Do not Drink the Kool-Aid

If you follow my reviews at all this year then you know that Lisa Jewell is a new Gem to add to my Thriller bracelet. I read Watching You to get a feel for how Lisa writes and I was an instant fan. The Family Upstairs should be on everyone’s book shelf if you love THRILLERS! What makes this a MUST READ! Is the duel perspective that is beautifully mastered by Ms. Jewell. On Libby’s 25th birthday, she finds out she has inherited a Chelsea mansion that is been held in trust. She soon discovers the house has a dark history based on scant decades-old news coverage. Apparently, there were three cult-related suicides, but 10-month-old Libby was found unharmed and healthy within. Libby’s chapters are so intriguing because once the house is in her universe, she becomes curious about her past and so do we as the reader.
If you are disturbed by cults and taboo topics then you must sadly skip this read, I feel so sorry for you. You really do miss out. Then you have the chapters of Lucy. She is living day to day in France when she gets a reminder that the baby is 25 today…. I think Lucy by far might be my favorite character in this entire read because she is the most real. Libby is this angsty needs to find where she belongs character. Henry who is the last piece of this puzzle is this dark and spooky soul that knows everything that happened in the house and as you read his chapters you realize that he is going down this dark rabbit hole and that it is scary and wonderful all at the same time. If this review sounds like the ramblings of a mad woman, I assure you I just cannot put everything that should be said about this book on one page and I am not crazy. Go out and read it. Might be the best thing you do for yourself book wise. Thank You NetGalley for my digital arc of this stunning read and my apologize that I am so late on my review. This was stunning. I am disappointed that life got in the way and that I could not get to this sooner.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell has an intriguing premise of a wholesome family sucked into a controlling cult-like environment in their own home. Unfortunately, the story features abuse of all kinds against children. That becomes the memorable aspect of the book rather than the “thriller” it is marketed to be. This book is more disturbing and depressing than thrilling in its twists and turns.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/12/the-family-upstairs.html

Reviewed for #NetGalley.

I like Lisa Jewell but this book was frustrating. It was slow burning suspense that fell flat at the end. I wanted a big twist!!

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell is a well-written suspenseful mystery with multiple plot twists. What happens when you let strangers into your home? Can a mysterious disappearance of four children and the murder of three people be solved 25 years later?

This book was well-written with complex characters and big plot twists. I really liked the premise, the plot and the writing style but it seemed to hit one note throughout.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Synopsis from NetGalley/Publisher
Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book took a LONG time for me to get into...I almost gave up on it but knew that I had to do a review on it due to receiving for free.

Libby Jones inherits a house from her deceased parents; parents she had no idea who they were until she is given this gift on her 25th birthday.

The catch is, is that there are others that are waiting to meet her as well. Who is it from the past that has come to meet her?

This book was only "ok" to me. I was expecting a fast paced thriller and it just fell flat for me.

I completely devoured The Family Upstairs. I meant to read the first chapter and then somehow I was turning the last page. This book just sucked me in and kept me turning pages because I desperately needed to know what happened next.

I loved the alternating storylines, it was fascinating to see Libby start to uncover the history of the house as the reader found out more. While I could say a lot more, this is one that’s really best to go into blind. Jewell does a fantastic job of laying out the facts and then twisting them so you’re never quite sure what’s real and what’s a story the characters are telling themselves. And it makes for one very engrossing novel.

The Family Upstairs was eerie and twisty and creepy, mostly because you could easily understand how everything came to be. I’d definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a dark and slightly creepy story full of family secrets.

*Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review or my opinion of the book.

I typically like cult-ish books, but this one fell flat for me. The saving grace on this one was the audio. I started reading this book, and became extremely bored and entirely uninvested. When I switched to the audio version, the narration was amazing, and really pulled me in. There was also a decent ending twist that helped to bump up my final rating.

My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

The description just reels you in already. The beginning portion of the book really was a slow start for me, but once everything starts ticking into place - it becomes more exciting. I enjoyed it - very suspenseful and you get a few twists which were an absolute ride. The whole idea of cults and “suicide pacts”, and cult mentality creep me out - and reading about just made me squirm. However as any good thriller novel does is keep you on your toes constantly. The ending left me with some questions which seemed almost hastily tied together but it left me wanting more. A great read for a crime thriller junkie like me!

This was my first Lisa Jewell book it will not be my last. I am not a huge thriller fan but I loved The Family Upstairs. It was a great mix of thriller and contemporary fiction. The story bounced back and forth between present day and the past (when the characters were kids) and was written between 3 different POVs which I found enjoyable. I definitely will recommend this to fellow readers and will be reading her other books in the future.

I read this in two days - a real page turner. The author kept up a great pace, and a compelling story. I recommend to anyone who wants a good mystery with lots of turns.

Lisa Jewell does it again! The Family Upstairs is absolutely brilliant! Creepy? Yes, that too.

The story is well written and told in multiple perspectives (three different ones). Libby inherits a grandiose mansion and the story unfolds as we learn why. The house holds many secrets.

The suspense is perfectly paced with multiple twists that left me literally breathless.

Hang on , this is a page turner you don't want to miss.

This book has a lot of hype which is great. Here is the thing i don't do well with hyped up books. They tend to go into my disappointing reads of the year. I am going to wait a few months when the hype dies down to listen to this book. I have an audiobook version. Thank you for letting me have the arc.

This was an outstanding domestic thriller! It was written so well and kept you on the edge of your seat. I loved how the story was told from the past and present time. I would highly recommend this one and it has to be my favorite Jewell book. She describes the characters so well that you can feel what the kids go through and you can picture everyone that is living in the house.

A few reviews got away from me this year. This is one of them. I read The Family Upstairs in October and am just getting round to reviewing it now. So my thoughts aren’t particularly fresh — they’re kind of impressionistic...

What do I remember?

I read this quickly because I was really intrigued by the story.


Jewell did an excellent job of creating a creepy family dynamic after strangers start moving in... (In retrospect, the premise reminds me a bit of the brilliant movie Parasites).

This was one of my favourites by Jewell — it felt smarter and more original than some of her other books, although I have generally enjoyed them all.

Looking forward to her next one — and I promise to write my review more promptly.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book catches your attention from the first page and has many twists and turns. Three families live in a large home and a cult-like atmosphere results. Without disclosing any spoilers, let’s just say the characters are not what they initially seem. The book shares insight into the life of a family homelessness, suicide, homosexuality, drugs, and family dynamics. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a book that keeps you on the edge of your chair.

Family connections and disconnections abound in this novel.
A good beach read , if a bit light. Not Lisa Jewell's best work in my option.

I absolutely love Lisa Jewell! And just like The House I Grew Up In, this tale of family drama did not disappoint! I stayed up late turning the pages just to see what would come next. A far cry from predictable, this story is filled with deep characterization and a fascinating plot. A must read!

Pros for this book:
- Compelling storyline
- Good, or at least understandable, adoption representation
- Great characters
- Personally, a cult-ish vibe to it

Cons to this book:
- Certain parts and certain resolutions to this book just left me wanting a bit more

Just when I didn’t think I could love Lisa Jewell more... I needed a cult book in my life and The Family Upstairs delivered.

I really didn’t know what I would be getting with this book, but the multiple POV and timelines kept me on my toes. This was more mystery to me than anything—Woman inherits house, boy navigates strangers invading his home, a mom resorts to anything to keep her children safe—and none of these things unfold how you might assume.

I got a little confused putting the pieces together, but thoroughly enjoyed The Family Upstairs and Jewell’s iconic sinister ending.

This is the best thriller I read in 2019! This is my third Lisa Jewell novel I read. This was so much better than Watching You. I was hooked from the start and the ending left me speechless.