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The Family Upstairs

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The Family Upstairs

By: Lisa Jewell
Narrated by: Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

PREPARE TO BE HOOKED
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'A twisty and engrossing story of betrayal and redemption.' IAN RANKIN

'Rich, dark and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunnit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.' RUTH WARE

'Really good, gripping. I couldn't bear for it to finish... I don't want to move onto the next book too soon as it feels like a betrayal.'
OLIVIA COLMAN
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FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF INVISIBLE GIRL


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.
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Readers are obsessed with The Family Upstairs:

'I read so many books in the crime/mystery genre that it becomes harder to find a book that stands out. This one succeeded!! Hooked from page one'
'I totally adored this book. All of Lisa Jewell's books are fabulous, but something about this one is extra special.'
'Absolutely absorbing ... thoroughly enjoyed it'
'Kept me captivated from the very beginning ... Definitely worth reading - as long you like reading into the night!'
'What a book. Clever would be an understatement. And those last pages left me with chills. The concept had me intrigued and the execution had me captivated. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!'
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'You don't read a Lisa Jewell book, you fall into it. It takes huge talent to establish a whole world in the turn of two pages.' ERIN KELLY

'I swear I didn't breathe the whole time I was reading it. Gripping, pacy, brilliantly twisty.' CLARE MACKINTOSH

'Creepy, intricate and utterly immersive: an excellent holiday read.' GUARDIAN

'I had an unrelentingly pleasurable and thrilling for-God's-sake-tell-me-what-happened sensation in my stomach for the entire read ... Stupendous!' RUTH JONES

'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

'Few writers of psychological suspense devise such swift, slippery plots; fewer still people their stories with characters so human and complex. Lisa's Jewell's The Family Upstairs glitters like a blade and cuts even deeper.' AJ FINN

'Whenever I pick up a Lisa Jewell novel I know I'm in for a compelling, immersive and unputdownable read and The Family Upstairs is one of her very best' CL TAYLOR

'I had hoped to save The Family Upstairs for my holiday, but failed miserably ... I was hooked from the first page' ALICE FEENEY

'Utterly compelling. Deliciously dark and twisty with characters who live on in your head. Lisa Jewell just keeps getting better and better.' JANE CORRY

'It's absolutely bloody brilliant and I can't tell you much I wish I'd written it.' TAMMY COHEN

'I loved The Family Upstairs!' SARAH JESSICA PARKER

#1 Bestseller in the UK, Sunday Times, August 2019

© Lisa Jewell 2019 (P) Penguin Audio 2019

Crime Fiction Domestic Thrillers Genre Fiction Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Scary Crime Exciting Thriller

Critic reviews

I swear I didn’t breathe the whole time I was reading. Gripping, pacy, brilliantly twisty.
Rich, dark and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunnit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.
Twisty and engrossing story of betrayal and redemption. Reminiscent of Donna Tartt in scope and quality
Few writers of psychological suspense devise such swift, slippery plots; fewer still people their stories with characters so human and complex. Lisa’s Jewell’s The Family Upstairs glitters like a blade and cuts even deeper.
Creepy, intricate and utterly immersive: an excellent holiday read.
The Family Upstairs was a great read! Loved this page-turner by Lisa Jewell.
I had an unrelentingly pleasurable and a thrilling for-God’s-sake-tell-me-what-happened sensation in my stomach for the entire read ... Stupendous! (Ruth Jones)
The perfect poolside read. The perfect anywhere read, to be honest. This book is riveting, moving, and out in August. Highest possible level of recommendation. (Sophie Hannah)
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)
Rich in mystery from the very first page and Lisa Jewell’s best book yet.
All stars
Most relevant
I love the more recent novels by Lisa Jewell and this was an absolute triumph. Her recent novels manage to develop great characters with real depth and combine with really unusual psychological thrilling storylines. This book was so different from the usual thrillers and all of the characters were great. I loved the way the story unfolded from three different perspectives and I enjoyed all three narrators. I simply have nothing negative to say about this book apart from it kept me awake at night as I could not stop listening until it was finished.

A real stunner what a read !

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I enjoyed listening to the early chapters read by different characters. No indications of how the story was going to develop. I was both Mesmerised ,and horrified at the same time. What a brilliant story teller.
When I began listening I thought it was interesting story and the first few chapters gave no indication of what was to come in later which detailed the children’s years of experiences of maltreatment and neglect, and to all intents and purposes disappeared ! Will be looking for more of her books.

Wow what a book, it’s not a book for anyone of a nervous disposition, quietly malevolent in places, but enjoyable in others.

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I absolutely loved this. It’s a particularly captivating and unusual story. Gripping and mysterious, it’s well constructed and well paced. The characters are credible, engaging and easy to relate to and it is well narrated throughout. My one small criticism for the male narrator - ennui is not pronounced “en-you-eye”!!

Mysterious and gripping.

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Amazing !! Couldn't stop thinking about the book when not listening to it. So upset that it finished!!

Never stopped thinking about it.

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I loved this it will definitely be one I will re listen to and recommend to anyone who will listen.
I’ve only heard one Lisa Jewell before and wasn’t so impressed so it’s taken me 2+ years to return.

So so glad I did!

Completely different story to anything I’ve read or heard.

Listen and Enjiy the ride!

WOW! Fantastic! Story Narration Twists Turns

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