The Family Upstairs (novel)
| Author | Lisa Jewell |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn |
| Publisher | Atria Books |
Publication date | 5 November 2019 |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-1-5011-9010-0 |
The Family Upstairs is a thriller novel by British author Lisa Jewell, published 5 November 2019 by Atria.[1] The audiobook is narrated by Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn.[2]
Plot
The Family Upstairs follows multiple characters, including Libby Jones and siblings Lucy and Henry Lamb.
At 25 years old, budget-conscious Libby Jones learns that she was adopted as a baby and that she has inherited a mansion in London from her birth parents, who died in a suicide pact. She also learns about her siblings, Lucy and Henry Lamb, who were teenagers when their parents died. Now, Lucy lives in the south of France with her two children, moving from hostel to hostel as Lucy tries to make a living as a musician. Henry is trying to learn what happened to their parents in the last years of their lives.
As Libby tries to learn more about her birth family, she connects with journalist Miller Roe, who covered the family's story when it first occurred.
Style
The Family Upstairs is told from alternating perspectives and timelines, like many of Jewell's other novels.[3][4]
Reception
The Family Upstairs received mixed but mostly positive reviews from critics,[5] including starred reviews from Booklist[6] and Publishers Weekly, with the latter referring to the novel as an "un-put-downable psychological thriller".[7]
Reviewers were largely impressed with Jewell's writing of the plot. Kirkus Reviews called the novel "taut and fast-paced", with narratives that "move swiftly toward convergence in [Jewell's] signature style".[3] Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, writing for Shelf Awareness, highlighted Jewell's ability to write multiple timelines and perspectives, stating that she "continues to solidify her reputation as a master weaver of stories".[4]
Reviewers had mixed thoughts regarding the novel's characters. While Kirkus argued that the novel "lacks compelling protagonists",[3] Booklist's Betsy Vnuk found the characters to be "richly drawn", highlighting that "no one is quite whom they seem to be, and everyone is willing to do whatever is needed in order to get what they want".[6] Publishers Weekly agreed that the characters were "distinct" and "well-developed".[7]
Kirkus Reviews praised the audiobook's narrators, who they say "create a creepy and compelling atmosphere".[2]
References
- ^ "The Family Upstairs Summary: Twists, Secrets, and Shocks". Thriller Book Review. 27 November 2024. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b "The Family Upstairs (audiobook)". Kirkus Reviews. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "The Family Upstairs". Kirkus Reviews. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ^ a b Dinh-McCrillis, Elyse (22 November 2019). "The Family Upstairs". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 14 December 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Book Marks reviews of The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell". Book Marks. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ a b Vnuk, Rebecca (1 September 2019). "The Family Upstairs". Booklist. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ^ a b "The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell". Publishers Weekly. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2026.