Welcome to my short and snappy book reviews. This one is based on the work of one of my favourite writers and prolific psychological author, Lisa Jewell.
I adore Jewell’s books, my favourite is The Family Upstairs. So strong is her building of tension and description of crazy, indelible characters, that these fictional personalities have stuck with me five years’ since reading. (Birdie’s white teeth live rent-free in my head).
Jewell is an author whom I trust to deliver. Maybe that is why the bar was high.
When one of Jewell’s recent releases was chosen for this month’s book club choice (Derby Book & Cake Club, more on that later) I did mini cartwheels of joy. Although I appreciate discovering new authors (fine, I don’t really like trying new writing as I’m a Leo and I love the familiar) I’d much prefer knowing what I’m getting into.
As psychological thrillers are my jam, and are my go-to genre whichever mood I’m in, I dove head-first into the book expecting great things. I was braced for an unputdownable book which I could devour into the early hours, waking bleary eyed after 5 hours sleep, which is what usually happens when I read a Jewell book.
That did not happen.
Synopsis of Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
TL:DR the novel opens at the wake of a patriarch as we watch his well-to-do family, the Swanns, grapple with his untimely and mildly suspicious death. Not long after we meet the debonair Nick Radcliffe. He wheedles his way into the Swanns’ lives, much to the chagrin of grieving daughter Aisling who takes it on herself to unleash her inner spy and dig deep into the fishy Nick’s past.
As the narrative develops, we discover Nick is a teflon character adept in infiltrating people’s lives and scamming them.
It’s a solid premise and I love Jewell’s writing. It’s the 50+ characters that I couldn’t keep track of. It felt as if Jewell had created multiple characters in the same mould. These were confident women who refused to see the 100ft giant, walking, talking red flag unfurling in front of their eyes as the charming Nick Radcliffe inviegled money from the always clueless, often desperate, love-seeking women.
This, in addition to the non-chronological plot, constantly going back and forth in time, made me nearly give up reading this book.
It could have been such a great novel, because the subject matter is so very real. Romantic scammers-conmen are a devastating scourge on society, causing misery and heartbreak the world over. You just have to switch on Netflix or leaf through the pages of a glossy monthly and you’ll see some iteration of the confidence trickster caught in flagrante, with a first-person interview with the victim, post-scandal, which tugs at the old heart strings.
Whenever I journal, I always think, what could have made my day or an experience more enjoyable? I ask myself this question about the book; what would have made me enjoy it?
Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if I could get a handle on who was who.
The book saw me get confused in pretty much every chapter, which is why I think it required too much effort, this is why this Lisa Jewell book alas, wasn’t for me.
However other members of my book club seemed to enjoy it, with some finding the narrative enjoyable. I stand by my adoration for Lisa Jewell. I follow her online and have already made my mind up to buy her latest release, It Could Have Been Her.
Have you read Don’t Let Him In? I would love to know your thoughts.