The Family Remains

The Cheyne Walk house symbolizes the Secrets and Lies that have remained hidden for over two decades. Although the house does not feature as prominently in The Family Remains as it did in The Family Upstairs, it is still a significant location in Samuel’s investigation and in the lives of Lucy, Henry, and Libby.

Although the house no longer belongs to the Lambs, it still holds power over their lives. When Samuel visits the house on Cheyne Walk, he notices immediately that it is neglected and dilapidated. Jewell’s description of the house highlights the overgrown plants and vines taking over the exterior, the dirty windows, and the barrenness inside. This physical dilapidation represents the psychological rot and emptiness that transformed what should have been a home into a torturous prison. Now, its secrets are hard to unearth, covered over like the creeping vines and plants cover the house. But some clues stand out: In the house, a carving identifies Phin by name, although he, Henry, and Lucy still use aliases, in an attempt to run from their past. The roof has rare leaves that match those found with Birdie’s remains, and flower pots still carry traces of the nightshade that killed the adults in the house 25 years earlier.