It Could Have Been Her (by Lisa Jewell)

fictionallsuspense
Written By Natalie

Lisa Jewell has such a long backlist of titles, which means I have a lot of great books by her still ahead of me. I fell in love with her storytelling through her suspenseful thrillers, though I’ve also enjoyed her earlier family drama novels. Because there are so many of her books I want to read—and it will take forever to get through them all—I’ve decided to prioritize her latest releases as they come out. I was especially excited for It Could Have Been Her because it ties into her previous novel, Don’t Let Him In, by taking a secondary character, Jane Trevally, and giving her the primary role.

While walking her dogs on her country estate, Jane finds a lost terrier with no sign of the teenage girl he’d been staying with. When the girl is reported missing, Jane offers to return the dog to its owner at Thornwood, a rundown house in Hampstead—a house whose history turns out to be deeply, unsettlingly personal to Jane herself. The novel unfolds across dual timelines and builds toward a multi-layered ending, weaving in themes of kidnapping, murder, abuse, and addiction. It opens in 2005 and moves through alternating timelines up to May 2026.

Jane Trevally is such a likable, grounded character, and putting her at the center of this story was an excellent choice. Jewell handles the dual timelines with real skill, steadily building a sense of dread that never lets up. While I was able to figure out certain aspects of the mysteries, the specific details she layered in still managed to surprise me and keep the outcome unpredictable. There are many suspenseful, chilling moments throughout. One character in particular left me unsettled from the beginning—I kept questioning his motives and sincerity even as his role evolved across the story. That lingering uncertainty is part of what makes the book so effective; some questions stay with you after the final sentence.

It’s clear Lisa is a dog person, and that love is woven throughout the novel. Hugo, the terrier at the heart of the story, plays a surprisingly prominent role, and Jane’s own dogs and connection to dog rescue feel natural and warmly observed.

I borrowed the audiobook through Libby. The large cast of narrators was impressive and created a phenomenal listening experience: James Norton, Lesley Sharp, Joanna David, Emilia Fox, Freddie Fox, Tim McInnerny, Harriet Fisher, Ella Rae Smith, and Elsa Lepecki Bean.

It Could Have Been Her is another strong, darkly addictive entry in Lisa Jewell’s body of work. I found it atmospheric and unsettling in all the best ways, and the full-cast audiobook only deepened that experience for me. I’m looking forward to working my way through more of her backlist while I wait for whatever she writes next.

You're welcome to check out my reviews of other novels by Lisa Jewell, linked below.

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Learning as I grow. This section of the garden—zinnias, dwarf sunflowers, and Van Glow sunflowers—took off in a big way this summer. I'll probably grow these a bit differently next year, but there's something satisfying about a bed that surprises you, even when it doesn't go quite as planned. Much like Jane Trevally's story in It Could Have Been Her, sometimes the most unexpected turns lead somewhere worth seeing.

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Natalie
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