The sequel to The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains has all of Lisa Jewell’s best attributes on offer. It is being marketed as a stand alone, but I do think you should read The Family Upstairs first for the background on most of the characters as well as its excellent cult vibes. 

In The Family Remains, Lisa Jewell gives us consistent intrigue and strong pacing. I didn’t find myself bored at any point, in fact I read this in two and a half days. This is no small feat with a four year old to take care of. The characters are complex, dynamic, and deliciously dark- even the good ones have things to hide. In classic LJ style, we read from multiple narrators and dual timelines. I was even more fascinated than usual to see how the two timelines would come together. And she even made a detective perspective enjoyable for me, something I usually detest. 

I won’t give you any of the plot because I really do think that this is best read as a sequel. I absolutely loved how this tied up so many loose ends from The Family Upstairs but still left a few untied, leaving us with a sensation both satisfying and disconcerting at the end.