Is It Could Have Been Her Worth Reading?
by Lisa Jewell
Ada’s Score
Jewell threads a missing-teenager investigation through a house that dredges up Jane Trevally's buried past, layering domestic dread over a slow-burn mystery. The atmosphere is competent and the dual-timeline machinery clicks along, but the coincidences pile up as the plot demands, and the emotional payoff leans on manufactured proximity rather than earned revelation. Jewell knows how to bait a hook; the tension between what's implied and what's delivered is where this one strains.
“Jewell sets the hook fast and the domestic dread lands early. Two weeks in, the propulsion is real even if the machinery shows.”
Ada Brief
AI reading intelligence“Jewell sets the hook fast and the domestic dread lands early. Two weeks in, the propulsion is real even if the machinery shows.”
It Could Have Been Her Review
Jewell sets the hook fast and the domestic dread lands early. Two weeks in, the propulsion is real even if the machinery shows.
Rating: 4.0 / 5
Ada’s reservations
The twist architecture is visible from a distance, and the characters exist to serve the reveal. Seasoned thriller readers will guess ahead. Competent, propulsive—but the reputation outpaces the substance.
Ada’s score reflects both strengths and reservations.
Book Details
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9781668033906
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Ada’s Score
4
Ada’s editorial score — not an aggregate of reader reviews.
Common Questions About It Could Have Been Her
- Is It Could Have Been Her worth reading?
- Jewell sets the hook fast and the domestic dread lands early. Two weeks in, the propulsion is real even if the machinery shows. Ada rates it 4.0 out of 5.
- What are the main weaknesses of It Could Have Been Her?
- The twist architecture is visible from a distance, and the characters exist to serve the reveal. Seasoned thriller readers will guess ahead. Competent, propulsive—but the reputation outpaces the substance.
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