Wow! Another fantastic read from Lisa Jewell.
I have to be honest, I was a little sceptical of a sequel to such a fantastic first book but oh my days..... How wrong was I!
When we last left Cheyne walk, I thought we would never have to entwine ourselves with any of the characters and their twisted behaviors again but fast forward 30 years and here we are.
Henry's character develops and all the relationships start to connect as Lisa Jewell does her "thing" and takes us off on a journey of intricate weaving of characters, suspense, physiological thrills and pure unsettling narrative.
Could not put it down!
If you haven't read it, get it!
Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for sharing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The family remains is the second instalment featuring the children from the family upstairs.

As adults, we delve deeper into their psyche and what makes them who they are.

The book opens with a discovery of some bones in the river Thames, and the investigation that follows leads the detectives to the inhabitants of the house in Cheyne Walk.

We learn more of Lucy’s ex husband, who remarried a woman called Rachel and their story runs parallel to the other.

The book switches between timelines, is upsetting, dramatic and thrilling all at once.

Another cracking novel from Lisa Jewell, with well developed characters that we love and hate all at the same time.

This was a back to back read with The Family Upstairs, and that was a definite help with this book, so if you haven't read the first book I would recommend reading it.
The book picks up a short while after the first has finished and it follows Libby and her new family of Henry and Lucy. The book us well written, although the first half was a bit slow in my opinion. It shows what lengths people will go to in order to protect their loved ones.
A recommended read.
Thanks to netgalley for this opportunity to read and review.

WoW Lisa Jewell has done it again and written another 5 star book! The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell was an amazing read and i was gripped from the beginning till the end. This was a book I did not want to end. especially as it's a great follow up to family upstairs which was also an excellent book. The Family Remains is fast paced throughout with great twists and turns and full of suspense. All the characters were brilliant

I highly recommend both of these books.Fantastic read.

Big thank you to Lisa Jewell, NetGalley and Century UK Random house UK, Cornerstone) for this ARC!

Lisa Jewell has done it again with this sequel to "The Family Upstairs". It is a gripping read, she crafts her characters so well with all their complexities as they traverse their many relationships in this novel. She writes of sexual abuse, domestic abuse and murder in this chilling tale while also exploring the many facets of family bonds and loyalties that also feature in the narrative. I found I had forgotten some of the plotline of "The Family Upstairs" and felt a short synopsis might have enhanced this work, while giving more depth to the characters and the many traumas they had endured previously. While the blurb has stated this to be a stand alone novel I tend to disagree to some extent.
That being said, it is a great story and very unputdownable. Lisa Jewell deserves her accolade as a bestselling author of psychological thrillers, it is a clever tale with many twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

In The Family Remains we revisit 16 Cheyne Walk as we find out what the Lambs are up to after the events of The Family Upstairs.

The sequel follows multiple POVs and timelines which I found really interesting as they all weave into and throughout each other. We are of course following Henry and Lucy Lamb as they adjust to their new found wealth, and find themselves in Chicago on the trail of their old friend, Phineas Thomsen, another resident of the house of horrors. In another timeline we follow Rachel Gold, the second wife of Lucy’s ex Michael, in the aftermath of Michael’s death at the end of the first book. Rachel’s timeline was my favourite. I thought her character was superbly written and I was really rooting for her to see Michael for what he was. The final timeline we follow is that of policeman Sam Owusu who is leading the investigation into a bag of bones found by a mudlarker on the Thames.

The Family Upstairs is my favourite of Lisa Jewell’s books, and this was a nice addition. Jewell clearly had so much more to say about the residents of 16 Cheyne Walk. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the first book, as there weren’t as many surprises for me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I would however have liked to explore the characters of Henry and Phineas a little more. I felt the book could have done with another 40 pages or so to explore Henry’s state of mind after the long-awaited return of Phineas. But Lisa Jewell never fails. I still rate this book highly.

Enjoying lots of short chapters, this matches my reading method as I can’t just sit here for hour after hour due to my work, but this is so enjoyable I find that I read many more chapters per siting than expected. The book opens after some bones have been found and they’re obviously human remains. The second chapter leads us to the French police calling the UK about a husband found dead. The wife doesn’t sound too bothered and goes back to sleep. This is a very intriguing beginning, especially after seeing a listing of two families and some other characters as the book opens, with all most likely to become involved. Later in reading I find that I’m going to learn a lot about everyone involved.
I found out that this is the follow up to another book and wonder if it matters that I haven’t read the other one, but I find throughout that it doesn’t appear to matter and I can catch up later.
There are two stories running in this novel and I will say I was pleased when I found out how they join up. The bones, the murder in France and the other events also join up eventually, but only after a few twists and turns that keep me wanting to turn another page. I received a free copy of this book, my review is the same as though I'd paid for it, as it so intriguing, I will go and find book one and fill in the gaps if there are any.

I was delighted when a sequel was announced to The Family Upstairs. I loved Rachel's story and her connection to the original family. I loved all the backstory which filled in all the gaps. Even though the first books felt complete there is definitely more to tell. Lots of suspense which meant reading late into the night. Definitely one of my favourite reads. Lisa Jewell smashes it again.

Wow a superb follow up to The Family Upstairs. Addictive and wonderful. You get to know the continuation of what happens next after Libby is found in her cot with 3 people dead of a suicide pact.

If you've read The Family Upstairs... you HAVE to read The Family Remains.. just brilliant

This book is the sequel to The Family Upstairs, which I had not read and – in contrast to other reviewers who had read it - I don’t think it really mattered. It is a crime story that delves deep into the psychological make up of its participants – dark, thrilling and also quite entertaining. It is all in all a good read with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.

The plot focuses on the Lamb Family and how their actions are determined by what happened when they were ‘The Family Upstairs’. There is a second strand to the plot, the story around Rachel Rimmer and her troubled relationship with her husband Michael, who did not turn out to be the ideal and perfect husband he appeared to be when he was still courting her. I found myself often puzzling over the question of how both strands of the book will find each other, but it is masterfully done and I enjoyed being left in suspense. When the two story lines eventually meet, the main characters find closure, which makes for a deeply satisfying ending – something I always appreciate in any book.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Lamb is finally settling back in to life in London, after fleeing many years ago following a horrific family tragedy. her and her childern are currently staying with her brother Henry, but are looking to buy their own home. When Henry disappears in search of a long lost friend, the family rush to go find him and prevent him doing something he may regret. Meanwhile Detective Sam Owusu is investigating the dsicovery of some human remains found in the river Thames, and Rachel Rimmer has just learnt of her husband's death in their holiday home in France. Little do they all know that their stories are linked in ways they would never expect.

This book is the sequel to The Family Upstairs. You could read it as a standalone, however you will have a better understanding of the back story if you have read the previous book. It does give you a bit of a quick refresh though in case you have forgotten some of the finer details.

The character mix in this series is fascinating. We spend a fair bit of time in Henry's mind, and he has a very unique view on life and what is an acceptable way to behave.
I thought Rachel was a great addition to the characters this time around, and I loved that Jewell portrayed her as an emotionally strong and independent woman. We see her character progress quite significantly as the story develops, probably more so than any other, and it worked really well.

The storylines throughout the book weave well together. In a similar way to the previous book there is a dual timeline playing out, so we get to see some of the events that lead up to the present day. It works well for the story, seeing things unfold as if in real time. I also thought that the way in which Jewell linked the various storylines together worked well.

Based on the ending I feel that this is the end of the line for this particular series, i'm not sure there would be justification to return to Cheyne Walk again now. I think the charcters' stories have all been tied up properly though, and I'm happy to leave them at this juncture.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Cornerstone for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lisa Jewell's books and was delighted to receive an ARC of The Family Remains. I read and loved The Family Upstairs in 2020 and couldn't wait to see what happened to the family. However, I thought I had remembered all of the plot, which I didn't, so I would definitely recommend reading The Family Upstairs first or at least re-familiarising yourself with the storyline.

There is something about the way Lisa Jewell writers that draws you in and makes you have particular feelings towards certain characters, her writing feels so natural and fluid that you can actually believe the characters when they say or think a certain way.

I particularly loved the new character, Rachel. Her journey with Michael was gripping and I really think this type of storyline could be the subject of a future book. It was fun seeing the progression of the children's experiences in their youth follow them into adulthood. My only criticism is that things were wrapped up very neatly at the end, too neatly for me tbh, I like something to think about at the end of a book!

The Family Upstairs was a great read and I was excited to pick up the story of the Lambs and the Thomsen’s in The Family Remains. And wow this delivers just as much as the first book! If you love a mystery story with a murder thrown in, this is for you. Thanks for the ARC.

Having loved ‘The Family Upstairs’ I was eagerly awaiting this follow on. The anticipation was intense! I was thrilled to be sent a digital pre-release copy by NetGalley and Penguin Random House, to read and review.

This sequel reacquaints the reader with the characters from the first book. Although this could be standalone, I recommend reading the earlier book for clarification of previous events. This will help readers to engage in a true understanding of the characters, and the family dynamics, including the drama that surrounds them as individuals as well as siblings.

Lisa Jewell is a fantastic author for developing characters, and ‘The Family Remains’ is a clear definition of this.

This multidimensional story is complex yet incredibly gripping. With various plot twists, a dark and chilling atmosphere and a highly entertaining yet unexpected conclusion. I am apprehensive not to add spoilers, so am finding it hard to say much about the plot!

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It lived up to all my expectations and much more. A perfect farewell to these characters! A recommended read for fans of this author and genre.

The Family Upstair was a gripping story that kept me turning pages. This sort of follow up is even better, it solves doubt and answer to some questions I didn't know I had, on a rational level at least.
Lisa Jewell delivers another great story and i had a lot in read this story.
It can be read as a stand alone but it would mean not understanding some nuances and some details.
I appreciated this story and I'm happy I read it. Great characters and solid plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Absolutely enthralled! I didn't realise how badly I needed this sequel to be written. Such memorable characters, delighted to get the chance to revisit them. Sure to be another huge hit.

Wow, wow, wow!
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Review complete 🤣
In all seriousness I absolutely LOVED this book. I didn't think the sequel would be as good as the first, I was correct. It was better!
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The familiarity of characters interspersed with new ones. The same twists and turns and just when you think you understand the complexities, BAM another twist.
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@lisajewelluk is superbly talented. This book is an absolute treat and a must for all thriller fans. I read the first a while ago and part of me wishes I'd read them back to back. I'll just have to buy this one to do just that

Thank you for this copy to read and review

Unless you have read The Family Upstairs stop right here! To get the full benefit of The Family Remains you absolutely must have the previous book. This book is definitely the sequel I never realised was needed. I thought all the loose ends had been perfectly tied up in The Family Upstairs but how wrong was I.

It was enlightening to learn how the experiences as children had shaped the lives of Lucy, Henry, Phin and Libby. The fates of Birdie and Justin, two minor characters were also explored. However my favourite arc of the book was Rachel a new character, married to Lucy’s ex husband Michael.

I don’t want to give any spoilers but my only criticism would be what I felt was a slightly rushed conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to the ebook in exchange for an honest review

If you’ve read and loved ‘The Family Upstairs’ then you know this sequel is going to be brilliant. If you haven’t then although you could read this as a stand-alone, you will be missing out on so much - so definitely go and read that one first !!

The opening of this book starts with the discovery of some human bones on the shore of the Thames. During the investigation we soon discover that the remains are linked to a Chelsea mansion where three people died 30 years ago.

Soon we are delving into the lives of the Lamb siblings, Lucy and Henry, who were brought up living in the above mentioned Chelsea mansion. They are trying to move on with their lives but their past is soon catching up with them when Henry jets off to try and find Phin, another child of the Chelsea mansion.

We also meet Rachel, who starts a relationship with wealthy Michael. But all is not as it seems and we soon discover the lies and secrets within their relationship.

This is a great domestic drama and is a brilliant sequel. We get to revisit some brilliant characters and finally get a true conclusion to the lives of the residents of the dreaded Chelsea mansion !!

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

I was so excited to read the sequel to The Family Upstairs which I really enjoyed.

We begin the book by meeting Henry who has just left his sister and her children behind to catch a flight to Chicago on the search for Phin.
We know that something bad happened to Henry and Lucy in childhood and they have only just been reunited a year ago.

I liked how the book is told from different points of views including Rachel - Lucy's ex husbands new wife and Samuel the policeman and we gradually find out what is happening chapter by chapter. It does also make you really think about whether you really know your partner and also what goes on in couples lives behind closed doors.

This is a great page turner that I will be recommending.