by Lisa Jewell
Published 2020
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A GOOD MORNING AMERICA COVER TO COVER BOOK CLUB PICK “Rich, dark, and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.” —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author “A haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read.” —Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of None of This Is True comes another page-turning look inside one family’s past as buried secrets threaten to come to light. 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.
These are AI narrators you can listen to with your own EPUB on ElevenLabs or Fish Audio. How does it work?
Top voices for narrating this book
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Intense
“This voice is explicitly designed for thrillers, offering an intense and expressive delivery that perfectly builds tension for a psychological mystery.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Intense
“Valory B's gripping storytelling and ability to build intensity make her ideal for a suspenseful narrative, maintaining a natural and engaging pace.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“Bella's deep, elegant tone and serious quality lend themselves well to the mysterious and eerie atmosphere required for this London-set thriller.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“The calm yet emotionally engaging delivery of Eliza is well-suited for a psychological thriller, providing a steady and immersive listening experience.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Neutral
“With a measured and slightly distant presence, this voice could evoke the sophisticated and suspenseful tone needed for the overarching narrative.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
A young woman, initially naive and hopeful, who becomes increasingly determined and perhaps anxious as she uncovers dark family secrets.
British · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Relaxed
“Lauren's warm, clear, and conversational tone is perfect for Libby's initial naive and hopeful demeanor, while her relaxed delivery allows for subtle shifts to anxiety.”
British · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Pleasant
“Amara offers a warm, engaging, and versatile young British female voice, capable of portraying Libby's evolving determination and growing unease.”
British · Young · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Lexie's calm and emotional British voice can capture Libby's curious nature and the underlying tension as she uncovers dark family secrets.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Crisp
“Victoria's crisp, clear, and engaging young British voice provides a bright energy suitable for Libby's initial optimism, with potential for dramatic shifts.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Casual
“Frayr's warm and friendly British female accent offers a casual, approachable quality, fitting for Libby's conversational style before her world unravels.”
One of the missing children from the mansion, now an adult. His voice carries a past burden, possibly wary or guarded.
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Deep
“Zane's calm yet powerful delivery and deep tone perfectly convey Henry's burdened past and wary nature, fitting for a character with a dark history.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Narration · Low · Calm · Measured · +11 more
“This voice's serious and authoritative tone, combined with a measured pace, reflects Henry's guarded personality and the gravity of his experiences.”
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Deep
“Oliver Silk's deep gravel and intimate narration style would highlight Henry's internal struggles and the heavy weight of his past.”
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Intense
“Cedric M's slow, deliberate tone and deep resonance are ideal for building the sense of unease and hidden trauma that Henry carries.”
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Deep
“Jasper Vayne's deep, resonant tone and underlying sinister edge could subtly hint at the dark secrets Henry holds, even in a calm delivery.”
Another of the children from the house, now an adult. Her voice might hint at trauma or a complex understanding of the past.
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Valory's intimate, warm, and elegant tone is perfect for Lucy, hinting at trauma with a soft, emotionally inviting quality that suggests a complex past.”
Female · Middle-Aged · Conversational · Narration · Character-Voice · Social-Media · +58 more
“Jade's deep, smooth, and mysterious presence can embody Lucy's complex understanding of the past, with a tone that suggests hidden depths and trauma.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Classy
“Bergindy's low, grounded voice with a warm, calm delivery could portray Lucy's quiet strength and the lingering impact of her traumatic experiences.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Gentle
“Alexis Lancaster's silky, rich, and soft British voice offers a sophisticated warmth, ideal for conveying Lucy's intimate and possibly breathy demeanor.”
British · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Gentle
“Florence's sophisticated and lyrical flow, both grand and intimate, would suit Lucy's dramatic potential and the complex emotional landscape of her character.”