It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

It’s gotten to the point that I no longer even bother reading the blurb for a new Lisa Jewell book. Since being introduced to her books by my mum years ago, she has never let me down. Jewell’s latest thriller, It Could Have Been Her, proves once again why she remains one of the most reliable names in suspense fiction.

It Could Have Been Her opens in 2005 and shifts effortlessly through alternating timelines up to May 2026. This is classic Lisa Jewell, something she always does brilliantly, using the back and forth structure to build tension and curiosity. The pacing feels perfect, with each chapter revealing just enough to deepen the mystery without giving too much away.

The story here revolves around a missing dog, a missing woman, and a house filled with dark secrets. Jane Trevally, a familiar face from an earlier Jewell novel, is out walking her dogs on her country estate when a small white dog appears alone. The teenage girl who had been staying nearby with the dog has vanished. Concerned, Jane takes the dog to a local vet and traces its owner to London, only to realize on arrival that the house is tied to a dark moment in her past.

From that moment onward, the tension builds. Jane becomes convinced that the missing teenager and the lost dog are connected, and what follows is a slow unraveling of secrets that stretch back decades.

One of the things Lisa Jewell excels at is setting the scene. Every small detail places the reader directly inside the moment, which really brings the story to life. About a third of the way through, as always with a Jewell novel, you start to wonder how this complicated web is going to untangle itself. Somehow, it always does, and always in ways you never see coming.

It Could Have Been Her is Jewell at her absolute best. The only downside with her books is how impossible they are to put down. I made the mistake of starting this one at 9:30pm on a work night, intending to read just a chapter or two. Hours later I was still turning the pages.

With over twenty novels to her name and more than fifteen million copies sold worldwide, Lisa Jewell has more than earned her reputation as a thriller master. It Could Have Been Her, on sale June 23rd, fits perfectly alongside her most popular titles. You don’t want to miss this.

About the Author

Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels, including Don’t Let Him In, None of This Is True, The Family Upstairs, and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Her novels have sold more than fifteen million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into over thirty languages.

It Could Have Been Her is on sale June 23rd and is available to pre-order now. Check Bookshop.org to support an independent bookstore near you.