R E V I E W

Libby Jones is a successful designer. She loves her work and is generally happy in her life. On her twenty-fifth birthday she returns home from work to a letter containing the beginnings of the truth of where she came from.
She soon discovers who her birth parents are and that she has inherited an abandoned mansion. But what really happened in that mansion. Why were her parents found dead from an apparent suicide in strange black robes and who was the third man that was dead beside them?
What follows is a suspenseful mystery of what truly happened to the family at 16 Cheyne Walk.
Told from the perspectives of three people this book is filled with twists and turns. It is suspenseful, thrilling and exciting. It was so difficult to put down. Once again Lisa Jewell hit it right out of the park!

I really enjoyed this book! I've read other books by Lisa Jewell and this was another good one! It's perfect if you don't like thrillers that are super-scary.

That is how you write a book! Hot damn! That book was one epic ride! Firstly, let's address how effortlessly the author delivered the multiple perspectives. This was one very complicated, in-depth story that had so many layers! To tackle that on its own is an accomplishment. But then to add it coming from multiple points of view, with additional backstory without causing confusion?! Brav-freaking-O! The Family Upstairs is such a compelling family drama that is mysterious, horrific and thrilling. The character development is perfection. Their stories unravelling until the very last page! Just when you think you're on to something, the author spins you another direction. Keeping you on the very edge of your seat! And each character standing out just as strong as the other. The gripping storytelling paired with an outstanding character cast made this chilling book an unforgettable read!

I have read and enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s novels in the past so I was incredibly excited for this read!
I love books about family secrets so this one seemed right up my alley!

25 year old Libby’s life seems to be taking an upward turn when she finds out that she has inherited her birth parent’s mansion in an upscale London neighborhood. However, Libby couldn’t have known the mystery surrounding this mansion and it’s dark past until she is thrown into the midst of it.

My favorite thing about this book was the creepy atmosphere. I literally got chills multiple times while reading it. I found the plot to be well done, although it was much more of a low-key suspense than I was anticipating. However, Jewell’s writing did not disappoint and I did enjoy my experience with this book!

I enjoyed this book. The writing was so good that I found myself sucked into the story from the beginning.

The twists through this book kept me reading way past when I should have been and I couldn't put it down.

I have never read Lisa Jewell's wotk before but I am going to read more from her now.

This book was an entertaining, addictive read. This was the first book by Jewell that I have read and I am looking forward to reading her other books after reading this one. I loved how slowly the mystery of what happened in the house at 16 Cheyne Walk all those years ago are revealed to us, and it leaves you wanting more as we learn piece by chilling piece. Such a dark, edgy past, that leaves you with a lot of questions, but fear not. All your questions will be answers as you read the chapters. So many secrets and lies, hidden truths and drama. Libby is excited to find out who her true parents are. When she turns 25 she finally receives the letter she has been waiting for all these years.

I enjoyed reading about Libby. She was an interesting and likeable character, and I enjoyed learning about her past and her birth family, and learning their secrets and their lies all those years ago. It was fun to read about Libby’s growth as a character in the book and I enjoyed reading about her encounter with the other characters in this novel as well.

Without giving too much away you’ll have to read this book! A definite must add to your TBR!

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell leads the reader astray, chapter by chapter. Libby Jones never knew who her parents were. As her twenty-fifth birthday approaches, she receives documents that she hopes will divulge who she really is. Instead, she becomes the beneficiary of an abandoned mansion along the river Thames in London which is worth millions of pounds. Twenty- five years ago, police were called to a mansion where they found a healthy ten-month-old baby and the bodies of three deceased adults. Missing from the premises were four children who were believed to be living there. Who were the deceased? Where are the children? What happened during the last twenty-five years? Why is Libby the beneficiary of a fortune? This thriller will have you guessing incorrectly till the end. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Lisa Jewell.
I really enjoyed the story which was told in three perspectives. I have to say some of the characters were really twisted/sick..
I could not wait to read what happened next to these families. Kept your attention going throughout the story.
Lots of twists and turns. Well written.
4 ⭐️

“It all happened so slowly, yet so extraordinarily quickly, the change to our parents, to our home, to our lives, after they arrived. But that first night, when Birdie appeared on our front step with two large suitcases and a cat in a wicker box, we could never have guessed the impact she would have, the other people she would bring into our lives, that it would all end the way it did. We thought she had just came to stay for the weekend.”

Lisa Jewell has done it again! If you’re a fan of thrillers, you’ve probably read one of her books before. Her latest, The Family Upstairs, is another fast-paced story that will keep you totally absorbed until the very end.

I’ll admit I was a little confused when I first started this book. The chapters seem to jump all over the place, between past and present, as well as between different characters and their unique perspectives. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say this: keep reading, and I promise everything will start to make more sense.

The story follows three main characters. First, there’s Libby, who recently turned 25 and finds out she has a very large inheritance from her birth parents. Second, we meet Lucy, a single mother of two who is currently homeless in southern France. And finally, there’s Henry, a preteen living with his family and their friends in one large house.

How could all of these characters possibly come together? You probably wouldn’t believe me even if I told you. It’s a story only Lisa Jewell could come up with!

If you’re a fan of fast-paced domestic thrillers, you’ll want to get your hands on a copy of this book. The characters are well-developed, and the narrative will make you feel like you know them all personally. You get a first-hand look at who they are (or aren’t!), the events that shaped them, and the extremes they’d go to in order to protect themselves and their family.

Oh, and there might be a cult involved. Who doesn’t want to read a book featuring a cult?!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and think many of my fellow book worms will too. When it comes to thrillers, you can’t go wrong with a Lisa Jewell title (you can check out my review of Watching You if you want another book by her!), and The Family Upstairs does not disappoint.

Thank you to the publisher for an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. The Family Upstairs came out on November 5, 2019, and can be purchased wherever books are sold.

This is a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing - people are not who they seem, and their connections to one another aren't immediately apparent. There are a number of characters, and at times I found it very confusing trying to remember who everyone was.
My favourite parts of the book were those focusing on Lucy and her children; these sections were fascinating and you could feel the desperation in all of their scenes. I would have liked to hear more about Lucy and her children. There were lots of twists and turns in this one, and fans of Lisa Jewell will not be disappointed with this one.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank-you to the Author, the publisher and to Netgalley. I have read 4 other books by Lisa Jewell, I gave each of those book 4 -4.5 stars, I really like her reading and was looking forward to reading this one. I gave The Family Upstairs 3 stars. The book is pretty good, the story kept me wanting to know what happened, but I just didn't feel connected to this one.
I would still recommend the book, but I would probably recommend her other books before this one.

This was the first (I think) and definitely the most memorable book I’ve read by Jewell. I can’t remember the last time I felt so compelled to read a book, which was filled with twists and turns I never saw coming.
Libby is 25 and adopted, and on the eve of her birthday, receives notice of her inheritance. A house. The family house. The house her parents were found dead in; an apparent suicide pact. The house was willed to the descendants of the family. There were rumors and talk if ‘people’ that lived, cult like perhaps, in the house, but then vanished. Where did they go? Who were the family that lived upstairs?
Creepy, gothic and intense. This will be one I will recommend and happily i now have a new author to binge on.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for a copy of The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell for an honest review. This complex thriller is available November 5, 2019.

The Family Upstairs is told in a few different viewpoints over a few different time periods. The stories eventually weave together but I do think I would have fared better with this book if the chapters were labelled with names and dates. Sometimes for me, trying to figure out who is the viewpoint in each chapter took me right out of the story and having to constantly realign facts and pieces of the story within different time periods was not for me. That being said, it did come together really well at the end and the past plot lines were my favourite. In the end I really liked this story, but it wasn’t as fast paced as I would have loved.

This was only my second Lisa Jewell book, but confirms what I thought from my first of hers - I’m an instant fan!

Lisa Jewell knows how to write a suspenseful and gripping thriller. Her use of multiple perspectives and timelines works without a hitch and the short chapters keep you flipping the pages continuously until the end. In both Then She Was Gone and this one, I was able to predict how most things would unravel, but there’s something about her writing that makes it that I don’t mind it being a bit predictable and I just enjoy the journey to get where I can see it going. If you enjoy dark characters, cult storylines and feeling a bit on edge while you read - this is full of goodness for you! 4⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the early gifted copy to review. { #partner } 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘜𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 is out Nov 5th!

I absolutely LOVED The Family Upstairs! Lisa Jewell’s novels are always a guaranteed good time for me! This is not a short novel, and I ripped through it in one day- I could not put it down!

On her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones can finally open a letter that she has been waiting for most of her life. Her birth parents have left her an inheritance. Upon opening, she finds out that she is the owner of a multi-million dollar home on the banks of the Thames in Chelsea, London. For a middle class youth, this is a dream come true- but it comes with strings. After visiting the home to find it boarded up and abandoned, and looking into the mystery of her birth family, Libby discovers dark secrets. As a baby, Libby was found abandoned in this same mansion, all alone, except for the three dead bodies found downstairs.

This is a suspense/thriller/mystery novel at its finest. Libby, a reporter familiar with her family’s case, and her coworker begin to try to find out what really happened to her parents and her siblings who have not been seen again after that day. The story is told through varying points of view- present day Libby, a man named Henry who lived at the mansion years ago, and Lucy, a homeless woman living in Nice with her children. The characters are well-developed and each have their own captivating stories going on. I equally enjoyed all of the perspectives and just couldn’t wait to piece together the entire story. This book is full of twists! Very clever twists..some things I expected, but others totally surprised me. The eerie, looming mansion setting creates a perfectly dark atmosphere for the story. There are hidden clues, dramatic lines, and lots of foreboding! However, there are also heart-warming moments and strong, goodhearted characters to root for! I absolutely loved this novel and will recommend it to everyone- so if you've read it, let’s discuss!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lisa Jewell books so much. She is so talented and I love her writing style! This book did not disappoint. I loved the twists and hearing the story from different characters. This book is hard to review without giving away too many details. That’s the tricky thing with reviews for thrillers. So just take my advice and read this book ASAP!

My favourite part about a Lisa Jewell novel is that you FLY through them! She does an amazing job at building up the anticipation BUT there isn’t really a twist? I really liked the concept behind this book, but I was waiting and waiting and waiting for a big twist to happen and then the book kind of just ended? The way that everything unfolds pretty predictable and I’m not sure if that was the intention? It’s definitely a page-turner though and the way that it’s written from multiple perspectives. I’ll definitely read more of her work! It was an interesting story, it just didn’t tick all the boxes of a thriller for me.

This book has so many characters in this book and it switches back and forth between 3 characters so if you don't like books like that then it will not be for you.

I thought this book was ok. I did struggle with it and I found the story rushed.

I have read a few books by Lisa Jewell and every one of them hook me in. The twists of characters and suspense of the plot what more can I ask for. I was really looking forward to reading this new book and then started looking through some early reviews and saw people talking about how there are a lot of different characters. I was hoping it wouldn't get too confusing. Lisa Jewell did a fantastic job in roping me in right from chapter one when she introduced Libby Jones and a house she is to inherit from her biological parents that she knows nothing about. As for too many characters there are three main characters that Jewell goes back and forth between, then we meet others in their lives. Henry is the one who tells the story of the past as Libby learns about her inheritance, Lucy working on getting back to her old house to meet "the baby" from 24 years ago.

The story is intertwined between these three characters, the dark world Lucy and Henry lived in and one where an innocent baby arrived. Who are the family upstairs? What are their plans for the family that took them in? A deep and dark story of abuse and brainwashing, occult and medicinal herbs.
Another great novel by Lisa Jewell. This might just be my favourite so far. 5 out of 5 stars! A must read for all Lisa Jewell fans!

After seeing some mixed reviews for The Family Upstairs, I was a little worried one of my favorite authors has turned to the dark side in more ways than one. I am so glad I decided to give this a try for myself because I had nothing to worry about. Lisa Jewell continues to do no wrong with this devoted reader.

Lisa Jewell is moving a little towards the darker side from what this "Lisa Jewell reader" has come to expect. However, I have moved a little ok a lot to the darker side myself, so I think she and I still make a great match. She still has all those significant elements that make for her signature suspenseful style with those well-layered unpredictable plots and reveals and twist that come just at the right time to figure some things out.

The Family Upstairs is a compelling family saga with devilishly, deliciously chilling narrative along with disturbing dark characters. I enjoyed the three POVs along with the different timelines that had me questioning the reliability of some characters. The last few pages are so chilling and I loved every one of them. I was left feeling delightfully chilled to the bone with how it all came together. I highly recommend.