Lisa Jewell’s fiction makes familiar relationships feel dangerous: the family home, an unexpected friendship or a new partner can conceal the mystery. Her festival conversations appeal to readers who finish a thriller wanting to know how the author kept them so close to its people. She came to specialist crime and wider literary audiences during the year.
Quick facts
Best known for
Psychological suspense including Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs
Jewell’s career began in relationship-centred fiction and moved into the psychological suspense for which many readers now know her. Her people and their connections remain at the heart of the darker stories. A disappearance matters because of who is left behind; a secret becomes frightening because of the life built around it. That is a strong point of connection for readers who care as much about a character as the final revelation.
Penguin describes most of her novels as stand-alone books, although some characters and stories return. That makes the fiction approachable for a reader discovering her through one conversation. You can choose the premise that draws you in, then follow a linked book when you want to stay with those people for longer.
Her latest novel was published by Century on 2 July 2026. It is a sequel to Don’t Let Him In, bringing back Jane Trevally. If you are reading the connected books, begin with the earlier story and give yourself the pleasure of discovering its developments before hearing a discussion of the next one.
Where to start with their books
Then She Was Gone
Ten years after her daughter Ellie disappeared, Laurel meets a man whose young daughter looks startlingly familiar. This is a starting point for readers drawn to the emotional aftermath of a disappearance as well as the mystery of what happened.
The Family Upstairs
A baby is found alive in a Chelsea house where three adults have been dead for days. The question of who cared for her opens a story of two intertwined families and secrets hidden inside a home.
None of This Is True
Penguin recommends this among the stand-alone novels that introduce her suspense writing. Its true-crime-documentary form offers a starting point for readers interested in the way a story can be told as well as the secrets it contains.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
The pleasure of an author conversation is often hearing a decision you felt while reading put into words. You might be curious about who gets to tell a story, how a clue is held back or how a character remains believable while the plot grows more unsettling. Those are questions a fan can carry into the room without revealing an ending to the neighbour in the next seat.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
If you are still reading a thriller, decide how much discussion of its plot you want before attending. Take a brief, spoiler-free question about the writing with you; you can ask about a narrator or a turning point without saying what happened in the final pages.
Leave time after the talk to compare reactions with your companion. Two readers may have trusted different people in the same story, which can be half the fun of a shared outing. The festival guides below cover the practical base and journey, so the conversation can remain the centre of the day.
The 2026 programmes featured Lisa Jewell at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
Do I have to read her novels in publication order?
Most stand alone, so you can begin with a premise that interests you. Some books continue an earlier story, including the newest novel highlighted here. For those connected books, read the earlier one first if you want to keep the discoveries in sequence.
Are her events only for readers who know the latest book?
You can arrive through an older favourite and enjoy hearing how she writes. If you are avoiding plot revelations from a connected novel, ask the festival about the conversation’s focus before booking. A short publisher introduction can help you choose your next read.
Where do I buy tickets to hear Lisa Jewell?
Use the festival links on Lisa Jewell’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
