Introduction
Hello🙋🏼♀️ Bookworm Buddies, I recently finished reading “The Family Upstairs” by Lisa Jewell. To be honest, I loved the book, and it kept me hooked from the start. Though in the beginning, I somewhat guessed the mystery, but not all of it. I would recommend this book to every mystery book lover because it was so good.
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About The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Trigger Warnings: Marital rape, Child sexual abuse, Parental neglect, Suicide mentioned, Domestic violence, Drug abuse, Stillbirth, Murder, Cults.
Be careful who you let in.
Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.
She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.
Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.
So, without further ado, let’s start with The Family Upstairs book review.
My Review
I am writing this review using the CAWPILE Rating System. If you want to know about the Cawplie rating system, then check out this page.
Character: (10/10)
All of the characters were great. You learn about Libby, who, after her 25th birthday, receives a letter stating that she inherits a mansion in a fancy neighborhood from her biological parents, prompting her to learn more about her biological parents. In another timeline, we meet Henry in the 1980s, and he describes the events that led to the house’s terrible past.
And on the other side, you meet Lucy, who is suffering through a lot. I felt awful for Lucy because of how she is living in the present, and after knowing her history, which had caused her a lot of pain. And there were other characters as well, each with a specific role in the mystery. So, in conclusion, I would say all the characters were amazing, and you can see why they made the decisions they did.
‘All men are weak,’ said Phin. ‘That’s the whole bloody trouble with the world. Too weak to love properly. Too weak to be wrong.’
Atmosphere/Setting: (10/10)
The atmosphere or setting was great. Even though we are reading through three people’s perspectives, it is not quite confusing. Libby’s POV (Point of View) allows you to visit Cheyne Walk and St. Albans, where she is experiencing summer (I would relate because here in India also it’s quite hot right now). Through Henry’s point of view, you can observe the mood of the mansion in the 1980s, as well as how it was decorated with thrones, dead animals, and wood. And how, over time, it is all destroyed. You visit France and its beaches from Lucy’s point of view.
Writing Style: (10/10)
I loved the writing style. It was an absolute page-turner and a fast-paced novel. You’d be unable to put the book down. I practically finished this book in three days, which is quite fast for me. And my mum kept scolding me for reading after waking up first thing in the morning.
‘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.’
Plot: (10/10)
I really liked the plot of this book. I don’t know how to describe it without mentioning the spoilers 😅. But if you love a good domestic thriller, then you should try this. It all starts with Libby getting a letter after her 25th birthday, and finding out that her biological parents have left her a house.
After further investigation, she discovers that 25 years ago, 3 dead bodies were found in the kitchen and on the first floor of the house, a 10-month-old baby is sitting on a cot, well-fed with a rabbit’s foot. And there are rumours that the children living in the house are missing. So, who was taking care of the baby?
Intrigue: (10/10)
As you can guess by now, it definitely intrigued me. I wanted to read more and didn’t want it to end, but the good news is it has a sequel, which I am really interested in reading.
Logic: (10/10)
I liked this book and wouldn’t want to change anything in this book. It was brilliantly written, and I really liked the way the story evolved.
Enjoyment: (10/10)
I enjoyed the book, and I am excited to read the sequel to this book and get to know the story further.
Final rating: 70/70 (10)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In conclusion, I loved this book and would recommend it to my bookish friends who enjoy a good domestic thriller with a bone-chilling plot.
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Have you read this book? If yes, what did you think about it? And if not, will you add this to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!
