This was a good book for the season.

"A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut."

I can get down with calling this a gothic psychological thriller in that you have all the makings of a solid spooky story: a murder house, strange happenings, dead people, etc.

The writing was atmospheric at times, and I did have a visceral reaction while reading some parts of this creaky story. However, I felt like the pacing was off. It was super slow at the beginning and it wasn't until well past the half way mark that things started to pick up.

I've read other reviews where many felt like the story was disjointed, with too much going on and too many plot holes, but I kind of liked that about this book.

Perhaps it's because the main character was not likeable at any point that also left me feeling underwhelmed, or the fact that I felt like I had read this storyline before that kept me from loving it, but regardless, I would consider this a good debut novel and would definitely read something else by this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

Available now.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I was very excited to read this debut by Lisa M. Matlin. Unfortunately, this novel did not quite work for me. The writing seemed spastic, which I admit fit the main character, but the main character Sarah Slade is one of the most unlikeable characters I've ever read. The explanation for everything seemed quite obvious from the beginning so I was not surprised by the outcome.

The timing of this book was perfect. It's the start of spooky season. Scary/horror movies are usually my go to for a good scare, but this book was definitely a great contender. As with any scary theme, the main character starts of thinking they are immune to any horror lurking around the corner. Just as Sarah decides she can handle buying the murder house, which has been sitting abandoned for decades, to renovate it and sell it for a profit. No big deal. Until it becomes a very big deal.
Do you think you will always be haunted by the bad decisions you have made and try to run from? It seems as if Sarah thinks that if she can just change things up a bit, the past won't follow her. That's where things get scary.
There is a quote that stuck with me and as it turns out, the author noted it at the end in her author's note. "You repeat what you don't repair." I think this is an important life lesson, and hopefully this sentiment will stick with me.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. As a quick, compulsive read, I definitely enjoyed it. The plot was interesting and intriguing and did leave me guessing until the very end about what might happen. It remains unclear throughout the book if there is a haunted house situation going on, or potentially just an evil person(s) creating problems for the main character. It is for sure creepy, but in a good, scary movie way.

However, there were some major problems with key plot points that just bothered me. i.e. How can someone purchase a home, when its prior owner has been missing for less than a year? (I'm not a realtor, nor am I an expert in estate law, but the odds of this happening seem pretty slim to me.) There was also a different missing person mentioned multiple times throughout the book that was never explained. Why even talk about them repeatedly, if there is no resolution? There were several other details that were never explained that I won't spoil...however, the culmination of all of this brought my overall liking of this book down a bit.

Is it a great one to read in the month of October though? For sure!

This book was an OK read for me but I am sure there will be many people who will love it. I didn't care for the main character and therefore didn't really care too much about what happened with her or why it was happening. I do appreciate the mental health aspect and the author sharing her own experience about that at the end. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

The Stranger Upstairs finds Sarah Slade with a secret buying an old victorian home where someone was previously murdered. Hopefully, as she digs into the renovations of the home, it will keep her distracted from her failed marriage.

Unfortunately, the renovations are fast becoming a nightmare. Not only that, but neighbors hate her guts and her husband still sleeps on the couch. And though the builders attempt to cover up Black Wood’s horrifying past, a series of bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic only confirms for Sarah what the rest of the town already knew: Something is very wrong in that house.

I truly enjoyed reading this book!

What a dark, twisty read! I found this one to be quite creepy and it certainly kept me on my toes and turning the pages. There were a few loose ends I would have liked tied up, but overall a great, fast-paced read!

I was super intrigued by the premise of this story. Sarah is an influencer who buys a house where a horrible murder has taken place. She is remodeling it and hoping to make a profit. Sadly, this one fell short for me. The character didn't capture me and I just wanted to spooked and wasn't. I hope other people love it.

.The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M Matlin is about a self help therapist and her husband that purchase a well known murder house. Sarah Slade and her husband Joe decide they will purchase the house where a father murdered his wife, went after his daughter, but she escaped and was never heard from again, then killed himself. After the gruesomeness of the murders, no one ever wanted to step foot in that house, let alone live in it. When Sarah and Joe move in, strange things start happening. Sarah swears she hears someone in the attic, Joe starts off by sleeping on the couch, then decides he’d rather not live in the house at all. Everything starts getting to Sarah, especially when she finds out a woman who looks just like her lived in the house before and went missing. From here things get a little jumbled.

The book was all over the place. I found much of it boring, not the slow burn I was hoping for. I was only interested in the end of the book for a few pages when things start to sort of come together, but again it bounced right back to an unbelievable mess. There are some pretty big secrets that come to light, but the surprises still couldn’t save the book as a whole.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bantam and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I am just going to say I REALLY enjoyed The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. This review will have to be shorter than I want it to be because to talk about some of the aspects of the story I felt the most enthralled by would be to give away secrets that readers need to discover on their own.

I will start by saying, the very first pages of the book grabbed my attention and then it never let up. Basically, as I was reading I kept thinking that I didn't remember ever reading quite the same plot, though there may be others like it out there I just haven't read.

The narrator was a pretty awful person, but like a train-wreck, I couldn't take my eyes off her story. She was lying about so many things and so good at it. She was the kind of character that made me wonder about how many people I might have come across just like her.

I have to talk about the setting. THAT was my favorite part of the book: an old gothic-style house in Australia, rumored to be haunted. I was so fascinated by the house and the mystery of what happened in the past there and what the reasons would turn out to be that I just could not turn the pages fast enough.

I felt the resolution to the story was satisfying and fit the rest of the story. Basically, this is EXACTLY the kind of book I like to read during spooky season. I read this the first "chilly" weekend we had where I live and it was overcast and moody outside so I could honestly not think of a better book for that type of weekend!

The Stranger Upstairs is a dark, twisting tale with just the right amount of creepiness. Moving to a new town into a new place may not be the best of ideas huh? Lols. Anyolways, this author does an amazing job of keeping readers engaged and terrified. High key recommend if you love thrillers.

Fun, quick, entertaining read! In a sea of books that all read the same, this one stood out with a unique story line and kept me guessing until the end.

Reads like a modern day gothic thriller. This book is perfect for spooky season!

This book felt like it was more horror than suspense which I wasn't expecting. All the characters were so unlikeable or completely undeveloped like Sarah's husband, Joe. I also found it strange that much of the end of the book was from the perspective of a relatively minor character. The writing was decent for a debut author but I just didn't enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I'm glad this leans into the haunted house (and haunted person) horror motif as much as I thought it would. I thought it would veer more into thriller territory, and I'm pleasantly surprised by how eerie it is. The twist is somewhat predictable--though the epilogue provides a satisfying counter-twist--and although Lisa M. Matlin has a solid grasp on her narrative there are some annoyingly unresolved loose ends. But, for the most part, this is a deliciously terrifying read about Sarah's physical, mental, and emotional deterioration as she attempts to remodel a house that defiantly resists change.

Loved this book! so many twists and turns it was like being on a roller coaster! Started off a little slow, but it gave you the time to know the characters. This book is so descriptive I could see the blood stain on the floor. You need to pay attention to all the details in the book. There are numerous symbols throughout the book, primarily about birds, that gives you the feeling that things are not going to end well. I love a book that keeps you guessing. Is the house really haunted or not. So many things to make you think that, but...?

Wow, what a FANTASTIC debut novel! This had me hooked from the beginning. I really liked the premise of the story and felt it had great character development. It was gripping and twisty and I really had no clue what was going on in that house! This was a quick read, as I could not put it down. If you’re a fan of haunted house stories, definitely pick this one up!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the advanced reader copy

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗦 | 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨
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Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advanced copy! Officially out now 🎉

Would you ever buy a “murder house” and live in while you fix it up? … NOPE. Our main character Sarah Slade does though.What could possibly go wrong?

𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, this didn’t live up to the potential for me. The haunted house genre can be hit or miss. I’ve seen mixed reviews for it so please check it out for yourself!

I was totally hooked with the writing in the beginning! Matlin definitely has a way with words. I was highlighting quotes left and right because our main character “seemed” wise - until she wasn’t.

Towards the middle of the story I started finding it a bit repetitive. I was beginning to miss the writing style that started the book off.

Towards the end I was just overall confused whether it was a thriller or a horror book - or both? I was not a fan of any of the characters BUT they made for great drama because they were all so unreliable.

Overall, it was an okay read! It’s a quick one coming in at around 300 pages. Definitely give it a shot if you’re looking for an easy to read haunted house story.

Sarah Slade is an influencer with tons of fans. Everything she posts gets like after like after like. She a successful couples therapist and a best-selling author with a handsome husband. So what's the problem? Well, she just moved into a murder house where she strange things start to happen, and she thinks her husband is cheating on her.

Look at this cover! Look at it! Surely you want to buy it based solely on that, right? I mean it sold me. Unfortunately, I couldn't love the story like I did the cover. (As an aside dear publishers MORE PINK COVERS PLEASE!) This book relies a lot on onomatopoeia, which is a strange choice for a modern thriller/mystery. It's quite jarring actually, but in a eye rolling way, not in a freaky sort of way. Sarah is incredibly unlikable as a character (and her husband is even worse), and throughout the book she doesn't redeem herself at all. She does a lot of woe-is-me-ing for someone who has literally everything. Hey, no one MADE you buy a murder house. If I had tons of money that is not where I'd go, I assure you. Part 2 of the book really went off the rails (chaos everywhere) and takes a huge suspension of disbelief to be enjoyed. In truth, I think the author's note at the end was a better story than The Stranger Upstairs. I would have liked to see her story fictionalized. I thought Matlin was going for a "Yellow Wallpaper" nod, but unfortunately this was not the case.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. Sadly, this book was not for me.

This one was a fun read for me. It's been very popular on Instagram, and it has a murder house, so it definitely piqued my interest. The writing was engaging, and I love a story with an unreliable narrator. I thought I knew what was going to happen, and boy, was I wrong. I loved that the author took time to explore mental health and address some of her own struggles in the acknowledgments.

As my own general rule, if I request a book and read the synopsis – I never read it again. This book was a total surprise and in a good way.

Sarah Slade is deliciously human. She’s a calling card to those who don’t fit in and always felt just a little bit… off. I would also consider her an unreliable narrator which is a favorite of mine. The supporting cast was slightly flat, I think if Sarah had at least one good support cast the story would have been just a little more terrifying. The one she did have came in a little too late. I ADORED Reaper – he’s definitely one of those cats that make people not like cats. But Sarah’s love for him – sassy as he is, definitely lent her credit in my book. The scenes with him freaked me out the most because my cats do things that freak me out too. Like when our driveway notifier goes off in the night and they all stare then scatter… freaks me out EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

I did not expect what was really going on at Black Wood House – I’ve never encountered it in any other thriller before. The ending kind of leaves some things in limbo or up to your imagination as the reader and I’m not an overly huge fan of that. Even so, it did encourage reach out to my Instagram book groups to see what my friends thought and once they’re done I’m hoping to chat with them about this one.

I would like to thank Bantam & Lisa M. Matlin for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions shared are my own. Lisa’s note at the end of the book is not only inspiring but worth the read 🖤 thank you for sharing your story.