The Family Remains

by Lisa Jewell

[Quirky Cat]

Talk about a sequel you didn't know you needed! I didn't know that The Family Upstairs would get a second novel. Still, The Family Remains is perfect for fans who want to know more about this particular family.

Three sets of characters. Three different plots. DCI Samuel Owusu is determined to find the truth behind a set of remains recently discovered by the water. Meanwhile, Rachel Rimmer is about to receive news that no spouse wants to hear.

Then there's Lucy Lamb, one of the infamous characters from our previous tale. It's time for Lucy to finally come home, see what remains of her family, and make peace with her past. The question is, will her past be so willing?

“And when you hate someone, it leaves deeper scars on your psyche than loving someone ever can.”

I think I made a mistake. I didn't take the time to re-read The Family Upstairs before diving into The Family Remains. As such, it did take me more than a few chapters to get into the flow of things (again). Then again, with the addition of at least one new plot, maybe that would have happened anyway?

The Family Remains is split into three perspectives, each carrying its plot. As one might expect, the plots eventually converge, but that will take some time. In the meantime, my brain was SO busy trying to understand what one series of events had to do with the other.

Overall, I sincerely cannot complain about The Family Remains. It's the sequel I didn't expect, but it was still nice. I'd be shocked if there was another sequel, but who knows? (Yes, I just checked to see if there was an announced third novel, nothing yet).

I would have to say that The Family Remains holds up to expectations set by The Family Upstairs. We have the same Family, the same dark history, and the same level of winding plots with painful twists. So it's a pretty perfect read for fans of that original story. It's also perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell.

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