Reviewed by Rod McLary
Lisa Jewell has published twenty-three novels and, according to her publisher, the most recent ones have been ‘dark psychological thrillers’; and, according to this reviewer, Don’t Let Him In falls readily into that category. Even the title suggests danger and tension and neither is in short supply as the narrative unfolds.
It is always difficult to review thrillers without disclosing too much of the plot and without taking anything away from the sudden twists and turns of the narrative. It is especially difficult with Don’t Let Him In as its tension relies so much on a very slow reveal of what is really going on.
The structure of this novel is a little challenging too as it follows the stories of Nina and her daughter Ash, Tara, Martha and her young daughter Nala, and Amanda. The primary narrative is that of Nina and Ash but their chapters are interspersed with chapters referring to the other female characters. And there are further chapters in a different font and headed ‘Four years earlier’ or ‘Three years earlier’ or ‘Two years earlier’ written in the first person by a male character. Obviously these relate to the past but whose past and how and why is it relevant to the current events? Well – gradually and with considerable tension, the connection between these chapters and the others is revealed. And this is one of the strengths of the novel – the gradual disclosure of the true nature of the events and the key characters.
The astute reader – and all readers of crime and psychological thrillers are astute – will readily pick up on deceptively small facts and repetitions which provide hints as to what is really happening in the narrative. It is due to the skill of the author that these are so carefully sprinkled through the novel; and as Aristotle once said ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. Related to this is the second strength of the novel: the characterisation of the female characters. Each is drawn differently from the others in many ways but there is as well a commonality which brings them together.
And finally – the dénouement. Readers will no doubt try to guess at the outcome but there is a final twist which will catch most if not all readers by surprise.
An excellent novel of its genre and recommended.
In her acknowledgments, the author refers to recommended reading which canvasses a range of documentaries, podcasts and books about the kind of man/men who provide the dark centre of this book. It is a salutary lesson for us all that such men exist.
Don’t Let Him In
[2025]
by Lisa Jewell
Penguin Random House
ISBN: 978 1 529 19602 3
$34.99; 460pp