This week’s review is The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. One of my favorite ways to rest is by curling up with a good book. Like movies and music, all genres appeal to me, and I give all books a chance to be ‘heard’!
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The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell’s thriller The Family Upstairs is a quick and easy read (took two days to read), but is a thrilling one (as the genre implies). The story of a young woman discovering her true identity is unfolded through the narratives of three individuals that are connected, but how is part of the story.
When 25-year-old Libby finally receives the letter she’s been anticipating nearly her entire life, it catches her unexpectedly and off guard. The letter informs her she’s inherited a house, mansion really, from her birth parents.
She’s excited about the prospects of 1) owning a piece of property that was once her birth parents and 2) essentially no longer worry about money as she has been for years; however, after a visit to the house with the trust’s solicitor, something doesn’t sit well with her. Something that is unnerving that she can’t exactly place her finger on.
It may be the nature of her parents’ death – an apparent suicide pact as part of a cult. Or it could be the unanswered questions such as the identity of the mystery man found dead alongside her parents or the whereabouts of her two missing siblings or why, as an infant, Libby was left in a crib for the police to find. (Someone had been caring for her between the time of her parents’ death and the arrival of the police, but who?) As Libby asks questions and discovers the answers, she’s led to more questions and even more unsolved mysteries.
I really enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s writing and the way she unfolds this mystery of a cult, separated siblings and then bringing it all together in the end. It was definitely a page-turner and I look forward to reading her other novels.
The Family Upstairs Q&A with Lisa Jewell
Book of the Month Club
I enjoyed books so much that I joined the Book of the Month Club to continue receiving the latest and greatest books via mail. Some of the books are exclusive to BOTM club members a month prior to their official publishing date! Each month I’m excited about the monthly selections, and it’s tough to select just one. (And when I can’t decide on one, I can add additional books for a small add-on charge and – as always – shipping is included in the monthly membership fee.) Can’t find one you want? That’s okay, too! Skip a month, pocket the credit to spend next month, and you won’t be charged for that current month.
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Book Ratings and Reviews
Each book I review is based on my opinion. My book rating is simple: love, like or dislike. I like the simplicity of it. This does not mean you will agree with the review or love/like/dislike the book, too. There’s a quote that says, “No two persons ever read the same book” by Edmund Wilson, and it’s quite true!
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