🏠 The Stranger Upstairs - Lisa M Matlin

3.5 ⭐️ This was a really solid debut and perfect for spooky season! Haunted house vibes, a spooky murder house, and unlikable, extremely unreliable characters. This one is spooky, mysterious, and has plenty of twists and turns.

Social media influencer, Sarah Slade has decided to make a move; into the notorious Blackwood murder house, which she plans to renovate and update her followers on her blog. The problem? No one in the town wants her there, mysterious notes start appearing, contractors won’t work for her, and she starts to think she’s losing her mind. As her life starts to spiral out of control, crazier things start to happen in Sarah’s life and secrets come to life.

So, I enjoyed this one. It’s short and the chapters are short so it’s easy to fly through it. I enjoyed the twists, turns, and surprises, but the ending didn’t do it for me. I thought it was spooky, mysterious and building so nicely and then the ending flopped. I wanted more and or a different result? I’m not sure. Overall, I thought this was a social debut and will fulfill your spooky vibe cravings.

This book is set in Australia one of my favorite places for book settings and was so excited it was going to be one of my first haunted house book reviews in The beautiful country. I was sadly disappointed however because although it has all the trappings of the great haunting it really was a letdown. With Sarah who starts the book letting everyone know her and her beloved Joe, who stopped sleeping with her months ago, we’re on the run. Just bought a murder house called Blackstone mansion and despite her relationship being in tatters and most of her life being a complete lie she was hopeful she was going to remodel The possible Haunted Mansion for her Instagram account then she would sell the house and make a huge profit. She was also she pretended to be a marriage counselor and a famous self-help author who didn’t believe none of what she spouted and hated her clients. She only considered herself having a good day when her clients were having bad ones. There was one thing I found creepy and that’s she kept referring to Joe as her beautiful boy… I don’t know why but that struck me strange. Now onto the book the house had a history of murder a man murdered his wife and wanted to murder his daughter who supposedly got away. This happened in the 70s and supposedly no one lived there since then or at least that’s what the strange estate seller told Sarah and Joe. While Sarah was out jogging because despite the fact she ate fast food ate nothing but trash and drink immense amounts of alcohol and smoked she like to jog to plan out her revenge on all the people she hates. While doing this a woman stop her and gets emotional calling her Amanda and Sarah wants to know why but when she starts asking the villagers they say nothing. I haven’t even mentioned the strange things that have been happening like the movie she found in her house that was her sisters favorite movie and all the post it notes she keeps finding around the remote mansion. when her flat face cat Reave starts acting weird and help to find one of the mansions secrets it changes everything but there was way more to come. If you read this book as a thriller I think it will be more enjoyable but as a haunting not so much. They do have some very chilling parts like with her cat the sticky notes but it all gets explained in the end and it’s not enough to call this a haunting. Unfortunately the end doesn’t make Sarah or Joe better people it just further explains how horrible they are but having said that I would be lying if I said I didn’t find the book interesting I was just let down with the whole haunted aspect when there wasn’t that much of the whole thing but they’re not they have lots of twists and turns in the book. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes

The Stranger Upstairs centers around a social media influencer named Sarah. She buys a murder house and plans to document the renovations all over her instagram. What better way to gain followers and promote her second book than buying a murder house? But is she truly alone in the house? Is the house talking to her? Does it want to be renovated? Why do all these terrible things keep happening to Sarah?

The premise of this book was SO promising but it really did just fall flat to me. I didn’t like any of the characters so I couldn’t relate to them or get invested in what happened to them. It definitely had spooky vibes and the ending leaves you guessing which is nice. The bones are good but I just had a hard time getting invested. If you’re looking for a more surface level book, you just might enjoy this! Giving it a 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

3.5⭐
With this beautiful cover, and interesting plot, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I was entertained from the start and read it in one sitting. An influencer and therapist buys a "murder" house to fix up and flip while she writes about it on social media to her followers. A modern day thriller that will keep you guessing.

Sarah Slade is trying to start over, she and her husband purchase the Black Wood House where a murder/suicide took place with the intention of recording the remodel on her blog. But things aren't as they seem when strange things begin to happen around the house. Accidents, notes left inside the home, someone knows her secrets.
She isn't sure who the threat is, and is beginning to wonder if it was all worth it. Will she be able to figure it out or will it become her undoing?

Thank you NegGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is kept different than typical thrillers I've read. At first I was so unsure where the story was taking me and I kept thinking "has Sarah been crazy this whole time?" This was wasn't a 4 star for me because by the end, it didn't *wow* me. I found it somewhat predictable but still enjoyable. I recommend this book if you like spooky houses, unreliable characters, and LOTS of mistrust and wrong-doings to people

This book is twisty and fun! I always enjoy a good debut! I also have to say I am obsessed with this cover. It may be my favorite of the year!

Thank you @Netgalley for my copy!

Could you live in a house where murders occurred? Sarah Slade thinks she can. Sarah is a social media influencer and hoping to gain fame and fortune restoring the Blackwood murder house. As the story unravels so does Sarah. This just out September 12th in time for spooky season. Grab it and check out who’s really in the attic.
Thank you @netgalley

Sarah Slade is staring over. As a social media influencer who just purchased the infamous Black Wood House (scene of a grisly murder-suicide 40 years ago) she plans on documenting the renovation process on her lifestyle blog. But as Sarah paints over the house's horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can't conceal every secret. She can't hold onto contractors, her neighbors are all suspicious, she hears things in the house, and her husband is away most nights afraid to sleep in the house. With every passing moment, Sarah's life is spiraling out of control - and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

For this being Matlin's debut novel, she sure knows how to keep a reader on their toes. I was immediately captivated by the writing, the mystery behind the house, and so many questions about Sarah and what was going on with her. I liked the hints towards why Sarah and Joe were starting over in this town sprinkled throughout, and the way Sarah narrates as the book goes on really immerses you into her spiral. Though there were some loose ends that I would have liked to see tied up, this book had me hooked and I absolutely could not put it down.

This will be a perfect book for people looking for a dark, thrilling read for spooky season!

Wow! This was such a PERFECT fall poolside read. Best combination of fast paced thriller mixed with spooky horror.

Sarah is a published self help author with a massive social media following when she buys a "murder house" hoping that the renovation would lead to sponsorships. Things aren't always as they appear...Sarah is not only in a struggling relationship with her husband, but she also has a secret from her past that could destroy her life.

This was a quick read and total page turner, making it a perfect book to bring to the beach for one last vacay in the sun. I just found the end to be very confusing. I had to read it a couple of times, and i'm still not sure i fully understand what happened lol.

Also--don't skip the authors note at the end.

I will absolutely pick up anything else by Lisa Matlin, and I can't WAIT for her to write another book!

3.5 stars rounded up. Bold and original and just the right amount of campy, Lisa M. Matlin's debut The Stranger Upstairs reminded me why I love depraved, unhinged narrators.

Meet Sarah Slade. She's a therapist with a bestselling self-help book to her name, and on the surface, she appears to have it all. She has a charming husband, a growing social media following, and a brilliant idea for her brand new lifestyle blog: She's going to buy Black Wood House, the site of a grisly murder 40 years ago, and renovate it, growing both her online following and her bank account through the sponsorships that will surely be flowing in.

But Sarah Slade also has some secrets. Behind the shiny happy Instagram photos and chirpy blog updates lie some darker truths: Her marriage is falling apart, she's hiding a sketchy past, and buying Black Wood house is a last, desperate measure to avoid financial ruin and (even worse!) online irrelevance. And after she and her husband arrive at Black Wood House, it becomes clear that someone or something is determined to bring Sarah's secrets to the surface -- no matter what it takes, and no matter who gets hurt.

I'm not going to lie, The Stranger Upstairs is kind of a messy book. There are some plot holes and odd time jumps, some characters behaving in ways that didn't quite ring true and some turns in the plot that left me scratching my head. But I finished it almost a week ago, and I've been thinking about it ever since: how much fun it was, how completely unique it was. It's this totally binge-worthy combination of haunted house horror, pitch-black humor, psychological thriller, and domestic suspense.

I love an unreliable narrator and can appreciate an unlikeable character if they're written well, so Sarah Slade checked all the boxes for me. The Stranger Upstairs is written in Sarah's first-person voice, so we are inside her head as tensions escalate and she begins to unravel. Interspersed with her narration are entries from her blog, which so perfectly juxtapose Sarah's reality with her online persona, and snippets from newspaper articles hinting at distressing events to come at Black Wood House, which kept me riveted and turning the pages to find out what was going to happen.

While utilizing a creepy, atmospheric, foreboding haunted house setting to her fullest advantage, Matlin explores the darkest parts of the human psyche in such a creative, fascinating way in The Stranger Upstairs. Add this one to your Spooky Season reading! Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the early reading opportunity.

I didn’t really enjoy this book. Sadly, It was too slow for me to keep me interested. I do think that it had a good start and I would try another book by Lisa. I do love the cover!

"The Stranger Upstairs" is a debut novel by Lisa M. Matlin. I can't help but start by saying what a awesome cover! Nice and pretty colors..... This will obviously be a cozy mystery. One with a murder house and bloodstained floors.

Sarah Slade (kuddos for the great name) and her husband Joe buy a murder house because the price is right. Folks just don't line up to buy those things anymore. She plans to fix it up on her blog and maybe try and fix her marriage which isn't going so well.

Spoiler alert: This is not a cozy mystery. Things start going bump in the attic and she starts to get evil notes everywhere. This house does not want her there. Sarah starts to lose control of herself and reality as she starts losing her mind trying to stay in this house.

This was a well written book and I loved Sarah's decent into madness. As for her character, she is lovingly unlikable with a ton of snark and possibly a world record "F" bombs spoken and thought. Mainly towards her husband. And the ending? There is a great chance you will not see that one coming.

Highly recommended.

I really appreciate Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for giving me the opportunity to review this book for free and it's out now.

I loved this one! I went in completely blind - knowing nothing about the plot. I think that was to my benefit. I didn’t know where the story was going the majority of the time and kept telling my husband my theories as I was reading, all of which ended up being wrong.

The pacing was fast and the story kept me at the edge of my seat. There was one evening that I had to actually put the book down because I knew I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if I kept reading!

If you liked The Shining and/or The Amityville Horror, this book will be right up your alley.

I’d say go in blind and enjoy!

Buying a home where a woman was murdered may get a therapist and influencer her clicks….but at what cost?

Sarah Slade is a therapist, social media influencer and author of the bestselling self-help book,

“Clear, Calm and In Control”. She and her husband have just bought an old Victorian known as Black Wood House in the desirable town of Beacon which they plan to fix up and flip, documenting their progress on Instagram. They got the house at a bargain price, for about half of what houses in the town generally sell. There’s a reason why it could be had for that price, of course, and it is one that would make most people stay away. Forty years ago, when it was owned by the Campbell family, something gruesome happened there. One night, seemingly out of the blue, Bill Campbell bludgeoned his wife Susan to death in their bedroom, and chased after their teenage daughter Janet to do the same to her. Janet was able to escape to a neighbor’s house, while Bill stayed behind and killed himself. The house has been empty ever since; the neighborhood wants to tear it down but have been unable to do so, and they are not welcoming of Sarah and her plans. Surely a woman known for being positive and in control is the right person for this job. Unfortunately, Sarah doesn’t really live up to her social media image. Her marriage to the media-shy but handsome Joe, a bartender by trade, is in terrible shape. Joe isn’t really happy about this plan to boost their finances and Sarah’s brand, and he is sleeping on the couch. Sarah’s income flow isn’t good, and she and Joe have sunk most of their funds into Black Wood House which, by the way, is in much worse shape than they realized. Most contractors won’t even show up to do work there, and when they do they charge exorbitant sums. Sarah’s therapy practice isn’t doing well either; she’s not all that good at it, and may not even actually have the professional qualifications that she claims to have. In fact, the more you learn about Sarah, the more you realize that she is not who or what she claims to be. As Joe starts spending nights away from the house and the neighborhood proves to be openly hostile to Sarah’s presence, strange things begin happening….sounds in the attic, notes by a person or persons unknown popping up, and Sarah’s less-than-pleasant cat acting spooked. Is something wrong with the house, or with the people who live there? What secrets from Sarah’s past are fueling her current difficulties? And who, or what, is in the attic?
The Stranger Upstairs is not your typical haunted house Gothic mystery. The heroine, after all, is not particularly likeable and has a very sketchy past. She is no innocent blundering into a mysterious situation….she knew the history of Black Wood House and bought it because of its history, knowing it would create more of a buzz for her project. As her situation worsens, so does her apparent grasp on reality, and its not clear if she is being targeted and gaslighted or if she is having a mental health crisis. Something is clearly wrong, its just not entirely apparent what that is. Where is Joe disappearing to at night? Is one of her neighbors behind all of the incidents? And why did no one tell her that another young woman had bought the house before Sarah did….and disappeared? Once I started reading the novel, I was hooked. I wanted to find out what Sarah’s story was, why her marriage was in trouble, and yes, just what was wrong with Black Wood House. It’s a quick read, full of twists and turns, and not likely to end up as you think it might. If you like the novels of Lisa Unger or Karin Slaughter, with a tinge of Stephen King, then you should give this novel a try. Just don’t do it in a creaky old Victorian late at night! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine/Bantam for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

Wow, what a wild ride! I am currently loving books that incorporate social media into the storyline and books about therapists (been a trend recently!) - so I was excited to see that The Stranger Upstairs checked both boxes.

This is a story in which nothing is as it seems. Sarah faces so many challenges in her pursuit to flip and profit - the neighbors, her husband, her own past and the house itself. This fast paced thriller, with the short enough chapters for "just one more", will leave you at the edge of your seat as you figure out WTH is going on in that house!

I love psychological thrillers and this one kept me guessing until the end. Sarah who is a social media influencer who purchases a murder house to renovate and also expects to get a big return on the house but the one issue is the house does not want her there. Sarah is also running from her past and tends to assume the identities of other people. Despite it being a thriller it also had some funny moments but in this story it also deals with mental health issues and just wanting to be seen.

*3.5 stars

This debut psychological thriller about a house with an evil history has the tang of many other similar haunted house stories. But Lisa Matlin throws in some nice twists and a modern day slant which make it all her own. I hope we will be seeing more from this talented writer in the future.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Sarah Slade buys an infamous murder house to renovate for fun. Renovating Black Wood House should be great blog content and a distraction from her failing marriage. Everything goes wrong, including bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic. Sarah's life is out of control, and the house has a deadly legacy that's only just begun.

From the start, Sarah is a deeply unpleasant person. She faked her therapist credentials, enjoys the misery and suffering of others, and is incredibly selfish. The neighbors avoid her or seem outright hostile, and the noise in the attic and notes around the house heighten the creepy factor. Her husband is essentially a nonentity to her, and the secrets she keeps dribble out. There are also blog posts and news reports interspersed that add to the mystery of the house and Sarah's past, which she tries to guard even against herself. Once she starts opening up to a coworker, we begin to see more about her past and why the house means so much to her.

The explanation for the creeping mystery of the house is a mundane but scary one. It happens often, and Sarah became increasingly unhinged as a result of that influence. She says she has a rotten core like the house, but it's more that she had a poor sense of self and no place to belong. It doesn't help that the residents of Beacon were so insular and secretive, increasing her paranoia. The closing adds more drama and mystery to the house as well. As much as Sarah was an awful person, she was incredibly compelling, drawing me into the very end.

3.5⭐️

This was a decently entertaining spooky season read, but it lacked in enough substance or real frights to make it consistently engaging. New twists were revealed and my main thought was “but why?” As in, why should I care? And at least part of the time- and especially with that ending- I didn’t, really.

A fun enough way to pass the time, if you don’t mind some frustrations and a spooky story that won’t really haunt you.

Thank you Lisa M. Matlin, Ballantine, Bantam, Random House, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow this is one of the weirdest books I've read this year but in a gripping can't stop kind of way. Fantastic debut!!!!! Can't wait to see what this author brings us next.