Oh my word. This book was sooooo messed up, and I was *mostly* here for it.
 
The book cycles through three different POV, as well as flicking from past to future (depending on which POV you were in), this built tension and drama really well for me, but could also be confusing in working out where I was (in time/place) or whose section I was actually reading. Despite this, I felt compelled to read on to figure out what was going to happen next, most excited to cycle back to my favourite POV (Henry's) so I could learn what on earth was going on and who this family upstairs was!
 
I found I didn’t really know what was going to happen, which was refreshing in a thriller for me. Often when thrillers try so hard to provide you with twists, they miss the mark, so I was glad about how this one unfolded. Unfortunately, it lost a star, because for some reason that I can't really put my finger on, it was annoying me at the same time as me kind of enjoying it. Does this ever happen to you or is it just me?! I'm also not as hyped these days for the unreliable narrator trope as I used to be since certain books kind of killed it for me, but I did enjoy how this one was done.
 
This is my first read by Lisa Jewell; I honestly didn’t know what I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised with what I read. I'll definitely be reading more by her in future. The book was written really well and for the most part, I didn’t want to put it down, in particular the last 30%ish of the book which I stayed up way later than usual to read, purely to get my answers!
 
4 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley, Lisa Jewell and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

Good grief! Such an amazing story, so many surprises. Imagine what a multi-million pound inheritance would do to change your life - and if it arrived out of the blue, what repercussions it might have? It turns Libby's life upside-down because she is not who she thought she was, at all. The story is of the house, and what happened there, but it is also Libby's story. I was enthralled and captivated by this book, and what a very good thriller it is. A very good read.

In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up. 

In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note. 

They’ve been dead for several days. 
Who has been looking after the baby? 
And where did they go? 

I loved the sound of this book. The story is told from the point of view of the different characters, and to start with I found it a bit confusing to follow. For me it was also a bit of a slow start but once it started to develop I couldn't put it down. There was an eerie, unsettling feeling about some of the characters, and as parts of the past are revealed you start to question just how realiable their accounts are.

After a slow start there were enough twists and revelations to keep me gripped to the end. Thankyou to netgalley and random house UK for my arc in exchange for my honest review

Another amazing story by Lisa Jewell. Great storyline and characters with lots of twists and turns. A fabulous conclusion with a twist right at the end. Will he, won't he??

An intriguing,complex and complicated novel with great characters and a few twists at the end. Thoroughly good read.

I am a big fan of Lisa Jewell. This book started off well, but I found that it was a little slow and repetitive in the middle with a predictible ending. Still a good read, but not her best.

Really good Lisa Jewell book. Loved the pace, darkness, creepiness of it. Writing is engaging and addictive as usual. I'd read any book from her.

Thanks so much Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I genuinely don't know how to sum up this book! Bloody brilliant? Heart stopping? Hugely intriguing? None of that seems enough!

Lisa Jewell has become a master at her craft and her last few books, as she crossed over to the dark side with The Third Wife, have been just epic! She has been top of my Books of the Year list several times and is a strong contender again this year.

The Family Upstairs has richly developed characters that all wind together seamlessly as the story unfolds. They all keep you guessing about where they fit and I actually gasped so loud I scared the dogs when it finally made sense.

Family is a complex thing and getting dynamics right and making everyone believable can be so difficult. Lisa does this perfectly. I felt a huge range of emotions as I read this book and I didn't want it to end. No, scratch that. I couldnt wait for it to end. For 2 reasons; one, I wanted my life back as I just couldnt stop reading. And 2, I needed to know how it would all wrap up.

It's 3am and my head is still spinning. Bloody brilliant!!

I have to say this is not my most favourite Lisa Jewell book. I wasn’t hooked from the outset as I normally am and found it slow to get going. Overall, I did enjoy it but she sets the bar so high that it just fell a little flat for me. And I absolutely hate open ended closes to a book unless there’s going to be a sequel. 3.5 stars is a fair rating I feel. Thanks to the author, Netgalley and Century for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Libby inherits a rambling run-down house in Chelsea on her 25th birthday. Having been adopted as a child, she sets about, aided and abetted by a journalist, to improve her knowledge of her family history.
Unexpected events are uncovered, as the novel alternates between Libby’s voice in the present, and that of her parents, their two children and their dubious lodgers in the past.
As always, Lisa Jewell tells a fascinating tale, rich in characters and atmosphere. Her straightforward conversational style intensifies an unusual gothic story. Yet another perfectly structured page- turner from this writer.
With thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK Cornerstone

I think I’ve read every book by this author and they just keep getting better and better! This one certainly didn’t disappoint. I was gripped from the start and practically read this in one go! Recommend highly!

I never repeat the blurb - you can read that. This was an enjoyable tale, well written and crafted with an intriguing premise from the start. Great characterisation and plot development, if perhaps a tad unlikely at times. Up there with the writer's other works.

I wanted to find out what happened in this book but I didn't like some of the characters which made it hard going at times. I liked the premise of the story but didn't feel it flowed.
I've read other books by the author which I have enjoyed more than this one.

The first few chapters of the book are told by different characters, which is confusing as there seems nothing to connect them. As each short chapter closes, the next begins told from a different perspective, which is frustrating as you feel you are just becoming accustomed to the characters and story, then it seems to change direction. Consequently it takes a while for each character's story to take shape and become more interesting.

All centers round a mysterious old mansion in Chelsea and leads into a story about children being abused by a strict, disciplinarian cult father figure, and hardships endured by the family. There are several different elements to the story, consisting of narratives from different timeframes, skipping between the present and past.

In my opinion, there seems to be too many characters involved in the story, with some using different names, which made it difficult to understand what or who was involved. I had to keep skipping back pages to familiarise myself with some of the characters as the story unfolded. This made it difficult to become completely involved with the book.

It is a dark, depressing story about a family suffering hardship and deprivation, thrilling at times, but quite complex.

I loved the way the plot of this book unfolded. The strong characters were very relatable. I really enjoyed it. I love all this author’s books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lisa Jewell for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Not upto the authors usual standard. A little too unusual and hard to follow despite a really interesting premise

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell a four-star read that was almost a five. I enjoyed the drama and suspense it was so enthralling, but I got a little confused by all of the storylines and characters. This is dark and disturbing, but more thrilling than scary. The writing as always if great and if there wasn’t so much going on in the beginning then this would be such a great story.

How to describe this story; it's about a family of 4 who live a reasonably normal life dad,mum,son and daughter the children go to private schools, their huge house is full of opulent furnishings and dead animal heads on wall
The children Henry and Lucy like their life but their father is taken ill and stops going to work so I turn the children stop going to school which is odd but they don't mind!
Then random people visit the house like Sally and David and thief two children Phin and Clemency,the problem is they don't leave, add in a few more like the very strange bird like creature called Birdie and a guy called Justin who makes a herb garden
Over time Henry's parents seem less in charge and David takes over running the house and then the real problems begin David is harsh and mean he makes them give up their food and their clothing and eventually their beds and shoes, Birdie makes them all black tunica to wear, almost like cult members Henry thinks.
After a few years of this abject misery clemency is announced to be pregnant with David's child and a beautiful baby girl is born they name her serenity
When she is adopted at 10 months old she knows nothing of this story until a solicitors letter drops on her mat.
Will she solve the mystery that has surrounded these 4 children all their lives ??

Wow, this must be Lisa Jewells best book yet. I absolutely loved it! It's mesmerising and disturbing and it brought a lump to my throat. It is one of my favourite books this year.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy.

A family of 4 living happily in London but then lodgers move in! Fast forward 25+ years and Libby is 25, she receives a letter asking her to contact a solicitor about her inheritance.

As usual Lisa Jewell keeps us in suspense until the end.

An excellent read.