The Family Remains is the sequel I didn’t know I needed.
Brief Synopsis
It picks up where The Family Upstairs ended.
Detective Samuel Owusu finds a bag of bones floating in the Thames River. Forensic testing reveals that the bones are connected to a decades-old cold case that left three dead in a mansion in Chelsea.
The narrative follows new and old characters as they reconnect with each other and as they discover shocking new connections.
Review of The Family Remains
This is slated as a standalone sequel, but if I hadn’t read The Family Upstairs before this, I’m not sure I would have been as invested in the plot or its characters.
It’s been a few years since I read the first book, so I skimmed it to help refresh my memory. But, it turns out that was unnecessary because the author seamlessly summarizes it in the first few chapters.
The chapters themselves are short, making this a very bingeable read. It follows multiple POVs and timelines.
There were a few twists, some predictable, some surprising. I loved reading Rachel’s chapters; she really rounded out the story.
I definitely recommend giving this a read if you’ve read The Family Upstairs. You might get a better feel for the characters that way.
CW: SA, suicide.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Expected Publication: 09 August 2022
Thank you to Atria Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For regular reading updates, check out my Goodreads profile.
For past reviews, click here.