Lisa Jewell is a master of the domestic suspense thriller, with her dark and ambiguous characters, and families with all kinds of secrets, secrets that are hinted at, so the reader HAS to keep on reading to get to the bottom of it all.
And with writing like that, it’s no wonder her books are frequent bestsellers! In fact, over 10 million of her books have been sold across the globe!
In this article, I’ll be introducing you to some of the best Lisa Jewell books out there, so you can look forward to your next creepy, suspenseful read! Here goes!
I have to say, this haunting domestic noir is easily Jewell’s creepiest novel yet!
It tells of the mother, Laurel, of a girl, Ellie, who’d gone missing at age 15, never to be found again. But the strangest part is what happens ten years later…
Laurel is swept off her feet by a charming man, but things start to become unnerving when she finally meets his daughter – a 9 year-old who’s the spitting image of missing Ellie. Kinda suspicious!
Pros
Vivid prose that places you right in the scene, slowly teasing out the plot
The tension ratchets up bit by bit, then there are surprising turns before the shocking end
This book is one of Lisa Jewell’s biggest hits – and with good reason, too!
It’s an engrossing tale, a rich and dark domestic noir, with quite the macabre setting – a baby is found looking healthy and well, while in the next room there are three rotting corpses.
Thus begins a mysterious saga as the reader tries to piece out what has actually been gone here.
Despite being released in 2019, it is still in the Bestseller charts (on Amazon) to this day
Pros
Truly immersive writing that continues to draw you in page after page
Intriguing and ambiguous characters – including the protagonists themselves
Creepily realistic, and relatable, with hidden natures gradually uncovered, right up to the dramatic full reveal at the very end
Cons
You may find yourself wanting more of the same – and you’d be in luck because there’s a sequel – The Family Remains!
It tells the story of Saffyre Maddox who was traumatized at age ten, and she expected to be healed by her psychologist, but never really got there.
Then one day she goes missing. And all eyes point like daggers to loner Owen Pick, who lived opposite.
Owen goes on the run, as the reader tries to decipher what exactly has happened.
It’s impeccably written through the point of view of three different characters (Saffyre, Owen and Cate) in different chapters, effectively weaving together 3 different stories into one.
There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader hungrily turning the pages – but there are also some red herrings thrown in there, too.
Pros
You will be emotionally invested in the characters’ stories and be concerned about what’s going to happen next for each of them
There’s a varying timeline to keep things interesting, each shedding light on the other
There are flawed, multilayered characters who jump off the page
Another Lisa Jewell gem of a story, steeped in secrets and mystery.
I Found You follows the dripping story of a man found by Alice who has absolutely no recollection of who he even is, let alone anything else.
Alice invites him into her home, and he tries to unlock his memories. And bit by bit, more and more of his story is revealed
Pros
Vivid depiction of both characters and scenery – you feel like you’re there
Full of twists and turns, heart-breaking at times, suspenseful and moving
Intriguing storyline, that’s gradually, yet expertly laid bare to a dramatic conclusion
Cons
Some readers didn’t like how the novel weaves seemingly different stories together
Final Thoughts
As you may have noticed by this point, the Lisa Jewell books described here are all dark, foreboding suspenseful thrillers.
It’s not Lisa Jewell’s only genre, but it’s certainly the genre that she’s best known for at the moment. And that’s because she does it so well…
Her domestic noir is so spell binding, they’re almost hypnotic. And there’s so much to keep the reader turning the pages – mystery and danger are palpable throughout.
Not to mention there are always vividly depicted, intriguing, and at the same time, realistic characters.
And then to make things even more interesting, there are often multiple narrators and timelines that somehow weave so perfectly together.
And, should you ever need a break from such dark novels, then one of Lisa Jewell’s contemporary romantic comedy novels could offer just the right light refreshment you need before you decide to sink your teeth into something much more deadly and macabre.
One of Lisa Jewell’s more popular rom-com novels is Ralph’s Party, which centers around the residents of 31 Almanac Road.
Love triangles blossom and things eventually come to a head at a party, where there are all kinds of tears and laughter, break-ups and make-ups.
It’s British chick-lit with a Bridget Jones vibe, and it has plenty of rollercoaster-like twists and turns, making it perfect for a holiday beach read.
But, true Lisa Jewell fans tend to favor her more recent works in all their dark and creepy glory!
How To Choose Your Next Lisa Jewell Book
What Are You In The Mood For?
Lisa Jewell is best known for domestic suspense, and stories around secrets.
But she has penned other fiction besides, such as contemporary rom-coms (romantic comedies).
The creepiest domestic suspense novel from Lisa Jewell is Then She Was Gone. The best contemporary rom-com to start with, however, would probably be Ralph’s Party.
Have You Started A Series?
The Family Upstairs and The Family Remains can be enjoyed either as a two-book series or as a standalone.
So if you haven’t read either of them, I would recommend starting with the first one, The Family Upstairs.
If however you’ve started to read The Family Remains, you could always read The Family Upstairs, as a prequel, afterward for backstory.
Chronological Order Versus Order Of Popularity
If you want to read all of the Lisa Jewell books, bear in mind that they can vary somewhat in genre.
If you do decide to read them all, it may be of interest to read them in the order they were published, to see how the author’s writing style has changed over time.
Most people, however, prefer to read books in order of their overall popularity.
In which case you would first read Then She Was Gone, followed by The Family Upstairs and The Family Remains, and so on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Read If I Like Lisa Jewell?
To be honest, the best thing to read if you know you like Lisa Jewel is more Lisa Jewel, since she’s written about 20 different books, and in different genres, too.
If you particularly like her domestic suspense thrillers, I’d recommend reading The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding or The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.
Do You Need To Read The Family Upstairs Before The Family Remains?
Technically speaking, The Family Remains is a sequel to The Family Upstairs. That said, however, there’s enough backstory explained in The Family Remains for it to be enjoyed as a riveting standalone novel.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
