it is rare that you read a sequel/prequel as good as the first but lisa blew this out of the water. the family upstairs was one of the first books i read when i started my instagram account over 2 years ago and this prequel has been long awaited, and i LOVED every second of it. i loved learning about the family and behind the scenes almost, i’ve grown a lot since reading the first so it was a fresh perspective and i appreciated the writing and plot even more. hats off to you as always Mrs Jewell x

The Family Remains is full of more twists and turns, just like The Family Upstairs which I absolutely loved. Fantastic thriller! And from the ending, Lisa Jewell had to give us a sequel.

Even though it has been said that this could be read as a stand alone, I feel to get the full effect of what happened the family, The Family Upstairs needs to be read first. Especially to get a sense of Henry. Henry is a great character. He’s so complex and twisted throughout.

I loved following Lucy’s POV. She had really been through alot. Even though I was convinced Marco was a lot younger in the first book than he was portrayed here. I’m very observant for a thriller reader!

I enjoy books with multiple POV because you’re getting so many sides to the story and the truth might not even be one of them. Who to trust? Who to believe?

I couldn’t put this book down, another amazing thriller from Lisa. I have a few more of her books on my TBR and I’m looking forward to them even more now.

I was excited but apprehensive when I heard that this author was writing a follow up to The Family Upstairs. I wasn’t sure how she would pick the threads up, or if new content and people would be added and if new people were added, how they would weld together.

I was pleasantly surprised and kicked myself for even doubting she wouldn’t pull it off! She did.

There has been lots written about this book and it’s content so if I add more I’m either repeating or revealing new things and I’m a great believer when it comes to thrillers if you want to be “thrilled” read reviews after you yourself have read it.

I see varied thoughts on this follow up book. That’s good as it brings great discoveries and discussions.

This book didn’t wow me but it gave me a lot to think about.
It does jump here and there so you need to concentrate. For me, it was worth it.

I’ll read anything by this author as I just love her writing and how she weaves things around. How her conclusions come about. Her books have body.

I would recommend rereading The Family Upstairs before reading this! Although there are plot points to help, I had completely forgot everything.

Loved this, Lisa Jewell is a genius and Henry Lamb is one of my favourite characters. Felt a little lack lustre in the middle but a wholesome end

I love Lisa Jewell, she always writes with such passion, thrill and suspense!

But this one, wasn't a top hit for me, and it didn't reach the spot, and I think I know why. I liked the Family Upstairs and though I know Jewell has said that you could read this one as a stand alone I'm not sure really if you could because even though, the book touches lightly on the past - I just feel that sequels never really do the first book justice, you can never really out do or compliment the first book with a second, that's just my opinion.

Secondly, the problem for me was, I didn't really like the characters as they've grown. I mean I struggle really liking them as children in the books and I just felt that I couldn't connect with them when I never liked them that much the first time around. The other problem is, though the Family Upstairs was a memorable event for me, I didn't love it, I liked it, it was an okay read but it just wasn't my favourite, it gave me chills but I think there are far more chilling and creepy books I have read by Jewell that this one.

Henry, Lucy, Libby and Phin are all going about their separate lives. I never really liked Henry, I thought he was a bit of a creep, but low and behold, he was and still is, obsessed by Phin and the ability to control everything in and around him. The other's didn't bother me that much, I just didn't really like them that much.

The first half of the book is pretty boring and whilst I try to not DNF books I was pretty close on this one, I almost buckled but I MADE IT THROUGH! Then we have the "Michael" story line, Lucy's ex husband and his wife Rachel - new character alert- I also didn't think there was much point in this story line, just a filler to do break up the Phin / Henry situation and keep us busy until bones are found in a bag off the shores of the Thames which loosely connects the house and the new owner who purchases it, a useless detective is hired and if this was a film would be likely played by Rupert Penry Jones from Whitechapel as he always let's his murderer get away!

I don't really understand what the point of the sequel was for, I honestly hate sequels but thought I'd give this one by Jewell the benefit on the doubt, well done for the hard work Jewell, but this one just didn't live up to expectations and didn't work for me

Many thanks to netgalley for the free ARC, in return for my review, featured here!

The prequel to this novel has definitely stuck in my mind so I was intrigued to read the sequel. Very well written and the different timelines slotted well. Wasn’t expecting the end but enjoyed it all the same!

A very different story and an enjoyable one. My only comment would be that I did find it rather hard to tell who was who. There is a very nice list at the start of the book, but due to reading it on a Kindle which for some reason had difficulty downloading it correctly ( the bottom of every page was missing, plus it wanted to start at chapter 26) so I was loth to stop reading and go back to the start to re-rest the list. However I did manage to hold onto the plot and enjoyed the book, it had many twists and turns.

I have love most of Lisa Jewell's books but for some reason whilst I enjoyed The Family Upstairs I didn't love it like so many seemed to. Therefore when I saw this years LJ offering was a sequel I wasn't quite as excited as normal.

Thankfully I was completly wrong and I think this had me hooked more than the original story. If you loved the original I'm certain you'll love this.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors, I know I can purchase any of her books and will love them without even looking at the title let alone the blurb! I do of course check the title in case I've already read it but they are all brilliant and this was no exception.

A bag of human bones has been washed up on the river Thames and DCI Samuel Owusu is called to investigate. They discover they are the bones of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head. The clues inside the bag lead them to a rare tree at a property of three mysterious deaths years ago and a family full of secrets. We follow the investigations through to the end and make many discoveries along the way.

This is a classic Lisa Jewell book, it leads you along and engages you right from the start, I couldn’t put it down. The plot flows beautifully and Jewell’s brilliant writing style helps carry everything forward. There are plenty of twists and turns as well as intrigue as to what happened with lots of theories along the way. I thought I had guessed the ending but was wrong. I also thought I had guessed what happened between two of the characters and was completely wrong there too! Jewell is the master of leading you down the garden path just to find that everything you thought you knew is incorrect.

The characters were well developed and perfectly flawed, as we all are. Each had a different back story and interlinked well. Henry was my favourite character, despite hearing his inner voice you never know what he is going to do next or what he's up to which keeps everything exciting. Rachel's story is so tragic with pieces of sexual and emotional trauma in her past but you get to view her backstory through the book.

This is a full family drama saga woven around a murder mystery. There are multiple different subplots which eventually interwind to connect and paint a bigger picture, giving an amazing ending.

I can't say too much about the book because I think you are best going in blind but I loved it. It was also interesting to see that it was the sequel to a previous book, The Family Upstairs, which Jewell has never done before. When writing in this way, to respond to fans begging for more, so much could go wrong, especially since she had wrapped up the last book so well, leaving no loose ends. Jewell clearly wasn’t done with this storyline and has turned out a fabulous sequel, possibly even better than the first!

I have not read the previous book (The Family Upstairs) but I have ordered my copy. Lisa Jewell is an author I have always enjoyed reading, so when this title appeared on the local Random House Penguin release list, I jumped at the chance of getting my hands on a copy. What a fantastic read.
When you reach for this title, you are in for a unique treat. I loved this book and could not race through it fast enough. You are dropped into a twisty tale that will keep your head spinning as the story unfolds.
The author tells this story from various perspectives over different timelines. At times it almost felt as if two different stories were at play. This makes this book an intriguing read that keeps you slipping between timelines and characters. I loved the way the two stories unfold and then come together. I was kept on the edge of my seat and the ending was not what I anticipated. Lisa Jewell is a fabulously creative author and her books will always sail to the top of my TBR.
When a bag of bones is found on the banks of the Thames, DCI Samuel Owusu discovers that they belong to a missing person. Retracing this young woman’s steps, he is led to a mansion in Chelsea and a cold case where three people were found dead.
Meanwhile, Rachel Rimmer receives a phone call informing her that her husband was found murdered in his house and France and the local police would like to speak to her. Rachel does not want to discuss her marriage or her husband, there are too many details she would rather keep to herself.
Lucy and her children have finally returned to England, settling in and about to buy her first ever home her brother disappears to find a man from their past who is haunting their present. While everyone is hunting for the truth, no one is prepared for the answers that will reveal just how closely linked they all are.
This was a book that had my head spinning as I tried to put the pieces together. I loved the way two different stories unfolded at the same time and not knowing how they end up fitting together. I have not read the previous book, but I did not feel as if I was missing anything. I am however super excited about adding The Family Upstairs to my TBR. (The order has been placed…. I simply had to.)
I found myself surprised by the characters in this book, they were not who I initially thought they were. Lucy appeared fragile and insecure as she struggles to provide for her children. Her acts left me amazed. As for Rachel, I couldn’t help but wonder how she could be so blind. There were so many red flags that she was blind to. And Henry? Wow, what a character. This damaged man is full of surprises.
I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I was left surprised at every turn. Lisa Jewell is a master at spinning a twisty tale that will leave your jaw-dropping. This book was a wonderful read and it has secured a place in my top ten for the year.
Even if you have never read a Lisa Jewell book before, The Family Remains is a gripping, mystery thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I highly recommend that you add this title to your TBR…. Be warned, when you read this one, you will find yourself adding The Family Upstairs to your TBR as well. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into that one.

I loved this book! This is a sequel from The Family Up Upstairs which I haven't read so this can be picked up as a stand alone book.. Saying that, I would now like to go back and read the Family Upstairs.
There are a lot of characters in this book which are all explained at the very start of who they are and their relationship within their families. I took a photo of this page so that I could refer back to it quickly (I read a digital version of the book). I found that I only had to do this a couple of times as the characters quickly each come into their own.
The book starts with the discovery of human bones and so starts a historical murder investigation. Complex enough when when it happened over 20 years ago but when all of the people potentially involved in the case have seemed t have disappeared, almost an impossibility to solve.
The plot has twists and turns but comes with a trigger warning of child abuse, psychological and physical abuse as well as grooming and sexual abuse. There is also murder and rape. No wander the characters wanted to disappear. It is frankly a surprise that they haven't come out more twisted than they are or have they?
Henry is brother to Lucy adult versions of the children who appeared in the first book. Both are incredibly strong characters with Lucy being down to earth with children of her own and would rather allow herself and children to sleep rough than put them through an abusive relationship with her ex-husband. Her brother Henry is really twisted and you[re never quite sure what he is capable of. Henry is looking for his childhood housemate Phin who is also the father of Lucy's eldest daughter. Did I also mention that Henry has had plastic surgery to look like Phin? Lucy is concerned about Henry finding Phin but why?
Then there is Rachel, a lovely character, A woman who knows what she wants and is swept off her feet and is the second wife to Lucy's first husband who discovers on her honeymoon that her husband is gaslighting her, becoming emotionally abusive towards her which leads to physical sexual violence. His body is discovered in France but who is it that killed him?
Lisa Jewell had delivered again and definitely an author I follow. The #FamlyRemains is a great mystery and thriller.

With thanks to #NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for this digital preview read,

I would definitely recommend re-reading the sequel to this book as I completely forgot what happened. However, The Family Remains was still a good read, unsurprisingly for Lisa Jewell.

A fast-paced sequel to The Family Upstairs. I enjoyed reading this book and it nicely tied up some loose endings.

What can I say. I have read all of Lisa Jewell’s books and loved them all.

This was the sequel to the family upstairs and it follows on perfectly. Well written, Page turning great book.

Lisa does it again I was hooked

Brilliant. Followed on with no gap from the last book. Well written. Cleared questions from previous. Just perfect

I'm always hesitant to read sequels of thrillers especially when I loved the first book The Family Upstairs so much but Lisa Jewell has done it again! Yet another book that I read pretty much in one sitting because it was completely compelling and I couldn't put it down!
Following the now grown up occupants of 16 Cheyne Walk this is just as creepy as the first book! More family secrets, more twists and turns. I absolutely devoured it!

In this sequel to her previous novel The Family Upstairs, Jewell reintroduces us to her character Lucy Lamb who is just to become a house owner. At the same time, Lucy's brother disappears to locate a childhood friend. Elsewhere, a character called Rachel Rimmer takes the disturbing call that her husband appears to have been murdered in their French home and London DCI Samuel Owusu is compelled to deal with some bones that have washed up on the bank of the River Thames. How all these cases and individuals are connected slowly becomes clear. Not only does this novel knit together different timelines and mysteries, but it also introduces some age-old disturbing themes such as conflict, abuse and the desire for revenge. The end effect is a complex, multi-layered thriller that should garner Jewell many new fans. Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the free ARC I was granted in exchange for this honest and unbiased book review.

I loved The Family Upstairs and I loved The Family Remains. I was in the story right away, and read this super quickly. Found myself emotional at the end. I want a third one from The Family, please!

It’s June 2019 in London. A mudlarker on the banks of the River Thames discovers a bag containing human bones, which forensics prove to be those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head.
Also found in the bag are seeds from a rare tree, which lead the police to a mansion in Chelsea, where,30 years previously, the bodies of three people were found in the kitchen, and a baby alive upstairs.
Other clues lead to a brother and sister in Chicago, who are searching for the one person who can make sense of their past.
For me, The Family Remains needs to be read as a sequel to The Family Upstairs. Lisa Jewell is a talented and skilled author who provides refreshers to the original story, but I wish I’d re-read “Upstairs “ before I read “Remains” - I feel I would have benefited.
An excellent conclusion, as always a well paced and plotted book. Recommended.
As always, my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

A gripping thriller from start to finish, I blasted through this book in one sitting! I enjoyed the multiple narratives, flipping between past and present to gradually build the story as all the pieces began to fit together. However I realised at the end of this book that this is a sequel, so now I will have to read the first book!