4.4k reviews for:

The Family Remains

Lisa Jewell

3.74 AVERAGE


This book offers no interesting new information and it is not even really a thriller. There's no provocative mystery. The characters from the first book are still around but being maximum cringe, stupid and they all meed therapy badly. We're following the timeline of a terrible guy who died in the first book for WHAT? And who cares about some terrible woman's bones!? I did like the detective but even he felt pointless because nobody cares about those bones. An unnecessary book. 
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

niamhzorina's review

4.75
adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A fantastic follow up to "There's Family Upstairs". Just as gripping, and I loved the introduction of Rachel and following her story. Lisa Jewell is an amazing writer!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

I wasn’t sure that a sequel was needed and I proved to be right.
I loved the first book but this was a disappointment. I felt the ending was so weak.
dark mysterious fast-paced
dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This series really didn’t need a sequel. The writer herself admits she doesn’t like to write sequels. The Family Upstairs had a finished story that had a good ending with no need of a sequel, so this book felt like dragging a dead horse around.
dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes