Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell @lisajewelluk @richardcarmitage @jofroggatt @tamarynpayne88 @gemwhelan @mslouisebrealey #patiencetomlinson @simon.audio @simonaudio.bsky.social #DontLetHimIn

the setup…
It begins with the death of restauranteur Paddy Swann, a man with a lust for life and a loving family who died after being pushed into the path of a commuter train. Soon after his funeral, his wife Nina receives a note and a package from Nick Ratcliffe who claims to be an old friend of Paddy’s. It leads to him eventually connecting to Nina romantically but her daughter Aisling (Ash) is skeptical from the start. Meanwhile, Martha is a small-town florist who is married to Alistair (Al), her second marriage and has two sons from her first. She’s recently given birth to a baby girl with Al and is struggling to keep things going, especially with his frequent business trips and mysterious absences. The lives of these women will soon intersect in the most extraordinary of ways.

the heart of the story…
Ash had every reason to be wary of the charming Nick and secretly begins an exploration of the man that leads to incredible places. We’re all familiar with calculating men who aren’t what they seem but this is next level. What first appears as a man who is skillfully conning two women for their affections (and money) progresses to something much more complex. What makes this man so successful is his ability to give these women exactly what they want and are looking for…every single one of them.

the narration…
This is that story that demanded a full cast and they delivered it masterfully! Richard Armitage was outstanding as the character we first know as Nick and the rest of the cast gave perfect voice to these women.

the bottom line…
I felt a full range of emotions with this story, often rage at what this man was perpetrating. These weren’t naive, gullible women…they were all accomplished and pretty savvy…giving it even more heft and weight. It’s complicated in its delivery, with transitions between characters and time periods but I found it manageable. It’s described as a kaleidoscope thriller and I didn’t know what that meant until I finished. Jewell has crafted another gem that will leave you breathless.

Book Info

• Release Date: June 24, 2025
• Narrators: Richard Armitage, Joanne Froggatt, Tamaryn Payne, Gemma Whelan, Louise Brealey & Patience Tomlinson
• Audio Length: 11 hours, 58 minutes
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)