The Weekly Pour: It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
It’s that time again, folks! Every week, we spotlight a new release that we think deserves a seat at the table — or more specifically, a seat in our lounge. We call it The Weekly Pour. This week, there was no debate. A new Lisa Jewell is dropping today, and if you know, you know.
It Could Have Been Her is dark, layered, and utterly unputdownable. It’s exactly the kind of book we built this place for. Come find your copy, settle into one of our chairs, and let the rest of the world wait.
About the Book
Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels with more than fifteen million copies sold worldwide. It Could Have Been Her may be her darkest, most atmospheric work yet — and early readers are calling it magnificent.
Jane Trevally is walking her dogs across her country estate when a small white terrier appears, alone, with no sign of the teenage girl he’d been staying with nearby. Jane offers to return the dog to his registered owner — hours away in London, in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead. But the moment she arrives at the run-down house called Thornwood, something cold settles in her chest.
She’s been here before. And she barely got out.
The man who answers the door is cagey and evasive, claiming to know nothing about the missing girl. Through the window, Jane catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman. As she begins pulling threads, she uncovers a house built on secrets, a family fracturing under the weight of long-buried trauma, and a past that refuses to stay buried.
Told across multiple timelines and points of view, this is classic Jewell — weaving seemingly unrelated lives together across time until the moment everything clicks into place and you understand, with a chill, exactly what you’ve been reading.
Perfect for Fans of: Ruth Ware, Liane Moriarty, Freida McFadden, Tana French, Lisa Jewell’s own Then She Was Gone and The Family Upstairs — this is the same voice, even darker.
First-time Lisa Jewell reader? You don’t need to have read Don’t Let Him In first — though fair warning: once you finish this one, you’ll want to go back and start from the beginning.
This Week’s Pour & a Note From US
We’re still waiting on our beer and wine license — we know, we know. But the good news? Our non-alcoholic lineup is waiting and the moment that license arrives, our full menu of Idaho craft beers, local wines, and ciders will be ready and waiting. We’re sourcing local and curating intentionally. It will be worth the wait.
When That License Lands…
We’re planning to pair this one with the Cinder 2022 Syrah from our upcoming red wine menu — dark, full-bodied, with notes of black pepper and smoked plum that match this book’s atmosphere perfectly. Watch our Instagram (@thebookloungeid) for the announcement. When that license comes through, we’re celebrating with a glass and a great read.
Come Read With Us
It Could Have Been Her hits shelves June 23. Find your copy at The Book Lounge — 33 East Idaho Avenue, Suite 120, right in the heart of downtown Meridian, steps from City Hall.
Grab your drink, find a chair, and let the story take over. We’ve got non-alc options ready, light bites to keep you going, and absolutely no one rushing you out the door. This is exactly the kind of place we always wished existed here. We built it for readers like you — and we’re so glad you found us.
Happy Reading (and Sipping!)
The Book Lounge Crew
