The Family Remains

This book continues on from The Family Upstairs. A bag of Bones are found in the River Thames. A body in a cellar and where is Phin Thomsen and how are they all connected.

I am so glad Lisa Jewell decided to write this sequel I loved the first book and although that did tie up at the end (mostly) I still wanted more ! I Reread The Family Upstairs before this and i Recommend doing that as i had forgotten so much. The twists in this book just kept coming. I was hooked from the start and could not put this book down.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and Lisa Jewell for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review

I read The Family Upstairs when it came out in 2019 and loved all the creepy/suspense vibes so I had high hopes for the sequel, The Family Remains which has just come out. I have been obsessed with Lisa’s books for years! Big fan. Big fan 😅

The book is once again has mystery, secrets and murder. It has to have some murder, come on! It focuses on the family that remains following the tragic and chilling events in the first book. This family has a a lot of secrets 🤪 The author does give some background to the characters but yes, in my opinion you need to read the first book 👍🏻

The story is told from a variety of characters, probably my favourite is Henry (from the first book) as he is the most disturbing. Lol 😂 The chapters are short and pacy which is what I want from a thriller and what I expect from Lisa Jewell. Her writing is engaging and clever, pulling the reader in and then switching things up to keep us on our toes. Events from the first book play a key part in this story and I enjoyed revisiting these characters, with a couple of new additions such as Rachel and Michael. Urgh Michael…let’s not talk about him as he is a massive red flag 😑 The author sure knows how to write a complex character and shocking storylines! I didn’t find The Family Remains as menacing as The Family Upstairs. It was gripping, entertaining and a satisfying sequel.

As always I am in awe of the way Lisa Jewell constructs her stories. The fact that this picks up so many different threads from The Family Upstairs and ties them all together just adds to the complexity of this writing and the impressive nature of both plots. Whilst you don’t need to have read The Family Upstairs before reading this sequel I would highly recommend doing so. The Family Upstairs is definitely Lisa’s creepiest and scairest novel yet and so its a great read but also you will get to know the characters featured in this novel, get inside their heads and just understand them on a deeper level as you embark on this new journey with them.
This is such a great follow up novel to The Family upstairs because you have a lightness about the characters having been through what they went through in the previous book, they don;t have that to worry about any longer and yet it was such a huge part of their past and who they are today it is still always around. I found the previous novel very claustrophobic and so the fact that we don;t have to be inside that house any longer with the inhabitants meant that this book felt different but it also opened up a whole world of possibilities in terms of what could happen and what could go wrong!
I listened to the audiobook for the second part of this novel and I’m glad in some ways that I made the choice to switch between ebook and audio because this audiobook is a whole cast production and so it meant it was easy to discern whose story we were following even if I had stopped in the middle of a chapter. However this book does jump around in time so it means you have to listen carefully to which time period you’re in and I sometimes got a little confused with which timeline I was following as I was listening.
I loved getting back inside the head of Henry in this book because he is an extremely complex character and just so unpredictable he must have been great fun to write. It was also great to touch base with Lucy again. We opened the previous book with her and so I felt a really strong connection with her. Then we have a new character Rachel. It was so interesting to see how Rachel fitted into the plot and watch her story grow and develop. There are definite care warnings for sexual assault when it comes to Rachel’s story but I really connected with her as a character just as I did with Lucy in the first book.
Then we have the mystery of the bones in the water and how they came to be. I was driven to find out who they were and how they came to be there but there were so many other threads being woven together, tied and untied that I almost forgot about them from time to time just trying to work out what was going on with Lucy, Henry and Rachel. I love the way Lisa Jewell does this to me. She has never failed to write a book that doesn’t keep me guessing and keeps me turning the pages and The Family Remains is no exception. I’m just sorry that I can’t go back in time and read the 2 books back to back not knowing what happens for the first time!

Now I can hold my hands up as I did not like the first instalment of this at all but this was brilliant. It was fast paced with the stories weaving together and it really kept me gripped all the way through. Lisa Jewell back to her best! Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed the sequel to Jerwell's forst book. I was intrigued trhoughout and could not pit the book down. I found it top be really well written.

Having read the first book I was looking forward to reading what happened next and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the characters except for Henry who I hated which shows how well the book is written to make you feel that way. Very addictive, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again it when I had to put it down. Loved the ending too. Lisa Jewell is a great storyteller.

This is only the second Lisa Jewell I've read (the first being The Family Upstairs, which I got through in three days) and I set myself a personal best for this author, finishing in just 2 days.

The story itself is an extension of the first book which ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger despite all its jaw-dropping twists, turns, reveals and resolutions.

We continue to follow the lives of the characters from the hell house that featured in TFU – and if you haven't read the first book it's probably wise to do that before taking on this sequel, in my opinion. While The Family Remains does its best to fill in the gaps and back story from book one, even I found myself a tad confused at times trying to remember the full details from TFU and I only read it about 9 months ago.

Overall, this is a pretty good read and if you love Lisa Jewell you will absolutely love this. There are some truly despicable and hateful characters here but also some nice tie ins and overlaps from TFU.

The Family Remains is the follow up to Lisa Jewel’s The Family Upstairs and while it isn’t as fast paced as I would usually want from my thrillers, it is an utterly unnerving and compelling nerve.

If you’re not familiar with The Family Upstairs, it starts with Libby Jones who has just inherited a multi-million abandoned mansion from her birth parents. She has never known her birth parents, her family or background and she’s hoping this will provide her with the answers she’s been looking for. While one timeline follows her in the present and her quest to find out about her origins, the other timeline takes us back to 25 years ago where 3 dead bodies were discovered in the kitchen, a baby was found cooing in her crib and 4 children who were reported to live there were gone.

This provided a great background to The Family Remains which begins with a bag of bones that have washed up on the River Thames while in France, a man has been discovered in his cellar. Dead.

While these two events may not seem connected, the plotline unravels itself in a way that joins both deaths as well as concluding the events from The Family Upstairs.

As with most sequels, you could probably read TFR as a standalone but I highly recommend reading TFU first in order to gain some much appreciated background and depth. The insight you’ll gain of the characters and their history will pay off much more too.

Absolutely loved it from page one I couldn’t put it down. I did re read The Family Upstairs before starting this sequel and pleased to refresh my mind. Such great characters and so pleased to get the chance to catch up with them.
Thanks as always to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone. Century

A great follow up to The Family Upstairs.
It`s full of twists to keep you thinking just couldn`t put it down.
In London a mudlark discovers the remains of a dead body which relates to a cold case from 30yr ago when 3 people where found dead in a mansion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Wow!! I’m so pleased book 2 has been written. At the end of the first book I had so many un answered questions. I was so pleased to hear that there would be a sequel. This book is up to Lisa’s usual standards- gripping, twisted and all very believable. I love the sass of the characters and the realistic, modern plot. I really enjoyed this book as I’d finally got some answers.

3.5 stars. Anyone who reads my reviews will know that I often inadvertently end up picking up a book part way through a series because I don’t like reading the bumpf on the back and spoiling the plot.

In 9/10 instances it doesn’t make a difference but here you are definitely at a huge disadvantage if you haven’t read The Family Upstairs before reading what turns out to be its sequel. I know, it’s probably my own fault but I would say put this down, read the books in order and then you’ll be far more invested in the characters you meet here than I was.

I feel I’m being stingy but I can’t honestly rate it higher when I spent half of my time reading it going, hang on, what, why, 🤔?

We thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone, for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a much requested sequel to the psychological thriller The Family Upstairs although the story is complete and engrossing enough to stand alone as a novel in its own right.

The story opens with the discovery of a bag of bones in the River Thames. The bones have been around for around twenty-five years although their move to the the river is fairly recent. The bag also contains plenty of forensic evidence including the seeds of a poisonous plant. A detective and his partner set about who the person is, what happened to them and who murdered them and placed them in the river.

The story is interspersed with different characters at different times is a variety of tenses. Some are deeply unpleasant and their individual quirks are often quite disturbing. It is also human with elements of affection as well as guilt, longing, redemption and obsession. The characters are well rounded and easy to identify despite one who initially appears to be a very camp stereotype, but he develops into quite a unique persona with a fascinating storyline.

This is a well written book with a good pace, imagery, grace and effortlessly smooth. The plot is tight and really does hold the attention to the very last page.

I absolutely loved this book, since the moment I finished the first book ‘The Family Upstairs’ I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It was everything I was expecting and so much more. You don’t need to have read the first one, this second one is written to be a stand alone, but it’s just tied everything thing in from the first book so well.
I give this book 5⭐️‘S

I’m a massive Lisa Jewell fan, so when I got a message asking if I’d like to be a part of this tour I immediately accepted. I read The Family Upstairs in January 2020 and gave it 4 stars. When the sequel, The Family Remains, was announced, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I thought that the first book had wrapped up well enough that there didn’t need to be a sequel, but boy was I wrong! I found that so many questions I’d had whilst reading the first book had answers, and further questions I hadn’t considered from the second. I loved it! It was good to see some of the same characters from the first book as well. I think that even if you had not read The Family Upstairs beforehand, you would be able to pick up The Family Remains and read it no problem. However I do think having that added context and knowledge helped my reading experience more. Going into this book I wasn’t sure how much I remembered from the first one, but there are enough hints and mentions of events that I never worried I was missing something. I’d definitely recommend reading the first book (or rereading it) before reading book 2 though!

I love the way Lisa Jewell writes, I never find myself bored by the writing or pacing in Jewell’s books! I especially loved the multiple points of views in this book. Henry, Lucy, Samuel, and Rachel all had such distinct voices that it was easy to tell whose chapter I was reading. I think having the story told over multiple years also helped, and echoed the first book, which also jumps between timelines. I never felt like The Family Remains jumped about too much which was great, the different timelines always added to the story and weren’t placed randomly.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars. It was a solid mystery which had twists and turns around every corner. Despite it being over 400 pages long, I read it in just over a day. The pacing was excellent and every chapter ended in such a way that I needed to know what happened next – I love that in books! I would highly recommend this book, especially if you have read and loved the first, or any of Lisa Jewell’s other books, but please make sure to check out any content warnings first, as it does touch on some difficult topics.

The Family Remains is the sequel to “The Family Upstairs” I would definitely recommend reading the first one as I think you do need to know the background of the characters to understand what is happening, but don’t worry the first book is well worth the read!
This book picks up where the last one finished which is Henry, Lucy and Libby trying to track down Phin. Meanwhile DI Samuel Owusu is investigating bones that have been found in a river but are 25 years old. Through evidence found on the bones they are tracked to a house in London, one that has stood empty for years. Who has moved the remains after all this time and why?
This is a fast paced, short chapter read which is my favourite kind of read. I enjoyed this from start to finish and read it in 24 hours. Sometimes sequels don’t work but this one definitely does.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Had not read The Family Upstairs before reading this book but managed with some concentration to keep up with all the characters and time scales. This was a long thrilling, gripping and complex storyline that kept your interest from page one with. great characters. Will now look forward to reading book one.

I was happy to read a sequel to The Family Upstairs and to find out what happened after the first book had ended. This book tells the tale through the POV of different characters and we see less of Libby and more of Henry and Lucy. Lucy is getting her life on track whilst Henry, well is just being Henry and gives the reader some anxious moments.
A welcome addition to the familiar family members is Rachel, we were aware of her existence in the first book but she didn't really feature. Now we get to know her back story and what a story it is. I liked Rachel.

I was so pleased when I heard that Lisa Jewell was writing a follow-up to “The Family Upstairs! So many questions remained unanswered.

In this sequel LJ has gone so much further than just fitting all the pieces of the jigsaw together. She kept me on the edge of my seat with the heightened tension and the dread of what will they do next scenarios.

I loved it!

I don’t usually read sequels, however, I enjoyed The Family Upstairs so much and was intrigued to find out what happened to Henry, Lucy, Libby and Phin and The Family Remains didn’t disappoint. Lisa Jewell uses alternate timelines to weave their back stories and more, into The Family Remains so that even if you have forgotten some of the plot you are brought up to speed. This was a brilliant summer read and I really recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of The Family Remains in exchange for an honest review. I love Lisa Jewell's books.