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The Family Upstairs Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell with "The Family Remains", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

The complete reading order for the The Family Upstairs series by Lisa Jewell. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "The Family Remains"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

Community Consensus

Low Debate

"The provided comments do not contain any discussion, analysis, or specific information regarding the book 'The Family Upstairs' or its recommended reading order. The discussion is focused on other fantasy series (like 'The Raven Cycle' and 'The Bone Ship's Wake'), specific authors (KJ Parker), and general book recommendations."

Key Reddit Advice

No relevant advice regarding the reading order of 'The Family Upstairs' can be extracted from this set of comments.

?Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for The Family Upstairs conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for The Family Upstairs. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "The Family Remains" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "The Family Upstairs" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order2 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
1

The Family Remains

Pub: 2022★ 3.86

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Other authors are at a ten out of ten, for me, and Lisa is a solid hundred.” —Gillian McAllister, The Sunday Times (London) bestselling author of Wrong Place Wrong Time The #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell weaves a “simply masterful” (Samantha Downing, internationally bestselling author) thriller about twisted marriages, fractured families, and deadly obsessions in this stand-alone sequel to The Family Upstairs. 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—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 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 is a superb writer at the top of her game” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author) with another jaw-dropping, intricate, and affecting novel about the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love and uncover the truth.

2

THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS

Pub: 2023

Plot details hidden until you finish "The Family Remains".

Libby Jones learns the identity of her parents and inherits a London mansion, but this comes with a mystery of multiple murders.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the The Family Upstairs series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read The Family Upstairs?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "The Family Remains" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Lisa Jewell intended.

Can I read The Family Upstairs books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the The Family Upstairs universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.