Narrators Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, and Dominic Thornburn shine in Jewell's latest dark, twisted story about history, family, and sacrifice. When Libby turns 25, she receives a long awaited letter notifying her about her biological parents and about the inheritance of an abandoned mansion in London. At the same time we meet Lucy, a young, homeless woman with two children who is desperate to get back to London. Finally Henry's perspective is shared in retrospect as he reminisces about his own upbringing, providing compelling backstory. As the three stories collide, the narrators create a creepy and compelling atmosphere. Listeners will be totally caught up in the story the closer Lucy, Libby, and Henry get to the truth about what happened in that house. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
The Family Upstairs: A Novel
Narrated by Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn
Lisa JewellUnabridged — 9 hours, 36 minutes
The Family Upstairs: A Novel
Narrated by Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn
Lisa JewellUnabridged — 9 hours, 36 minutes
Audiobook (Digital)
Free with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription | Cancel Anytime
Already Subscribed?
Sign in to Your BN.com Account
Related collections and offers
FREE
with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription
Overview
From the New York Times best-selling author and master of “bone-chilling suspense” (People) comes another pause-resisting look inside one family's past as buried secrets threaten to come to light.
Gifted musician Clemency Thompson is playing for tourists on the streets of Southern France when she receives an urgent text message. Her childhood friend, Lucy, is demanding her immediate return to London.
It's happening, says the message. The baby is back.
Libby Jones was only six months old when she became an orphan. Now 25, she's astounded to learn of an inheritance that will change her life. A gorgeous, dilapidated townhouse in one of London's poshest neighborhoods has been held in a trust for her all these years. Now, it's hers.
As Libby investigates the story of her birth parents and the dark legacy of her new home, Clemency and Lucy are headed her way to uncover, and possibly protect, secrets of their own. What really happened in that rambling Chelsea mansion when they were children? And are they still at risk?
Jewell's novels have been praised as “sure to please fans of Ruth Ware and A.J. Finn” (Library Journal), and her latest is no exception. The Family Upstairs will keep you guessing until the very end.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for The Family Upstairs:
“Mesmerizing. . . Another dark winner from Jewell, who expertly teases out her tricky tale with stunning moments and richly drawn characters.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Un-put-downable . . . distinct, well-developed characters, shifting points of view, and a disturbing narrative that pulses with life create an enthralling tale full of surprises.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Jewell’s chilling psychological thriller follows Libby as she uncovers the dark, twisty secrets of her family’s past.” —Washington Post
"The domestic suspense master unfurls another delectably familiar tale of family secrets." —Entertainment Weekly
“[A] fast-paced, imaginative tale that keeps the reader guessing right up until the book's final pages." —USA Today
"Lisa Jewell's story is spellbinding...and impossible to put down. By the time we unravel the last of her mysteries, we're almost choking on the malevolent threads that weave themselves into a coy and satisfying conclusion." —Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Jewell has a way with the quietly creepy subgenre of domestic suspense." —CrimeReads
“The Family Upstairs twists-and-turns until the very last page.” —Bustle
“No one can write a creepy domestic suspense thriller quite like Lisa Jewell.” —Goodreads
"So terrifying." —PopSugar
“The Family Upstairs is a fresh, inventive take on domestic suspense; effortlessly traversing intimate family secrets and vast, far-reaching conspiracies, Lisa Jewell’s newest release is a masterclass in psychological thriller plotting. Come for this book’s gorgeous cover and twisty plot, stay for its genuinely surprising and original variations on a story of family secrets and interpersonal suspense. An excellent new release and a standout among 2019’s psychological thriller offerings. . . . One of the most genuinely surprising, boundary-pushing psychological suspense novels I have read this year . . . crafted thoughtfully and carefully . . . so effective and authentic.” —Crime by the Book
“Lisa Jewell has done it again—rich, dark and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunnit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.” —RUTH WARE, New York Times bestselling author
“Your hands quake. Your breath fades. Your heart wallops your ribs. Medical emergency or Lisa Jewell novel? Few writers of psychological suspense devise such swift, slippery plots; fewer still people their stories with characters so human and complex. The Family Upstairs glitters like a blade and cuts even deeper.” —A. J. FINN, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
“A haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read. I was desperate to uncover all the twisting mysteries inside The Family Upstairs, layer by tangled layer. Eerie, suspenseful, and completely consuming.” —MEGAN MIRANDA, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls
“I’ve just raced through the brilliantly dark and disturbing The Family Upstairs. Absolutely couldn’t put it down, it’s so good!” —B. A. PARIS, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors
“Taught and fast-paced.” —Kirkus Reviews
“I’m a big fan of Lisa’s books and had hoped to save it for my holiday next week, but failed miserably by devouring The Family Upstairs as soon as it arrived. I was hooked from the first page, I think it’s her best yet and hands down my favourite book so far this year.” —ALICE FEENEY, New York Times bestselling author of Sometimes I Lie
“Absolutely brilliant. Great characterisation, a fascinating and dark set-up and a great conclusion. She’s always great but this is next level stuff.” —SARAH PINBOROUGH, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes
“The perfect poolside read. The perfect anywhere read, tbh. This book is riveting, moving, and out in August. Highest possible level of recommendation.” —SOPHIE HANNAH, New York Times bestselling author
“A twisty and engrossing story of betrayal and redemption. Reminiscent of Donna Tartt in scope and quality.” —IAN RANKIN, New York Times bestselling author
“An abandoned baby, a surprise inheritance, a cobwebbed Bohemian mansion—The Family Upstairs is rich in mystery from the very first page, and Lisa Jewell’s best book yet.” —ERIN KELLY, author of He Said, She Said
“A stunning psychological thriller with a horrific, yet all too believable, family story at its centre. Full of atmosphere and menace. I was gripped from the first page.” —ELLY GRIFFITHS, author of The Stranger Diaries
“Lisa Jewell is the most wonderful writer, and funnily enough we’ve written about a similar theme with our new books—cults, in microcosm and macrocosm. The Family Upstairs is out 8 August and I can’t rant enough about how brilliant it is.” —ALEX MARWOOD, author of The Wicked Girls
“Utterly compelling. Deliciously dark and twisty with characters who live on in your head. Lisa Jewell just keeps getting better and better.” —JANE CORRY, author of My Husband's Wife and I Looked Away
“Wow. Lisa Jewell has done it again. I absolutely loved The Family Upstairs. Intriguing, absorbing, unputdownable with characters so real they jump from the page.” —LAURA MARSHALL, author of Three Little Lies and Friend Request
“Whenever I pick up a Lisa Jewell novel I know I'm for a compelling, immersive and unputdownable read and The Family Upstairs is one of her very best. It’s an intriguing, claustrophobic and compelling mystery about a family that comes to stay and refuses to leave. I hugely enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.” —C. L. TAYLOR, author of The Missing and The Lie
"Intoxicating...[Lisa Jewell] is an author to watch." —Entertainment Weekly
Praise for Watching You:
“Quickly and assuredly, Jewell builds an ecosystem of countervailing suspicions...Tricky, clever, unexpected.” —New York Times Book Review
"Jewell excels in creating complex characters, building tension and keeping readers in the dark yet riveted until the "Aha!" moments...this thriller unfolds and concludes in a very satisfying way."
"A master at unspooling tightly told tales, Jewell specializes in perfectly-pitched thrillers without sacrificing a drop of her characters’ complexities, secrets, and desires, and this latest one is no exception."
"A juicy new page-turner."
Eerie and bone-chilling…this page turner surprises and stuns.
"[A] spine-tingling thriller...Lisa Jewell’s gripping novel Watching You unravels a tangled web of rumors—and a shocking twist."
"Stellar domestic drama...Expert misdirection keeps the reader guessing, and the rug-pulled-out-from-beneath-your-feet conclusion—coupled with one final, bonechilling revelation—is stunning. Best not to bet on anyone. A compulsive read guaranteed to please fans of A. J. Finn and Ruth Ware."
"This suspense is going to have you turning the pages all night long."
"Watching You takes the idea of obsession to chilling heights."
"Big Little Lies-esque small town drama with stakes as high as Amy from Gone Girl's IQ, Lisa Jewell's latest thriller is not to be missed."
"A twisty whodunit."
Page one intrigued me. Page three hooked me. By page five, I was consumed. This compulsive, propulsive novel is both a seize-you-by-the-throat thriller and a genuinely moving family drama. Stellar.
A twisty British mystery...Brace yourself as Jewell stacks up the secrets, then lights a long, slow fuse.
Praise for Watching You:
“Quickly and assuredly, Jewell builds an ecosystem of countervailing suspicions…Tricky, clever, unexpected.”
"Intoxicating...[Lisa Jewell] is an author to watch."
"Stellar domestic drama...Expert misdirection keeps the reader guessing, and the rug-pulled-out-from-beneath-your-feet conclusion—coupled with one final, bonechilling revelation—is stunning. Best not to bet on anyone. A compulsive read guaranteed to please fans of A. J. Finn and Ruth Ware."
Narrators Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, and Dominic Thornburn shine in Jewell's latest dark, twisted story about history, family, and sacrifice. When Libby turns 25, she receives a long awaited letter notifying her about her biological parents and about the inheritance of an abandoned mansion in London. At the same time we meet Lucy, a young, homeless woman with two children who is desperate to get back to London. Finally Henry's perspective is shared in retrospect as he reminisces about his own upbringing, providing compelling backstory. As the three stories collide, the narrators create a creepy and compelling atmosphere. Listeners will be totally caught up in the story the closer Lucy, Libby, and Henry get to the truth about what happened in that house. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940170887156 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | 11/05/2019 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Sales rank: | 372,708 |
Read an Excerpt
Chapter 1 Libby picks up the letter off the doormat. She turns it in her hands. It looks very formal; the envelope is cream in color, made of high-grade paper, and feels as though it might even be lined with tissue. The postal frank says: “Smithkin Rudd & Royle Solicitors, Chelsea Manor Street, SW3.”
She takes the letter into the kitchen and sits it on the table while she fills the kettle and puts a tea bag in a mug. Libby is pretty sure she knows what’s in the envelope. She turned twenty-five last month. She’s been subconsciously waiting for this envelope. But now that it’s here she’s not sure she can face opening it.
She picks up her phone and calls her mother.
“Mum,” she says. “It’s here. The letter from the trustees.”
She hears a silence at the other end of the line. She pictures her mum in her own kitchen, a thousand miles away in Dénia: pristine white units, lime-green color-coordinated kitchen accessories, sliding glass doors onto a small terrace with a distant view to the Mediterranean, her phone held to her ear in the crystal-studded case that she refers to as her bling.
“Oh,” she says. “Right. Gosh. Have you opened it?”
“No. Not yet. I’m just having a cup of tea first.”
“Right,” she says again. Then she says, “Shall I stay on the line? While you do it?”
“Yes,” says Libby. “Please.”
She feels a little breathless, as she sometimes does when she’s just about to stand up and give a sales presentation at work, like she’s had a strong coffee. She takes the tea bag out of the mug and sits down. Her fingers caress the corner of the envelope and she inhales.
“OK,” she says to her mother, “I’m doing it. I’m doing it right now.”
Her mum knows what’s in here. Or at least she has an idea, though she was never told formally what was in the trust. It might, as she has always said, be a teapot and a ten-pound note.
Libby clears her throat and slides her finger under the flap. She pulls out a sheet of thick cream paper and scans it quickly:
To Miss Libby Louise Jones
As trustee of the Henry and Martina Lamb Trust created on 12 July 1977, I propose to make the distribution from it to you described in the attached schedule...
She puts down the covering letter and pulls out the accompanying paperwork.
“Well?” says her mum, breathlessly.
“Still reading,” she replies.
She skims and her eye is caught by the name of a property. Sixteen Cheyne Walk, SW3. She assumes it is the property her birth parents were living in when they died. She knows it was in Chelsea. She knows it was big. She assumed it was long gone. Boarded up. Sold. Her breath catches hard at the back of her throat when she realizes what she’s just read.
“Er,” she says.
“What?”
“It looks like... No, that can’t be right.”
“What!”
“The house. They’ve left me the house.”
“The Chelsea house?”
“Yes,” she says.
“The whole house?”
“I think so.” There’s a covering letter, something about nobody else named on the trust coming forward in due time. She can’t digest it at all.
“My God. I mean, that must be worth...”
Libby breathes in sharply and raises her gaze to the ceiling. “This must be wrong,” she says. “This must be a mistake.”
“Go and see the solicitors,” says her mother. “Call them. Make an appointment. Make sure it’s not a mistake.”
“But what if it’s not a mistake? What if it’s true?”
“Well then, my angel,” says her mother—and Libby can hear her smile from all these miles away—“you’ll be a very rich woman indeed.”
Libby ends the call and stares around her kitchen. Five minutes ago, this kitchen was the only kitchen she could afford, this flat the only one she could buy, here in this quiet street of terraced cottages in the backwaters of St. Albans. She remembers the flats and houses she saw during her online searches, the little intakes of breath as her eye caught upon the perfect place—a suntrap terrace, an eat-in kitchen, a five-minute walk to the station, a bulge of ancient leaded windows, the suggestion of cathedral bells from across a green—and then she would see the price and feel herself a fool for ever thinking it might be for her.
She compromised on everything in the end to find a place that was close to her job and not too far from the train station. There was no gut instinct as she stepped across the threshold; her heart said nothing to her as the estate agent showed her around. But she made it a home to be proud of, painstakingly creaming off the best that T.J.Maxx had to offer, and now her badly converted, slightly awkward one-bedroom flat makes her feel happy. She bought it; she adorned it. It belongs to her.
But now it appears she is the owner of a house on the finest street in Chelsea and suddenly her flat looks like a ridiculous joke. Everything that was important to her five minutes ago feels like a joke—the £1,500-a-year raise she was just awarded at work, the hen weekend in Barcelona next month that took her six months to save for, the MAC eye shadow she “allowed” herself to buy last weekend as a treat for getting the pay raise, the soft frisson of abandoning her tightly managed monthly budget for just one glossy, sweet-smelling moment in House of Fraser, the weightlessness of the tiny MAC bag swinging from her hand, the shiver of placing the little black capsule in her makeup bag, of knowing that she owned it, that she might in fact wear it in Barcelona, where she might also wear the dress her mother bought her for Christmas, the one from French Connection with the lace panels she’d wanted for ages. Five minutes ago her joys in life were small, anticipated, longed-for, hard-earned and saved-up-for, inconsequential little splurges that meant nothing in the scheme of things but gave the flat surface of her life enough sparkles to make it worth getting out of bed every morning to go and do a job which she liked but didn’t love.
Now she owns a house in Chelsea and the proportions of her existence have been blown apart.
She slides the letter back into its expensive envelope and finishes her tea.
Videos
