A review by thenovelstitch
The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell is the second installment in The Family Upstairs duology. The story follows the same set of characters Lucy, Henry, Libby, and the kids while introducing Rachel. Henry sets off to find Phinn once and for all after all these years, but he doesn't tell Lucy or Libby what he's doing which results in a transatlantic search. Meanwhile, in France, Michael's wife, Rachel is informed of his death and she does not appear to be a grieving widow. This second book in the series focuses on Rachelle and Michael's relationship before Michael and Lucy were together. It hops back-and-forth between Rachelle and Michael's relationship a few years prior and Henry's pursuit of Phinn in the present day. All the while the police discovered Birdie's bones and are now looking into the events of Lucy and Henry's childhood home. As things begin to unravel, no one is sure who or what is safe.

I actually enjoyed this book more so than the first book and I really liked the first book. I think the family remains took the story to the exact place. It needed to go. It's not often that you find the second book in a series to be better than the first, so I really enjoyed that pleasant surprise. Overall, I think this geology, the family upstairs, and the family remains to be an excellent set of thriller books that are expertly plotted and executed for the reader.