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“Want a great deal on a house?
BUY ONE WHERE SOMEONE WAS MURDERED!”

This book has one of the best author notes I’ve read! She talks about her mental health experiences, which are very relatable, and comes across as a very compassionate person. I loved it!

<b>The Stranger Upstairs</b> is an amazing haunted house read, with so many layers. Perfect for a dark October night!

Sarah Slade and her husband just purchased the Black Wood House. Dilapidated and empty since the murder/suicide years ago. She plans to renovate and flip it for a nice profit and she’s hopeful this adventure will repair her failing marriage. Sarah is a very well-developed and complex character. An influencer and therapist that is unusual and awkward. An all-around strange combination and not someone you want as a BFF!

News Reports and Sarah’s Blog Posts are infused into the narrative. This adds some intensity while boosting the creepiness. I loved these! The entire story is unique and nothing like I expected. Quite impressive for a debut!

Sincere thanks to Random House Publishing-Ballantine/Bantam for providing this complimentary ARC through NetGalley (a granted wish, yay). As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#TheStrangerUpstairs #netgalley #LisaMMatlin #randomhousepublishing #ballantine #bantam #spookyread #justfinished #newrelease #giftedARC #igbookreels #thriller #honestreview #thrillerbooklovers #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd #bookreviewer

A debut novel for Lisa Matlin - will absolutely read her next one!!

What I loved about this book: Really should be a 3.5!!
1. It was fast paced and quite the page turner!
2. That the house is a character and quite an interesting one!
3. Creepiness was just the right level....and loved the ending!

What I didn't like about the book:
1. Not a lot of characters to like in the book!
2. The stretches of the book where I felt there could have been stronger editing.


Published September 26, 2023.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and the author for an ARC of this book.

The way I would describe this book is: It’s kinda like the Amityville Horror Story, but with a a female protagonist.

And I thought it was awesome!

I loved the slow descent into madness, the inevitable dark thoughts, the coincidental accidents, the paranoia, the memory issues, the sordid backstory, and the absolutely bothered cat! All of it together made for a creepy and entertaining tale!

Is it supernatural? Is it someone from Sarah’s past trying to bring her history to the present? Is it the town’s Mr. Popularity trying to drive her out of her house? These are all things you will be thinking as you read this story. It’s impossible to know until the end.

I recommend this book! It’s a super fast and fun read!

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin was a tense, creepy read. In other words, perfect for the spooky Halloween season! It’s a dark read- it takes place in a house where a murder occurred after all, but if you are into nerve-wracking, sinister stories then this is absolutely for you. Personally, I would never buy an old house where someone was killed, even if it was a rock-bottom price.



A therapist and self-help writer with all the answers, Sarah Slade has just bought a gorgeous Victorian in the community of her dreams. Turns out, you can get a killer deal on a house where someone was murdered. Plus, renovating Black Wood House makes for great blog content and a decent distraction from her failing marriage. Good thing nobody knows that her past is just as filthy as the bloodstain on her bedroom floor.

But the renovations are fast becoming a nightmare. Sarah imagined custom avocado wallpaper, massive profits, and an appreciative husband who wants to share her bed again. Instead, the 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.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. But as she peels back the curling wallpaper and discovers the house’s secrets, she realizes that the deadly legacy of Black Wood House has only just begun.

Out now, get a copy if you want to be biting your nails off while reading a frightening story.

What is wrong with Susan Slade? Susan and her husband have just invested all their money into the infamous monstrosity the Blackwood House. The house has been vacant since the 70's when an unexpected brutal tragedy occurred in the the peaceful upscale neighborhood and people have said the house has since been haunted.

Susan plans to make a ton of money renovating the old eye sore but she wasn't prepared for hatred from all the neighbors who just wanted the house burned to the ground with all the painful memories. From the first night Susan hears strange and creepy noises that continually get worse where she can't sleep, eat and gets so distracted that she loses clients at her workplace. Sarah even finds notes left for her so she knows someone is out to get her and her emotions are getting out of control so she's even losing her husband as well. Susan was in over her head from day one but now she's about to lose her mind and she doesn't even have a clue to who, what and why is everyone out to get her or could there really be ghosts forever living in Blackwood House.

This was an entertaining and creepy book with the most unlikable main character (ever). Susan Slade is someone I hope to never have the displeasure of meeting. She is such a narcissistic personality yet I still wanted to see how she would handle the situations she found herself in. I found pleasure in her getting tastes of her own medicine but sometimes I would find.myself feeling sorry for her. Underneath her pretty exterior lies a very troubled woman with an ugly past which she never tried to seek any help to change. So, why feel sorry for her? Susan has met more than her match in the Blackwood House and I would feel very bad for anyone who had the misfortune of living there again!

I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" for the book which was given to me as a gift request and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating if 3 1/2 HAUNTING AND DARK 🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

This has things I like rolled into one. You’ve got a haunted house meets domestic murder mystery. And that cover is so pretty it drew me in.

Sarah and her husband are buying an old Victorian house that they want to renovate and flip. It’s part of a wealthy neighborhood that they hope will attract and appeal others to buy it once they’re done. They win the bid on the home for such a good price that it’s hard to believe. But once Sarah starts working on the home she want to learn more about its history, which comes with a dark past.

We have a creepy house, we have a main character with mental health, we have secrets. What’s not to love. Sarah is a blogger who suffers from things she doesn’t want others to know. But that’s hard to do when a house keeps making the past come alive.

This book was addictive. I mean it has all the elements that pull you in and make you want to stay and go on the journey of what happened in the house and Sarah’s past. Is she really losing it or is there something more sinister.

For a debut novel, it had all the twists and turns I enjoy and I can’t wait to read the others next books

Lisa M. Matlin’s debut novel has one of the most exquisite book covers.

The narrative revolves around Sarah Slade and her husband, who acquire an ageing Victorian residence in Beacon, Australia, with the intention of renovating it for a profitable resale. Situated in a neighbourhood where home values soar to over a million dollars each, the couple views this purchase as a lucrative opportunity. However, as Sarah immerses herself in the renovation process, she begins to unravel the eerie history concealed within the home’s dark past.

Without delving into further details to avoid spoilers, I must mention that this book offers a great blend of horror and mystery. In sum, it’s an ideal read for the spooky season, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I rated this one 3.5 and will round up to 4 for this review. I absolutely loved the premise of this. Old murder house? Social media influencer wanting to renovate and document the process? Sleeping in the bedroom that still has the blood stains from the murder-suicide? Count me in for all these things and more!! Unfortunately, after the initial setup, I was left wanting more and feeling unfulfilled. I could have done without the relationship challenges as I feel that took away from the storyline.

A beautiful cover by any other name means a terrifically chilling debut novel. Take a social media influencer with some mental health issues, a broken marriage, and a home renovation project at their new house meant to bring them closer together and you have a terrific premise for a thriller. THEN, toss in to the mix the fact that the new house is actually a murder house and no one has lived in it for years after the murders and you have the makings of a great novel. Thanks to Goodreads and NetGalley for this chilling novel….. not sure I’ll be turning out the lights anytime soon.

This was an interesting thriller, some twists. Sarah Slade and her husband buy a house where a murder previously happened. Once they move in, strange things happen. Sarah is trying to keep her husband and also has a pet cat involved in this story as well. The first twist was interesting. As it unfolded it was an interesting concept for the book. It moved a little slow, but overall was entertaining.

Sarah and Joe buy a house where years ago a man murdered his wife and attempted to kill his daughter. Everyone in town hates the house and want Sarah and Joe gone. They want to renovate the house but struggle to find anyone who will come there to work on it.

It becomes obvious that Sarah, an influencer and therapist, has some deep issues of her own.

This story sucks you in immediately and there are some twists you don't see coming, and one I didn't love.

This was a great book heading into fall and spooky season.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There’s a lot I really liked here, and some major glaring issues I didn’t. I was certainly engaged throughout and wanted to know the ending. For the most part, I liked Sarah (she’s horrid, yes, but entertaining). Loved Reaper. Part of the story were also downright scary.

However, while I love jumping between timelines usually, it was kind of messy here. And the end section with changing narrators was hard to read. Finally, the ending… good lord. Much of it was good and the END END scenes were good (not sure we needed an epilogue, though). However, the answer to the mystery was kind of stupid. And I can’t say that ending with such a dumb concept makes the book memorable in a good way.

Still it was fun for most of

Creepy and incredible best describe this book. The cover grabbed my attention, but the dark and twisted story kept me engaged until the very end. I read this book in one day…it’s that captivating.

I got sucked into the drama of this book, the creepy factor of the house and the horrible main character. I truly did not like the main character, but I also could not stop reading this book. It felt similar to many thrillers that I have read, but was still creepy and enjoyable to read. The main character was dark, impossible to trust and an overall unlikeable character. I wanted a little more action in the book - it felt like a lot of the story was centered around one person and a very creepy house. But, if you are looking for a book that brings the spooky factor, I would absolutely give this one a try.
Sarah purchases Black Wood House, the scene of a horrible murder-suicide and is determined to fix the house up and document it on her lifestyle blog. As time goes on, Sarah is convinced that there is someone in the attic of her home - and finds it harder and harder to ignore the house's past. As Sarah loses control of her life, her marriage and her career - the notes that are hinting at the secrets Sarah is desperately trying to hide start showing up all over the house. Who is trying to kill her? 
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This is a fantastic debut novel, that is captivating and thought-provoking. It challenges you, making you question everyone and everything.

The twists and turns, throughout created a sense of suspense and intrigue.

The story revolves around Sarah a social media influencer and her husband, who buy a murder house for cheap in hopes to flip it and sell it for alot more money. Residents of
this ritzy community have been wanting it demolished for years, after a gruesome murder over 40 years ago.

As the story unfolds, strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena plague Sarah, causing her to question her sanity.

However, what sets this book apart is its unique twist, towards the end.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHousePublishingGroup for the ARC #TheStrangerUpstairs by #LisaMatlin. I thoroughly enjoyed this book with the strange things going on in the house, the secrets and the crazy ending. Definitely recommending this book!

Sarah Slade is starting over. Her numbers as a social media influencer are dwindling. She hopes that in purchasing an infamous murder house to fix it up, her followers will gain a new interest in her.

She then discovers that the previous owner disappeared suddenly and that things in this small town are not what they seem. Is she being paranoid or is she hearing noises in her house? They do say it’s haunted after all…

This book is full of twists and turns and will have you trying to put the pieces together- all while feeling the creeps about his spooky house!

Thanks to Bantam Books for the gifted copy!

This book was good but I think I had it more hyped up in my mind. I liked it but felt like it was missing something.
I think I figured from the start that Sarah was actually the main characters sister and was impersonating her life.. I was hoping for a good old haunted house and this wasn't it. More of a thriller to me. I just wasn't in the mood for it at the time I read it.

This was a fun little dark read. Sarah has just bought THE murder house. It's an upscale neighborhood with a cheap house because. . .the murders were gruesome. Unexplained and bloody, the murders marred the house with stains and the neighborhood with the lingering questions - what happened all those years ago? But Sarah doesn't care. It's was a no-brainer because she's going to do a murder-house-home-improvement blog and influence her way into selling this for hundreds of thousands over what she bought it for.

I loved how unapologetic Sarah was, to start. She was all about getting her life on track. But, it just takes a chapter or 2 to really start to see the cracks in her life. With the murders still unexplained, the house really was creepy and a whole character in the book all its own. I liked the twists and turns as it all slowly went off the rails. It kept me guessing and wondering what was going on. I really loved the last few chapters. Such a fun, perfect fall read!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Interesting premise but the story just doesn’t deliver. I made it to about 33% before I gave up on this. The main character was unlikeable. I was hoping for a haunted house-type vibe and it seemed like it had the potential to be there but it was more focused on the rantings and actions of a wannabe influencer. I wish I had liked this more.