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.

I love a good thriller -- and The Family Upstairs is a good one. In a nutshell, Lisa Jewell's latest book is an English thriller-lite, with less violence and more moral ambiguity than most. I really liked this book.

Three narrators tell this story, and the most intriguing part for me was trying to figure out how their three perspectives were going to come together. There's Libby, a designer of posh kitchens in London, who has just turned 25 and learned of a major inheritance from her birth parents; Lucy, a single mom of two small kids who lives in Nice and busks to make ends (barely) meet; and Henry, who decades before had been one of four children living in a big fancy house in Chelsea with a group of very unstable adults under the sway of a charismatic leader.

So, multiple points of view, jumping between past and present -- sounds like a pretty typical thriller, right? For me, The Family Upstairs was more nuanced than I'd expected and had a bit more character development than lots of other similar books. There are deaths, of course, but who caused them is less the point than why, and whether they were justified. Telling the good from the bad is a little trickier (and more interesting) here than usual.

Recommended for readers who like their thrillers heavier on smart twists than jump scares; who like descriptions of London; and who are drawn to creepy old houses.

Another delicious read from Lisa Jewell! Drawn into this twisted and dark story from the first page, Ms. Jewell has an amazing voice for unsettling her reader.

The secrets, lies and deceptions are so frustrating and so dark they make you want to scream at the characters. With the twisted POV's throughout this book, you become riveted, sickened and chilled as the story unfolds.

Well played Ms. Jewell, well played!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Not another word from me about this book...
Just. Go. Read. It !

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers Simon & Schuster and the author Ms. Lisa Jewell, for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of your book "The Family Upstairs"

Every time I pick up a Lisa Jewell book I go in hoping to love it and sadly every time I’m more or less disappointed. The Family Upstairs was no different I went in with high hopes and truthfully I couldn’t put the book down because I was waiting in anticipation for something crazy to happen and then I hit the end of the book and nothing happened 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is not a suspense or a thriller a mystery yah I guess maybe. I’d categorize it more under family drama truthfully. I wish so much I could say I loved it but it was just okay.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Lisa Jewell does it again! The Family Upstairs is a wonderfully written psychological thriller that you wont be able to put down.

The beginning of the novel was a tad confusing - different POVs that aren't explicitly introduced taking place in different points in time (present day vs 25 years ago). You'll find as you near the end that it was all part of the plan! There is a method to Jewell's madness and you will not be disappointed.

Always thrilled to get my hands on one of Jewell's book and am constantly recommending her work to friends and family.

I have read a few of Lisa Jewell's books so I was excited when I got the chance to review The Family Upstairs.

The Family Upstairs is a story about Libby Jones. She's living a pretty simple life designing kitchens. Libby was adopted when she was a few months old. On her 25th birthday she inherits her birth parents estate. She has no idea what the inheritance might entail - she is just excited to know more about her birth parents. Libby is very surprised to find out that she is now the owner of a mansion. She's rich!

Many people have been waiting for Libby to turn 25. This mansion holds a whopper of a story and it's tale is not over yet. With the help of a newspaper reporter, Libby begins to unravel the history of the mansion and those who lived there.

The Family Upstairs is filled with tons of twists and turns that kept me intrigued right to the end. This novel comes out on November 5th, 2019. It is available for pre-order from Indigo.

2.5 stars

The Family Upstairs is a disappointment to say the least.

The novel features three points of view making the story confusing and difficult to follow at times. Had the story been told from only Libby’s point of view, the story would have been much more enjoyable and could have been labelled a thriller/mystery rather than flirt with the family drama line.

What exacerbates the confusing points of view is the slow and inconsistent pace. Some chapters are slow and seemingly directionless that I had to put the book down, while others are interesting and kept me turning the pages. However, the interesting chapters are too short so when things get exciting, the chapter abruptly ends and forces readers to switch to a boring perspective.

I would label The Family Upstairs more of a contemporary drama rather than a thriller or mystery. While there are some spooky moments, they’re used sparingly and strategically rather than a constant element of the story.

Overall, The Family Upstairs was a disappointing read that doesn’t pay off the time spent reading.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell is a dark and twisty thriller that will reel you in and spit you out. Also, the characters are interesting and quite flawed. It is a perfect book for the fall season.

This book is classic Lisa Jewell, as the concept is so twisted and mysterious. Readers will have to believe in the possibility that a family can be conned and lured into a cult-like lifestyle. Henry and Lucy’s mother lets the people in, and then the story turns very creepy.

❀ MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Told from three points of view, The Family Upstairs gives readers lots of differing perspectives on the events that occur in the book. Henry is a teenager that comes of age during the novel, and while he sees the wrong in his living conditions, he has a hard time finding a way out. Lucy, on the other hand, gives readers the point of view of an adult survivor, which is also quite intriguing. While Libby is the outsider trying to solve the mystery of her existence.

❀ TWISTY PLOT

The story switches from past to present, and it is a lot to take in and follow. There are quite a few twists in the story and some are easy to predict. That being said, I was surprised at the ending.

❀ PERFECT FALL READ

Fans of Lisa Jewell and dark thrillers will enjoy this new twisty tale. The Family Upstairs is a perfect fall read that will intrigue and terrify readers. I am looking forward to finding out what the author has in store for us next.

A baby is found abandoned in a mansion with her family dead downstairs.
Now an adult Libby Jones inherits the house she was found in and tries to uncover the truth about what happened that day. 

I loved the back and forth prospective / timeline, sometimes with a mixed timeline it can get confusing, but this was easy to follow.
It also kept me guessing, most books of this genre are unfortunately not as suspenseful as the author would hope. So this was a nice change.

Definitely creepy, definitely disturbing this is the kind of book you cant put down till it's done.

This was my first Lisa Jewell novel, I have heard great things, and was very excited to start reading.

The story is told from 3 different POV, 2 of them you have to read for a while before figuring out who they are, which was confusing at first, but still enjoyable. The story definitely pulls you in and I read any chance I could , because i needed to know what happened in this house! Lots of twists and OMG moments.
Disappointed in the ending though, it doesn't leave me satisfied with the conclusion.
Also I was happy to see some LGBT representation, then heartbroken at how it was handled. At first I thought, OK, unrequited crush. But then you see it from the others perspectives and find out hes treated as the freak, and ends up being untrustworthy and suspicious and just another "Gay people are Other and cant be trusted" trope.
I was let down by this, and not excited to share my experience with customers at my store.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to read this one. I'm going to admit I did a fair bit of skimming because of the sensitive issues: Child abuse, incest and mental illness - all this and more make for a very dark atmosphere in this twisted story. These oddball characters will leave you disturbed and even a bit perplexed. Henry was the strangest of the bunch. If you are an avid fan of this author's work, then you might enjoy this one more than I did (I don't do "dark and twisted, but Halloween is just around the corner!)

Note: I always add points for good grammar and lyrical writing, so this one gets a 3.7 out of 5 from me, because lately, I can't believe how many books I've read that messed up a good storyline with terrible grammar - it is just so distracting, which was not generally the case here, thank goodness. This is why <u>The Family Upstairs</u> rating got rounded up to a 4 stars even though this one didn't hold my interest as much as <u>Then she was Gone</u> and <u> I Found You</u>. If you're a fan, check it out.

It starts with a text. The baby is 25. Who is the baby? And what is the significance of the baby being 25? Libby Jones is that baby. Turning 25 and receiving a letter that will bring her closer to finding out who she is. And about her birth parents. And then to find out she is the sole heir to a monstrous but abandoned house, a house that holds many secrets. What happened in that house all those years ago, she has yet to find out.
Henry and Lucy live in a beautiful house with their parents and have many of the advantages the wealthy have. Until the day that Birdie and then David Thomson and his family move into the house. David brings his wife Sally along with his two children Phin and Clemency, perfect for friends with Henry and Lucy.
Charismatic David has everyone under his spell and there are big changes for everyone living at 16 Cheyne Walk. Before long though, the bloom is off the rose. David has high standards, numerous rules and before long he has control over everyone in the house. Then a tragedy befalls the household. The baby is abandoned and the remaining four children disappear.
Where did they go? Who did they become? And where are they now? How was she left at the house? These are all questions Libby has wanted to know her whole life and now that she is 25 she hopes she can find the answers.
Chapters alternate between Libby’s story’s Lucy’s story and another initially unknown narrator. And no one is as they seem. Can she trust any of the new people that have entered her life? Like the peel of an onion, layer after layer, the secrets of the house are revealed.
At times a little confusing the reader sorts things out, this is a mysterious, haunting story that will keep you up nights with its secrets, betrayals and twists. While this isn’t my favourite Lisa Jewell novel, it is a great read that kept me intrigued and hooked until the end.
Thank you to the publisher and net galley that allowed me the privilege of reading this book by giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book packed a lot of punch! There was certainly a lot to take in with The Family Upstairs, this is not one of those books you want to read when your mind might be elsewhere, you really have to pay attention to this one. I will admit, it took me a good 1/4 of the book to really get a hang of the flow, but once I did I was hooked. There are 3 different perspectives - Henry's, Libby's and Lucy's. And of those 3 perspectives there were 2 different time lines being followed - two taking place in the present and one in the past (which then eventually catches up to the present!). There are also so many different, complex characters to keep track of. The story was fast paced and intense, and the short chapters will have you flying through it.. Twists and turns come at you all throughout this thriller filled with cult-ish, family drama!. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the digital ARC!

Lisa Jewell has wowed me once again with The Family Upstairs. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not dissappoint. With short chapters and a now and then perspective this was a face paced read I didn't want to put down.
The story starts in Chelsea at a house on Cheyne walk. 3 adults were found dead, perhaps a cult suicide, a baby was also found but the other children who lived there have simply vanished. Will the truth of what transpire in the home every come to light?
Fast forward 25 years where we meet Libby the baby of Cheyne Walk, who just discovered that she has inherited the house that her birth name was Serenity. Libby finds out the story her adoptive parents told her wasn't altogether true. Libby starts to research what happened in the house and tries to discover her past. On her path to uncover the truth Libby discovers easy more then she bargained for.
I highly recommend picking up this crazy twisted cult family read full of secrets that will suck you right in! Can't wait to see what Lisa Jewell thinks up next.
Thank you to #partner @atriabooks for my #giftedcopy

What a fun thriller! This was my first Lisa Jewell book. I loved the multiple alternating timelines and perspectives - both the past and present day mysteries kept me guessing. I did pick up on a few of the 'twists' but it didn't impact my enjoyment of the book!

Now I am rushing to read her other thrillers. I highly recommend this one!

( 4.5 Stars )

Judging the Book by its Cover
Lisa Jewel is an auto-read author. I think I start all of her reviews by saying that, but I have read almost all of her books, and equally enjoyed them all. Any time I see her name pop up with a new release, I'm on it. I no longer even read the plot anymore.

Book Review
Jewel is a master at dangling intriguing information in front of you, just daring you to bite. That's how this started off. Mysterious people. A mysterious baby. Needing to learn how to survive. This story could take us anywhere and that's what I love most about Jewel. She writes within a similar genre, but her books often span out in very different and unexpected directions.

The story focuses on three different characters, each chapter alternating between their stories. While I liked this format here, at first I found some of the chapters quite short, sometimes feeling like it only existed just to keep the pattern going, and it gave the book a bit of a jumpy flow until you started to get more into the depths of it.

That said, there was a whole lot happening in this book between the three character lines, but once you get past the first few chapters, everything starts to come together quickly and tension begins to rapidly build into a very interesting and complex story of sociopaths and manipulation. The idea of a family letting strange people into their lives to the extent that they did was fascinating, but more so were the people who seemed to have this air of flamboyant mystery and a genuine care-free attitude that masked whatever kind of manipulative abuse was happening. These are the kinds of characters I love and am totally enamored with.

I'm always wary of abusive men in books; I feel like it has to be handled carefully for risk of making them seem more like a cartoon villain than an actual real-life monster. Jewel creates real-life monsters in this book and while it made my skin crawl, I was also very intrigued by how terribly well they was crafted. That sleazy, manipulating, charming mix of a man is sickening, and it came off just like that.

While the ending straddled the line of a happily ever after ending that seems utterly unrealistic in most books, Jewel pulls back from that edge just in time, leaving the reader with a rather sordid feeling, which was something that lingered a lot throughout this book and I was glad that the bad taste was left in my mouth in the end, that everything didn’t just come together and kind of completely wipe out the entire essence of the traumatic story.

It does, at points, still try to do too much at once, but ultimately, I quite liked this book a lot and it kept me intrigued and interested right until the last page.

The Family Upstairs is a suspenseful novel, true to Lisa Jewell’s style. On her 25th birthday, Libby is surprised to find out she has inherited a house, and that what she thought happened to her birth parents has been false all along. Thus begins her search to find out what really happened to her birth parents. It takes a bit to get a hold of the characters at the beginning as each chapter introduces a new character and his/her story. The timeline jumps back and forth a bit but once you get a sense of it, this book is hard to put down. 4/5 stars.

Twenty five years ago the police were called to a mysterious house with reports of a crying baby. Although the baby is fine, police find three dead bodies downstairs and everything points to a suicides pact. On her twenty fifth birthday Libby, the baby, finds out that she is the beneficiary of that house. Although having been adopted into a loving family, she is curious to find out about her history and begins the search for answers.

The Family Upstairs gave me all the mysterious and somewhat gothic vibes. This was such an atmospheric book with haunting characters that kept me glued to the pages. The story follows Libby as she uncovers her family secrets as well as the events from the past which lead us up to the night of the suicides.

Lisa Jewell never disappoints with her books and this one is no exception. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Family Upstairs is the latest book by master suspense/thriller writer Lisa Jewell. While parts of this book meet the criteria for fast-paced psychological thriller, most of this book was a deep examination of a family and the characters that make up this family. I was left with very clear ideas about what each character’s appearance, role in the larger story and personal motivations were. There was no lack of interesting characters in this book. The house that is featured in this story is well described in all it’s transformations. This book crossed into literary fiction and tempered its suspense perfectly. Oh and the ending!!!!

Thanks to @netgalley, @atriabooks and @simonbooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out November 5!

3.5/ 5 stars

The Family Upstairs is the newest suspense/thriller by popular UK author Lisa Jewell.

This is my fourth book by this author (I have read her last four releases).

The Family Upstairs is divided into four parts. It mostly takes place in London, although some of it does take place in France. There are three main narrators: Libby (3rd person POV), Lucy (3rd person POV) and Henry (1st person POV).

The Family Upstairs takes place in two time periods. The present where Libby and Lucy are living their lives (separately). And the past where a family is living upstairs in Henry's family's home.

At first I was trying to figure out how the narrators were connected. But it becomes clear pretty quickly. The beginning of the story was okay. But the book definitely got better as the story progressed.

The Libby storyline was my favorite. She has turned 25 and is contacted about an inheritance. I really enjoyed her part of the book.

Lucy has two young kids and was struggling. Her part of the story is heartbreaking at times.

Henry is telling the story of his childhood. And even though this is the main part of the story that relates to the title ... I liked his POV the least.

The last half of the book was definitely the strongest. There were some interesting developments. But overall I wanted more from the mystery. The last chapter however was super creepy and the book left off in a really intriguing place.