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"Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she's been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am. She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London's fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby's life is about to change. But what she can't possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well--and she is on a collision course to meet them. Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone. In The Family Upstairs, the master of "bone-chilling suspense" (People) brings us the can't-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member emma_mc
I started off really liking and being intrigued by this book, but I liked it less as I got into the latter part of it.
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for:
Fans of multi-perspective stories and jump back and forth across time.
In a nutshell:
A baby was found well taken-care of in a sparse mansion. Nearby are three adults dead by suicide. 24 years later, that same baby inherits the mansion and wants to know what happened to her parents all those
Worth quoting:
N/A Audio book
Why I chose it:
I’d seen this in an airport bookstore a few months back, and then it popped up as a recommendation on audible.
What it left me feeling:
Intrigued.
Review:
The book is a bit dark for sure - CN for sexual assault (in the book, not my review).
I knew nothing about this book going into it other that what was mentioned on the back cover. The book is told from the perspective of three characters (and the audio version employees three different voice actors for the chapters, which was immensely helpful): Henry, Lucy, and Libby. Libby is a baby who was found abandoned in a Chelsea (London) mansion 24 years ago. Henry and Lucy are connected to this somehow.
The voice actors chosen definitely give life to these characters - Henry sounds (to me) like a bit of a sleazy snob, Lucy sounds like someone who has seen some shit, and Libby sounds innocent and confused. I’m not going to say whether that ends up being accurate, but I think author Jewell does a great job of giving each narrator their own personality and way of speaking and acting.
I can’t share much without spoiling the twists, but I have to say that I made some educated guesses along the way and was wrong most of the time, so either the writing and story construction are quite clever, or I’ve not read enough of this genre to pick up on the clues. Either way, I enjoyed how it unfolded, to the point that I started this book on Saturday and finished up the next day.
In looking up some information about this book, I learned a sequel come out last year, so I’ve already downloaded that and imagine I’ll be reviewing it by the end of the week.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
Fans of multi-perspective stories and jump back and forth across time.
In a nutshell:
A baby was found well taken-care of in a sparse mansion. Nearby are three adults dead by suicide. 24 years later, that same baby inherits the mansion and wants to know what happened to her parents all those
Show More
years ago.Worth quoting:
N/A Audio book
Why I chose it:
I’d seen this in an airport bookstore a few months back, and then it popped up as a recommendation on audible.
What it left me feeling:
Intrigued.
Review:
The book is a bit dark for sure - CN for sexual assault (in the book, not my review).
I knew nothing about this book going into it other that what was mentioned on the back cover. The book is told from the perspective of three characters (and the audio version employees three different voice actors for the chapters, which was immensely helpful): Henry, Lucy, and Libby. Libby is a baby who was found abandoned in a Chelsea (London) mansion 24 years ago. Henry and Lucy are connected to this somehow.
The voice actors chosen definitely give life to these characters - Henry sounds (to me) like a bit of a sleazy snob, Lucy sounds like someone who has seen some shit, and Libby sounds innocent and confused. I’m not going to say whether that ends up being accurate, but I think author Jewell does a great job of giving each narrator their own personality and way of speaking and acting.
I can’t share much without spoiling the twists, but I have to say that I made some educated guesses along the way and was wrong most of the time, so either the writing and story construction are quite clever, or I’ve not read enough of this genre to pick up on the clues. Either way, I enjoyed how it unfolded, to the point that I started this book on Saturday and finished up the next day.
In looking up some information about this book, I learned a sequel come out last year, so I’ve already downloaded that and imagine I’ll be reviewing it by the end of the week.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
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LibraryThing member tamidale
Wonderfully creepy story that features a big old house with a sordid past, an unexpected inheritance and the reunion of long lost family members. This was the perfect read going into the Fall season.
The story is told from the viewpoints of several people. The main character is Libby, a young woman
The other two viewpoints are told from the perspective of Lucy and Henry, two siblings who lived in the home before it was abandoned and have not seen each other since they left it almost 25 years ago.
Lucy, a mother of two, has been practically homeless and supports her family by playing the fiddle on the streets or wherever she can get a gig. Henry disclosed little about his current life, but tells readers the past story of what went on in the house. It’s safe to assume he is an unreliable narrator.
There are a few areas I had to overlook in the plot. The lack of identification papers and the fact that some of the characters more or less went off the grid in Europe was a bit unbelievable for a contemporary story. In spite of this, I still enjoyed the story and the ending was spine-tingling!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
The story is told from the viewpoints of several people. The main character is Libby, a young woman
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who just turned 25 and has discovered she is the beneficiary to a home in an expensive area near the Thames river.The other two viewpoints are told from the perspective of Lucy and Henry, two siblings who lived in the home before it was abandoned and have not seen each other since they left it almost 25 years ago.
Lucy, a mother of two, has been practically homeless and supports her family by playing the fiddle on the streets or wherever she can get a gig. Henry disclosed little about his current life, but tells readers the past story of what went on in the house. It’s safe to assume he is an unreliable narrator.
There are a few areas I had to overlook in the plot. The lack of identification papers and the fact that some of the characters more or less went off the grid in Europe was a bit unbelievable for a contemporary story. In spite of this, I still enjoyed the story and the ending was spine-tingling!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
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LibraryThing member maggie1961
It starts with a text. The baby is 25. Who is the baby? And what is the significance of the baby being 25? Libby Jones is that baby. Turning 25 and receiving a letter that will bring her closer to finding out who she is. And about her birth parents. And then to find out she is the sole heir to a
Henry and Lucy live in a beautiful house with their parents and have many of the advantages the wealthy have. Until the day that Birdie and then David Thomson and his family move into the house. David brings his wife Sally along with his two children Phin and Clemency, perfect for friends with Henry and Lucy.
Charismatic David has everyone under his spell and there are big changes for everyone living at 16 Cheyne Walk. Before long though, the bloom is off the rose. David has high standards, numerous rules and before long he has control over everyone in the house. Then a tragedy befalls the household. The baby is abandoned and the remaining four children disappear.
Where did they go? Who did they become? And where are they now? How was she left at the house? These are all questions Libby has wanted to know her whole life and now that she is 25 she hopes she can find the answers.
Chapters alternate between Libby’s story’s Lucy’s story and another initially unknown narrator. And no one is as they seem. Can she trust any of the new people that have entered her life? Like the peel of an onion, layer after layer, the secrets of the house are revealed.
At times a little confusing the reader sorts things out, this is a mysterious, haunting story that will keep you up nights with its secrets, betrayals and twists. While this isn’t my favourite Lisa Jewell novel, it is a great read that kept me intrigued and hooked until the end.
Thank you to the publisher and net galley that allowed me the privilege of reading this book by giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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monstrous but abandoned house, a house that holds many secrets. What happened in that house all those years ago, she has yet to find out. Henry and Lucy live in a beautiful house with their parents and have many of the advantages the wealthy have. Until the day that Birdie and then David Thomson and his family move into the house. David brings his wife Sally along with his two children Phin and Clemency, perfect for friends with Henry and Lucy.
Charismatic David has everyone under his spell and there are big changes for everyone living at 16 Cheyne Walk. Before long though, the bloom is off the rose. David has high standards, numerous rules and before long he has control over everyone in the house. Then a tragedy befalls the household. The baby is abandoned and the remaining four children disappear.
Where did they go? Who did they become? And where are they now? How was she left at the house? These are all questions Libby has wanted to know her whole life and now that she is 25 she hopes she can find the answers.
Chapters alternate between Libby’s story’s Lucy’s story and another initially unknown narrator. And no one is as they seem. Can she trust any of the new people that have entered her life? Like the peel of an onion, layer after layer, the secrets of the house are revealed.
At times a little confusing the reader sorts things out, this is a mysterious, haunting story that will keep you up nights with its secrets, betrayals and twists. While this isn’t my favourite Lisa Jewell novel, it is a great read that kept me intrigued and hooked until the end.
Thank you to the publisher and net galley that allowed me the privilege of reading this book by giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
Libby was looking forward to her 25th birthday because she knew she would be coming into an inheritance.
What she didn’t know was what she had inherited.
Libby finds out she has inherited her family’s million-dollar home that was haunted by horrible events the family endured.
Meanwhile there are
We meet Lucy who says she MUST be there for Libby’s 25th birthday, and we meet Henry who lived in the house with all the strangers during the events and when the tragedy struck.
Henry’s story is the most bizarre and terrifying.
Phin is also a frightening character who lived in the house.
David is a character that I immensely disliked and was the cause of all the evilness.
When Libby arrives and is taking a look after all these years at the empty house with its locked-from-the-outside doors, with a ladder leading to the attic, and a garden of illegal plants you will be pulled in by the description and simple curiosity. All this made me wonder what really went on in that house and how no one noticed.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS has many characters, odd characters, and multiple story lines but story lines that all fit together and center around the inherited house that held evil.
Readers who enjoy Lisa Jewell’s books will not be disappointed in her newest.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS is creepy, bizarre, and disturbing. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.
What she didn’t know was what she had inherited.
Libby finds out she has inherited her family’s million-dollar home that was haunted by horrible events the family endured.
Meanwhile there are
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some other people who know about the day she turned 25 and what Libby inherited.We meet Lucy who says she MUST be there for Libby’s 25th birthday, and we meet Henry who lived in the house with all the strangers during the events and when the tragedy struck.
Henry’s story is the most bizarre and terrifying.
Phin is also a frightening character who lived in the house.
David is a character that I immensely disliked and was the cause of all the evilness.
When Libby arrives and is taking a look after all these years at the empty house with its locked-from-the-outside doors, with a ladder leading to the attic, and a garden of illegal plants you will be pulled in by the description and simple curiosity. All this made me wonder what really went on in that house and how no one noticed.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS has many characters, odd characters, and multiple story lines but story lines that all fit together and center around the inherited house that held evil.
Readers who enjoy Lisa Jewell’s books will not be disappointed in her newest.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS is creepy, bizarre, and disturbing. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
Good atmospheric mystery with lots of twists.
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Excellent psychological thriller that kept me glued to my earbuds! Definitely creepy and spellbinding!
LibraryThing member GirlWellRead
A special thank you to Libro.fm Audiobooks, NetGalley and Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Twenty five years ago, the police were call to a home with reports of a baby crying. Upon arrival, they find a well cared for ten-month old baby happy in her crib. But downstairs, there are
At the age of twenty-five, Libby Jones has just found out that she has inherited a large home worth millions in an upscale neighbourhood in Chelsea. The home was held in trust by her birth parents—she learns their identity at the meeting with the solicitor that is handling the estate. There are others that have been waiting for this day as well, and they are on a collision course to meet.
In a word, brilliant!
Jewell's writing rich, descriptive, and complex. She packs an emotional and psychological punch. There was just the right amount of suspense, and if creepy houses are your bag, than this book is for you! The setting is pivotal to the story and becomes one of its characters.
The characters are highly highly developed and rich in detail. Told through multiple perspectives, this compelling and twisty narrative is executed masterfully. Jewell has a knack for creating suspense that is both compelling and sublimely atmospheric.
Disturbing at times, gripping, and often quirky, The Family Upstairs is one of my favourite books this year.
Twenty five years ago, the police were call to a home with reports of a baby crying. Upon arrival, they find a well cared for ten-month old baby happy in her crib. But downstairs, there are
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three bodies that all dressed in black next to a note. And the four children who reportedly live there are nowhere to be found.At the age of twenty-five, Libby Jones has just found out that she has inherited a large home worth millions in an upscale neighbourhood in Chelsea. The home was held in trust by her birth parents—she learns their identity at the meeting with the solicitor that is handling the estate. There are others that have been waiting for this day as well, and they are on a collision course to meet.
In a word, brilliant!
Jewell's writing rich, descriptive, and complex. She packs an emotional and psychological punch. There was just the right amount of suspense, and if creepy houses are your bag, than this book is for you! The setting is pivotal to the story and becomes one of its characters.
The characters are highly highly developed and rich in detail. Told through multiple perspectives, this compelling and twisty narrative is executed masterfully. Jewell has a knack for creating suspense that is both compelling and sublimely atmospheric.
Disturbing at times, gripping, and often quirky, The Family Upstairs is one of my favourite books this year.
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LibraryThing member Twink
The Family Upstairs is the newest release from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell.
On her twenty fifth birthday Libby Jones receives an unexpected letter from a lawyer. She learns her birth name and is stunned to find out she has inherited a Chelsea home worth millions. Desperate for
Well, I had no idea where Jewell's story telling would take me this time. There are so many directions the past could take. But, the house is at the core of the story. Just Henry and his parents lived in the home - until his mother invited two other families to live with them. And one of those 'others' slowly takes control of the house - and the lives of the rest of the inhabitants. Cult-like you could say.
Jewell employs a past and present narrative in The Family Upstairs. We start with Libby's discovery - that twenty five years ago, she was the baby found alive, with three dead bodies in the house and two others missing. We're along as she tries to find answers with a journalist friend. But, the reader is privy to two narratives from the missing. From them the reader learns what life was like inside the house and what lead to those bodies. And what they might want from Libby today.
And that makes for some disturbing listening. I could feel the tension rise as I listened to each new entry in the tale. The Family Upstairs has a pretty dark undertone running through it - traumatized children being the main plot line. The now grown survivors have created new lives and in some cases, new names for themselves. I had to cement who was who in the beginning.
The present begins to make more sense as the listener learns more and more about the past. The final run to the last pages had me listening late into the night. And Jewell throws in a nice little twist in the end that gave me shivers...
I chose to listen to The Family Upstairs and was really happy that there was more than one reader. It became easy to know who was talking with three narrators - Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland and Dominic Thorburn. All did a great job and I thought each voice suited the character they were portraying. Thorburn does the innocence and outrage of young Henry really well and adds a darker note as adult Henry. I'm not sure what reader did the two female roles, but they were excellent as well. Again, innocence and confusion for Libby. But the Lucy reader was the one I enjoyed the most. (She was also my favourite character) All were easy to understand, their diction was clear and the speaking speed was just right. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I become much more immersed in a book when I listen to it.
On her twenty fifth birthday Libby Jones receives an unexpected letter from a lawyer. She learns her birth name and is stunned to find out she has inherited a Chelsea home worth millions. Desperate for
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answers to her past, she visits the home and discovers it has been abandoned for years. But perhaps not....there are others who have been waiting for Libby to turn twenty five.Well, I had no idea where Jewell's story telling would take me this time. There are so many directions the past could take. But, the house is at the core of the story. Just Henry and his parents lived in the home - until his mother invited two other families to live with them. And one of those 'others' slowly takes control of the house - and the lives of the rest of the inhabitants. Cult-like you could say.
Jewell employs a past and present narrative in The Family Upstairs. We start with Libby's discovery - that twenty five years ago, she was the baby found alive, with three dead bodies in the house and two others missing. We're along as she tries to find answers with a journalist friend. But, the reader is privy to two narratives from the missing. From them the reader learns what life was like inside the house and what lead to those bodies. And what they might want from Libby today.
And that makes for some disturbing listening. I could feel the tension rise as I listened to each new entry in the tale. The Family Upstairs has a pretty dark undertone running through it - traumatized children being the main plot line. The now grown survivors have created new lives and in some cases, new names for themselves. I had to cement who was who in the beginning.
The present begins to make more sense as the listener learns more and more about the past. The final run to the last pages had me listening late into the night. And Jewell throws in a nice little twist in the end that gave me shivers...
I chose to listen to The Family Upstairs and was really happy that there was more than one reader. It became easy to know who was talking with three narrators - Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland and Dominic Thorburn. All did a great job and I thought each voice suited the character they were portraying. Thorburn does the innocence and outrage of young Henry really well and adds a darker note as adult Henry. I'm not sure what reader did the two female roles, but they were excellent as well. Again, innocence and confusion for Libby. But the Lucy reader was the one I enjoyed the most. (She was also my favourite character) All were easy to understand, their diction was clear and the speaking speed was just right. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I become much more immersed in a book when I listen to it.
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LibraryThing member carole888fort
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell leads the reader astray, chapter by chapter. Libby Jones never knew who her parents were. As her twenty-fifth birthday approaches, she receives documents that she hopes will divulge who she really is. Instead, she becomes the beneficiary of an abandoned mansion
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along the river Thames in London which is worth millions of pounds. Twenty- five years ago, police were called to a mansion where they found a healthy ten-month-old baby and the bodies of three deceased adults. Missing from the premises were four children who were believed to be living there. Who were the deceased? Where are the children? What happened during the last twenty-five years? Why is Libby the beneficiary of a fortune? This thriller will have you guessing incorrectly till the end. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarygeek33
Excellent narration. How anyone can flawlessly switch between male, female, young, old and different accents is a beautiful mystery to me. The evil american character bothered me a little but overall, it was an engaging, suspenseful mystery - which is the point, after all.
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Wow, once this book got going I couldn't put it down; I had to know what in the hell was going on! Full of dark twists and turns, this is Lisa Jewell at her finest. A young woman at the age of 25 has inherited a multi-million dollar mansion from her parents, a single mother with two kids is
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homeless and living on the beach, and a man recalls what it was like growing up in said mansion as things got darker and weirder and a man with a cult like personality took over. Those three threads make up the story line and they start to bind together tighter and tighter as the book progresses. By the end I was dying to know what had really happened to the previous occupants of the house and wanting to know how the young woman inherited it. Dark, disturbing, and unique; I couldn't put this book down! The ending was a punch in the gut (in a kinda weird, good way). Show Less
LibraryThing member tibobi
The Short of It:
As the title suggests, this is a book about a family but the type of family and the secrets they hold, slowly unfold into a story that I could not easily predict, which is a good thing!
The Rest of It:
The Family Upstairs is told from alternating points of view and jumps back and
One thread has Lucy on the street with her two young children. What happened to her? Why are they homeless? Another, involves Libby, a young woman who was adopted as a baby. She’s just been informed that she’s come into quite a large inheritance which makes her extremely curious about her past. In the last thread, we are introduced to the “family upstairs” and the sinister things going on that are revealed in pieces, bit by bit. ALL OF IT is related.
The Family Upstairs was THE book everyone was reading over Thanksgiving break and for once, I joined in. It took a little bit of time for me to get into the flow of it. All the time jumping slowed me down until about half-way through, when I began to turn the pages faster because it was all coming together in a way that piqued my interest.
I’ve read one other Jewell book, The Girls in the Garden and that was also very good. I remember adding all her books to my Kindle after reading that one, and I was not wrong to do so. I really like her style of writing. There’s a pulse to her work, a bit of tension that I enjoy but it’s not predictable or silly. I am loving these types of reads these days.
For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
As the title suggests, this is a book about a family but the type of family and the secrets they hold, slowly unfold into a story that I could not easily predict, which is a good thing!
The Rest of It:
The Family Upstairs is told from alternating points of view and jumps back and
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forth between the present day and the events of the past. Normally, this type of book frustrates me but here, I found it to work quite well.One thread has Lucy on the street with her two young children. What happened to her? Why are they homeless? Another, involves Libby, a young woman who was adopted as a baby. She’s just been informed that she’s come into quite a large inheritance which makes her extremely curious about her past. In the last thread, we are introduced to the “family upstairs” and the sinister things going on that are revealed in pieces, bit by bit. ALL OF IT is related.
The Family Upstairs was THE book everyone was reading over Thanksgiving break and for once, I joined in. It took a little bit of time for me to get into the flow of it. All the time jumping slowed me down until about half-way through, when I began to turn the pages faster because it was all coming together in a way that piqued my interest.
I’ve read one other Jewell book, The Girls in the Garden and that was also very good. I remember adding all her books to my Kindle after reading that one, and I was not wrong to do so. I really like her style of writing. There’s a pulse to her work, a bit of tension that I enjoy but it’s not predictable or silly. I am loving these types of reads these days.
For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
They might have started out as a normal family, but they didn’t stay that way. When their mother welcomes an new acquaintance to stay temporarily at their home, Henry and Lucy are somewhat surprised, but when she never leaves, they are more surprised. And normalcy disappears completely when
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another couple and their two children move in. Gradually, the newcomers take over, the original family loses control of life. This complex and thoroughly intriguing plot will have you flipping pages and maybe even skipping work until you’re done reading it. The story unfolds in different times and places and is told by three of characters. Readers learn about the unusual home life, the abuse both mental and physical, the dreams of escape by the children, and then, we learn what transpired to end it all. The plot twists are well written, and the reader must decide what to believe or not. The characters are well drawn, especially the children, but even at the end, the reader is left wondering what they will do next. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
When Libby turns twenty-five, she receives the documents she's been waiting for-papers with the identity of her birth parents, and the announcement of the empty mansion she has now inherited. She also finds out that even though she was found as a happy healthy baby in the upstairs of the house,
This book kept me guessing from the very start! Just when I thought I had something figured out, Jewell completely turned everything on its head. I startled my dog a few times by gasping out loud. Despite being completely exhausted, I curled up on my couch reading for hours to finish this book, because I had to know where everything was going.
At first, I found the jump in perspectives a little confusing. But this didn't last long, and didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
Definitely read this book! I might recommend a hard copy edition so you can flip back and forth in the beginning if you get confused a little, but a few chapters in you will not be able to put this book down. And that last sentence...it still gives me chills.
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downstairs three people were dead and the other children had vanished. As Libby explores her past, she finds it colliding into her present in ways she never expected.This book kept me guessing from the very start! Just when I thought I had something figured out, Jewell completely turned everything on its head. I startled my dog a few times by gasping out loud. Despite being completely exhausted, I curled up on my couch reading for hours to finish this book, because I had to know where everything was going.
At first, I found the jump in perspectives a little confusing. But this didn't last long, and didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
Definitely read this book! I might recommend a hard copy edition so you can flip back and forth in the beginning if you get confused a little, but a few chapters in you will not be able to put this book down. And that last sentence...it still gives me chills.
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LibraryThing member Carmenere
#35
The Family Upstairs
Lisa Jewell
2019
3.5/5
Lisa Jewell is quite the prolific author, these days, writing a new book almost every year for the past 20 years. This novel however was my first dip into Jewell's bibliography.
The Family Upstairs published in 2019 is one of her newest books which I have
Story begins in a rather confusing fashion, characters are introduced and scattered in two countries but the reader doesn't know, at this time, their connection. Well, the somewhat cryptic connection is something about a baby turning 25. What baby Whose baby? And why does it matter?
Well, you'll eventually find out what transpired 25 years ago in this well written, twisty and creepy family saga. It's a fast read and the short chapters entice the reader to continue and discover how these characters meld together. An uninhabited old house, cult-like behavior and questionable characters fuel the story until all threads are tied up.at the conclusion.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of The Family Upstairs in exchange for my review
The Family Upstairs
Lisa Jewell
2019
3.5/5
Lisa Jewell is quite the prolific author, these days, writing a new book almost every year for the past 20 years. This novel however was my first dip into Jewell's bibliography.
The Family Upstairs published in 2019 is one of her newest books which I have
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had the good fortune to read this past week.Story begins in a rather confusing fashion, characters are introduced and scattered in two countries but the reader doesn't know, at this time, their connection. Well, the somewhat cryptic connection is something about a baby turning 25. What baby Whose baby? And why does it matter?
Well, you'll eventually find out what transpired 25 years ago in this well written, twisty and creepy family saga. It's a fast read and the short chapters entice the reader to continue and discover how these characters meld together. An uninhabited old house, cult-like behavior and questionable characters fuel the story until all threads are tied up.at the conclusion.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of The Family Upstairs in exchange for my review
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LibraryThing member rglossne
On her 25th birthday, Libby Jones receives a letter from an attorney advising her that her birth parents have left her a mansion worth millions in London’s Chelsea section. Twenty-five years ago, baby Libby was found in her cot in that same mansion, with three dead bodies downstairs and with the
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four children believed to live there missing. Libby was adopted and knew nothing of her background until now. Spurred by this inheritance, she seeks answers to the question of who she is and what happened in that house. Satisfyingly twisty. Show Less
LibraryThing member smik
One of the incredible things about this book is the variety of narrators.
First of all, in the first person, someone whose identity we eventually come to surmise, more by a process of elimination.
Then the story of Libby, the baby who has now turned 25, and learns that she has inherited a mansion in
Then Lucy's story. At first we are not sure who Lucy is, but clearly she is important.
And then Miller Roe, a journalist who recently wrote an article about the events that occurred in the mansion in Chelsea.
At first the reader has to deduce the narrator from clues given in the context, but eventually recognition of who has taken over the story becomes automatic.
The threads of the narration weave together, the story bubbles along, and we learn finally the truth of what happened in 16 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea.
First of all, in the first person, someone whose identity we eventually come to surmise, more by a process of elimination.
Then the story of Libby, the baby who has now turned 25, and learns that she has inherited a mansion in
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Chelsea, that has lain empty for nearly her whole life.Then Lucy's story. At first we are not sure who Lucy is, but clearly she is important.
And then Miller Roe, a journalist who recently wrote an article about the events that occurred in the mansion in Chelsea.
At first the reader has to deduce the narrator from clues given in the context, but eventually recognition of who has taken over the story becomes automatic.
The threads of the narration weave together, the story bubbles along, and we learn finally the truth of what happened in 16 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
I read this as a book club assignment and probably would not have found it on my own.
There were several moments in the book that made me gasp and think, “No... really?!?! And I would be shocked into reading more. The family upstairs has some very disturbing reveals and you can’t help feeling
There were several moments in the book that made me gasp and think, “No... really?!?! And I would be shocked into reading more. The family upstairs has some very disturbing reveals and you can’t help feeling
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both fascinated and horrified at the same time. The one thing I don’t understand very well is the title. I’ll be due to ask my fellow book club readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
This is the tale of a wealthy family and their downfall, precipitated by the addition of numerous characters to their household. The result was abuse of all types compounded by varying degrees of mental illness and bizarre relationships. At times the plot was almost unbelievable, but I still could
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not put it down. It was a strange but readable tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member fastforward
I had high expectations for this one because I've read and enjoyed most of Lisa Jewell's books. This one did not disappoint and it's tied with Watching You as my favorite book by the author.
Libby Jones was adopted and after she turns 25 years old she finds out she has inherited an old mansion from
I've read enough books by the author by now that I didn't expect there to be many shocking twists and that was the case here. I wouldn't say I figured out everything early on, but I had a general idea where she was headed with the story. However, I'm not saying that is a bad thing, in fact I find her to be a unique author in the mystery thriller genre because she writes compelling stories that don't rely on a whole bunch of surprises. I truly just enjoy being a part of the journey and watching everything unfold.
The story goes back and forth between the perspectives of a few characters, in the present time period as well as everything that led up to the abandoned baby in the house. My only real complaint about the novel is in regards to certain characters living in the house. I didn't like how it felt like two of the characters were briefly mentioned, then basically forgotten, and then later on a part of the story. Their presence just felt disjointed in some ways so I wish there could have been more development with them earlier on in the book.
Overall, even though this was a bit of a dark and disturbing story, it was a page turner for me. Definitely recommend if you have enjoyed other books by the author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
Libby Jones was adopted and after she turns 25 years old she finds out she has inherited an old mansion from
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her birth family. The home has an unfortunate history though. Twenty-five years ago police were called to the home where they found an abandoned baby and three dead bodies. It was rumored four other children had been living in the home but if they were ever there, they sure vanished without a trace. And while Libby might not have known she was going to inherit a house, let's just say others have been waiting for this moment for a very long time.I've read enough books by the author by now that I didn't expect there to be many shocking twists and that was the case here. I wouldn't say I figured out everything early on, but I had a general idea where she was headed with the story. However, I'm not saying that is a bad thing, in fact I find her to be a unique author in the mystery thriller genre because she writes compelling stories that don't rely on a whole bunch of surprises. I truly just enjoy being a part of the journey and watching everything unfold.
The story goes back and forth between the perspectives of a few characters, in the present time period as well as everything that led up to the abandoned baby in the house. My only real complaint about the novel is in regards to certain characters living in the house. I didn't like how it felt like two of the characters were briefly mentioned, then basically forgotten, and then later on a part of the story. Their presence just felt disjointed in some ways so I wish there could have been more development with them earlier on in the book.
Overall, even though this was a bit of a dark and disturbing story, it was a page turner for me. Definitely recommend if you have enjoyed other books by the author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
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LibraryThing member Carol420
Lisa Jewell has been a favorite author of mine since I first read "The Girl In The Garden" and "Then She Was Gone"... both excellent works...but I believe she may have out-done herself with "The Family Upstairs". It will kept you guessing throughout the story. Every time you think that you have
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established a connection or figured out an identity...guess again. I also loved the concept of the creepy house where people died and all of its surrounding mystery. There is plenty of suspense and atmosphere with characters that you can both love and hate... sometimes at the same time. Overall it reads as part psychological thriller...part domestic drama, with a side of horror thrown in. If creepy houses...mysterious deaths... and dark family secrets pique your curiosity, then this one is a must-read for you. Show Less
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
Well, that wasn't the story I expected! In fact, I'm not sure what the author was expecting, either. I think she may have had three ideas for a new book, got bored with them all, and then just merged the leftover plots together. We have the young woman about to inherit her birth parents' large
I was also expecting this to be a quick read - Richard and Judy Book Club, you know - but I kept falling asleep. The pacing is off, with host of unlikeable characters slowly being drawn together until the final chapters are tied in knots by various unnecessary twists in the tale, and by that point, I didn't actually care who was who. And the backstory was just baffling and never clearly explained - was Henry's mother that desperate for a bit of excitement? Why was David so charismatic, exactly, apart from the fact that Henry keeps telling us he was? I also felt like that part of the story should have been set in the 60s, not the 90s, for some reason - gullible housewives and warped children probably working better in the prewar era rather than the decade of girl power and cool Britannia.
I'm glad I only paid 99p!
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house in Chelsea, the secretive yet resourceful mother of two living hand to mouth in France, and a story related by an unreliable and creepy narrator about a 'charismatic' cult leader (for charismatic read: surrounded by desperate women) who worms his way into the lives of a upper middle class family and takes over. Mush them all together, with a text exclaiming that 'The baby is twenty five!' and an investigative journalist, and the result is The Family Upstairs.I was also expecting this to be a quick read - Richard and Judy Book Club, you know - but I kept falling asleep. The pacing is off, with host of unlikeable characters slowly being drawn together until the final chapters are tied in knots by various unnecessary twists in the tale, and by that point, I didn't actually care who was who. And the backstory was just baffling and never clearly explained - was Henry's mother that desperate for a bit of excitement? Why was David so charismatic, exactly, apart from the fact that Henry keeps telling us he was? I also felt like that part of the story should have been set in the 60s, not the 90s, for some reason - gullible housewives and warped children probably working better in the prewar era rather than the decade of girl power and cool Britannia.
I'm glad I only paid 99p!
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Shortly after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones finally discovers the identity of her birth parents and, at the same time, comes into her inheritance: the Lamb family mansion on the bank of the Thames River in Chelsea. But her quest for information about her birth family will have unforeseen
Told alternately in both the past and present, the narrative divulges the family’s deepest secrets as Henry, Lucy, and Libby take turns sharing their experiences. Henry is the primary voice for the events of the past; Lucy and Libby speak to their own lives in the present day. Henry’s narrative builds the backstory, explaining what transpired in the house while Lucy and Libby move the present-day story forward as they reveal how the past has affected each of their lives.
The characters are interesting and reasonably well-drawn; the story itself revolves around the house at 16 Cheyne Walk. The unfolding narrative offers readers several surprising reveals as it slowly weaves past and present together to create an inordinately dysfunctional family tapestry. The dark, depressing narrative is suspenseful, the telling of the tale filled with fear and tension. However, it is less of a thriller and more of an angst-ridden, eye-rolling descent into the milieu of trashy soap opera.
Prospective readers should expect to encounter completely unbelievable circumstances as Henry reveals the children’s backstory. Neither the cult-like situation within the house nor the extreme isolation of the entire family holds together in the face of intense scrutiny; rather, they end up with readers shaking their heads in disbelief at the sheer ludicrousness of it all. In addition, the horrific situation within the house is nothing short of cringeworthy and the uber-disturbing abuse of the children is, quite simply, extremely difficult to read.
None of this is to say that the story is horrid; rather, it simply notes the need for a massive suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. However, both the voyeuristic feel of the narrative and the wide range of depravity are likely to be off-putting for many readers.
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consequences as there are others who wait for this day . . . the day the baby turns twenty-five.Told alternately in both the past and present, the narrative divulges the family’s deepest secrets as Henry, Lucy, and Libby take turns sharing their experiences. Henry is the primary voice for the events of the past; Lucy and Libby speak to their own lives in the present day. Henry’s narrative builds the backstory, explaining what transpired in the house while Lucy and Libby move the present-day story forward as they reveal how the past has affected each of their lives.
The characters are interesting and reasonably well-drawn; the story itself revolves around the house at 16 Cheyne Walk. The unfolding narrative offers readers several surprising reveals as it slowly weaves past and present together to create an inordinately dysfunctional family tapestry. The dark, depressing narrative is suspenseful, the telling of the tale filled with fear and tension. However, it is less of a thriller and more of an angst-ridden, eye-rolling descent into the milieu of trashy soap opera.
Prospective readers should expect to encounter completely unbelievable circumstances as Henry reveals the children’s backstory. Neither the cult-like situation within the house nor the extreme isolation of the entire family holds together in the face of intense scrutiny; rather, they end up with readers shaking their heads in disbelief at the sheer ludicrousness of it all. In addition, the horrific situation within the house is nothing short of cringeworthy and the uber-disturbing abuse of the children is, quite simply, extremely difficult to read.
None of this is to say that the story is horrid; rather, it simply notes the need for a massive suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. However, both the voyeuristic feel of the narrative and the wide range of depravity are likely to be off-putting for many readers.
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LibraryThing member pegmcdaniel
I have been a fan of Lisa Jewell's books for a long time and read three of her previous novels. The Family Upstairs doesn't compare favorably to those I have read. There were too many characters and sometimes I felt confused trying to keep things straight. Eventually, things were sorted out but it
The setting is London and the time periods alternated between the late 1980's and the present. Different viewpoints were told by Lucy, Henry, and Libby. Lucy and Henry were children of a wealthy couple who lived in a mansion. They allowed two other families to move into the house thinking they wouldn't be there long. The two families had no intention of leaving and started taking advantage of his generous family. Over time, David, the head of one of the families, took complete control of everything and living there was like living in a cult.
You will have to read the novel to find out about Libby who is at the center of the story. It's complicated to the point of being absurd.
This is a dark, troubling novel, suspenseful with some interesting twists at times, but some of the story lines are distressing to read: drugs, incest, child abuse, animal abuse, and rape.
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wasn't until the last few short chapters when things finally came together. It was a long time to wait.The setting is London and the time periods alternated between the late 1980's and the present. Different viewpoints were told by Lucy, Henry, and Libby. Lucy and Henry were children of a wealthy couple who lived in a mansion. They allowed two other families to move into the house thinking they wouldn't be there long. The two families had no intention of leaving and started taking advantage of his generous family. Over time, David, the head of one of the families, took complete control of everything and living there was like living in a cult.
You will have to read the novel to find out about Libby who is at the center of the story. It's complicated to the point of being absurd.
This is a dark, troubling novel, suspenseful with some interesting twists at times, but some of the story lines are distressing to read: drugs, incest, child abuse, animal abuse, and rape.
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Awards
Crimefest Awards (Shortlist — 2020)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — November 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-11-05
Physical description
9.21 inches
ISBN
1780899211 / 9781780899213
Other editions
Family Upstairs TPB BC (Paperback)