing mission at times, and when pieces of the puzzle start falling into place, you’ll get a seriously satisfying “a-ha!” moment.

There’ll be times when you want to grab the characters and shake some sense into them, but at the same time, their actions are justified and completely believable. As for the antagonistic force involved? Well, the less we say about them, the better. They are incredibly well written, even if totally abhorrent.

Bravo, Lisa – thank you for another killer thriller. I’ve loved every moment with this, and it’s kickstarted my need to get back to your back catalogue!