This book was absolutely jaw dropping. I gasped out loud when I got to the twist and I couldn’t believe it. This book was definitely worth the read and I look forward to more from this author.

Would you buy a house with a sordid past? Sarah Slade certainly would.

Sarah and her husband purchased Black Wood House where a grisly murder, attempted murder, and suicide took place 40 years ago. Her intention was to rennovate and flip the house, while raking in the sponsors on her social media. But as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. As soon as Sarah and her husband Joe move into the house, things start to go sideways. Their marriage, which was already slightly on the rocks, starts to disintegrate faster and faster, contractors refuse to work on the house, the cat starts freaking out, and Sarah starts hearing noises in the attic. Is the house haunted, or is history repeating itself?

Things I Liked:
-The pacing! This clipped along at a nice rate, adding to the unease of the story by never really letting you settle into comfort that you know everything that is going on.
-The general concept of murder house - one of my favorite thriller/mystery/horror tropes!

Things I Wasn't As Much of a Fan Of
-The "bomb dropping" that happend within the story. We're solidly in the narrative, and then out of seemingly nowhere a news article gets inserted into the story about two bodies being discovered on the property. This was SO abrupt it nearly gave me reading whiplash. Instead of coming about naturally in the plot of the story, it felt more like the author realized we were x pages into the story and we needed to have some sort of twist or shocking event happen. But it had no lead up and left me super confused at first.
-Plot holes. Oy. There are several, some larger than others, and lots of loose ends not tied up nicely at the end.
-Overly convenient ending. The end felt...trite, almost. It was overall too convenient that things "happened" to wrap up the way they did. Not to mention it ended on another twist-ish with no payout. It was frustrating.
-Sarah's job as a therapist. I can suspend disbelief to a certain amount (and it's often required of thrillers), but the idea that a woman with absolutely no qualifications, no degree, and no experience not only got a job as a therapist, but actually maintained that job AND maintained clients while ALSO being an alcoholic was too far for me.

Wow! This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It wasn’t what I expected but it was definitely what I needed and helped me get out of a reading slump.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for the ARC copy of this one!

I really enjoyed the creepy atmosphere that this book gave. I was hesitant at first with where this was going, but honestly I loved how it ended. Like it's frustrating, but in such a good way! Gave it that extra little bump to the story.

I was definitely engaged with this story, but unfortunately there were some questions for me at the end still for some of the actions during the book. A couple parts didn't quite add all the way up, so it left me wanting a bit more from the story to truly elevate the reading experience.

I do highly recommend reading the Author's Note at the end of this one. I don't typically do this, but this one is absolutely worth it and makes this story a little sweeter for sure.

First time reading one by this author after seeing it posted on some book club sites. I thought it was a decent read and I will definitely check out something else by this author.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Bantam books for my honest review.*

An wannabe influencer with a very sketchy past and a husband who is trying to get away from her buys a house that was the site of a very gruesome murder-suicide 30+ years ago. And then it seems like she is being stalked, but is it her husband or the neighbors or the house? The only thing that makes sense is that she is losing control of herself and the house and her job and....

I did enjoy the novel, but when I was starting the book I was feeling like it was paranormal in a way. It was far from paranormal. There was a lot of second guessing about what could be causing the issues, but it did make a lot of sense at the end. But the influencer's past seemed to stay muddled throughout.

Good writing and suspenseful. I think that a lot could have been done with the story, but some things were rushed.

Reading challenge category: 2023 Booklist Queen: Bottom of your to-read list

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC ebook.This was an ARC that I was automatically given and didn't request, so it got shoved down my TBR list.

Sarah Slade is a self-help author and influencer who buys a "murder house" with her husband in hopes of gaining traction by blogging their renovations. Her marriage is on the rocks, the house is falling apart and more expensive to fix, and her secrets are starting to come out. Strange noises in the house and in Sarah's mind make her question everything.

For a debut novel, this was 'okay.' Parts of the story became convoluted toward the end. I think there were too many ideas smooshed into one that should have been narrowed down better. I also think that the story would have been better without the epilogue: <spoiler> I wish that the story would have been left at carbon monoxide + mental illness; NOT fake carbon monoxide + mental illness + haunted house.</spoiler> The insertion of <spoiler>paranormal</spoiler> at the very end of a book is one of my least favorite tropes.

I'm in between a 3 and 4 star rating. First let me say I am super impressed this is the author's debut novel. Wow! If you're looking for something dark, twisty, sinister, creepy with an unreliable narrator you'll want to throw out of that haunted murder house window, then this is your book!

The setting is fantastic! You have this murder house that is beyond creepy. People keep getting murdered here and no one can explain why. Even worse, the neighbors don't even want to acknowledge some of the horrors going on. The author does an excellent job of making this house scary, gothic and creepy. You honestly don't know if something paranormal is going on or if there's a reasonable explanation for all the bizarre behavior. You could not have paid me a million dollars to sleep one night in that house. So kudos to the author for the detailed plot development. There are so many twists I wasn't sure what was real, what was left or right.

Then you have the characters - your unreliable narrator Sarah, who to be honest, drove me as batty and she is crazy. There is Joe, her husband and a complete waste of space. And then the not so helpful neighbors. There were so many times the story gets muddied. And so many times I was screaming 'Just get out of that dumb house!' I didn't know whether to be angry, frustrated or just pull my hair out. (Which all of these reactions makes for a good story).

The ending was a complete surprise to me. As a reader, I love it when that happens. Having said that, I do believe some of it was quite a stretch of reality.

Overall, it was a fun book to read. Exciting, creepy, twisty. If this is the author's debut novel, I believe more great books are to come from her.

My thanks to Netgalley, Lisa Matlin and Random Bouse Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was horrific but not bloody or gory although there is talk of blood.
It is more of a creepy, haunted, and sinister feeling book. This is a good book to read around Halloween.
Sarah Slade is an influencer, author, and therapist! She bought a gorgeous Victorian house in Melbourne. The Black Wood House was a real bargain since it had been vacant for 40 years because of a murder that took place. Sarah wants to blog her journey on the renovation and make a handsome profit reselling it.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This cover was initially what made me want to read this book. This is a good psychological thriller. Parts were predictable but overall a good debut novel. I love when the house is a character on it's one. I did not like the MC but I think that adds to the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I liked this book for the fast-pace and dark atmosphere. I wasn't quite sure where the ending was going, but we got there eventually. I felt that the ending left more to be desired and don't know if it was setting up for a sequel or just wanted readers to make their own guesses to what happened next. I thought the concept was original but the main character was a bit annoying. Overall, a quick read with a good twist!

This novel follows Sarah Slade, an influencer who is renovating a "murder house." The text is interspersed with her blog posts which adds some texture to the novel, as well as news articles set in the future. This was a short and quick read for me. I am not always crazy about novels set in Australia, but that was a small element of this story. Sarah is an unreliable narrrator and seemingly always holding something back. The dynamics between her and her husband are also interesting and help to move the novel forward. The twist at the end was interesting and not something I easily came up with on my own. Would recommend to all thriller readers.

Dark, twisty, and entertaining? The Stranger Upstairs was all that and more!

Sarah Slade, our MC, is looking for her next big thing to really make her blog (and pockets) boom. So what does she do? She buys a murder house of course. Sarah and her husband purchase a house that has remained untouched since a murder-suicide took place 40 years prior. She planned on blogging and updating her loyal fan base to all the renovation work. But things did not work out as planned. It seems the house itself doesn't want to be changed or inhabited. Even the townspeople don't want her living int he home. They would rather see it demolished or at the very least unoccupied. A series of unfortunate events begin to take place immediately after move in and Sarah's life seems to start going downhill. Secrets from her past are coming back to haunt her, house renovations are simply not happening as they should, her alcoholism is really cranking up, marriage falling apart, and she has no money. As Sarah tries to get her life together, she uncovers things about the murder house and the town. Secrets are being kept from her and she's determined to figure out why and to get the house done so she can sell and move away ASAP. This twisty thriller will keep you wanting more.

I really enjoyed the book. It was pretty fast paced and things were constantly happening. I'm a sucker for thrillers and murder mysteries so this book was something I just had to read. I liked how our MC was not trustworthy and kind of unlikeable at times. I think the ending was lackluster. Don't get me wrong, it was a twist in a book of many twists, but it just didn't give me that solid ending. Overall though, definitely worth the read. Thank you NetGalley, Random House - Ballantine, and the author for the ARC. The Stranger Upstairs is out now!

Well written, not as predictable as I thought it would be. I’m not one to enjoy mystery and suspense, but this one, I did so take that as you will. I enjoy the writing and will probably read more by this author. Not my favorite read, but I still enjoyed the craft.

I really liked this book. So many twists and turns. This book was very dark. Not only the marriage but the neighborhood. I found myself wanting to finish this book in the daylight. I highly recommend this book! Perfect fall read.

The twist was hardly a twist, the storytelling was boring and half of the story was told in the form of a conversation and news articles — super lazy way to get out of actually writing cleverly. The storyline makes zero sense, the relationship between our MC and her husband makes even less sense. The MC has such a ~dark~ past and she sets it up in such a way I was fully expecting and prepared for something insane….. when the ball drops, it’s embarrassing how mundane it is.

A social media influencer/therapist and her husband buy a house, Black Wood House, where a grisly murder took place in The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. While Sarah and her husband Joe renovate the house, she plans to fill her social media channels with all the details about the renovation. Then the couple will reap the benefits of transforming a murder house into a profitable mansion to sell. Will their plans come to fruition or will they fall flat?

Right away, you're brought into this moody novel with the atmosphere of dread. There are some very creepy moments and the story of the family who was murdered in the house will chill you. You also cannot figure out Sarah. Is she hiding anything? Why does she keep hearing noises in the attic? And where does her husband go at night if he's not sleeping in their bed?

In the beginning, I was drawn into this mystery and feared what Sarah would find lurking in the dark or in the deep woods on her property. It kept me intrigued until the climax of the book. Sarah goes through changes that she cannot explain and feels like an anti-hero. Every so often I would get Gone Girl vibes about her character, but it's a very different book, so it really cannot compare. And I wondered, at times, if she was somewhat of an unreliable narrator, which I guess could work but after a while just felt like misdirection.

After you get to the climax, I felt that some of the characters and plotlines never came to anything. There was so much mystery about why so much trauma took place in the house, but I didn't find any kind of significant payoff. I felt like there were too many red herrings, and I wanted answers and a little more insight. Some of the answers that were given were not satisfying enough and far-fetched, and the ending, while meant to be chilling, didn't leave me with a feeling of dread. It didn't seem to be going anywhere.

All that being said, I'd like to see what this debut author has up her sleeve, though. Three quarters of the book held my interest with the mystery and intrigue about the house and what was happening, so there's something there. The ending just wasn't enough for me.

This was okay and it wasnt horrible. It definitely wasnt my favorite but it was good. I thought it mixed suspense and thrill throughout the book. I think what kept me from really liking it was due to it felt like other books I have read and there wasnt anything too unique.

Sarah and her husband have bought a new house where a murder suicide occurred in the past. She’s looking forward to posting about the house since she’s a social media influencer. I was chilled by this story. It was dark and suspenseful. So much happens to Sarah in the following days after they move in.

This is a really good debut novel by Lisa Matlin. The Stranger Upstairs is a psychological thriller that follows Sarah, a social media influencer who bought a 'murder house' to fix it up and dispell its demons. Well, things don't go a planned. This is a quick read with a strong ending. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4 Stars