The Stranger Upstairs is a book that keeps you guessing the whole time as Sarah Slade, therapist extraordinaire takes you on the adventure of her buying the famous Murder Home in the town of Black Wood. At least, that is what she would like you to think. The house has been known to be haunted since the previous owners husband killed the wife and then himself. Sarah Slade buys the house thinking it will be the amazing follow up to her recent book which was a best seller. She works at the local clinic for mental health while purchasing the house that she and Joe plan to renovate, share all the details and make a lot of money. We also can't forget her beloved cat - Reaper. I loved the book and read it in two days!

Sara is a bestselling author and therapist and also a social media influencer who promotes wellness, when she & her husband, Joe, decide to buy a murder house and renovate it to sell for a profit. She thinks she has everything in hand. Little does she know that her whole life is about to be turned upside down. Strange noises, intrusive thoughts, menacing neighbors and a marriage that is on the verge of imploding. Sara is keeping too many secrets and she may have finally run out of luck.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this e-arc.*

3 Stars

Thank you to Lisa M. Martin, Random House Publishing-Bantam, and NetGalley for this ARC

"Most people sweep monsters under the bed. I pull the covers back and let them crawl in."

Did I download this book based solely on the cover? Yes, yes, I did.

I liked this book, until the end. I was waiting for a bigger reveal. I was kind of disappointed, not going to lie.

I did not like Sarah or Joe if I am being honest. Let's start with Sarah, she ran away from her family, she didn't want them to find her, yet she's a social media influencer? How does that work? Don't you think someone from her past would recognize her? Also, she was so self-absorbed and she basically begged for sponsors. I just did not like her.

Now Joe, Mr. Shy anxious Joe. The guy who couldn't talk to strangers yet went out and got a girlfriend. Okay. And what was with his phone suddenly being disconnected a few hours after she left him that voicemail?

I wanted to know how Amanda wound up on the roof. I wish we would have gotten a flashback chapter from her perspective.

Let's take a second and talk about Emily. Sarah admitted she wasn't who she said she was, yet Emily kept that to herself. Don't you think she should have told someone, seeing that Sarah was still seeing patients?

"You repeat what you don't repair."

I did like the news breaks and the diary entries. I also liked Reaper the cat.

This was a solid debut novel by Lisa Matlin. It's addicting and hard to put down, with enough of an underlying mystery to keep the reader guessing! I was intrigued by the premise of restoring a murder house and documenting it on social media for profit, but that, the main storyline, almost seemed like background noise with all of the character development and side stories. Also, the murder house itself reads like a character. For me, this was a 3.5 star book, but I rounded up. After I finished this whirlwind of a book, I was left pondering some plot holes, inconsistencies, and loose ends. Not enough to ruin the book, by any means! If you're looking for a dark, mysterious, quick read...this is it!

Thanks to NetGalley for early access. Opinions are my own.

I was completely enthralled from the first to last line!

This novel kept me up late, flipping page after page (and at times switching the lights on and looking around the room!). What a fantastic debut novel for Lisa Matlin!

This is a bit outside my psychological thriller/thriller/mystery preference, but I will lean more into psychological thriller-gothic-horror in the future because of this read. The fast pace of the story kept me engaged and returning again and again, any chance I had to pick it back up (neglecting housework, errands...etc). I loved it from the first to last line. I went into this book not knowing the premise or reading any reviews, which is the way I prefer to read. I did notice it a few times on different book forums and I am so glad I was able to gain access to a copy via NetGalley.

First of all, the cover is beautiful! I am a sucker for a beautiful book and I love the cover and I will be purchasing a hardcopy, not only because of this, but to support this author as I was touched by her honesty in her author's note and acknowledgements.

Quick premise: Sarah is a social media influencer who purchases Black Wood House in hopes to renovate it and make a quick and sizable profit. It doesn't take long before she realizes "murder house" isn't going to be the easy flip she thought is would be.

Put this one at the top of your TBR if you are looking a chilling thriller that will keep you guessing through its twists and turns. I am already (I finished it twenty minutes ago) recommending this book to others.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for taking me on an amazing journey and I can't wait to dive into future reads from you!

"I find myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway has been lost."

Wow! What a sparkling, amazing, and ..horrifying(in the good way!) debut! This is Australian but in North America, this might remind you of Amityville.

Sarah and Joe have just moved into their new house in Beacon. They could never afford a house like this with her salary as a therapist and his salary as a routinely unemployed freeloader. She did have some extra income from a self help book but it is drying up, as is the light Instagram influencing she was doing.

Enter Black Wood House. Cheap because literally no one besides YouTube ghost hunters want to step foot on the property since a murder-suicide occured many years ago. Sarah reckons she will capitalize on the notoriety and fix up the house and flip it, gaining followers and sponsorships along the way. Sadly, that was not meant to be..

Immediately upon moving in, strange things happened. The neighbors are nightmarishly cruel, the house is in way worse shape than she thought and it turns out she isn't the only one to come up with this idea and it didn't go so well then either.

The house seems to be its own entity, its own being. It seems to reject the change and the renovation. Is it paranoia or is this house alive, or should I say undead? Either way, Sarah is reaching her boiling point and the house is refusing to keep its secrets any longer.

This IS suspense! At times it could be slightly repetitive, but you were following a downfall and descent into madness -for whatever reason- that you could feel in your bones. It was gritty and raw. The main character was witty and self-deprecating. I kept finding myself highlighting paragraphs and quotes, not to use in the review, just because I felt it and loved how it was put into words. I can't wait to read more from this author. I absolutely loved this.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read and review. Coming soon!

One word... Killhouse. That's the word I read and had to have it. I'm a complete 🐔, so not only did I recruit a buddy to read with me, I also said I'd only read during the day. However, I have to say it wasn't as scary as I had expected. It was just the right level for a 🐔 like me! I ended up reading at night and while it was creepy in parts, it wasn't too bad. It was very suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to find out what the heck was going on. I enjoyed Sarah's crazy side. She made me laugh quite a few times and others where I was just wondering wth is wrong with this chick! So, just go ahead and get the book. You won't be sorry.

This was a quick twisty read! I thought the premise was good but it kind of got a bit lost - think it was trying to be too twisty. However, I think as a debut there’s a lot of potential here. Will be interested to see what comes next for this author. Thank you to Net Galley for the free copy for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book was delightfully creepy and unhinged, and I could not get enough! Sarah is the girl on Instagram that we all hate with the perfectly styled life and fluffy self-help bestselling book. However, all the details of her specifically crafted persona are fake. In real life, Sarah is a total disaster with no friendships, a failing marriage, a sham of a career, and all of her savings sunk in a murder house she wants to flip for both money and publicity.

If nothing else, this book really teaches you to do your research before moving! Sarah and Joe (her distant husband) show up in this cold, mean town and have to face the decrepit and spooky murder house they’ve purchased, which absolutely does NOT want to be fixed. I am one of those readers who suspects every single character in the book to be the villain only to exclaim, “I KNEW IT!” when the truth is revealed - but I can honestly say that I did not see this ending coming.

Sarah was so much fun to hate, as were all of the characters in this book including the house! I couldn’t figure out if this book was going to end up with a paranormal or thriller bent, and I don’t want to spoil anything - but regardless of which genre you prefer, I think you’ll like this book. Sarah’s descent into madness, the house’s malevolent presence, and the hostile actions and attitudes of the townspeople all work together to make this a perfect spooky season read. I have to admit that I was too scared to read this one in the dark!

I was really surprised when I found out that Lisa M. Matlin was a debut author, and that just made me love the story even more. DEFINITELY take the time to read the author’s note at the end! I think I will be gifting this book to several friends who love to read creepy stories in the fall. Snuggle up with a blanket and glass of wine and be sure to leave the lights on unless you’re super brave!

The debut novel for Lisa M. Matlin is phenomenal!
The center of this story is a murder house and the current and past occupants.
Not only does the murder house hold secrets, but also the new owners.
Kept me on my toes the whole read. The ending was definitely a shock and I loved it!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read! Super quick thriller just in time for spooky season.

Sarah a desperate wife looking to repair her marriage moves her husband and herself to Black Wood House. The house hasn’t been touched in years and is the place of a gruesome family murder. She already works as a therapist in town but is hoping she will grow closer with her a husband and flip the murder house making a fortune.

Makes you think about Amityville Horror while reading.

Definitely didn’t see that ending but I liked how it played out. Epilogue leaving it spooky!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me this ARC!

Oh my, where to start with this book? Well, first, I give Lisa M. Matlin props on her first novel. It’s not easy to write a book, let alone writing one about mental illness while you are dealing with your own mental illness. That said, it does come off as a little manic at times. I got so confused by so many things. Sarah buys a murder-suicide house but so much of the story is either scrambled or left unsaid. We never found out what happened to Janet. How did this famous couple manage to fly under the radar for so long? Did Joe have a personality, or did we see him from Sarah’s inaccurate mental state? Why was the entire town so afraid of a house? All in all, I’m grateful I was able to finish it, because none of the characters were likable and the ending wasn’t satisfying to me.

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

What could be better than a haunted house story during spooky season??

The plot of The Stranger Upstairs is not uncommon: couple buys murder house intending to renovate and make a mint, then weird happenings ensue. And honestly, there's nothing hugely unique or mindblowing about this book. It's a perfectly fine unreliable narrator (or is she??) haunted house (or is it??) story. It will hold your interest and if you're looking for a creepy little book full of foreboding, this one will do the trick!

Most importantly, make sure to read the Author's Note at the end.

(Sidenote: If you're an animal lover like me, I did update the listing on Does the Dog Die, so animal TWs there!)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House - Ballentine for this eARC.

#PRHAudioPartner & @netgalley review!

The Stranger Upstairs by @lisa_m_matlin
Release Date: 9/12/23
Format: audio/ebook hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book wasn’t even on my radar until someone in one of my arc groups said “holy shit I was up all night reading this book in one sitting.” That is obviously high praise and I ran to request it immediately. It did not disappoint!

Did I read it in one sitting? No. Because I’m a wimp and it spooked me after dark last night 😂 But I woke up thinking about it and dove right back in today. So. Dang. Good.

I don’t want to say too much about what this book is or isn’t because I don’t want to spoil anything but if you enjoy thrillers or stories about murder houses, this one is a must read! It’s a roller coaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat and turning page after page because you simply must know what the heck is going on. I did listen to this half on audio and the narrator was fab as well!

And please make sure you read the authors note at the end 🖤 I’m so glad you got to share this story with us Lisa!

I feel kind of scammed and slightly betrayed. When reading the synopsis of The Stranger Upstairs, I was under the impression that the story would revolve with the spooky occurrences happening within the house to the MC(s). Instead, the amount of plot that pertained to the odd occurrences at the house was no more elaborated than basically what was touched upon in the synopsis. The storyline revolved around an unreliable female male character who (unshockingly) is portrayed as an alcoholic, who never eats, isn’t liked or trusted by anyone, and has no clear stream of consciousness. I LOATHE when the only character trait a woman has to make her “unreliable” is the mass amounts of wine she consumes and the clear mistrust of her family and colleagues. Why can’t we do better with character development. Along those lines, the other characters were just as shallow. We have the husband who is never around. How does he even have friends in a town they’ve never been to?! He works at a bar but it doesn’t appear he does much working? Ideally, if this book had multiple POV with either Amanda or Joe, it probably would’ve been exponentially better.
The plot was subpar at best. I found it disorganized, a lot of subplots that never took off or had a complete thought, and was so annoyed that we never focused on this “notorious murder house” and instead primarily focused on the delusions of Sarah. Honestly, I’m so glad this book was on the shorter side because by 40% I was so bored. I’m appreciative that the writing style was so easy to read. I also enjoyed the newspaper clippings and journal entries that broke up the chapters.

Side note: why did we have time to try and re-wallpaper a room but not scrub the 40 yr old bloodstain out of the carpet near the bed we sleep in?!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Stranger Upstairs in exchange for an honest review.

Haunting, harried, and hostile.

This book gives you all the spooky season feels. Would you buy a murder house? Sarah hoped to purchase, renovate, and gain influencer status for this endeavor. The complication? No one around slightly approves of the home being purchased, with quiet fear and worse than whispers that follow.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for such a great ARC experience for my honest review. The publication date is September 12th, be glad that you don’t have to wait long for this haunting gem!

This book is eerie and creepy! Sarah and her husband move into a house where a murder took place. It has been empty for many years. Right from the start strange things begin to happen. The neighbors want the house torn down and are wary. Have Sara and Joe made a terrible mistake moving in?

This book will have you guessing all the way through. It will be hard to put down as you want to know what will happen next. Is there someone in the house or is Sara just going crazy? As a reader I enjoy books that keep me guessing. I'm thinking that you will also enjoy this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #LisaMMatlin, and #BantamBooks for a copy of this book.
#TheStrangerUpstairs

I couldn’t put this book down It was so good and I feel like it kept a creepy atmosphere through the whole book. Something creepy was always happening( The house, The notes, The cat). I really wanted to give this book a higher rating, but then we got to the reveal and…..It was pretty underwhelming to say the least. Also that plot twist involving her sister ,saw that one coming and honestly think it is pretty overdone and was not really needed in this book, but I guess I understand considering her tendency to copy people’s personality. Anyway solid read and I’ll probably pick up this author’s next book.

💄"Maybe its Maybelline.
Or maybe its murder." 🔪

If The Watcher TV Series and Riley Sager's Home Before Dark had a baby, it would be The Stranger Upstairs. Would you buy a murder house? The story revolves around a social media influencer who buys a murder house to renovate. Sarah Slade is busy repairing the house while trying to fix her failing marriage and keep her secret past burried.

While the pacing may feel uneven at times and some plot elements remain open-ended, the book is filled with unexpected twists, complex characters, and a good dose of craziness. If you love drama, creepy old houses, and bat shit crazy characters, you'll love this one. Overall an enjoyable read. 3.8 out of 5 stars and that gorgeous cover wins cover of the year for me! Stunning!

Debut author alert!! Firstly, I loved reading about Lisa’s journey to becoming an author in her notes at the end of the story. Even if I hadn’t thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I would support her because of her incredible path to writing success.

I love stories that make the setting a central character, but I find that it can be really hit or miss. This was a hit! A potentially haunted/notorious murder house with a blood stain in the master bedroom, creepy wallpaper, poor lighting and an attic. All ingredients for a spooky story that delivered. Particularly, I enjoyed the interactions with the neighbors, all keeping secrets about the past home owners. It gave off a small town vibe that only added to the checklist of things I love about a good suspense story. Highly recommend as we roll into spooky season, but honestly, this book can be read anytime. You’ll fly through it!