A story of an inheritance, scattered siblings and the infiltration of a cult-like group of people with alternative lifestyles make this a sinister story set in the early 1990s and present day.
1990s teenage narrator, Henry, develops into a character that one feels less and less empathy for as time goes on.
The present day is told in the third person, following the story arcs of Libby/Serenity, the baby and now adult who has inherited, and Lucy, broke, broken and homeless who makes her way back to England to meet ‘the baby.’
The story builds into an anticipated, though limper than expected climax.
A decent enough holiday, escapist, read but not one I’ll return to.

Amazing book that proves you just never know what I'd going on behind closed doors. Brilliantly written

A compelling, creepy and riveting read from start to finish.

When Libby hits her 25th birthday, she inherits a house in Chelsea with a very dark past. Gradually, you begin to learn of that past with the use of different time periods and different character viewpoints. I admit that at first this took a while to get my head around but it does fall into place and works extremely well.

The story is gripping and dark; the characters are well developed, interesting and authentically flawed; the writing is easy to read and set at a good pace and the mystery elements are perfectly formed.

I would most definitely recommend this to people who love a good psychological thriller and want to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors so a new novel by her is always such a treat. This book follows Libby who receives a letter and hopes it’s going to tell her more about her birth parents but instead she finds out that she’s inherited a house in Chelsea! It turns out that around the time Libby was born three people were found dead in the house! This sets Libby on a part to discover more about the past. The novel is told in multiple perspectives so we get to slowly fill in the blanks of the story as it builds towards its final conclusion! There are a lot of unlikeable characters in this book, which I loved. I really felt for Libby as she tried to find out her history and to make connections, but was also on the edge of my seat as I began to piece things together from the other timelines and knew things that Libby as yet did not know. This was such a good read, I loved it and definitely recommend it!

Libby is astonished to discover she's inherited a multi-million pound home in fashionable Chelsea, the wealthiest and most desirable part of London. It transpires she was found abandoned inside the house 25 years ago and adopted as a baby. Now a well adjusted and independent young woman, Libby delves into her birth family's past and can hardly believe what she unearths.

What a fantastic read! I felt every emotion possible as the story gradually gave up its secrets and drew me in. The book's beginning was a little confusing as the main characters were introduced; their backgrounds seemingly unconnected. But stick with it and you won't be disappointed. The strings are cleverly pulled together revealing how these peoples' lives are interconnected. Oh, and get ready for plenty of red herrings and shocks along the way!

Told from various viewpoints, the main themes are ones of betrayal, tragedy, murder and reinvention. It was a compelling read and I couldn't put it down until I'd devoured the entire book. Lisa Jewell has written yet another winner.



In a large house in Londons fashionable Chelsea a baby is awake in her cot. She is well cared for and happy. Three bodies are decomposing on the kitchen floor. They have been dead for several days. Who has been looking after the baby.

Thank you very much to Century publishers for this book which I was given prior to publication in return for an honest review.

Oh my goodness...this book. I dont even know where to start. I devoured it.

I was given this book by the lovely people over at Century and choose it as my holiday poolside read this year so I'm reviewing it now (a few weeks after publication). And I can honestly say it is the best book I have read for review this year.

Set in Londons most elite postcode this book focuses on two families living in one house. It almost has a sinister side and literally had me on the edge of my sun lounger.

The main characters from past and present day are fantastic and as it flips between the 20 years you really get to know them individually. Their traits and their quirks. Some you love...and some you hate.

The book is written in such a way that despite the many characters and story lines it is very easy to follow and keep up with. It is heartbreaking and poignant but from the first word to the last it is gripping, immersive and intricate in detail.

Lisa Jewell has never let her fans down and this book is no exception. A must read if you enjoyed her last two thrillers. It is simply unputdownable.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell was one of my favorites so far this year. I've read several of her other books, and for me, this one is the best yet.
The Family Upstairs is a mesmerising,enthralling domestic drama/thriller about brother and sister Henry and Lucy Lamb and how swiftly their young lives descended into a living nightmare after two strangers moved into the opulent home in Chelsea that Henry and Lucy shared with their socialite mother and father. A nightmare that culminated with the death of three people and the discovery of a abandoned ten month old baby in the almost empty shell of a once loving family home.
Another great book from this author.

Very original interesting plot line. Well written and the characters are well thought out. A highly recommended read, more a drama than a thriller.

This tense mystery has all the hallmarks of a great Lisa Jewell thriller: it’s dark, twisty and perfectly paced, with intriguing characters and a creepy premise. From the moment you open it, we promise you’ll struggle to put this book down – so cancel your plans, settle back and prepare to be gripped.

A really good story with lots of interesting characters There are many secrets to uncover about what went on years ago when two families, livedtogether where one person had a very controlling personality and bad things took place which had a massive effects on all the lives of the children who lived there A thrilling read with lots of twists but a good outcome in the end

I just loved The Family Upstairs I was gripped from the first few pages. Great plot with characters that kept me hooked on what was happening. Overall a great book that I loved.

As with all of Lisa Jewell's books, from the first page I was hooked. I loved the two sets of characters and wanted to know more about who they were and how they were linked. The mystery of the baby left on her own in a cot. The strange family who come to live with them. I couldn't wait to find out more. This was easy to read with just enough twists and turns to keep you hooked.

Great book. Really enjoyed it. Well paced and well though out.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my my honest unbiased review

WOW! My heart rate is finally settling down after racing through this superb offering. A (sadly) entirely plausible plot from this brilliant author who is peerless when it comes to describing what goes on behind closed doors and weaves complex relationship together. For me this is Lisa's most ambitious novel to date. It involves a cult, siblings and one very beautiful home. Devoured it!

Wow, this book takes you from the past to the present in such a seamless way, I had to double check sometimes what timeline I was reading! It was a very well written book, gripping, thrilling and with an ending I did not expect.... Highly recommended.

I love, love, love Lisa Jewell and was so excited for her new book - it definitely delivered! The beginning of the book is a bit confusing - you follow three different perspectives and it takes some time before it becomes clear how their lives are intertwined. However it certainly pays off once the story properly kicks off. Without spoiling anything, the book involves elements that I really enjoy reading about and that you don't get to experience very often in thrillers. It is an excellent story with lots of related storylines that fit together really well. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is there's not really a 'twist' that occurs which is something I usually look forward to.

A psychological thriller set in the past and present that kept me guessing right till the end what really happened. Like any good story teller Lisa Jewell drip feeds the facts but still leaves that element of doubt of what the truth is. When David moved in with a family he quickly begins to manipulate and dominate the household to the point of it becoming cult like. Cruelty and hardship ensue resulting in three deaths and the discovery of a child alive in her cot. Has the final act of David resulted in group suicide or has something more sinister occurred? Fast forward to the future where Libby who was adopted as a child discovers that she is to inherit a multi million pound house and begins to meet family she never knew existed.
A complicated tale with complex characters that became a bit confusing at times and I did find myself rereading chapters to confirm what had happened. Worth a read though.

6.5/10

A decent thriller but not quite as entertaining as I was hoping for after the last novel I read from Lisa Jewell (Watching You) which entertained me a fair bit more. There were a number of intriguing parts but they all sort of fizzled away rather than an explosive bang at the end which I was hoping for.

There are a number of characters and viewpoints and it took a little bit to get used to the flow as it shifts POV and timelines but it's not all that complex, just not what I was expecting. The characters themselves are fairly unique and have distinctive voices so before long it was easy to differentiate.

It didn't take long to read this and whilst I never got fully absorbed I enjoyed it enough to plough through it quickly enough. Maybe by the end I wasn't all that bothered as the ending just seemed to get a shrug from me. I will definitely be looking to read more of the authors work though.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

"In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up. In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note. They’ve been dead for several days. Who has been looking after the baby? And where did they go?

"Two entangled families. A house with the darkest of secrets."

Wow, what an addictive read! I could tell from the first chapter I was going to enjoy this book - I was engrossed from the start. I read the book within 48 hours, locking myself away for long periods of time refusing to speak to anyone!

I love the story being told from three points of view and different timelines - at first, I felt a little confused but within a few chapters it all came together and I started trying to work out how everyone was linked. Everything came together so well!

Usually when I read a book, there is usually one character that I find is on the sideline, one that could've been left out, but each of the characters were so well developed, they had a vital role to play in the storyline.

The book had everything you need - relationships, love, mystery, shock, intrigue, twists and turns. What I loved most is that this is a storyline which wasn't way out there - it's so believeable and it could actually happen in the real world!

I think this is THE best psychological thrillers I have read so far this year!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
It took a while for me to really get into this book, and in all honesty there were a couple of times I wondered whether to continue. This was possibly due to my personal taste, as I like to be able to jump in, knowing who is who and have a rough idea of the plot. There are a fair number of characters in this book, and the story very slowly uncovers who is who, how they all relate to each other, along with events from the past and present. Once I'd convinced myself to hang in there and just go with the flow and wait for the threads to unravel, I really got into the story. The plot itself was dark and disturbing and a little bit depressing really, so be prepared for some uncomfortable reading with food for thought to mull over in between times.
Once I took all these factors on board, I settled into the story and read avidly to the end. This story was truly like a jigsaw, where the picture gradually builds as you put each piece in. The only difference was, when the last piece of this puzzle went in, I didn't get that overwhelmingly satisfying feeling of seeing the whole picture. The last piece is a bit of a blank for you to fill in yourself!