The Family Remains

A Novel

By: Lisa Jewell

Narrated by: Dominic Thorburn, Bea Holland, Hugh Quarshie, Josh Dylan, Thomas Judd, Eleanor Tomlinson

Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“The page-turner will sate fans and win over new readers alike…a solid stand-alone tale of mystery and suspense.”—USA TODAY 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell comes an intricate and affecting novel about twisted marriages, fractured families, and deadly obsessions in this standalone sequel to the “brilliantly chilling” (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author) The Family Upstairs.

Early one morning on the shore of the Thames, DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene of a gruesome discovery. When Owusu sends the evidence for examination, he learns the bones are connected to a cold case that left three people dead on the kitchen floor in a Chelsea mansion thirty years ago.

Rachel Rimmer has also received a shock—news that her husband, Michael, has been found dead in the cellar of his house in France. All signs point to an intruder, and the French police need her to come urgently to answer questions about Michael and his past that she very much doesn’t want to answer.

After fleeing London thirty years ago in the wake of a horrific tragedy, Lucy Lamb is finally coming home. While she settles in with her children and is just about to purchase their first-ever house, her brother takes off to find the boy from their shared past whose memory haunts their present.

As they all race to discover answers to these convoluted mysteries, they will come to find that they’re connected in ways they could have never imagined.

In this masterful standalone sequel to her haunting New York Times bestseller, The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell proves she is writing at the height of her powers with another jaw-dropping, intricate, and affecting novel about the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love and uncover the truth. 

©2022 Lisa Jewell. All rights reserved. Originally published in Great Britain in 2022 by Century (P)2022 Penguin Audio. All rights reserved.

It’s hard to understand

This books demonstrates to me that Lisa Jewell’s writing can be boring. This was one of those books when I kept wondering when it was ever going to end. It was marked by unnecessary details of convoluted events. I hope to look forward to the next chapter in a book I am listening to. With this one, I just wanted it to be over.

Great story - Distracting Language

This was a great story, as hers usually are, but the language was very distracting. It was so frequent it ruined the suspense of the story.

Recycled material

I love this author but this book basically contained everything she’s done just recycled and put back together. Murder, inheritance, body in the backyard,…

Wonderful sequel

I am never disappointed with anything written by Lisa Jewell . This book was no exception. I will say that I think it would be very difficult to follow for someone who hasn't read The Family Upstairs. Great book. I'm sad that it's over.

Two completely different story lines started off confusing the reader.

I have read several of the author’s books and I have always enjoyed them. I was a little disappointed in this book. It did have two stories but neither one made me feel like I needed to listen to the audible all night.

I couldn't put it down!! I finished it in 48hrs!

this was part two of the family upstairs, wow just wow. I literally couldn't put it down. there are a lot of books that I will take my time with just because i only get a credit a month, but I just couldn't resist with this book. I absolutely love Lisa's style of writing. she embodies the UK she writes so eloquently and makes you see what she sees through her words. amazing book but please read the family upstairs first or else you won't get the full experience.

Confusion reigns

I was confused throughout by too many characters and who most had a penchant for aliases. The interrupted timelines and unhinged story lines. I stuck with it but will likely listen again now that it eventually came together near the end. But then there are several chapters that went on to explain the story to the long ago lost reader.

Wow wow wow!!!

Bravo 👏 Lisa Jewell! This book to me was amazing , I loved every minute of it and wanted more! I have loved all of her books and this one was even better!!

The Family Remains

Agreeing with the other Reviewers stating that if you haven’t read/listened to The Family Upstairs, this book may seem all over the place and hard to keep up with so many characters. I recommend listening to TFU first.

Overall, another great LJ book…

Some parts seemed pretty far fetched/silly, (the Detective deducing EVERYTHING like a magical wizard, the fact that you can’t just get a damn divorce (?), the *SUPER*, *AWESOMELY*, ridiculous American phrasing/accents, Marco-who is ELEVEN-but helps to find Henry like he is 42 year old grown man…oh and there’s a gun (GASP!).

All that being said, I still really enjoyed the book and all the narrators. I love when you feel like you know each character and her books always do that for me.

loved it!

Finished the whole book in 2 days because I could not stop listening to it. great narration and the story is just superb. thanks Lisa! youve done it again