A review by michelles_book_nook
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: domestic violence, rape, homophobia, drug abuse, murder, child abuse, miscarriage, mentions of infertility ⚠️ Wow how did I leave this rollercoaster ride of a book on my tbr for so long?! This book follows Libby, an adopted young woman, who one day discovers she has inherited a large house in Chelsea from her birth parents but from that day forward her life becomes a whirlwind as she discovers the truth about the house she now owns and the people that once lived inside it. All she knew before this was that as a baby she was found in the house well fed and cared for by the police and social services however in the kitchen below were three decomposing bodies and a hastily scrawled note in what appeared to be a cult like suicide pact but what she doesn't know is the shocking goings on that happened there. This book is so complex and will have you hooked until the very last page. It's quite slow at the beginning but trust me it is worth it and you will be grateful for the slow drip feed of information as it really picks up the pace fast. I absolutely loved the various pov's between characters and timelines and how in parts it really made you question each and every character and their reliability. Also, it is jam packed with twists and turns and even though I guessed one or two it will still leave you reeling and just when you think all of the twists and turns are over it hits you with more. And that ending 😱 I think it's safe to say I need the sequal immediately 🙈 Overall, I highly recommend reading this book and it's definitely up there with one of my favourite books so this year.
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