"The Family Remains: A Novel" by Lisa Jewell

 

Early one morning on the shore of the Thames, 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.

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.

In this masterful standalone sequel to her haunting New York Times bestseller, The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell proves she is writing at the height of her powers with another jaw-dropping, intricate, and affecting novel about the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love and uncover the truth. ~taken from Goodreads

Slow clap and standing ovation for Lisa Jewell. Every book she releases I wonder how she will top the last, yet she does. This was a sequel to "The Family Upstairs" which I loved and reviewed back in 2019. This can also be read as a standalone. If you are reading in as a sequel I suggest re-reading the first book to brush up on the events and characters if it's been awhile. 

I will try to review this without giving anything away. This follows the lives of The Lamb children all grown up. Both Lucy and Henry have come into money thanks to baby Libby now coming of age and inheriting the fortune. They want to get on with their lives but a shared person from their past causes chaos and disrupts the lives of everyone. 

A new character, Rachel, is introduced in alternating chapters and in a past timeline. Her story was very interesting to me and although I did really enjoy her plotline I kept wondering how she fit in with the cult mansion and the Lamb family. 

This book is broken into five different parts and really kept me reading. Once again Jewell knows when to throw in some twists and keep the reader on their toes. The characters were relatable in some ways and yet infuriating in others. It was fun to see the setting change to America in this book and as an American I felt that the author did a great job setting all the scenes and getting the right feel for a large American city. 

The ending was heartwarming and a bit surprising, seeing as how I have never felt teary-eyed from a Lisa Jewell novel. Then in true fashion the epilogue was a dark twist that left me shaking my head and smiling because, of course!  Of course Jewell would end a book like that...

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest review. It was a five star read! 

"The Family Remains" is set to be released here in the U.S. tomorrow, August 9, 2022 so preorder now so you are ready to read asap! 

Happy Reading! 

To see more reviews of Lisa Jewell books on my blog

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Lisa Jewell's "I Found You"

I know, it's been awhile since I have posted a review. Life has been crazy busy, especially with the holidays, but I am back! I hope you all had a wonderful winter holiday season! Our family was blessed and had a fantastic month of December! 

I was so excited Netgalley and Atria Books approved me to read this ARC! I loved Lisa Jewell's last book, The Girls In the Garden (see my review here) so I was so excited to read her latest book, not only because it sounded like an amazing plot, but because I truly love Jewell's writing style.

A young bride, a lonely single mother, and an amnesiac man of dubious origin lie at the heart of New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell’s next suspenseful drama that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty and Paula Hawkins.

In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside.

Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed.

Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. Their annual trip to the quaint seaside town is passing by uneventfully, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable—and it’s not just that he’s playing the role of protective older brother.

Two decades of secrets, a missing husband, and a man with no memory are at the heart of this brilliant new novel, filled with the “beautiful writing, believable characters, pacey narrative, and dark secrets” (London Daily Mail) that make Lisa Jewell so beloved by audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.  ~taken from Goodreads

This story shifts from different points of views, different times, and even different locations. Every character I was introduced to I could perfectly imagine knowing in real life. They were all completely realistic and relatable. 

We begin with a man sitting on the beach in the cold rain in front of Alice's house. He has no idea where he's at or who he is. Though she is a complete chaotic mess with kids, work and life in general, she decides to take him in and help him. Her best friend and kids are less than impressed with her choice to help.

Newlywed Lily sits at home waiting for her husband to return from work. She is a Russian immigrant in a foreign country and knows no one but her husband. He never comes home. Desperate that her loving, devoted husband is missing she goes to the police, but after they look into his disappearance Lily is told that her husband never even existed. It is up to her to find out the truth so she can bring her husband home.

Then we are taken back to 1993 in a quaint seaside holiday town where 17 year old Gray and 15 year old Christina's parents have rented a cottage for the summer. Gray realizes for the first time that his little sister is growing up and getting noticed by boys. He becomes a protective big brother, but Christina has already been noticed by a local older boy...

These 3 different stories slowly come together to form what I thought was a spectacular ending! The twists and turns throughout the plot were unexpected and intriguing. I wanted to read faster to get to the end, but didn't want the ending to come. 

"I Found You" is due to be released in the U.S. April 25, 2017. Add it to your TBR list now. You don't want to miss it. A 5 star read for me! Once again, Lisa Jewell did not disappoint. 

Again, thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me the eARC to read and give my honest review. 

Happy New Year and Happy Reading! 

Lisa Jewell's "Then She Was Gone"

Ten years after her teenage daughter disappears, a woman crosses paths with a charming single father whose young child feels eerily familiar, in this evocative, suspenseful drama from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell—perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Liane Moriarty.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl? ~taken from Amazon

It's no secret that Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors. She has a way of writing that draws me in, keeps me hooked, and leaves me breathless at the end. I was almost in tears when I was approved to read the egalley of her latest novel, Then She Was Gone available on Amazon now for pre-order and due to be released on April 24, 2018 here in the U.S.

This book was cleverly plotted. When we first meet each character I wondered how exactly they would fit into this story. By the book's end, they had blended seamlessly. Each character was unique in their own way. Some started off lovable and by the end I hated them. Others visa versa. Each was relatable in their own little way. 

This story was a non-stop page turner. I can't remember the last time I wanted to finish a book so fast, yet didn't want it to end. I knew, somewhat, where the story was going but couldn't figure out how it all played out. The ending was a surprise and absolutely satisfying. 

I don't think it's a shock that I give this book a 5 star rating. I look forward to the next book by Lisa Jewell, as she always finds a way to keep readers on their toes. She is on my short list of authors I adore. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me the egalley to read and give my honest review. 

Happy Reading!

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

 

2017: 19 year old Tallulah is going out on a date, leaving her baby with her mother, Kim.

Kim watches her daughter leave and, as late evening turns into night, which turns into early morning, she waits for her return. And waits.

The next morning, Kim phones Tallulah's friends who tell her that Tallulah was last seen heading to a party at a house in the nearby woods called Dark Place.

She never returns.

2019: Sophie is walking in the woods near the boarding school where her boyfriend has just started work as a head-teacher when she sees a note fixed to a tree.

'DIG HERE' . . .

A cold case, an abandoned mansion, family trauma and dark secrets lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell's remarkable new novel. ~taken from Goodreads

Lisa Jewell is back with another book and you all know I HAD to read and review it! This one was good and I loved the odd, darkness to the plot. If you are new to Jewell and her works hit that search bar on the right corner of this page to browse through the previous reviews I have posted. You won't be disappointed.

This book is told from three different perspectives in three different eras. Kim's 2017 point of view, Sophie's 2018 point of view, and Tallulah's 2016 point of view. All very relevant to the plot and all lend a unique insight to the mystery.  Each character is expertly placed and described so the story just flows effortlessly with every page turn.  

We, the reader, slowly get fed little details here and there- a hint of something that doesn't quite fit just yet and our brain stores it away for later. It's that slow but addicting suspense writing that Jewell is so good at. My favorite reading perspective was Tallulah, as we get a side of her that isn't shown from her mom, Kim's, perspective. As a mom and daughter it was just intriguing to read how what a a mother sees isn't what actually is going on in a daughter's life. Secrets are kept and what is presented on the outside doesn't match what is actually happening in someone's life. 

The ending was nothing like I expected to be! A shocking surprise to say the least! I do love the intricacy of it all... I don't want to say too much. It is best to go start reading this book knowing as little as possible and you know I never give spoilers! 

"The Night She Disappeared" is set to be released here in the U.S. on September 7, 2021 so pre-order now! This was a 5 star read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for sending me an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest review! 

Happy Reading! 

Lisa Jewell's "None of This Is True"

 

Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done? ~taken from Goodreads

All you need to do is search "Lisa Jewell" on my blog to see all the books of hers I have reviewed and to see that she is one of my favorite modern day authors. I was so excited to read her latest novel. 

I have to say I was speechless when I finished this book. The dark subjects and mind-bending twists left me replaying everything I had read in my mind. 

The characters in this story are typical of other Jewell novels. They are well developed with a little hint that something in their lives aren't what they seem. 

This one just didn't deliver for me on a couple fronts. The characters were so boring. From the get-go with the "birthday twins" comment I knew it was going to be an eye roll situation chapter after chapter. 

The thrills just weren't there for me either. It was a log, drawn out storyline that only got interesting at the very end. Even when everything did unravel and reveal it was a very unsatisfactory ending. I wasn't wowed and I just felt disappointed. 

If you are looking for a heart pounding, phycological thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat this isn't the Jewell book for you. It was a 3 star read. 

"None of This Is True" is available to read here in the U.S. so get your copy now where books are sold. 

Happy Reading!

Lisa Jewell's "The Family Upstairs"

Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

In The Family Upstairs, the master of “bone-chilling suspense” (People) brings us the can’t-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets. ~taken from Goodreads

Where do I even start with this latest Lisa Jewell nugget of goodness!? I am a HUGE Jewell fan and have been for years. This was my absolute FAVORITE from her to date! It's so twisted, warped, mysterious and chilling. Easily the best book I've read this year. 

This story alternates between past and present and is told from 3 separate 3rd person perspectives. As the story starts in present day, we learn about Libby, who learns on her 25th birthday she has inherited a Chelsea mansion. She uses this house as a jumping off point to find out who she is and where she came from. The search for the truth on why her family left her as a baby is a mystery slowly unraveling...

The next perspective is also present day in Lucy's life. She is a mother of 2 living on the streets of France. "The Baby" just turned 25, and she is desperate to get her and her kids to London for the occasion. We learn about her past, why she left England all those years ago, and her reasons for staying gone so long. 

Lastly, we get Henry's perspective from the past. Why have this group of mismatched adults moved into his parent's mansion? Why are they no longer allowed to go to private school or even leave their house? What lead up to them being found dead in the kitchen in matching, homemade clothing?

This was a haunting, dark, twisted, rich read. If it's your first Jewell novel, take the leap and start with this, then browse my blog for more Lisa Jewell book reviews! You'll love them all! If you've read her work before, read this and let me know what you think! 

This is a hands down 5 star read for me! I have read it twice already! It is set to be released here in the U.S. tomorrow, November 5! Pre-order now so you can read it ASAP! Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me the eARC to read and give my honest review. 

Happy Reading! 

Lisa Jewell's "Invisible Girl"

 

Owen Pick’s life is falling apart.

In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.

Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

With evocative, vivid, and unputdownable prose and plenty of disturbing twists and turns, Jewell’s latest thriller is another “haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author). ~taken from Goodreads

Lisa Jewell has become my favorite author in recent years. I have read and loved all her thrillers. She just has a way of writing that I truly love and look forward to. Here's a quick link reference to all her novels I have reviewed:

"I Found You"

"The Family Upstairs"

"Watching You"

"The She Was Gone"

"The Girls"

I was so excited to be able to read and review the eARC of her latest novel, "Invisible Girl". The premise sounded interesting and original. I was thrilled to start reading. My thrill soon faded. I hate to even say it, but this was a 3 star read for me. 

I felt like there was something missing. The whole story seemed a bit odd and it made me feel displaced from beginning to end. So many weird and shady characters, it all felt haphazard. I kept reading, not because I genuinely wanted to know what happened to Saffyre, but to see how all this mess could possibly come together neatly. 

This is told through alternating points of views, a narrative I usually like because it allows the reader to see the mystery from all perspectives. But the way this was done was so choppy it took away from the story. I had to think hard about where we last left the character. I had to stop and think how it related to the character who's chapter I had just read. It was exhausting. 

This book is filled with the "dark" side of life. Sexual assault, self harm, infidelity, prejudice, misogyny, and mental illness. I applaud Jewell for bringing all these topics into a modern novel to shed light on hard subjects.

The ending seemed rushed and although I went back to read the end twice, it still feels like something was missing. It felt like from beginning to end the line was just straight and flat. No ups and downs, no thrilling revelations or twists. I just can't call this a thriller in any way, shape or form. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me an advanced ecopy to read and give my honest review. Despite my 3 stars for this read, I am excited to read what Lisa Jewell puts out next! 

"Invisible Girl" is due to be released here in the U.S. on Oct 13, 2020 so pre-order now! 

Happy Reading! 

"The Girls In The Garden: A Novel" by Lisa Jewell

***Since publishing my blog post the title and cover of this book has changed***

Words cannot explain to you how much I loved this book. It is a beautifully crafted suspense/family drama/physiological thriller. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me an advanced copy to read and review. So let's get talk about this phenomenal book.

Dark secrets, a devastating mystery and the games people play: the gripping new novel from the bestselling author of The House We Grew Up In and The Third Wife.

You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses.

You’ve known your neighbors for years and you trust them. Implicitly.

You think your children are safe.

But are they really?

Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?

Utterly believable characters, a gripping story and a dark secret buried at its core: this is Lisa Jewell at her heart-stopping best.

I read the description and knew I had to read it. Once I started reading I was hooked. The characters are so well written. Character descriptions, both physical and emotional, really created complete characters that I could perfectly imagine in my mind. Bit by bit I was introduced into a widely different cast of characters that all live around this gorgeously described private park. 

Throughout the story Jewell gives small glimpses into the thoughts of one of the main characters, Pip, by way of letters to her estranged dad. Her no-holds-barred letters fill her father in on her new and complicated life. She pours her heart out to him about things she finds interesting, things she finds disturbing, and emotions she feels while navigating her pre-teen life with a new house, new friends, and new challenges. I loved that the letters also included little drawings done by Pip. It made it feel even more realistic. One of the many great small details in this novel. 

This book begins with a horrific event. I knew from the start that something bad has happened. I was then taken back to the start of it all, what lead up to the event. Little clues that made me question every character. I wasn't sure who could be trusted. I had my suspicions about "who did it", but then with a turn of a page the story twists and my suspicions were cast on a new character.

This novel is about relationships- mothers and daughters, sisters and sisters, daughters and fathers, friends and neighbors. How all relationships are somehow intertwined. Lies are told (sometimes little, sometimes big), truths are warped, and no one knows the complete story unless they are directly involved.

This story took so many twists and turns I truly was guessing at the outcome right up until the very end. Wonderfully written, completely relatable, and vividly described. Bravo Lisa Jewell!

Please add this to your TBR list. I really think you will love it as much as I did. The Girls: A Novel is set to be released June 7, 2016 here in the United States. You won't want to miss it!

Happy Reading! 

"It Could Have Been Her" by Lisa Jewel

 

#1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone Lisa Jewell brings the suspense to this shocking new thriller about a lost dog, a missing woman, and a house of long buried secrets.

Jane Trevally is walking her dogs on her country estate when a small white terrier appears, alone and with no sign of the teenaged girl he’d been staying with nearby. When the teenager is reported missing, Jane offers to return the dog to his registered owner, hours away in London. Arriving at a run-down house called Thornwood in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead, she is immediately on alert—because Jane has a dark history with this house.

The man who answers the door is not the man that Jane remembers from her past. He is cagey, and claims to know nothing about the missing teenage girl. Then, through the window of the house, Jane catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman.

Conjuring her memories from twenty-five years ago, Jane knows this unsettling house holds the key—to the missing teenager, to her own traumatic story, and to the dark secrets of the past. ~taken from Goodreads

It started 10 years ago when I read and reviewed a book called "The Girls In The Garden" and by the time publication day came the title had changed to "The Girls". That started my love and obsession with author, Lisa Jewell.  

Jewell's latest thiller left me with mixed emotions as I struggled to really get into the storyline. This story is told from differet perspectives in different timelines and sort of flip-flops the reader back and forth, leaving a sort of whiplash effect of information. The two stories and timelines eventually intersect, leading to a conclusion that I think most of us saw coming from the start.

Put aside the fact that the ending wasn't a suprise at all, I found that one timeline was facinating and loved reading about it while the other was boring and I couldn't read fast enough to get it done and over with. There's an occaional third perspective that also is wildly facinating and I would have loved to read more.

To put it bluntly, the plotline that takes place in the past is unique, suspenseful, dark and a bit evil. The storyline in current day is boring at best. I just did not care about Jane or her crumbling house, her step kids, or her dogs. She is the main character trying to solve the puzzles of the past but was incredibally boring. 

The ending... The ending, like I said, was not a surpise. Even the second ending wasn't a surpise. Jewell usually does such a wonderful job wrapping up stories and bringing a suspensful novel to a creative end, but this one fell short. I realized early on what I thought would happen and it turned out to be the right guess. All of it. 

"It Could Have Been Her" is out now here in the U.S. so you can get your copy now. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me an e-copy to read and give my honest review. It was a 3-star review. 

Happy Reading! 

Lisa Jewell's "Watching You"

Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where people are brutally murdered in their own kitchens. But it is the sort of place where everyone has a secret. And everyone is watching you.

As the headmaster credited with turning around the local school, Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by one and all—including Joey Mullen, his new neighbor, who quickly develops an intense infatuation with this thoroughly charming yet unavailable man. Joey thinks her crush is a secret, but Tom’s teenaged son Freddie—a prodigy with aspirations of becoming a spy for MI5—excels in observing people and has witnessed Joey behaving strangely around his father.

One of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, also lives on the same street, and she’s not convinced her teacher is as squeaky clean as he seems. For one thing, he has taken a particular liking to her best friend and fellow classmate, and Jenna’s mother—whose mental health has admittedly been deteriorating in recent years—is convinced that Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam… ~taken from Netgalley

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors. I was so excited to be approved by Netgalley and Atria Books to be able to get my hands on this eARC! Once again Jewell did not disappoint!

This book was different from the others. It was a slow start for me and it seemed to take me awhile to actually get into it, despite the fact that from the get-go we knew a murder occurred. 

This book alternates character viewpoints along with quite a few characters, so I quickly learned that reading it 15-20 minutes at a time when I had a chance was not an option. Normally I have no issues picking up where I left off in a book, but with this I was confused and had to re-read a few pages back from where I left off. 

Once I found bigger chunks of time to devote to this thriller it was fun and exciting reading! The cast of characters is diverse, interesting and I think every reader can relate to one or more in the story. Over the course of the book we begin to see how all the characters relate to the murder and the wheels start turning as to who could have done it. The plot was complicated enough to keep me intrigued but not so much that it overwhelmed and confused me. 

I was surprised to learn who the murder actually was! I had no clue up until the end! Once the murderer was revealed it was fun to think back on all the hints and clues that were dropped throughout the story. 

This was a solid 4 stars for me. Not my favorite Jewell book, but a very good read! 

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for allowing me a copy to read and give my honest review. 

Watching You is set to be released December 26, 2018 here in the United States! It makes for the perfect after Christmas reading so pre-order it now! 

Happy Reading!   

Lisa Jewell's "The Truth About Melody Browne"

 

When she was nine years old, Melody Browne's house burned down, taking every toy, every photograph, every item of clothing and old Christmas card with it. But not only did the fire destroy all her possessions, it took with it all her memories - Melody Browne can remember nothing before her ninth birthday. Now in her early thirties, Melody lives in a council flat in the middle of London with her seventeen-year-old son. She hasn't seen her parents since she left home at fifteen, but Melody doesn't mind, she's better off on her own. She's made a good life for herself and her son and she likes it that way. Until one night something extraordinary happens. Whilst attending a hypnotist show with her first date in years she faints - and when she comes round she starts to remember. At first her memories mean nothing to her but then slowly, day by day, she begins to piece together the real story of her childhood. Her journey takes her to the seaside town of Broadstairs, to oddly familiar houses in London backstreets and to meetings with strangers who love her like their own. But with every mystery she solves another one materialises, with every question she answers another appears. And Melody begins to wonder if she'll ever know the truth about her past. ~taken from Goodreads

My love of author, Lisa Jewell, is no secret. She is an incredible story teller and always comes up with unique storylines, fascinating and interesting characters, and endings that satisfy. This latest of hers is no different, though it's a bit different than her usual genre. 

"The Truth About Melody Browne" is a book of mystery, yes, but it's also a book full of sadness, conflict, happiness, anger, confusion, anxiety... it's a book FULL of every emotion. 

The start of this book is a bit confusing. It alternates between past and present and multiple characters are introduced that at the time that seem to have no connection. But as the story builds, and they mystery is made clear, everything starts to flow and I got sucked in quick! 

Every character is fully formed and easy to imagine. There is such a wonderfully vast array of characters that it was an exciting journey I was sad to see come to an end. I really can't say enough good things about this book! Not my typical type of mystery, this was such an emotional journey, but I loved it. I truly did. 

I feel the less you know going into this family mystery, the better the story will be. You do need to stay on your toes while reading. Take mental notes of characters names and remember how they fit in to the over all timeline. 

I am not going to lie, I wish the ending was a bit more... I would love to have read more about the interaction between the two characters at the end of the book. 

This is not a new novel by Jewell, though it was re-released and I was so happy to receive and e-copy from Netgalley and Atria Books to read and give my honest review. It was a 5 star read for me! 

You can get your copy anywhere books are sold! 

Happy Reading! 

"Don't Let Him In" by Lisa Jewell

 

He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.

Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever. ~ taken from Goodreads

I'm going to need a few minutes to gather my thoughts and compose myself. This book left my blood boiling! Okay, let's start the review.

Once again, Lisa Jewell has written a book with a one-of-a-kind plot that hooks you from the get-go. You think you know that story that is about to unfold, but you really have no idea what you are about to get into. 

The way this is written is brilliant with the current, modern day narrative being written in third person and the past narrative being written in first person. It makes the timelines blend and flow, and also provides a way for the reader to distinguish between the two presences without too much thought, as there are quite a lot of characters to remember.

Speaking of characters, each was so well written. The emotional state of every single person was perfectly portrayed. Their ups and downs, the vulnerability, their meanness, their complete openness and trust, their fears and suspicions- all written out perfectly so the reader could get a full picture of each character's state of mind. 

Go into this read blind. Don't search too many reviews because there are some out there that will spoil this ending for you. The ending... how do I describe it? I was so angry, until I wasn't. Like other plot twists in this book, I thought I knew, but I didn't know. 

Thanks To Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me an advanced e-copy to read and give my honest review. It was a 4 star read! 

"Don't Let Him In" is available now wherever you buy or borrow books. It's a great way to start your summer!

Happy Reading!