Book review: Jewell's 24th novel is her darkest to date

Lisa Jewell: The narrative of her 24th novel is slow-paced overall but it picks up towards the end. Picture: PA

• It Could Have Been Her
• Lisa Jewell
• Century

Thriller fans will rejoice as Lisa Jewell is back with her 24th novel, and there is a good chance it’s her darkest one yet.

The bestselling author does not hold back in her newest release, tackling everything from clowns to abductions in the intense, wacky ride that is It Could Have Been Her.

It seems like a relatively normal day for middle-aged divorcee Jane Trevally. After meeting with an estate agent about possibly selling the old Georgian house where she grew up dysfunctionally, she decides to take her four dogs for a walk.

But unbeknownst to her, it is not a leisurely stroll. Instead, it takes her down a dark path that forces her to confront her suppressed, traumatic past — and it all starts when a lost little white dog comes trotting up to Jane.

Being the canine lover that she is, Jane immediately takes the West Highland Terrier to her local vet in an attempt to find his owner. It turns out he was brought to Jane’s rural village by a young girl who suddenly disappeared after renting a neighbour’s cottage.

Luckily, the dog is registered to a home on London’s Hampstead Heath, and Jane sets off with her favourite stepchild, Dexter, in tow for what she hopes will be a heartwarming reunion.

Instead, when she arrives at the large, ominous house, she is suddenly thrown back 25 years as she realises she has been there before.

Years earlier, after meeting what seemed to be a friendly man in a Soho bar, a younger Jane went back to his home after he offered her a job as a housekeeper and nanny, looking after his two small children. She was only 29 years old and just separated from her first wealthy husband, leaving her feeling lost and aimless.

As they travelled to the Vale of Heath by taxi, Jane felt that something was wrong. Whether it was his wary wife or the imposing man himself, she wasn’t sure, but when he offered her a martini, a sudden scream and thud from upstairs made her jump, knocking the drink from his hand.

His angry response, coupled with a strange warning glance from his wife, caused Jane to flee, running far away from the dreaded house.

Now, when the front door of the imposing Thornwood House opens, it is a different man who greets Jane.

Although he recognises the little dog, Hugo, he claims to know nothing about the missing girl, something Jane has a hard time believing. She hands the pup over and starts walking away, but not before catching a glimpse of a strange, startled-looking woman in the window.

The unsettling situation sets Jane off on a sleuthing mission as she is determined to get to the bottom of things, using her amateur detective skills.

As Jane’s storyline progresses and she uncovers more, plenty of flashbacks are scattered throughout the present-day chapters, adding context to what is actually happening behind the closed doors of Thornwood House.

The narrative is slow-paced overall, although it begins to pick up towards the end as connections are made and mysteries are solved, as is often the case with thrillers.

Unfortunately, the many different perspectives slotted between Jane’s chapters tend to disrupt the flow of the story, as readers are introduced to an abundance of characters from different timelines.

Nevertheless, fans of the thriller genre should find it easy to dive into Lisa Jewell’s newest release, and I can easily see it becoming popular with a slightly older audience, thanks to the personable and admirable character of Jane Trevally.