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

Fantastic read! This book expanded the characters very well and actually extended on their parts of the book. The book flowed well. Writing was super. It kept me guessing the whole time, and the ending was not what I expected at all, which makes for an excellent book, in my opinion. Job well done, and I will read more by this author.
#Netgalley
#thestrangerupstairs
#lisammatlin

The Stranger Upstairs was just an okay read. A few twists and surprises pop up throughout as we read about the madness taking over the MC Sarah. Is someone really after her, or is she losing her mind? The story got a little confusing towards the end in one part. Things started coming to light, and we finally got some answers. I wish this book had stood out more for me, but this is one of those books that you read once and probably won't read again.

I loved the unreliable narrator in this thriller, the overall story line kept me guessing. I flew through this one!

Definitely a character driven plot, with plenty of twists and turns, and I enjoyed the authors writing style. It was very interesting to ride along as Sarah unraveled, but I definitely would have liked to see more action to drive the plot forward. Sarah was emotionally immature, often lashing out at others and behaving in a very juvenile manner, which only made it more impossible to believe she managed to fake a psychology degree. However, this novel definitely highlighted the modern problem of social media likes somehow translating into platforms allowing unqualified people to give advice. The overall atmosphere of the book was great; it was tense, mysterious, and at times, unnerving. A great blend of psychological and supernatural horror, that was unfortunately, not done any favors by a frankly disappointing ending.

I LOVED this book! I read it in one sitting, and it has quickly become one of my favorites of the thriller/mystery/horror genre.

This book is as if an HGTV host couple bought a murder house, and we got to see all of the behind the scenes of their actual failing relationship and how insanely hard renovating a house actually is, even before the potential of an evil spirit haunting the home comes into play. No character is who they seem to be, and the surprises came at the perfect pace, so it never felt unrelenting or (dare I say it) unrealistic. Just a spooky, mysterious tale that may or may not be resolved by the end, depending on what you believe.

I liked this book. It seemed a little bit of a slow start but overall I enjoyed it. I really like the haunted house vibes. I am always up for a spooky haunted house.