The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell @lisajewelluk

Book Description:

In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up.

In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note.

They’ve been dead for several days.

Who has been looking after the baby?

And where did they go?

Two entangled families.
A house with the darkest of secrets.
A compulsive thriller from Lisa Jewell.

My Thoughts:

It’s been a while since I have read one of this author’s books and I could give myself a hard shake at all the fantastic reads I will have been missing out on of which I will be rectifying that as soon as possible.

This story is one seriously twisted read. Right from the off I was desperate to know more about the events that led to three dead bodies as well as a baby girl being found alive. What happened to the lead up to the tragedy? The chapters flick between past and present with the past ones teasing you and will have you jumping to conclusions.

Lucy was one particular character I really enjoyed. I don’t want to say too much but some parts were emotional to read of yet I loved her strength and she was a character whose chapters I looked forward to reading as she was one of my favourites. There are however a few unlikeable characters, one in particular who plays mind games with your head. My feelings for them kept changing throughout the whole story and even having finished the book, I am not one hundred percent certain how I feel about them. If I have some empathy or if they are in fact just evil.

The Family Upstairs is a novel that readers will be unable to drag themselves away from. It is extremely addictive with so many twists and turns that I never knew what to expect next. It kept me on my toes up until the very last page of which I am absolutely thrilled to see there is a follow on to this one called, The Family Remains. I have a feeling the darkness and twistiness of this one will be something readers will also have to look forward to in that one. A wickedly good read!