The Family Remains, Lisa Jewell, Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9781529125801
A BAG of bones is discovered in the Thames River which could jeopardise the happily-ever-after of the Lamb siblings. But that is not the only thing that threatens their sense of normalcy. While police close in with questions, the siblings are caught in other drama which quickly turns sinister. Who do the bones belong to, and how were the siblings involved?
Family Remains reminded me a bit of Lucinda Riley’s The Murders at Fleet House and Susan Lewis’s Who’s Lying Now? in that they all feature a lot of characters where the reader jumps from one point of view to the next.
If those are the kinds of storylines you enjoy, then chances are this book is right up your alley. I found the story intriguing and overall enjoyable, however, the pace was a bit slow at times. I was also relieved by the fact that I was able to follow the story despite this being the sequel.
A bugbear for me was that I found the newest character, Rachel, to be unnecessary to the overall storyline. Especially considering the knowledge that people who read the first book would have. Ironically, she was one of the characters I empathised with the most and truly connected with.
My absolute favourite character, however, was DC Samuel Owusu. I just adore how he is not like the stereotypical detective. He doesn’t seem to be harbouring a dark past or any addictions. He comes off as a sweet and pure soul with incredible instincts. He is also persistent and scrupulous without any malice. May I be the first to suggest a series featuring DC Owusu?
My biggest criticism would be that there was just a lot about the book that seemed too… dare I say, fictitious or unrealistic. Even for a fictional novel. It was, without a doubt, dark and somewhat shocking, but the improbability cost it some points on my radar, unfortunately. Mariclair Smit – 3/5 stars
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