Review: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

From the New York Times bestselling author and master of “bone-chilling suspense” (People) comes another page-turning look inside one family’s past as buried secrets threaten to come to light. 

 Gifted musician Clemency Thompson is playing for tourists on the streets of southern France when she receives an urgent text message. Her childhood friend, Lucy, is demanding her immediate return to London.

 It’s happening, says the message. The baby is back.

 Libby Jones was only six months old when she became an orphan. Now twenty-five, she’s astounded to learn of an inheritance that will change her life. A gorgeous, dilapidated townhouse in one of London’s poshest neighborhoods has been held in a trust for her all these years. Now it’s hers.

 As Libby investigates the story of her birth parents and the dark legacy of her new home, Clemency and Lucy are headed her way to uncover, and possibly protect, secrets of their own. What really happened in that rambling Chelsea mansion when they were children? And are they still at risk?

 Jewell’s novels have been praised as “sure to please fans of Ruth Ware and A.J. Finn” (Library Journal, starred review) and her latest is no exception. The Family Upstairs will keep you guessing until the very last page.

 Kindle Edition, 320 pages

 Expected publication: October 29th 2019

 by Atria Books

****

Lisa Jewell has turned into one of my gotos even though I am a relatively new fan. With books like Then She Was Gone and I Found You she has cemented herself with unique plots, flawed characters and lots of twists and turns.

The Family Upstairs is a fast-paced book that delivered on all levels I love. While this one was a little darker with an almost Gothic feel I struggled to put it down. With its (sorta) mansion style home and told from a number of POVs I was introduced to a cast of characters where not many were likable but they were well developed making the story all the more intense.

There are a number of characters, predominately in the back story, and it wasn’t hard to follow along. Again I found a unique plot that kept me guessing, with lots of twists and turns just reinforced my feelings about Lisa Jewell, definitely an author I highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an arc in exchange for an honest review.