Lisa Jewell has become a well known name in homes of thriller fans! She’s on my must read list! The Family Upstairs will keep you up all night!

LIbby Jones works in kitchen design sales and was adopted as an infant.
When she turns 25, she inherits a large mansion and finds out more about her real parents. Born Serenity Lamb, her parents and another man who was never identified, were found dead, part of a cult suicide.
A baby, she was found alive, alone upstairs in her crib. The other household members had disappeared.
She enlists the help of journalist Miller Roe, who has been obsessed with the case, to help her find out what happened to them, including her brother and sister.
The story is told from three different character viewpoints in both past and present.
A creepy, dark, menacing gothic style thriller with lots of twists.
This is not my favorite Lisa Jewell book, but it is a perfect read for October!
Thank you to Atria Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

A woman who grew up adopted becomes the sole beneficiary of a mansion in London. She finds out that her biological parents did not meet their end in a car accident like she thought they had - they were found dead in the home she just inherited. This is expertly crafted domestic suspense with cults, poison, greed, and found family.

. Thank you Atria books and netgalley for sending this e-arc my way!

Thoughts: Damn that was a wild ride......blown away. I really enjoyed reading about the cultish...idek dysfunctional family.

I don’t trust Henry for one bit and I need more...I need Phin’s take on it all. Something is so unfinished about this book but I’m such a good way. I want more, so much more.

More Thoughts:

Damn this book was so good. I haven’t stayed up all night to finish a book in a minute. There is something about the unknown nature of family drama. It always seems to be never-ending. We have a cult (and all the inner workings you can imagine), we have ruined children, well maybe that’s harsh, but tarnished? Forever changed? I just know I’d recommend this one to anyone who loves psychological thrillers, a lot family drama and dysfunction..

I was a little off put in the beginning when I learned this involved a cult, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. Where was this going to go? But told from the perspective of the children that lived through it, I found the book to be done so well. Definitely a 5 star read, I didn’t know I needed! Now what do I read next?

First of all, the synopsis of this book has an error. It indicates that Clemency is a struggling musician who gets a call about the baby. Nope, that isn't what happens. It's a little weird that the synopsis says that Clemency is the main character, when the main characters were Libby, Lucy and Henry.

Okay, so as far as the books goes, there was a huge creepiness factor. I loved Henry's POV and the events leading up to the deaths in that big house. Seeing the random people taking over someone else's house and gradually becoming more and more deranged was so interesting. I have to say that Libby's POV was probably the weakest. I kept waiting to see how Lucy, Libby and Henry intersected with each other. There were so many twists in this story. I loved it! The main issue I had though was that the ending was a bit anticlimactic. Other than that, great read by Lisa Jewell.

Talk about an amazing story! Lisa Jewell outdid herself with this anticipated new release. The Family Upstairs has everything I love in a thriller…a dark, twisted storyline, creepiness, secrets, heartbreak and more.

Libby was abandoned as an infant, and is now 25 years old. She has been waiting until her 25th birthday to find out more about her past. When a letter shows up on her doorstep on her birthday, she never would have guessed where it would lead her.

Told from three points of view, this one was not difficult to follow at all. It reeled me in from the very first paragraph and I couldn’t put it down. Lots of excellent twists and an ending I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A good thriller, where all characters and stories converge at the end. Twists and turns, and had me thinking about the last words. I did not put the book down once.

“David Thomsen. You are not a philanthropist or a do-gooder. You are not a spiritual man. You are a criminal. You have come to my house and you have plundered it.”

David Thomsen is an unapologetic charismatic lowlife and cult master who shatters a close-knit family over years of abuse and control. A despicable character who when he entered a scene, I held my breath. My heart went out to each of the affected family members left standing, hoping for a result of reconciliation.

Dark and twisty, I loved this thriller. I wasn’t as enthusiastic early on as I was when I felt it kick into high gear mid way. Things really came together, fast and furious with twisty surprises and a great conclusion.

*will post in additional online venues upon publication.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book. I was irritated that there was never any warning who was talking in the chapters - always took a minute to realize what time frame and what characters were being discussed. But that was a minor irritation compared with the way this book kept me turning the pages. The story was dark and twisted and though I guessed some of the secrets, there were plenty more to be revealed.

An entertaining read.

This was a nice thriller, dare I say a happy thriller? Sure, horrible things happened, but there are happy endings for most of the living characters. Families are united, people don’t have to worry about money, and a trip of a lifetime closes out the book. Sounds pretty sweet to me. Sure the trip might not end well for someone, but eh, that’s for another book.

The book flowed well, even with the changes between three different people. Lisa Jewell does a good job building the characters quickly, so you get a good feel for them. Her descriptions of the scenes and architecture of the house are well written. Just enough, but not so much that I became bored and started skimming.

So why did I give it a three instead of five stars? Because, for me, it wasn’t thrilling. The tension never ratcheted up very high, maybe medium at best. Although many people die in The Family Upstairs, only one death had me thinking, “Daaang!” But even that death was more, “Way to go!” then, “Oh, the horror!”

I wouldn’t say don’t read The Family Upstairs, but maybe put if off a bit and read some of the books on your TBR pile that you’re really excited about.

I give the book 3.5 stars. I definitely enjoyed it more than "Watching You, " but not as much as the author's previous books. The book was creepy and scary. Not gory scary, but scary that people actually acted that way. I wasn't a fan of the characters, except for Libby and Miller. Lucy, Henry, Clemency and Phin really didn't stand much of chance of being normal people. They didn't have the best role models as parents. Honestly, it was hard to read about them while they lived in the house under David and Birdie's control. I blame all the adults. They allowed their children to be mistreated and abused. What was wrong with these people!!!!!????? This book was very dark and twisted. I didn't find myself enjoying the sections about Lucy and her two young children. Homeless and living on the street and then throw in a psychopath ex husband. Henry was just all around strange and obsessive. Out of all of them, I don't trust him.

I recommend giving the book a try. I enjoyed it, but it didn't leave me with any happy feelings. More like, these children were being raised by monsters. This was a hard book to review. Once I started reading it, I needed to know what was going on but David, Birdie, Martina and Sally just made me sick. I give Henry (the father) a pass because he also wasn't looked after properly. After his stroke, they just left him in a chair all day and was never cared for properly by a doctor. Although he should have put his foot down when his wife moved all those loonies into his house. I loved reading about Libby. I do look forward to reading more books by the author. I usually love her books.

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

❥My Review: What did I just read?? I am so confused, and still processing all the things. Lisa Jewell is the queen of suspense. I Love her novels, I have soo many questions!
Game changing narrative, there’s not one, not two, BUT THREE points of views!! This detail itself brings it to the top of my list, I loved this detail.
We meet Libby, a hard working, humble young woman, who was adopted at a young age and all she’s ever wanted was to know who she is. She comes home from work one day, only to find a letter, a letter that is about to change her life.
The novel takes twists, turns, and will keep you on your toes!!
The story’s got a ton of characters, and their stories to remember, and it’s not until kind of the end when we find out how they all connect, a little patience is necessary with this one, but if you stick with it, you’ll find the ending is so worth it.
I Love Lisa Jewell’s writing style, she keeps it complex, and keeps us guessing. I enjoy a good reading challenge.
I had the privilege of reading this novel before its release and I thank #AtriaBooks for giving me access to an early copy of the novel through #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.. Click on the link below to order your copy!

I really enjoy a good psychological thriller and #thefamilyupstairs did not disappoint. This book is the newest in @jewellwrites arsenal of creepy nail biters. It starts on Libby’s birthday when she inherits a multi-million dollar house and ends (no spoilers, I promise) when the pieces of the puzzle come together to explain a 25-year-old mystery. The story moves between the past and the present and kept me turning the pages. Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for our advanced copy!

WARNING: once you start this book you will not want to put it down.

Big fan of author Lisa Jewell. Read many of her books and always enjoyed them.

The Family Upstairs was a little difficult to get into . The story is told by three different characters, Libby, Henry and Lucy. Each character tells the story from a different point of view. Also, the story takes place in two different timelines. I did enjoy how the author takes the three point of view and brings it together by the conclusion.

This book is hard to describe: Mystery, murder, crazy cult, sociopathic family, narcissist cult leader. Basically it is one delightfully twisted and disturbing read.


Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

This book overall kept me interested, it had an intriguing storyline. I did find some twists to be a bit predictable and a few of the characters a little bland. However I did really like one of the main characters Lucy and seeing the relationship she has with her children progress. I was not the biggest Lisa Jewell fan before this book but after reading it I do like the author a bit more. I would rate it 3.8 stars.

Shortly after her 25th birthday, Libby Jones learns that she has inherited an abandoned London mansion from her biological parents. Adopted as a baby, Libby is excited to learn about her birth family. But her family history is much more than she anticipates when she finds out her parents committed suicide as part of a cult, and her siblings vanished. As scary as that is, the truth is even darker.

A dark and disturbing tale, I couldn't look away as the truth of what happened so long ago got more and more twisted. Lisa Jewell keeps you guessing and the surprises continue to the very last page. While the present segments weren't as good, the chilly revelations of the past kept me glued to the page for my entire flight to Ohio. If you want some thrilling suspense, you don't want to miss this November new release.

3.5 stars rounded up
I like a good unreliable narrator story, and this one it wasn't clear exactly who and how was the unreliable narrator out of the three until towards the end. There aren't as many twists or surprises as I would have liked, but the subtle unfolding of the narrative gave a very creepy vibe to the tale.
Jewell is really coming into her own as a suspense writer, and I like that her plots are all so different, which keeps me coming back for more.

I'm a huge Lisa Jewell fan. In fact, I recently listened to The House We Grew Up In on audio and found it a 5-star read with a lot of wonderful insights about mental illness and family dysfunction. So it is by the higher standards that I judge Jewell's novels that I must admit this one falls a little short. It seems like she threw a lot of weird and creepy situations and personalities in there and hoped it added up to an interesting and cohesive story, and it sort of didn't. Still, I will always read whatever Jewell comes up with next.

I was given an early galley of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge Lisa Jewell fan. In fact, I recently listened to The House We Grew Up In on audio and found it a 5-star read with a lot of wonderful insights about mental illness and family dysfunction. So it is by the higher standards that I judge Jewell's novels that I must admit this one falls a little short. It seems like she threw a lot of weird and creepy situations and personalities in there and hoped it added up to an interesting and cohesive story, and it sort of didn't. Still, I will always read whatever Jewell comes up with next.

I was given an early galley of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Finding out who you are is not always the excitement you think. That was the case in this story. A deeply dark mysterious story. If you are into thrillers and edge of your seat excitement this is a great one to pick up.

Definitely dark and twisted story. One that you can never imagine happening in sunny weather- it must be grey and rainy. I enjoyed the Libby chapters- a reprieve from too much darkness. There were many characters I did not like and Henry is very close to the top of the list. I would never want to be alone with him. I wish I could say this story is all fantasy, unfortunately I can see people being brainwashed even more in today’s society.