THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS*

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and look forward to starting book two. Albeit some "twists" were obvious and predictable, it was still a very enjoyable read with two final twists (at the end) I did not anticipate. I'm becoming a fan of LJ and look forward to reading more of her books. Also... #ShortChapters - my fav! "All books are good, he said... 'They weren't bad books, Phin countered patiently. 'They were books that you didn't enjoy. It's not the same thing at all. The only bad books are books that are so badly written that no one will publish them. Any book that has been published is going to be a 'good book' for someone.' I nodded. I couldn't fault his logic."

This is a fascinating story. I'm not sure how to categorize it; it's not exactly a thriller, not exactly a family drama, not exactly what I think of as a contemporary fiction. Maybe a "famthrillemporary" fiction? Regardless, I loved it. Lisa Jewel's little "jewel," <i>The Family Upstairs,</i> easily earned <b>4.5 Stars</b> from me. What a fantastic companion while I was stuck home in bed with a nasty cough! <b>SUMMARY</b> On her 25th birthday, Libby Jones received a rather large inheritance; a huge house in Chelsea worth millions! Orphaned as an infant and raised solidly middle class by her adoptive family, Libby knew very little about her birth parents. She did know there may have been some money and that she may inherit something upon turning 25, but she had no idea it would be anywhere near that much. After meeting with the estate lawyer, she learned there was much more to her story than she could have ever imagined. Her parents had once been fabulously wealthy and quite social but somehow their lives took a major detour. When they died, it appeared as though they may have been cult members who entered into a suicide pact. The Chelsea mansion, once filled with the finest furnishings money could buy, was practically empty. They were emaciated and living in squalor. There had been children living in the house. In fact Libby had a brother and a sister, but when the bodies were discovered there was no sign of any children other than Libby. Libby was desperate to find out what happened to her family so she began an investigation, determined to find her missing siblings. What she found out unfolded into a fascinating story that kept me up late into the night, unable to tear myself away. <b>WHAT I LOVED</b> What must be happening in Lisa Jewel's imagination?!? This story was not at all what I was expecting. It had kind of a 1970's cult leader/commune vibe to it although the majority of the back story took place the late 1980's to the early 1990's. It was a fascinating story of manipulation and the slow progressive work of a very charming sociopath taking control over a vulnerable, lonely, aimless woman and working his way into the lives and pocketbooks of this woman and her family. It was amazing to watch him slowly chip away at them, insinuating himself more and more into their lives, one manipulation at a time until he unilaterally called all the shots. Brit-Lit! I love my brit-lit so much and this is my favorite kind; Rich People Brit -Lit! So darn intriguing! I was just picturing this gilded mansion inhabited by private school accented kids complete with their uniforms, a mum decked out in designer clothes with big hair and hot pink lipstick, and a fat cat, Jag driving dad just so pompous and proud of himself for snagging the young pretty wife. What an ideal backdrop for a tale of power struggles, desperation, greed and manipulation. I love these characters! They are so very well written and so interesting. I absolutely loved Lucy and Henry. Both were so multifaceted. Although I wish I had known more about the mums; Martina and Sally. I would have been interested in hearing the story from their point of view. The ever changing relationships and the tenuous control power was the probably the best part of the book. Then there was the ever present question of who was really <i>bad</i>, that kept me guessing throughout the book. There was a readers guide at the end which helped me sort through my many feeling after reading. It was the little but therapy that I definitely needed. <b>WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE</b> I loved most things about this book, but as mentioned above, I wish I'd see more of Sally and Martina's perspective. There are occasional glimpses into Martina's thoughts, when either she or her husband, try to explain the situation to Henry, but I feel like those were the watered down explanations one would use when talking to their child. I really want to know more about what they really felt about David and Birdie. That's really my only complaint. <b>OVERALL</b> This is a unique book that I truly enjoyed reading. I think it would make a great book club choice. There a many potential discussions.

The Family Upstairs is a psychological suspense-thriller of which the very fabric of the story weaves around the disintegration of a family’s psyche spiraling slowly away from sanity under the misguided ideals of a spiritual huckster. Lisa Jewell tells the story from the POVs of three of the family members. On her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones receives a much-anticipated letter that holds the answers to her past. Finally, she will learn the identity of her birth parents, and of the home, she was born into. What she is not expecting is the inheritance of a grand mansion, albeit run-down, on Cheyne Walk in the heart of Chelsea, one of London’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Nor is Libby prepared to learn of the dark, sinister past of the inhabitants of her newly inherited home. The Family Upstairs moves fluidly from past to present. Henry is the voice of the past; his narrative told in the first person. We learn from Henry that he is the son of parents who rose from mediocrity and anonymity to flashy socialites amongst London’s elite circles. We also spend time with a woman named Lucy, Henry’s sister, who is homeless with two children and a dog in southeastern France living near the Cote d’Azur and who is waiting, as Lucy’s son vaguely understands for ‘the baby to turn twenty-five. It is Henry who takes us on the journey of his family’s descent into madness. From their glitzy glamourous wasteful lifestyle in the 1980s to their slow metamorphosis into austerity and monk-like living. Houseguests who have come to stay and never leave take over the Lamb’s lives as neatly and furtively as sheep led to slaughter. One of the guests, in particular, David Thomsen, arrives with arms aloft and a big bright smile for everyone. It does not take Henry long to realize that his father’s role as head of the house has been usurped by the enigmatic, megalomaniac smooth-talking, David, who holds Henry’s mother in his thrall. In every way, David cuckolds the Lamb’s life using the tactics that are emblematic of so many cult leaders, control, and suppression followed by instilling the desired behaviors that the leader wants while keeping his or her followers isolated and cut off from the rest of the world. Throughout this psychological takeover, Henry battles internal struggles of his budding homosexuality and parts of himself that do not look too different from the man he hates with a burning passion. There are some twists and turns toward the end as secrets find their way toward the light, and we learn that all is not what we thought.

Book is in great condition itself however the entire book front and back is extremely sticky to touch. Needed to be wiped down extensively

Again fast delivery from Seller's Book D. W good packing too as usual, reading it now with another good author Lisa Jewell.

Great read

Wow, what a mysterious, and captivating tale! Lisa Jewell truly shines with this book. This book delves into the complexities of family dynamics and hidden truths. It unfolds through the eyes of three characters: Libby, Henry, and Lucy, across two different time periods. On Libby's 25th birthday, she receives a letter revealing the identity of her birth parents and her inheritance of their grand mansion in an upscale London neighbourhood. The story takes place in England and France, where twenty-five years earlier, a baby and three deceased adults were discovered in the same mansion. The mystery deepens as the fate of the other residents, including children, remains unknown. Was it suicide, murder, or something more sinister? The secrets of the mansion were waiting to be uncovered. I found it difficult to write a review of this book as if I delve more into it I might just spoil the whole book, right? And also because the real gem of this book lies in the intriguing mystery that unravels with each page as you read it. It's true for almost all thrillers or murder mysteries. With each page turn, I found myself engrossed in the story and completed this book in no time. The book's three different POVs gave me amazing reading experience. Along with the short chapters, I struggled to set the book aside. I was eager to see how the characters' story arcs intertwined in the conclusion. I was captivated by each of their stories and found them incredibly intriguing. It was my first novel by Lisa Jewell and I am really glad I picked it up. Her writing style is amazing and quirky and I loved it so much. I'll delve into more of her works now. I recommend you pick this one up if you're craving a twisted thriller and you won't be disappointed. *Also please check for TWs in the book.*

If your looking for a real read, an indepth read, with a truly developed story, well rounded quirky character, amazing prose, and dialogue that crackles off the page, this is your read. Great story. Kept me turning pages. Because it's was a really well written book...not fluff...

From the first to last page completely enthralled by the story. What a brilliant and unexpected ending. Definitely one of the most intriguing boiks