The Family Remains

Author: Lisa Jewell
Genre: Thriller, Popcorn Thriller
365 pages
Publisher: originally published in Great Britain by Century, 2022

Synopsis
The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell is the gripping sequel to The Family Upstairs. The story begins early one morning on the shore of the Thames when 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.

Meanwhile, 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.

My review
The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell is a riveting and haunting sequel to The Family Upstairs and I was engaged from the beginning. Jewell usually writes standalone novels, so I was glad to see that she adeptly created a story that spanned two novels.

One of the aspects of the novel that I found most compelling was Jewell’s skillful storytelling. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, gradually revealing the interconnected lives of the characters and the events that shaped their fates. The use of alternating viewpoints adds depth and complexity to the story, allowing the reader to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters.

The characters themselves are richly drawn and multifaceted and as the mystery at the heart of the novel unfolds, Jewell expertly ramps up the tension, weaving together the character’s stories to create a gripping and unpredictable narrative. The twists and turns of the plot kept me turning pages until the very end, and the resolution was both satisfying and surprising.

Jewell consistently delivers entertaining novels with solid twists and The Family Remains certainly delivered. With its complex characters, atmospheric setting, and gripping plot, it’s a novel that’s both easy to read and engaging and a very pleasurable way to spend your time.

My recommendation: read it! Be sure to read The Family Upstairs before diving into this one.