A solid "creepy family secrets" suspense book with memorable characters/moments and a touch of Gothic. It wasn't exactly a book that had me guessing huge twists or even on the edge of my seat, BUT it did have me turning pages. I found the characters compelling, and the "slice of life" of the past bits fascinating. Jewell has a very comforting writing style--I was happy to return to the pages and found her style went down like a warm cup of tea. Vivid enough to be meaningful, but never distracting (in either a too flowery nor too ham-fisted way). I'm definitely interested to read other work by her.

I would class this one as more akin to domestic suspense, and so thriller fans should only look here if they want a "sleepier" read. It's slice of life and family secrets, rather than heroine with deep pathos investigates high stakes mystery. In fact, if you consider Libby the main character, she's really the least developed. My favorite POVs were the other two, just for the depth of pathos/feeling they contained. Libby's a bit blank until the end. But ultimately doesn't matter since the other two POVs carry the book.

Just having children does not make you a parent, and that is apparent in the pages of this book. A wealthy family in London seems to have everything, great home, private schools, mentions in the press, but it is somehow not enough. Once you open the door to the unknown can it really ever be closed? The influence of the charismatic egotist is told with flawless accuracy and stark images. In these situations the children suffer the most, they are powerless and easy prey. This book details an unfolding family crisis where abuse can take many forms. Hard to put down once you start reading with several huge twists this will satisfy even the most discriminating fan. Lisa Jewell has exceeded all expectations!

I am a na g Lisa Jewell fan and was excited to receive a copy of her latest book from netgalley. I found this book very hard to get into. I would start it and than find something else to read and kept coming back....I, glad I persevered because it was fantastic....once I got into it I was hooked.

Well, that was...long. I know this book is going to get a lot of fans, but it honestly it didn't do it for me. I loved [book:Then She Was Gone|35297426] and [book:The House We Grew Up In|18764826] and they were five star books in my mind. However, The Family Upstairs has a lot of what the previous books have. Family drama? Check. Mystery? Kind of a check. An intriguing premise about a cult? Um hello, this had SUCH potential. The reason why this book fell flat because there was wayyy too much going on. All the characters side stories, while simultaneously jumping between storylines distracted from the eerie house that housed a cult.

I didn't connect with any character and the main "mystery" was so boring and could've been better. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this.

This fast paced mystery is told from the vantage point of three different characters and three different time periods. This was a bit confusing at first but as the story progressed I looked forward to reading the different points of view.
Very much enjoyed this murder mystery twisted psychological thriller.

WOW! A story so full of twisted people and deprivation, which is accepted as normal, that I couldn't put it down.

The story of Henry & Martina Lamb Trust recipients, from Henry's vast wealth to poverty, thanks in part to the family upstairs.

To say more would spoil the plot. There are so many twists and discoveries along the way to restoring the Lamb family to their home and each other. The ending left me wanting more.

#thefamilyupstairs by @lisajewelluk is a different kind of story. Less thriller than my normal books and “more I need to know what happens next so much so that I’m willing to forgo sleep to find out.” Lisa Jewell is a master at drawing the readers in the intriguing tales she tells. This one is no different. Make sure to pick this one up this fall on November 5! Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this fascinating arc (that makes my family look “normal”!!)

Note to self: Add Lisa Jewell to my list of must read authors ASAP!

The Family Upstairs is the second 5 star novel by Lisa Jewell that I have had the pleasure of reading. It is also only the second Lisa Jewell novel that I have read. This latest book by Jewell began buzzing around Goodreads ages ago and I was immediately eager to read, what, in my mind, was a new and unexpected thriller from the author of The House We Grew Up In, a book that I adored. I am not sure what led me to believe that this was a thriller, maybe the cover, maybe the title, maybe the fact that I’d been on a thriller binge at the time? Who knows? What this book actually was, was a haunting tale about a young family thrown into turmoil by the arrival of some very unexpected guests.

The Family Upstairs simultaneously reminded me of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Two highly touted 5 star reads that have haunted me for many years after reading them, and this tale, I am sure will be added to that list. An exceptionally well-written novel that will keep the reader guessing until the very last page.

This was a little slow going at first and I struggled to stay interested. But after a few chapters something changed and then I was all in. Nice little mystery.

GO READ THIS BOOK NOW! The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell is the perfect twisty, gothic, mysterious, hold your breath page turner that everyone loves. I could not put this book down until I finished, not matter that it was two o’clock in the morning on a school night! The characters, setting, twists and turns are just brilliant! The depth of the characters and the interplay of the household dynamics is riveting to say the least. And the plot totally draws you in to become a true victim, right along with everyone else, of the twisty turvy historical family mansion. Absolutely mind blowing. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. Now excuse me will I go devour every other book I have not read by Lisa Jewell.

Oh my!! One of the best books I have read in such a long time! I have told all of my friends about it. Lisa Jewell knocked it out of the park with this one. Once I got started, I could not put it down. I literally read the whole book in one sitting. The way the suspense builds just keeps you wanting more. You have to keep reading until the very end to find out what happens! Once you start reading this book, you can’t put it down until you find out exactly how the story plays out and what happens to each of the characters.

Let me begin by saying I love Lisa Jewell. She is one of my favorite authors. The book, The Family Upstairs, started out slowly for me. It took a little bit to get into, but once I did, I could not put it down. I loved how the story kept flipping between the present and the past and different characters' points of view.

When Libby Jones turns 25 she inherits an old mansion in Chelsea. When she visits her new home, she discovers some things that don't make sense and begins investigating and digging into the history of the house. The story started slowly, but the twists and turns towards the end of the book made it a worthwhile read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I had high expectations for this one because I've read and enjoyed most of Lisa Jewell's books. This one did not disappoint and it's tied with Watching You as my favorite book by the author.

Libby Jones was adopted and after she turns 25 years old she finds out she has inherited an old mansion from her birth family. The home has an unfortunate history though. Twenty-five years ago police were called to the home where they found an abandoned baby and three dead bodies. It was rumored four other children had been living in the home but if they were ever there, they sure vanished without a trace. And while Libby might not have known she was going to inherit a house, let's just say others have been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

I've read enough books by the author by now that I didn't expect there to be many shocking twists and that was the case here. I wouldn't say I figured out everything early on, but I had a general idea where she was headed with the story. However, I'm not saying that is a bad thing, in fact I find her to be a unique author in the mystery thriller genre because she writes compelling stories that don't rely on a whole bunch of surprises. I truly just enjoy being a part of the journey and watching everything unfold.

The story goes back and forth between the perspectives of a few characters, in the present time period as well as everything that led up to the abandoned baby in the house. My only real complaint about the novel is in regards to certain characters living in the house. I didn't like how it felt like two of the characters were briefly mentioned, then basically forgotten, and then later on a part of the story. Their presence just felt disjointed in some ways so I wish there could have been more development with them earlier on in the book.

Overall, even though this was a bit of a dark and disturbing story, it was a page turner for me. Definitely recommend if you have enjoyed other books by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Family Upstairs

This one was a fast paced creep fest! With a unsolved mystery at the center and multiple timelines to frame the story, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Libby turns 25 she receives a notice telling her she is now the owner of a house in a rich area of Chelsea. While Libby knows she was adopted as a baby, she doesn’t know about the mystery surrounding her birth parents and their house she has now inherited. Years earlier, we are following Henry as his house and his life become consumed by the family that has recently moved in upstairs... and will not leave.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Lisa Jewell somehow can write the most diabolical characters! I cannot even tell you who the evilest character here was because there are so many grey areas and so many dark people in this story.

I really enjoyed the multiple timelines, and the multiple character perspectives. It always makes for fast reading even if at the beginning it’s a smidgen confusing who is who!

The description of the eerie house which is a large piece of the story is incredibly details and had me feeling all the chills.

I’d rate this in the middle of the pack of what I’ve read of hers so far though as Watching You remains my favourite!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read by #lisajewell and I really like the style of her writing and the material is on point. #TheFamilyUpstairs is a great creepy psychological thriller for anyone who loves a fast read because you want to keep reading the next page, and the next page, & so on until you’ve reached the very last page. Thank you #netgalley & #lisajewell for this wonderful ARC

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell is told from the point of view of three characters: Libby, Henry and Lucy as well as two time periods. Libby Jones has turned twenty-five and receives a letter that tells her the identity of her birth parents and that she has inherited their old mansion in a ritzy area of London.

The plot is set mainly in England and France. Twenty-five years ago, the police found a baby and three dead adults in the mansion. The other people that lived there are gone, including several children. Was it suicide, murder or a combination of both? Where are the other people that lived in the house? What was really happening in this mansion?

The plot is clever and shocking, but it does switch POV and timelines throughout the book. Despite this not being my favorite style of writing, it is a tribute to Jewell’s talent that I still felt it deserved 4 stars. The story is dark, twisted and disturbing as well as being a page-turner. The characters are complex with more depth to them that most authors can inject in a trilogy.

While this is the first book I have read by Jewell, I look forward to reading more of her novels.

Many thanks to Atria Books, Lisa Jewell and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Great psychological thriller for a weekend at the beach! I was totally engrossed in the mystery and couldn’t wait to uncover the secrets the house and its former inhabitants held! I enjoyed the jumps between the various time periods and perspectives, and loved the opening premise of the “baby” and the inheritance. Lots of twists, some I didn’t see coming. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy!

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This is only the 2nd book I've read by Lisa Jewell, and I am impressed. This story didn't disappoint. It's creepy, atmospheric, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. I have found both of the books I've read by her to be a little complicated because of the sheer number of characters. I liked the separate POVs of this one and the ending also left a little bit to the imagination. I will be reading more, if not all, by her.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When I saw the description for The Family Upstairs I knew I had to read it. As a first-time reader of Jewell, I had little expectations as to what I'd find between the covers, but I am glad I took the chance. The Family Upstairs tells the story of a wealthy family who open up their home to others. What results is a type of commune, with underlying sinister motives. Jewell creates each of her characters with care, the hallmark of a good novel. It's a bit dark and disturbing, but that's the way I like "em. I'll be reading more of Ms. Jewell in the future!

Libby is beyond shocked when she is notified that she just inherited a massive house in Chelsea, London. Later she finds some crazy stuff about her biological parents and the others who stayed with them. How her parents had died is the question the reader will have to wait till the end. According to her solicitor, both her parents died and her siblings have been missing since the death. Also a lot of other people also lived her family. Who are they?? Why did they live there??

In this book, the house in itself is a major character all by itself in its dilapidated conditions, hiding secrets and definitely creepy. The highly dysfunctional family runs a cult-like living and there are quite a few weird characters as part of this cult. It can be confusing at the start with multiple POVs and different timelines in each chapter but it does eventually make sense later.

As usual with this author, there are quite a few twists and turns and I enjoyed reading this psychological thriller. The author mostly clearly clarifies how each of the characters end up but for one sibling which kind of seemed open-ended. I would have preferred a more established ending for him as he is pretty major character with the creepiest characterization.