The Family Remains: A Novel

Absolutely brilliant sequel to the best twisted and dark thriller!

Sequel of The family upstairs and really hopeful to blow my mind with this. Poor packing but minimal damage.

Wow. An excellent ending to book 1. Would definitely read again! Would read again just to revisit the part where they tell what really happened to Phin!

A great continuation of the family upstairs with lots of twists and turns, breathtaking. A perfect happy ending, every character has an emotion.

After the family upstairs I think this one didn’t disappoint me that much. The storyline was good, the suspense, the revelations, the sacrifices, the happy ending all good. But again the question still remains like the family remains how did the police not do a full search of the whole house where a crime has happened or people have killed themselves. My only problem with Lisa Jewell is still not mentioning whose POV we’re reading but I think that’s her style and for me personally I think it’ll take time to get used to her writing. Overall a decent read that would leave you in a better place than the previous book in my opinion.

In London, a mudlark stumbles upon a bag of bones washed up on the River Thames. The bones belong to a young woman who was a victim of blunt-force trauma. DCI Samuel Owusu takes on the case and follows forensic evidence to a Chelsea mansion on Cheyne Walk. This mansion was the site where three dead bodies were discovered in the kitchen three decades ago. We are reintroduced to the Lamb family - Lucy, her children Marco and Stella, her brother Henry, and Libby, all haunted by their dark past. Rachel Rimmer tied the knot with Michael in a hurry, only to realize later that he was abusive. Lucy's ex, Michael, had been discovered dead at his residence in France, and the French authorities are looking to speak with her. Lucy moved in with her brother, seeking safety, stability, and security after going through a tough time and periods of homelessness. Henry, who is fragile and lonely with self-esteem issues, is grappling with a mix of complex emotions and feelings. He was fixated on Phin Thomsen and is eager to find out his whereabouts, amid rumours of him being in Africa. The story is told from multiple perspectives like the previous part and there are numerous timelines clearly outlined and I got fully engrossed in them. I have grown to care deeply for Lucy and her two intelligent children, especially Marco. This book felt less of a thriller and more of a police procedural but I am not complaining. I liked this book as well and Lisa's writing is really exceptional. She really writes well and made this book a twisty, dark and page-turner for me. But in the end, if I have to choose, I'll rate The Family Upstairs as my favourite one. Similar to the previous book, the depiction of physical, mental, and emotional abuse is truly distressing to witness, so check for the TWs.

- English people do love champagne - "betray my excitement" - I wanna hug Henry - flip off Michael Etc etc

For writing this sequel. Even thou you don’t need to read the first one to understand what is going on but it’s worth reading the others too! Loved reading this. Finished this within days