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It Could Have Been Her
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Expected 23 Jun 26Win a free print copy of this book!
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100 copies available
U.S. only
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell brings her signature dark, atmospheric suspense and sharp acuity to this new psychological thriller about a lost dog, a missing woman, and a mysterious house.
Jane Trevally is walking her dogs on her country estate one May afternoon when a small white dog appears. The teenaged girl that had been staying nearby with the dog is nowhere to be found, and Jane decides to return the dog to his registered owner hours away in London, in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead. But when Jane arrives, she is immediately unsettled—because Jane has a dark history with this house
The man who answers the door tells her the dog, Hugo, must have been stolen from the Heath, but Jane very much doubts that is true. Through the window, she catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman, not the missing girl she’d hoped to find.
Facing a crossroads similar to the one that first led her to this home twenty-five years ago, Jane knows that the house holds the key—to the missing teenager, to the lost dog, and to dark secrets they’d all rather leave buried
Jane Trevally is walking her dogs on her country estate one May afternoon when a small white dog appears. The teenaged girl that had been staying nearby with the dog is nowhere to be found, and Jane decides to return the dog to his registered owner hours away in London, in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead. But when Jane arrives, she is immediately unsettled—because Jane has a dark history with this house
The man who answers the door tells her the dog, Hugo, must have been stolen from the Heath, but Jane very much doubts that is true. Through the window, she catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman, not the missing girl she’d hoped to find.
Facing a crossroads similar to the one that first led her to this home twenty-five years ago, Jane knows that the house holds the key—to the missing teenager, to the lost dog, and to dark secrets they’d all rather leave buried
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 23, 2026
56821 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jewell
46 books90.5k followersLISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.
Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
Lisa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaJewelloff...
Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
Lisa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaJewelloff...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
— 3/5 stars
If you know me, you know how much I love thrillers and Lisa Jewell’s books especially. I genuinely adore her writing, and the premise of this book immediately caught my attention. It felt fresh and different, something I hadn’t really read before, so my curiosity was already at its peak. When I received the ARC, I was honestly over the moon. I was so excited, so grateful, and fully ready to dive in.
That being said, this book didn’t completely work for me in the way I expected it to. The pacing threw me off a little. I’m someone who loves fast-paced thrillers, the kind that pull you in within a chapter or two and don’t let go. This one took its time and I mean a lot of time. It took me nearly 50%-60% of the book, roughly around 150 pages, to fully settle into the story. I found myself constantly trying to figure out who was who and what role each character played, which slowed down my reading experience.
However, once everything started falling into place, I kinda enjoyed it. The writing was solid, the characters were well written, and the tension slowly but surely built up.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this story follows Jane Trevally, a woman living a quiet, slightly isolated life in a huge house she inherited from her parents, along with her four dogs. Everything feels calm and familiar until one day she finds a strange dog named Hugo wandering around her backyard. Naturally, her first thought is to figure out who he belongs to, and that simple curiosity ends up opening a door she was never meant to walk through.
While searching for Hugo’s owner, Jane comes across Stuart Tucker, a man who immediately gives off unsettling vibes. Things take an even darker turn when Jane realizes that Stuart lives in the very place where she was supposedly kidnapped twenty years ago. That discovery leaves her shaken and full of questions why this place, why him, and why does everything about the area feel so… wrong? The deeper she looks, the more she senses that something dangerous is hiding beneath the surface.
As Jane continues digging, she learns that Hugo belonged to a girl named Daisy, who mysteriously disappeared. From that moment on, Jane becomes determined to uncover who Daisy was and how her disappearance connects to both Hugo and the house tied to Jane’s own past. The story fully revolves around Jane piecing together these haunting connections, trying to understand Stuart’s strange behavior, and unraveling the dark truth that has been quietly lurking in the background all along.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
Okay, let me be very honest here while I genuinely love Lisa Jewell’s books, this one just didn’t fully work for me. I went into it with pretty high expectations, maybe a little too high, because I kept waiting for something more… and it never quite arrived. The story felt like it was moving in circles at times, and that made the reading experience a bit frustrating.
Most of the twists were sadly predictable for me. Out of all of them, there was only one that truly caught me off guard the kind that makes you stop, stare at the wall, and rethink everything. But aside from that moment, I could see most things coming from a mile away. The writing itself was decent and very readable, but it took me forever to actually get into the story. I usually finish thrillers in three to four days, but this one took me around fifteen days, which honestly says a lot.
Don’t get me wrong, I was absolutely thrilled to receive the ARC and so grateful for it. I was genuinely on cloud nine when it got approved. But somewhere along the way, the book started feeling like it lacked depth, pace, or that signature Lisa Jewell spark I usually love. Her books often revolve around disappearance themes, which she does brilliantly, and while that element was present here, it just didn’t hit the same way this time.
Maybe it was my reading slump talking, and there’s a chance I might enjoy this book more if I revisit it later with a fresh mindset. But for now, it just didn’t give me the fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrill I crave. I wanted a twist that would completely throw me off balance and while I did get one, it wasn’t enough to fully satisfy me. The character development also felt a bit lacking, and some chapters came across as fillers rather than adding real weight to the story.
⚘ "Overall, this wasn’t a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t the book for me right now. I wanted more intensity, more depth, and more of that jaw-dropping shock factor. Maybe next time, it’ll hit differently." 💌
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 29 december , 2025
Got the ARC of my most anticipated read for 2026, ahhh I’m so excited 🤭🤌🏻
If you know me, you know how much I love thrillers and Lisa Jewell’s books especially. I genuinely adore her writing, and the premise of this book immediately caught my attention. It felt fresh and different, something I hadn’t really read before, so my curiosity was already at its peak. When I received the ARC, I was honestly over the moon. I was so excited, so grateful, and fully ready to dive in.
That being said, this book didn’t completely work for me in the way I expected it to. The pacing threw me off a little. I’m someone who loves fast-paced thrillers, the kind that pull you in within a chapter or two and don’t let go. This one took its time and I mean a lot of time. It took me nearly 50%-60% of the book, roughly around 150 pages, to fully settle into the story. I found myself constantly trying to figure out who was who and what role each character played, which slowed down my reading experience.
However, once everything started falling into place, I kinda enjoyed it. The writing was solid, the characters were well written, and the tension slowly but surely built up.
➳ ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this story follows Jane Trevally, a woman living a quiet, slightly isolated life in a huge house she inherited from her parents, along with her four dogs. Everything feels calm and familiar until one day she finds a strange dog named Hugo wandering around her backyard. Naturally, her first thought is to figure out who he belongs to, and that simple curiosity ends up opening a door she was never meant to walk through.
While searching for Hugo’s owner, Jane comes across Stuart Tucker, a man who immediately gives off unsettling vibes. Things take an even darker turn when Jane realizes that Stuart lives in the very place where she was supposedly kidnapped twenty years ago. That discovery leaves her shaken and full of questions why this place, why him, and why does everything about the area feel so… wrong? The deeper she looks, the more she senses that something dangerous is hiding beneath the surface.
As Jane continues digging, she learns that Hugo belonged to a girl named Daisy, who mysteriously disappeared. From that moment on, Jane becomes determined to uncover who Daisy was and how her disappearance connects to both Hugo and the house tied to Jane’s own past. The story fully revolves around Jane piecing together these haunting connections, trying to understand Stuart’s strange behavior, and unraveling the dark truth that has been quietly lurking in the background all along.
➳ FINAL THOUGHTS
Okay, let me be very honest here while I genuinely love Lisa Jewell’s books, this one just didn’t fully work for me. I went into it with pretty high expectations, maybe a little too high, because I kept waiting for something more… and it never quite arrived. The story felt like it was moving in circles at times, and that made the reading experience a bit frustrating.
Most of the twists were sadly predictable for me. Out of all of them, there was only one that truly caught me off guard the kind that makes you stop, stare at the wall, and rethink everything. But aside from that moment, I could see most things coming from a mile away. The writing itself was decent and very readable, but it took me forever to actually get into the story. I usually finish thrillers in three to four days, but this one took me around fifteen days, which honestly says a lot.
Don’t get me wrong, I was absolutely thrilled to receive the ARC and so grateful for it. I was genuinely on cloud nine when it got approved. But somewhere along the way, the book started feeling like it lacked depth, pace, or that signature Lisa Jewell spark I usually love. Her books often revolve around disappearance themes, which she does brilliantly, and while that element was present here, it just didn’t hit the same way this time.
Maybe it was my reading slump talking, and there’s a chance I might enjoy this book more if I revisit it later with a fresh mindset. But for now, it just didn’t give me the fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrill I crave. I wanted a twist that would completely throw me off balance and while I did get one, it wasn’t enough to fully satisfy me. The character development also felt a bit lacking, and some chapters came across as fillers rather than adding real weight to the story.
⚘ "Overall, this wasn’t a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t the book for me right now. I wanted more intensity, more depth, and more of that jaw-dropping shock factor. Maybe next time, it’ll hit differently." 💌
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 29 december , 2025
Got the ARC of my most anticipated read for 2026, ahhh I’m so excited 🤭🤌🏻
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3 stars
after reading this, i’d say that my first Lisa jewell book was a *partial* success. after the 50% mark, i literally couldn’t put this book down and finished it in less than a day, but the plot definitely was not the most clever or suspenseful that i’ve read. this book’s strongest quality is the addictiveness of it.
'it could have been her' follows jane, a middle-aged woman who wants something exciting to do with her life. a girl goes missing one day, and once Jane finds out that she has a connection to her, she goes down a rabbit hole to find her.
rating thrillers is always hard for me because i don’t read a lot of them. i think my i’ve decided that how i’ll rate them is how addicting/twisty they are, and this one definitely succeeded in the first category. the first half was honestly a drag to get through, but after that it was extremely easy to read.
a few complaints that i have is that there were many confusing things that weren’t solved at the end 😭. the ending was VERY unsatisfying (read: not shocking) and felt a bit rushed. idk, it felt like everything quickly found a solution at the end of the book and came together due to chance and not clever plotting including giving hints throughout the entirety of the book. i was also confused to why Jane was trying SO hard to solve this case? i guess when you’re a rich old person you don’t have anything to do but solve murder mysteries? ✋🏻
the beginning was also pretty confusing, but once i got past the 50% mark, everything started to make sense and i could enjoy the book.
overall, read if you want a grippy & fun time, (this one is very weird 🫣, specifically with one character that starts with a j)
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
ᝰ ⋆ ── preread ✶
first lisa jewell book! looking for an amazing plot twist 💆🏻♀️
❍ thank you so much to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
after reading this, i’d say that my first Lisa jewell book was a *partial* success. after the 50% mark, i literally couldn’t put this book down and finished it in less than a day, but the plot definitely was not the most clever or suspenseful that i’ve read. this book’s strongest quality is the addictiveness of it.
'it could have been her' follows jane, a middle-aged woman who wants something exciting to do with her life. a girl goes missing one day, and once Jane finds out that she has a connection to her, she goes down a rabbit hole to find her.
rating thrillers is always hard for me because i don’t read a lot of them. i think my i’ve decided that how i’ll rate them is how addicting/twisty they are, and this one definitely succeeded in the first category. the first half was honestly a drag to get through, but after that it was extremely easy to read.
a few complaints that i have is that there were many confusing things that weren’t solved at the end 😭. the ending was VERY unsatisfying (read: not shocking) and felt a bit rushed. idk, it felt like everything quickly found a solution at the end of the book and came together due to chance and not clever plotting including giving hints throughout the entirety of the book. i was also confused to why Jane was trying SO hard to solve this case? i guess when you’re a rich old person you don’t have anything to do but solve murder mysteries? ✋🏻
the beginning was also pretty confusing, but once i got past the 50% mark, everything started to make sense and i could enjoy the book.
overall, read if you want a grippy & fun time, (this one is very weird 🫣, specifically with one character that starts with a j)
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
ᝰ ⋆ ── preread ✶
first lisa jewell book! looking for an amazing plot twist 💆🏻♀️
❍ thank you so much to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️There is something fundamentally sick at core of the Black household. With destabilizing trauma experienced in the quietest, darkest corners of a childhood home, Lisa Jewell yet again delivers a very unsettling, bizarre thriller that will keep you glued to the book!
Having recently read “Don’t Let Him In”, she’s easily becoming one of my favorite thriller authors. I love how she creates dysfunctional families that are not only dark and creepy but also feel disturbingly vulnerable, lonely and helpless.
Lisa Jewell brings back Janet Trevally (from Don’t Let Him In), a 50+ year old PI/sleuthster who quickly becomes embroiled in a mysterious family that lives in a creepy house, a house that Jane has a connection to. Unable to escape the past, she’s driven to find the answers to the disappearance of a girl that Is somehow connected to the Black household. As the story unravels, Jane begins to understand that the house holds the key to all the answers, dark secrets, and hidden truths.
What makes this book standout from all her others is her signature feeling of dread hiding in plain sight. Possibly her most darkest work yet, Jewel’s writing shines through her morally complex characters. Each one possesses a complexity that’s deeply rooted in trauma. The trauma is what gives each character a perfect amount of brokenness, vulnerability, loneliness that is perfectly weaved into their darkest secrets. That, along with the eeriness of the novel, will keep you intrigued and invested! I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the slow burn mystery. I honestly can’t put into words how much I’ve enjoyed this novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Lisa Jewell for sending me this eARC!!
Publication date: June 23, 2026
Having recently read “Don’t Let Him In”, she’s easily becoming one of my favorite thriller authors. I love how she creates dysfunctional families that are not only dark and creepy but also feel disturbingly vulnerable, lonely and helpless.
Lisa Jewell brings back Janet Trevally (from Don’t Let Him In), a 50+ year old PI/sleuthster who quickly becomes embroiled in a mysterious family that lives in a creepy house, a house that Jane has a connection to. Unable to escape the past, she’s driven to find the answers to the disappearance of a girl that Is somehow connected to the Black household. As the story unravels, Jane begins to understand that the house holds the key to all the answers, dark secrets, and hidden truths.
What makes this book standout from all her others is her signature feeling of dread hiding in plain sight. Possibly her most darkest work yet, Jewel’s writing shines through her morally complex characters. Each one possesses a complexity that’s deeply rooted in trauma. The trauma is what gives each character a perfect amount of brokenness, vulnerability, loneliness that is perfectly weaved into their darkest secrets. That, along with the eeriness of the novel, will keep you intrigued and invested! I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the slow burn mystery. I honestly can’t put into words how much I’ve enjoyed this novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Lisa Jewell for sending me this eARC!!
Publication date: June 23, 2026
Want to read
October 29, 2025*INTERNALLY SCREAMING*
My Thriller Queen is gracing us with a new book
I don't even need to read the blurb
I just know i want it and i want to read it NEOWWW!
🤍💚🤍💚🤍
My Thriller Queen is gracing us with a new book
I don't even need to read the blurb
I just know i want it and i want to read it NEOWWW!
🤍💚🤍💚🤍
January 2, 2026
Lisa Jewell returns with her darkest book yet and you don’t want to miss it!
Well I have definitely started my 2026 reading on an absolute high! I always knew that I would enjoy Lisa Jewell’s latest psychological thriller, but honestly, this one blew my mind! It’s by far Jewell’s creepiest and most unsettling book. There’s this underlying sense of dread and anxiety that runs through the pages right from the outset. We know that something terrible has happened at Thornwood - the fictional house in London’s Vale of Health that is central to the plot - but it’s just out of sight until the final few chapters. This meant my imagination was running wild and I was considering all manner of depraved and horrific things occurring there. Jewell delivers a brilliantly executed mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seat, guessing until the end, and culminates in a truly disturbing and unnerving conclusion. We all know that Jewell is the queen of the psychological thriller, but this is genuinely her most psychologically disturbing book to date. NONE OF THIS IS TRUE remains an absolute masterpiece in psychological tension, but I believe that readers will be just as engrossed and unsettled by IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER (if not more so!). There is a slow burn element to the plot development here, but it still feels like a pacy read. I loved how we move between different perspectives, timelines, and narrative strands. The structure of the novel really helps to build tension, deliver reveals at exactly the right time, as well as posing questions continually and keeping the reader turning those pages. I know that Lisa gets the ideas for her novels from all over the place, so I am really intrigued to find out what planted the seed for this story…because it’s terrifying!
As well as all of the mystery, suspense, and spine-tingling chills, there is a huge amount of emotional depth within this story. It’s very much an exploration of trauma, PTSD, and how those who experience true horror in their early years grow up and live their lives. Jane Trevally (who you may remember from DON’T LET HIM IN) is a brilliant lead character. A woman in her mid-50s, who’s experienced a traumatic childhood, is battling loneliness and a sense of place in the world, Jane allows Jewell to explore the mid-life female experience in a really intriguing way. I really enjoyed her journey through this story and loved seeing her find herself, carve out her identity, and discover strength that she didn’t know she had. Jane’s path juxtaposes Jessamine’s and Jasper’s, who are products of their childhood trauma and experiences. I won’t give anything away, but there are some incredibly dark corners in their psyches. I definitely felt that there was a blurring of sympathy and abhorrence, as well as not knowing who to trust. This book is laced with so much pain, but I also came away with a real sense of hope and freedom by the end. These characters have to break from their shackles and I was absolutely hooked on discovering the truths that allow them to do this. IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER is another absolute masterpiece from Jewell and one that everyone will be talking about this summer. Do yourself a favour and get your pre-order in immediately!
One final thing I’ll say: as someone who has always been freaked out by clowns, elements of this book are genuinely TERRIFYING!!! I may have my own PTSD… 😬🤡😬🤡😬
Well I have definitely started my 2026 reading on an absolute high! I always knew that I would enjoy Lisa Jewell’s latest psychological thriller, but honestly, this one blew my mind! It’s by far Jewell’s creepiest and most unsettling book. There’s this underlying sense of dread and anxiety that runs through the pages right from the outset. We know that something terrible has happened at Thornwood - the fictional house in London’s Vale of Health that is central to the plot - but it’s just out of sight until the final few chapters. This meant my imagination was running wild and I was considering all manner of depraved and horrific things occurring there. Jewell delivers a brilliantly executed mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seat, guessing until the end, and culminates in a truly disturbing and unnerving conclusion. We all know that Jewell is the queen of the psychological thriller, but this is genuinely her most psychologically disturbing book to date. NONE OF THIS IS TRUE remains an absolute masterpiece in psychological tension, but I believe that readers will be just as engrossed and unsettled by IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER (if not more so!). There is a slow burn element to the plot development here, but it still feels like a pacy read. I loved how we move between different perspectives, timelines, and narrative strands. The structure of the novel really helps to build tension, deliver reveals at exactly the right time, as well as posing questions continually and keeping the reader turning those pages. I know that Lisa gets the ideas for her novels from all over the place, so I am really intrigued to find out what planted the seed for this story…because it’s terrifying!
As well as all of the mystery, suspense, and spine-tingling chills, there is a huge amount of emotional depth within this story. It’s very much an exploration of trauma, PTSD, and how those who experience true horror in their early years grow up and live their lives. Jane Trevally (who you may remember from DON’T LET HIM IN) is a brilliant lead character. A woman in her mid-50s, who’s experienced a traumatic childhood, is battling loneliness and a sense of place in the world, Jane allows Jewell to explore the mid-life female experience in a really intriguing way. I really enjoyed her journey through this story and loved seeing her find herself, carve out her identity, and discover strength that she didn’t know she had. Jane’s path juxtaposes Jessamine’s and Jasper’s, who are products of their childhood trauma and experiences. I won’t give anything away, but there are some incredibly dark corners in their psyches. I definitely felt that there was a blurring of sympathy and abhorrence, as well as not knowing who to trust. This book is laced with so much pain, but I also came away with a real sense of hope and freedom by the end. These characters have to break from their shackles and I was absolutely hooked on discovering the truths that allow them to do this. IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER is another absolute masterpiece from Jewell and one that everyone will be talking about this summer. Do yourself a favour and get your pre-order in immediately!
One final thing I’ll say: as someone who has always been freaked out by clowns, elements of this book are genuinely TERRIFYING!!! I may have my own PTSD… 😬🤡😬🤡😬
January 12, 2026
4 ⭐️ Review to come. ♥️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✰ 3.75 stars ✰
✧ Why it warrants a 3.5 ✧
A few too many characters starting with the letter J; I understand the reasoning, but one character's name is a mouthful, so it does get difficult.
Keep a notebook handy to keep track of the shifting POVs, and even create a timeline, much like Jane herself had to do to paint a clearer picture of the clues unfolding. 💫
The predictable if not formulaic themes explored that felt both familiar and generic to her previous works.
Certain events that offered nothing really meaningful to the plot, with allusions to relationships that did not seem entirely fruitful.
I thought I was safe from the meta dynamic, which was limited to texts only, but she couldn't help herself till the very end, for which, okay, fine, I'll cut her some slack.
Some editing errors towards the end; please forgive me, I know it's an ARC, but my mind can't turn it off! 😣
Janes pauses for a moment
This where it all started... Just there. A small white dog and then...
Yes, this was where it all started. Just there. A small white dog, and then... a chance meeting, a moment of fate...
There are no words to explain the can of worms that opened the unraveling of a memory twenty five years buried away like a fragment of a moment that maybe only existed in her subconscious, but inadvertently ties herself to the missing disappearance of said owner of this innocent lost dog. In retracing her steps, it all leads to Jane uncovering its buried truths, with that sinking dread of what horror that last house in the world holds with the bitter truth that It Could Have Been Her. 😢
✧ Why it earns a 3.75 ✧
I gobbled it in less than two hours.
Yes, the constant shift in perspectives of three various timelines feels disruptive, but --- to me, this was not a psychological thriller, but a suspenseful investigation, rather an unraveling - a deep dive into the tormented and tragic dark psyche of buried secrets and twisted truths of a dysfunctional family, built up by a slow pacing that allowed the suspense to settle in. 👍🏻 One where as the povs are shed light upon, the characters are introduced with their messy, ever-changing, often brutal love of an unease of something amiss which seeps into you and pushes you to continue.
“There has always been a strange pattern to things, invisible threads making invisible connections, leading her from one bizarre episode to the next.”
And fifty-five-year-old Jane, aspiring amateur sleuth with too much time on her hands, or simply bored, or simply this affinity to Vale of Heath, Thornwood, a foreboding reminder of a horrible night with a determined sense of something misaligned, something horribly, brutally broken that ties the events of the present to that horrible night of her past. The cover captures that ominous chill of what is behind that door. There is less of a tension or shock value, as I innately knew what was to come, but it is the anticipation of seeing how it comes together that kept the intrigue alive. 🥺
It feels so deeply human and the writing captures her growth of what she wants from life, and what she realizes in the end by acting as that a nosy old bag who barely worked a day in her life aided by her wingman, her stepson, Dexter, who brought a certain levity to the narrative, in a believable light. How she's stoutly convinced that by resolving the ghosts of her past, she can also let go of herself.
“If there's one thing my years in this tainted house has taught me, it's the beauty of everything, of every single thing. Having your wings clipped makes you see the world differently, shows you the extraordinariness of normal lives.”
Because, I got it. I got what LJ was trying to show with her two main leads - how at first, one perspective came off as disturbing if not creepy - deceptively ambiguous and morally vague, especially when it's a matter of survival when you walk unknowingly into something you can't escape But then you hone in on the themes and see how the writing captures their catharsis. ✍🏻
The gradual dawning of how wrong they are in their perception of life that it is only by the tragedies and shock they witness do they realize what is true and right - don't chase after what you can't have. Their own path to healing and maybe forgiveness for the next chapters in their lives. It is painful to know that they both had to learn it the hard way, but I felt it.
Did I want a more conclusive explanation into why characters were the way they were? Maybe. But does evil need a reason to be evil? When one is so desensitized to right and wrong, what place does morality or sanity hold in their eyes, when they convince themselves to be correct in their actions and judgment? That sin exists in the darkest, quietest, corners, while acting as if nothing is amiss, simply to deny the truth. 😞
“But I didn't laugh. I felt shaken, unsure, and terribly sad.”
I could not have described my emotions better. At the end, I was not shattered, but depleted with a grave sense of loss and loneliness. LJ never fails to make me cry, make me pity one who may have had their claws, sorry flaws but still tried and failed and how she portrays it. You may not forgive them, you may still judge them. It is a subdued, heartbreaking ending. The first time I read it, I teared up... 😞
Because, ah, you've just read this horrifying ordeal of a turmoil and then just when you think the emotions have evened out, balanced in a field of dust settling down, her hard hitting words punch you right in the heart - and it's a deep hurt. The trauma, the grief, the horror. The sigh I let out - out of pity, relief, sadness, or just a sense of helplessness for the one who could not get away - that silence is a prison that does not come without a price. 💔💔
I read the epilogue again, and I still wanted to cry. 😔
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“The secrets of that strange house have been thrown like pages of a book into the sun and fallen all around as dark ashes of human depravity.”
✧ Why it warrants a 3.5 ✧
A few too many characters starting with the letter J; I understand the reasoning, but one character's name is a mouthful, so it does get difficult.
Keep a notebook handy to keep track of the shifting POVs, and even create a timeline, much like Jane herself had to do to paint a clearer picture of the clues unfolding. 💫
The predictable if not formulaic themes explored that felt both familiar and generic to her previous works.
Certain events that offered nothing really meaningful to the plot, with allusions to relationships that did not seem entirely fruitful.
I thought I was safe from the meta dynamic, which was limited to texts only, but she couldn't help herself till the very end, for which, okay, fine, I'll cut her some slack.
Some editing errors towards the end; please forgive me, I know it's an ARC, but my mind can't turn it off! 😣
Janes pauses for a moment
This where it all started... Just there. A small white dog and then...
Yes, this was where it all started. Just there. A small white dog, and then... a chance meeting, a moment of fate...
There are no words to explain the can of worms that opened the unraveling of a memory twenty five years buried away like a fragment of a moment that maybe only existed in her subconscious, but inadvertently ties herself to the missing disappearance of said owner of this innocent lost dog. In retracing her steps, it all leads to Jane uncovering its buried truths, with that sinking dread of what horror that last house in the world holds with the bitter truth that It Could Have Been Her. 😢
✧ Why it earns a 3.75 ✧
I gobbled it in less than two hours.
Yes, the constant shift in perspectives of three various timelines feels disruptive, but --- to me, this was not a psychological thriller, but a suspenseful investigation, rather an unraveling - a deep dive into the tormented and tragic dark psyche of buried secrets and twisted truths of a dysfunctional family, built up by a slow pacing that allowed the suspense to settle in. 👍🏻 One where as the povs are shed light upon, the characters are introduced with their messy, ever-changing, often brutal love of an unease of something amiss which seeps into you and pushes you to continue.
“There has always been a strange pattern to things, invisible threads making invisible connections, leading her from one bizarre episode to the next.”
And fifty-five-year-old Jane, aspiring amateur sleuth with too much time on her hands, or simply bored, or simply this affinity to Vale of Heath, Thornwood, a foreboding reminder of a horrible night with a determined sense of something misaligned, something horribly, brutally broken that ties the events of the present to that horrible night of her past. The cover captures that ominous chill of what is behind that door. There is less of a tension or shock value, as I innately knew what was to come, but it is the anticipation of seeing how it comes together that kept the intrigue alive. 🥺
It feels so deeply human and the writing captures her growth of what she wants from life, and what she realizes in the end by acting as that a nosy old bag who barely worked a day in her life aided by her wingman, her stepson, Dexter, who brought a certain levity to the narrative, in a believable light. How she's stoutly convinced that by resolving the ghosts of her past, she can also let go of herself.
“If there's one thing my years in this tainted house has taught me, it's the beauty of everything, of every single thing. Having your wings clipped makes you see the world differently, shows you the extraordinariness of normal lives.”
Because, I got it. I got what LJ was trying to show with her two main leads - how at first, one perspective came off as disturbing if not creepy - deceptively ambiguous and morally vague, especially when it's a matter of survival when you walk unknowingly into something you can't escape But then you hone in on the themes and see how the writing captures their catharsis. ✍🏻
The gradual dawning of how wrong they are in their perception of life that it is only by the tragedies and shock they witness do they realize what is true and right - don't chase after what you can't have. Their own path to healing and maybe forgiveness for the next chapters in their lives. It is painful to know that they both had to learn it the hard way, but I felt it.
Did I want a more conclusive explanation into why characters were the way they were? Maybe. But does evil need a reason to be evil? When one is so desensitized to right and wrong, what place does morality or sanity hold in their eyes, when they convince themselves to be correct in their actions and judgment? That sin exists in the darkest, quietest, corners, while acting as if nothing is amiss, simply to deny the truth. 😞
“But I didn't laugh. I felt shaken, unsure, and terribly sad.”
I could not have described my emotions better. At the end, I was not shattered, but depleted with a grave sense of loss and loneliness. LJ never fails to make me cry, make me pity one who may have had their claws, sorry flaws but still tried and failed and how she portrays it. You may not forgive them, you may still judge them. It is a subdued, heartbreaking ending. The first time I read it, I teared up... 😞
Because, ah, you've just read this horrifying ordeal of a turmoil and then just when you think the emotions have evened out, balanced in a field of dust settling down, her hard hitting words punch you right in the heart - and it's a deep hurt. The trauma, the grief, the horror. The sigh I let out - out of pity, relief, sadness, or just a sense of helplessness for the one who could not get away - that silence is a prison that does not come without a price. 💔💔
I read the epilogue again, and I still wanted to cry. 😔
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2026
If you were disappointed with Jewell’s last book (it was a bit of a departure), this is a fantastic return to form from one of my favorite authors in the thriller game. The different threads of mystery are set up so well that i couldn’t wait to figure out how everything connected in the end, in standard Jewell fashion we have several characters alternating chapters and while there is a mystery to solve, it’s really a dark family drama at its core filled with morally grey characters (and clowns! the fucking clowns!)
One of her best!
One of her best!
December 16, 2025
Lisa Jewell’s It Could Have Been Her shook me to my core. This is, without a doubt, her most disturbing… and possibly her wildest novel yet. The final five or six chapters are incredibly powerful and revelatory, and I genuinely applaud her for telling such a bloody remarkable story.
Lisa Jewell continues to amaze me every single time I finish one of her books, but even I don’t know how she managed to keep all of these characters and timelines so perfectly aligned. I had to take notes, just like our main character, Jane!! 😆💀
Jane has been haunted for twenty-five years by a terrifying encounter in a house she once fled from, an experience that has shaped her entire life. When a white dog suddenly appears in her backyard, she tracks down the owner to return it; only to realize she’s standing in front of the very house from her nightmares.
What follows is a gripping rabbit hole of a journey involving Jane and her stepson as they attempt to uncover the truth: What became of the young girl who lived in that house with the dog and has since vanished? What is really going on in that house? And most chilling of all; what might have happened to Jane herself all those years ago if she hadn’t run away?
It Could Have Been Her is a haunting, unsettling story that will linger with you long after you turn the final page. Fans of Lisa’s darker thrillers like Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs are going to eat this up like candy.
Lisa Jewell continues to amaze me every single time I finish one of her books, but even I don’t know how she managed to keep all of these characters and timelines so perfectly aligned. I had to take notes, just like our main character, Jane!! 😆💀
Jane has been haunted for twenty-five years by a terrifying encounter in a house she once fled from, an experience that has shaped her entire life. When a white dog suddenly appears in her backyard, she tracks down the owner to return it; only to realize she’s standing in front of the very house from her nightmares.
What follows is a gripping rabbit hole of a journey involving Jane and her stepson as they attempt to uncover the truth: What became of the young girl who lived in that house with the dog and has since vanished? What is really going on in that house? And most chilling of all; what might have happened to Jane herself all those years ago if she hadn’t run away?
It Could Have Been Her is a haunting, unsettling story that will linger with you long after you turn the final page. Fans of Lisa’s darker thrillers like Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs are going to eat this up like candy.
Want to read
December 13, 2025Will be patiently waiting on the audio to become available. Although now that I read the blurb I'm a little worried about the lost dog...please tell me the the dog is safe.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A woman on a walk in a small town - goes missing when her dog is found roaming and her cabin full of her things but no her. Where did she go?
I was so excited to start this one because I was excited for the repeat character. Jane from Don't Let Him In is our main character. Don't worry, you don't have to have read the other one to read this one (but it was SO GOOD! You should!) She really liked helping with the search and is curious if she'd make a good PI. So when this mystery happens right in her little town - she's all in!
And what a great mystery this was. It kept me guessing as we got the POV of Stuart to give us the inside knowledge of the other side of the story. It kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I started to put things together but it took me the whole book to fully realize what all was going on. Another fun read from Lisa Jewell! She never disappoints! I loved it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I was so excited to start this one because I was excited for the repeat character. Jane from Don't Let Him In is our main character. Don't worry, you don't have to have read the other one to read this one (but it was SO GOOD! You should!) She really liked helping with the search and is curious if she'd make a good PI. So when this mystery happens right in her little town - she's all in!
And what a great mystery this was. It kept me guessing as we got the POV of Stuart to give us the inside knowledge of the other side of the story. It kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I started to put things together but it took me the whole book to fully realize what all was going on. Another fun read from Lisa Jewell! She never disappoints! I loved it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
December 30, 2025
So so happy I managed to snag an early copy of this, I knew this would be a HIT from just the first few lines.
It’s DARK for Lisa Jewell and honestly quite disturbing at times but man was I hooked. The first 20% is quite confusing and I definitely advise readers to make a few notes on characters names (specifically the family) just to refer back to in the beginning as this made the storylines so much easier to follow. At the 40% mark I found myself flying through the pages desperate for answers and you can literally FEEL the timelines coming together slowly.
The only accurate word I can use to describe how this book made me feel is: PARANOID. I don’t know why it left me feeling so unsettled and anxious! There’s really no BIG twists in this one but the clever little reveals are so worth it and combined, they make up a phenomenal story. It’s probably one of my favourite books of hers and I can definitely see it adapted as a TV series one day.
There are however, a few things that seemed random and I did have to suspend my disbelief at times through implausible moments. Fans that read Then She Was Gone all those years ago will absolutely appreciate this… think of this being that novel’s mature and more intense older sister. It took me less than a day to read and I LOVED it. I can’t rate it anything less than 5 stars because it totally consumed my day and didn’t leave my mind once the entire time. Add it to your 2026 lists NOW!
It’s DARK for Lisa Jewell and honestly quite disturbing at times but man was I hooked. The first 20% is quite confusing and I definitely advise readers to make a few notes on characters names (specifically the family) just to refer back to in the beginning as this made the storylines so much easier to follow. At the 40% mark I found myself flying through the pages desperate for answers and you can literally FEEL the timelines coming together slowly.
The only accurate word I can use to describe how this book made me feel is: PARANOID. I don’t know why it left me feeling so unsettled and anxious! There’s really no BIG twists in this one but the clever little reveals are so worth it and combined, they make up a phenomenal story. It’s probably one of my favourite books of hers and I can definitely see it adapted as a TV series one day.
There are however, a few things that seemed random and I did have to suspend my disbelief at times through implausible moments. Fans that read Then She Was Gone all those years ago will absolutely appreciate this… think of this being that novel’s mature and more intense older sister. It took me less than a day to read and I LOVED it. I can’t rate it anything less than 5 stars because it totally consumed my day and didn’t leave my mind once the entire time. Add it to your 2026 lists NOW!
Want to read
December 10, 2025kisses to atria for approving my netgalley request 💋
January 3, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this one, it’s very dark. It was a slow burn in the beginning and took me a while to get into and get a handled on the cast of characters… but they all start to make more sense about 1/3
Of the way into the book, I was then hooked and finished it in one sitting.
Jane Trevally (we are introduced to her in Lisa’s previous book) Don’t Let him in. Jane is in her 50’s she’s twice divorced, she has 5 grown steps kids from her previous marriage and is at a stage in life where she’s figuring out what’s next… she takes her dogs for a walk and they come across a lost little white dog.
Jane has no luck locating the dogs owner, after feeding him she arrives at her local vet. They scan his chip which reveals his owner is in Hempstead. Janes step son Dexter lives in Hempstead, together they will take the little dog back to his house.
Jane and Dexter head to the address in Hampstead, as they draw closer to the house Jane is haunted by her nightmares she remembers coming to this house before 25 years ago… no one knows what happened to her that night.
This book is very DARK. Creepy house, hidden secrets, abusive dis functional characters, missing child, full of tension as the multi timelines come together the pieces of the puzzle come together very nicely.
I was with Jane and Dexter as they peel back the layers of this mystery. I really enjoyed their dynamic and hope to see them again in future books.
Very grateful to my friends at Penguin Books Australia for my early ARC of this amazing book. Solid 4.5 stars
Of the way into the book, I was then hooked and finished it in one sitting.
Jane Trevally (we are introduced to her in Lisa’s previous book) Don’t Let him in. Jane is in her 50’s she’s twice divorced, she has 5 grown steps kids from her previous marriage and is at a stage in life where she’s figuring out what’s next… she takes her dogs for a walk and they come across a lost little white dog.
Jane has no luck locating the dogs owner, after feeding him she arrives at her local vet. They scan his chip which reveals his owner is in Hempstead. Janes step son Dexter lives in Hempstead, together they will take the little dog back to his house.
Jane and Dexter head to the address in Hampstead, as they draw closer to the house Jane is haunted by her nightmares she remembers coming to this house before 25 years ago… no one knows what happened to her that night.
This book is very DARK. Creepy house, hidden secrets, abusive dis functional characters, missing child, full of tension as the multi timelines come together the pieces of the puzzle come together very nicely.
I was with Jane and Dexter as they peel back the layers of this mystery. I really enjoyed their dynamic and hope to see them again in future books.
Very grateful to my friends at Penguin Books Australia for my early ARC of this amazing book. Solid 4.5 stars
December 12, 2025
Wow! I am a huge Lisa Jewell fan who’s read 350 books this year and this just made it to my top 10. This book is very true to Lisa Jewell’s style. We have some dark deeply dysfunctional individuals here. Such a traumatic story told in 3 timelines of a family who live in a house of horrors.
I’ve read 14 of her books now and you will
find elements of her other stories in this one. Dysfunctional families, abduction, abuse, addiction- these characters on the fringe of society that you can’t even imagine.
The storytelling in this book was phenomenal how she weaved 3 timelines together for a truly explosive ending! I think I need therapy now!
I’ve read 14 of her books now and you will
find elements of her other stories in this one. Dysfunctional families, abduction, abuse, addiction- these characters on the fringe of society that you can’t even imagine.
The storytelling in this book was phenomenal how she weaved 3 timelines together for a truly explosive ending! I think I need therapy now!
December 15, 2025
Such a dark and delicious mystery! This is probably the 8th Lisa Jewell I have read and for sure my favorite. She has written many genres but in this mystery she excelled. Jane, the FMC, is 55 years old and playing at being a private investigator, trying to uncover the truth about the happenings surrounding an ominous and creepy house from a chance event.
I don't want to spoil anything, but if there is any chance this could become a series with Jane ( my new bff) and Dexter, I would be in for sure.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher the opportunity to read and review this novel.
I don't want to spoil anything, but if there is any chance this could become a series with Jane ( my new bff) and Dexter, I would be in for sure.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher the opportunity to read and review this novel.
January 4, 2026
This one had all the makings of a truly great thriller—strong writing, character development, and pacing, but felt a bit long. Though I still devoured this book, there is quite a bit of fluffy descriptors throughout that detracted from the otherwise enticing storyline. Because of this, I also found it very predictable. The plot almost felt over-explained at times, so by the time I reached the end, I found myself hoping for some major unpredictable twist that never happened.
If you prefer character-focused thrillers that leave no questions unanswered, you’ll probably love this one! But if (like me) you prefer a thriller that contains twists you never saw coming, it may be a slight disappointment, though still very well written.
“It Could Have Been Her” primarily follows Jane—a 55-year-old who finds her world flipped upside down when she discovers a lost dog and returns the dog to a house with a very dark history, including involving one of Jane’s worst memories from 20+ years prior. Finding herself intrigued by the house, its strange residents, and the fact that a teenager who lives at said house has suddenly vanished, Jane decides to dive deeper.
Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Atria Books, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
If you prefer character-focused thrillers that leave no questions unanswered, you’ll probably love this one! But if (like me) you prefer a thriller that contains twists you never saw coming, it may be a slight disappointment, though still very well written.
“It Could Have Been Her” primarily follows Jane—a 55-year-old who finds her world flipped upside down when she discovers a lost dog and returns the dog to a house with a very dark history, including involving one of Jane’s worst memories from 20+ years prior. Finding herself intrigued by the house, its strange residents, and the fact that a teenager who lives at said house has suddenly vanished, Jane decides to dive deeper.
Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Atria Books, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
December 28, 2025
3 stars
Overall, this book was just okay. The constant narrator switches sometimes made it hard to keep track of the characters. It was very slow-paced and lacked tension, and it ultimately felt like a reworked version of Then She Was Gone by the same author. It picks up a bit at the 50% mark, but a lot could have been cut for this to be shorter. Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy!
Overall, this book was just okay. The constant narrator switches sometimes made it hard to keep track of the characters. It was very slow-paced and lacked tension, and it ultimately felt like a reworked version of Then She Was Gone by the same author. It picks up a bit at the 50% mark, but a lot could have been cut for this to be shorter. Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy!
December 21, 2025
Lisa Jewell does it again!!! I went into this expecting a good thriller…and what I got was dark, sinister, and completely unputdownable.
The story centers on Jane, who stumbles back into a past she thought she’d escaped after something as simple as returning a lost dog. From there, everything spirals. A missing girl. A strange, secretive family. A house that feels off. The deeper Jane digs, the more disturbing the truth becomes
This is a true page turner!! An addictive thriller that proves once again why Lisa Jewell is an auto read for me.
The story centers on Jane, who stumbles back into a past she thought she’d escaped after something as simple as returning a lost dog. From there, everything spirals. A missing girl. A strange, secretive family. A house that feels off. The deeper Jane digs, the more disturbing the truth becomes
This is a true page turner!! An addictive thriller that proves once again why Lisa Jewell is an auto read for me.
Want to read
October 29, 2025Another Book, I just got an E-Mail for about Lisa Jewell’s latest book. I love her Books. It Releases: June 2026. Fortunately, it has not been listed on NetGalley yet. I Must Finish 5 Books, before taking anymore.
Often, notice Lisa Jewell’s Books will go on Read Now for a Short Time or Limit to First 1,000. If this happens, will Post on Read Now, so everyone else can get, too.
Seems like a Spooky Book 😈😱😳
Often, notice Lisa Jewell’s Books will go on Read Now for a Short Time or Limit to First 1,000. If this happens, will Post on Read Now, so everyone else can get, too.
Seems like a Spooky Book 😈😱😳
Read
December 23, 2025Pub date: 23 June 2026
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another strong entry from Lisa Jewell. I’ll say this upfront: although it’s classified as a mystery/thriller, I think, like several of Jewell’s recent novels, it’s more accurately described as a dark drama. There isn’t much of a mystery (and what there is feels fairly obvious), nor are there many traditional “thrills.” Instead, the novel leans into bleak subject matter, messy family dynamics, and murder. That said, this shift in genre expectations doesn’t make it a weaker book.
The characters are compelling, the use of multiple points of view works well, and the pacing is excellent, helped along by short, tightly structured chapters.
The novel follows a character introduced in Jewell’s previous book, but you absolutely don’t need to have read that one to enjoy this story. I usually dislike revisiting characters across novels, but Jane is an exception. I found her engaging here and wouldn’t mind seeing her again in another book.
One final note, because it matters to me and might matter to you too: the dog is okay.
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another strong entry from Lisa Jewell. I’ll say this upfront: although it’s classified as a mystery/thriller, I think, like several of Jewell’s recent novels, it’s more accurately described as a dark drama. There isn’t much of a mystery (and what there is feels fairly obvious), nor are there many traditional “thrills.” Instead, the novel leans into bleak subject matter, messy family dynamics, and murder. That said, this shift in genre expectations doesn’t make it a weaker book.
The characters are compelling, the use of multiple points of view works well, and the pacing is excellent, helped along by short, tightly structured chapters.
The novel follows a character introduced in Jewell’s previous book, but you absolutely don’t need to have read that one to enjoy this story. I usually dislike revisiting characters across novels, but Jane is an exception. I found her engaging here and wouldn’t mind seeing her again in another book.
One final note, because it matters to me and might matter to you too: the dog is okay.
December 22, 2025
Jane Trevally, a side character from Don't Let Him In, returns as a main character in this dark and twisty thriller. This may be Lisa Jewell's darkest work yet and I loved it! I was completely hooked from the very first chapter. True to the author's signature style, the plot is carefully crafted and pieces together the narrative as it unfolds between multiple POVs and timelines. This is an absolute must for thriller lovers, especially those who have enjoyed other works by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 31, 2025
This was a good book. It took me a while to sort out all of the different characters, but once I did I was hooked. I liked the multiple timelines leading to where they came together. This book was crazy! I really liked Jane’s character.
January 1, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published June 23, 2026.
This is the 8th book I’ve read by this very popular author and sadly it was my least favorite. I have found her books to be inconsistent, rating them anywhere from this 1 star review up to 4 stars.
I found this particular book to be confusing and boring. Lots of characters. Past and present. Creepy “au pairs” hired as sex workers. Patch the Clown. The only plot line I enjoyed was Jane and her stepson Dexter investigating the owner of the lost dog.
This is the 8th book I’ve read by this very popular author and sadly it was my least favorite. I have found her books to be inconsistent, rating them anywhere from this 1 star review up to 4 stars.
I found this particular book to be confusing and boring. Lots of characters. Past and present. Creepy “au pairs” hired as sex workers. Patch the Clown. The only plot line I enjoyed was Jane and her stepson Dexter investigating the owner of the lost dog.
December 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, author Lisa Jewell, and Atria Books for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.
As a longtime fan of Lisa Jewell, I went into this novel with high expectations. While the writing was solid, I ultimately found the story to be slower paced than anticipated. The plot felt drawn out at times and was occasionally confusing, which made it difficult to fully engage with the suspense.
Unfortunately, the novel did not deliver the level of tension or thrills I was hoping for, and the pacing remained slow throughout. I also struggled to connect with the characters, who felt largely unlikeable and, at times, unrealistic. Overall, this was a disappointing read compared to the author’s previous works.
Publishes June 2026
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a longtime fan of Lisa Jewell, I went into this novel with high expectations. While the writing was solid, I ultimately found the story to be slower paced than anticipated. The plot felt drawn out at times and was occasionally confusing, which made it difficult to fully engage with the suspense.
Unfortunately, the novel did not deliver the level of tension or thrills I was hoping for, and the pacing remained slow throughout. I also struggled to connect with the characters, who felt largely unlikeable and, at times, unrealistic. Overall, this was a disappointing read compared to the author’s previous works.
Publishes June 2026
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 6, 2026
Ok y’all. This is probably the BEST thriller/mystery I’ve read since Local Woman Missing, or The Housemaid. I mean seriously. It was THAT GOOD!! I was reading it last night and (I had about 25% left) I was gonna read just one chapter and I stayed up until midnight finishing the WHOLE thing because I COULD NOT STOP!! (Even though I knew I had to be up at 4am the next morning, nothing was stopping me finishing this book!!) That ending!! 🤯🤯🤯 Afterwards I just laid awake and stared at the ceiling for a good 30 min because my mind was just going in circles.
The story follows Jane, an amateur sleuth, who begins investigating the disappearance of a girl from a local Airbnb after finding a stray dog. The story jumps back and forth between different points of view and timelines. You will most likely be confused the first 20-30% I nearly cracked out some paper and started sketching a family tree/timeline but then in the book Jane decides she must do just that and it all starts to come together.
The story is creepy and perplexing, leaving you feeling equal parts uneasy and curious. It’s a great puzzling mystery where you’re helping sort it all out, but it’s combined with spine tingling, sleep stealing, blood pumping thrills, and multiple shocking twists that you thought you saw coming but boy were you wrong!!
I am STILL pondering what went down. I am amazed, floored, flabbergasted, and flummoxed. If you enjoy books like these add this to your TBR and read it AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT!!!
For fans of Frieda McFadden, Mary Kubica, Stacy Willingham, Megan Lally, Gillian McAllister, and I totally got Midsomer Murder vibes too if you’re a fan of that show.
The story follows Jane, an amateur sleuth, who begins investigating the disappearance of a girl from a local Airbnb after finding a stray dog. The story jumps back and forth between different points of view and timelines. You will most likely be confused the first 20-30% I nearly cracked out some paper and started sketching a family tree/timeline but then in the book Jane decides she must do just that and it all starts to come together.
The story is creepy and perplexing, leaving you feeling equal parts uneasy and curious. It’s a great puzzling mystery where you’re helping sort it all out, but it’s combined with spine tingling, sleep stealing, blood pumping thrills, and multiple shocking twists that you thought you saw coming but boy were you wrong!!
I am STILL pondering what went down. I am amazed, floored, flabbergasted, and flummoxed. If you enjoy books like these add this to your TBR and read it AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT!!!
For fans of Frieda McFadden, Mary Kubica, Stacy Willingham, Megan Lally, Gillian McAllister, and I totally got Midsomer Murder vibes too if you’re a fan of that show.
December 18, 2025
If there’s one thing you can expect from a Lisa Jewell book, it is that it’s going to be dark and dark is my favorite shade 😉 - even my phone is on dark mode!
It Could Have Been Her is Lisa Jewell’s upcoming novel and I was so excited to have received an advanced copy. I wasted no time and read it immediately! From the first page to the last, I was hooked! The book is slow-paced but you know what they say; slow and steady win the race, and Lisa won with this novel! Lisa’s storytelling skills are chef’s kiss perfection and I always find myself saying “how does she come up with this stuff!?” when I’m reading her books.
Without saying too much and spoiling it, themes you can find in ‘It Could Have Been Her’ include dysfunctional family (we love those!), trauma, abuse, addiction and kidnapping. Oh, and some clown stuff 🤷🏻♀️
Seriously, add this to your Goodreads shelf, pre-order it, set a reminder in your calendar - June 23rd, 2026.
It Could Have Been Her is Lisa Jewell’s upcoming novel and I was so excited to have received an advanced copy. I wasted no time and read it immediately! From the first page to the last, I was hooked! The book is slow-paced but you know what they say; slow and steady win the race, and Lisa won with this novel! Lisa’s storytelling skills are chef’s kiss perfection and I always find myself saying “how does she come up with this stuff!?” when I’m reading her books.
Without saying too much and spoiling it, themes you can find in ‘It Could Have Been Her’ include dysfunctional family (we love those!), trauma, abuse, addiction and kidnapping. Oh, and some clown stuff 🤷🏻♀️
Seriously, add this to your Goodreads shelf, pre-order it, set a reminder in your calendar - June 23rd, 2026.
December 29, 2025
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted Arc
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Jane finds and returns a lost dog she stumbles onto a mysterious house and a missing girl. She feels compelled to look further into the mystery, especially since she had her own traumatic history in the same house.
This is quite the twisted tale. In true Lisa
Jewell fashion, the story is told in pieces that all end up coming together, but it takes time. You don’t appreciate how truly dark the story is until you have the full picture. Lisa Jewell is really a literary genius and one of my favorite thriller authors. Every book she releases is better and better.
“This is it, this is the one life, the beautiful gift, this is everything, I’m here, I’m in it; that moment has gone bad. Really bad.”
Read this if you like:
-Suspenseful reads
-Dark family secrets
-Amateur investigators
-Generational trauma stories
It Could Have Been Her comes out 6/23.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Jane finds and returns a lost dog she stumbles onto a mysterious house and a missing girl. She feels compelled to look further into the mystery, especially since she had her own traumatic history in the same house.
This is quite the twisted tale. In true Lisa
Jewell fashion, the story is told in pieces that all end up coming together, but it takes time. You don’t appreciate how truly dark the story is until you have the full picture. Lisa Jewell is really a literary genius and one of my favorite thriller authors. Every book she releases is better and better.
“This is it, this is the one life, the beautiful gift, this is everything, I’m here, I’m in it; that moment has gone bad. Really bad.”
Read this if you like:
-Suspenseful reads
-Dark family secrets
-Amateur investigators
-Generational trauma stories
It Could Have Been Her comes out 6/23.
Want to read
December 11, 2025ARC received!! Thank you so much, Atria!!
January 12, 2026
Lisa Jewell has an imaginative mind. And that mind has helped her craft many hits — her 2023 “None of this is True” still lives rent free in *my* mind. She’s back in 2026 with another thriller, but is it a hit?
In “It Could Have Been Her,” Jewell has decided to follow a character from her recent “Don’t Let Him In”but no worries, Jane feels brand new here — and besides a very brief mention of her time in that novel — you wouldn’t even know this is a follow up (good and bad.) Jane has always felt like she was more than a divorcee and a step mom to a handful of kids (and her furry kids.) she doesn’t feel fulfilled. But despite being well off with all the free time in the world, she believes she would make a great detective. Well, luck be a lady — or in this case, a dog — as Jane spots a small dog one day all on its own, throwing her right into what she dreamed of … but is it more than she can chew? Or more importantly for you, the reader, worth *your* time?
Im conflicted — this is tried and true Lisa Jewell. It’s a psychological thriller, leading you down a web of mystery from one story beat to another, present to past to present again. It’s that last part where I found my most issue though — Jane, in present day, has that typical role, going from one loose end to the next. But in the past, which Jewell will jump to willy nilly, is a well we return to far too often. It’s an interesting place but it felt like a crutch at times. Unfortunately, Jane’s story suffers for it, getting the more “boring” parts because of it. Instead of Jane finding these tidbits, Jewell just gives them to you.
However, I do think this is one that fans of Jewell will like — it’s a return to her previous books, like “The Family Upstairs” — which may help overlook some of the faultier elements here. Always thankful to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC.
In “It Could Have Been Her,” Jewell has decided to follow a character from her recent “Don’t Let Him In”but no worries, Jane feels brand new here — and besides a very brief mention of her time in that novel — you wouldn’t even know this is a follow up (good and bad.) Jane has always felt like she was more than a divorcee and a step mom to a handful of kids (and her furry kids.) she doesn’t feel fulfilled. But despite being well off with all the free time in the world, she believes she would make a great detective. Well, luck be a lady — or in this case, a dog — as Jane spots a small dog one day all on its own, throwing her right into what she dreamed of … but is it more than she can chew? Or more importantly for you, the reader, worth *your* time?
Im conflicted — this is tried and true Lisa Jewell. It’s a psychological thriller, leading you down a web of mystery from one story beat to another, present to past to present again. It’s that last part where I found my most issue though — Jane, in present day, has that typical role, going from one loose end to the next. But in the past, which Jewell will jump to willy nilly, is a well we return to far too often. It’s an interesting place but it felt like a crutch at times. Unfortunately, Jane’s story suffers for it, getting the more “boring” parts because of it. Instead of Jane finding these tidbits, Jewell just gives them to you.
However, I do think this is one that fans of Jewell will like — it’s a return to her previous books, like “The Family Upstairs” — which may help overlook some of the faultier elements here. Always thankful to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC.
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