The twists and turns this book took were fantastic and incredibly compelling. The flashback chapters were easily the best parts, and I wish there had been more detail in those and less time spent on the present-day chapters.

I really enjoyed the story and world this author created. I found the main characters very engaging and somewhat psychotic at times. I would recommend this book to any readers of suspense, although be prepared to want to read the follow up book in the series. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

Lisa Jewell always offers a fun, intense read! This was very similar with a twisty ending. I enjoyed it.

Lisa Jewell gives us a twisty mystery centered around an inherited house and a jumbled family history. On Libby's 25th birthday, she received her inheritance from her birth parents - an abandoned mansion in the heart of London. Unable to believe her luck, Libby begins her way back to her history and those who have been waiting a long time to greet her. We follow Libby and the POV of 2 other characters (Lucy and Henry) as the tale unfolds of 25 year old murder case to the present day.

Jewell has a wonderful way of creating a tense atmosphere. The abandoned mansion lived up to all the promised spookiness. However, I do believe the 3 pov structure hurt the pace of the story. I understand why it was set up like that, but felt the story drag at times. If you're a Jewell fan I recommend giving this a try, but readers who do not like all first person POV mysteries should think twice.

You know those stories that steal a piece of your soul and won't let go? That's what's going to happen when you read The Family Upstairs. There is nothing that will prepare you for what you're about to read, and I absolutely loved the twisty road the author took us on from beginning to end.

Lisa Jewell does it again! I loved this book!


16 Cheyne Walk…prestigious address.. home of the socialite 🥂couple the Lambs… the “It” couple literally fell off the face of the earth…never to be seen again…🤔…until they showed up on the evening news…and it was not for Mrs. Lambs choice of shoes 👠…. This time it was because they were found dead on their kitchen floor…😳

Was this a cult?? Was it a extended family?? What the hell was this?? 😳 Whatever it was… I couldn’t get enough!!! If I had to use one word to describe this book it is… creeepy!! 😬Just how our thriller loving hearts 🖤 like it!! 😉

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more creepy or disturbing…it did…😳…that ending!!🤯🤯🤯🤯 I literally said OH… MY… GOD… out loud…I am SO excited to read the next book!

I started this years ago when I first received the ARC but then fell into a huge reading slump and put it aside. I’m glad I came back to it instead of keeping it DNF’d as I enjoyed seeing this story told by an unreliable narrator, a woman with a hidden past, and a girl discovering the truth about her bio family. I liked how this all came together to create one intertwining story. However, this goes a little off the rails for me at the end and I found there to be a few too many twists which I felt diminished the effect of them.

I have read several of Lisa Jewell’s books, so I was excited to read The Family Upstairs. It is listed as Mystery/Thriller, but it starts very slow with a lot of back story. The back story is important, but it took me awhile to get into the book. Once we got past all of that, I couldn’t put the book down!

I read this book quite a while ago, and I read A LOT of books, but I do remember that the story stayed with me for quite some time. This was a thriller that keeps you enthralled from start to finish with unexpected twists and turns. Well written. Thanks for the opportunity to read the advanced reader copy!

Jewell kept it up with a creepy, suspense filled book, once again. This one is probably her best yet.

So good! Finished same day I started. I'm glad I have the sequel ready to go. Author has become one of my favorites over the past year. Suspense and drama keep the reader focused and involved.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

I have learned that it's better to wait on reading mysteries until I can see the trigger warnings because mystery novels are getting more and more unsafe for people who are triggered. I was in the mood for a creepy building mystery and went to grab this one. I looked up the trigger warnings and saw that animal abuse and murder happens in this book. I cannot read this content, so I will not be reading this book.

Twisty and turny, culty and creepy, this novel of two families with questionable moral compasses will leave you guessing until the end. I think I would have enjoyed this one more if the choices of adults didn't damage the children involved so very much. There are certainly crazy, messed up people in the world that do stupid, harmful things to children and write books about them, but for me it makes it difficult to read about children who have no control over what is happening to them and are being harmed by those who are supposed to care the most for them.

So, if you like a twisty and turny book with Flowers in the Attic vibes, give it a go. Otherwise, steer clear.

This book feels almost impossible to summarize easily (so maybe just check out the Goodreads synopsis if you're interested). I've read one other book by Jewell and I do find myself intrigued by her characters. I think this was a little bit more of a mystery versus a thriller in terms of genre. Some of the biggest plot twists were slow burns rather than quick turns of events. So, if you're looking for something fast-paced, this isn't the right read for you. If you're willing to stick around for the payout at the end, then dive in.

There were a few elements of this book that kept me from rating it 5 stars - mostly that some of the aspects felt a little far-fetched. A lot of the story kept reading to me like it took place a lot earlier than the 1980s/1990s, so I did get a little thrown off by that and it added to the unrealistic quality. Overall, though, I would recommend this book because of the ending. There was a twist that I didn't see coming, and pretty much all of the loose ends were tied up. Can't say I'll rush to read the sequel though (maybe I'll come back to it another time).

Libby has always known she was adopted, but she had no idea that at age 25 she would inherit a home (a mansion!) from her birth parents. When she goes to the house to take position, she learns that it has an interesting history and that her parents died in what was reported as a murder-suicide. The whole story unfolds through the voices of Henry and Lucy and as Libby and an investigative reporter who has been following the story of her inheritance. Nothing is as it seems.

I thought this was just a routine story about family secrets and drama, and it is to a certain extent, but there are so many twists and turns, I was frequently surprised. This is a real "page turner", but it is at time a bit confusing. There are many characters, and their connection to the story is sometimes unclear. By the end, however, this story of abuse, control, murder, and much more becomes all clear. Definitely worth the time.

I was so excited when I realized Netgalley allowed me the Arc of this fabulous author. However, these books have multiple pov, and you, the reader, are two steps ahead of the chapters. I read VC Andrews when I was in high school, and one book was enough for me; the same here, sad to say. I slugged my way through it, but it made me want to take a shower, not stay awake with bated breath. I appreciate #Netgalley & #Atria for allowing me this Arc. I loved her first book, this one, not so much.
Thank you,
carolintallahassee

Libby Jones was orphaned at an early age, and more than two decades later at age 25 she learns she has an inheritance, the old mansion that belonged to her parents. From early on, I had the feeling all was not right, and soon the dark story of the home and the people that once inhabited it begins to unfold. This was an unsettling read, and I do not always find this type of mystery an enjoyable experience. Yet, this author is a master at her craft. I had the feeling early on that all was not going to end well, and that feeling haunted me throughout my time with the book. This is not a spoiler, readers will have to go on the same reading journey to the final pages. And yes, this book kept me in suspense to the final page.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors!

I have read all of her thrillers and my expectations were so high for her newest (possibly too high). I love how she writes, builds tension, and weaves a story.

Her books are so easy to read and fall into. This one did seem a bit too long though and I was beginning to tire of the complex plot. It focuses on a highly dysfunctional family and there are a lot of characters to sort out. It took some time before I was able to make all the connections, but it played out nicely.

The family runs a cult-like home (or rather mansion) and what happens there comes into play later on....

The two timelines (past/present) will collide into a dark tale of this is what really happened....

There are surprising twists, but this one was missing the page-turning magic that I loved in her previous novels. It is still a solid and entertaining read.

Review coming soon. Fell behind due to illness, amd working on all of the old ones now.

This one will not be forgotten. I love Lisa Jewell. I reviewed her first book for Elle Magazine and I have been addicted since. She never disappoints.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.


Pub Date was November 5, 2019
#TheFamilyUpstairs #LisaJewell #NetGalley

This book has been blowing up my feed as one I just had to read. Once I started it, I could not wait to continue. It is one of those books that you just can't stop reading, and when you have to stop, you can't wait to get back to.
I absolutely loved this book and I will be picking up the stand-alone sequel immediately. This one is not to be missed!

**Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC, which I accepted in exchange for this honest review. This one was so good I bought a hard copy to share with my friends***