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!

Oh boy, this was something else! Instagram star and self-help writer Sarah and her husband Joe sink all of their money into an old home that, 40 years ago, was the scene of a brutal murder/suicide. in the 1908s, Bill Campbell killed his wife, attempted to kill his daughter (she escaped never to be heard from again) and then killed himself. Thus, Black Wood House becomes a murder house that Sarah Slade intends to renovate and flip.

From Amazon:
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.

More from Me:
This book was creeyptakular! Had me on the very edge of my seat. It's part haunted house story, part mystery, park small town creepy.. Lots of secrets and nothing is what it seems. It was fast and fun and I devoured it. Looking forward to what this author gives us in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Publishers for the advanced copy. The novel will be published on
September 12, 2023. Get yourself a copy!

So it took me a bit to get into this one, but it was still creepy and held my attention. It was definitely worth the read. Some parts were a little predictable but things did eventually get surprising and tense. If you like a scary read but something where you won't have trouble sleeping,definitely pick this up. I was on edge for parts! It was a fun debut.

Out September 12.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own..

Combine one-part haunted house with one-part unreliable narrator to equal a chilling debut novel, The Stranger Upstairs, by Lisa M. Matlin, due out September 12. Sarah Slade, who works as a media influencer and a mental health counselor, decides the best way to start over with her life and her crumbling marriage is to buy and flip a house in which people were murdered because she believes she will make a ton on the investment.

Apparently, nothing fazes Sarah, an unlikable character, as she has chosen to make her bedroom the same second floor one in which a married woman was bludgeoned with a hammer, the blood stain on the floor firmly entrenched even after decades have gone by. Undaunted, Sarah sleeps alone there as her husband Joe Cosgrove plays video games until 3 a.m. and sleeps on the couch downstairs in the living room.

Not long after moving in, Sarah begins hearing footsteps in the attic. Then she starts finding sticky notes on places like her laptop. She already knows that the neighbors have long wanted Sarah’s house bulldozed because of the murder that happened there decades ago. In talking to one neighbor, Sarah learns that someone had purchased the home before her, and that woman was missing along with her dog.

Like those before her, Matlin has crafted a story in which the haunted house is just as much a character as Sarah and Joe. A bloody hammer in a cradle and footprints in the dust in the top-most floor add to Sarah’s belief that there is a stranger upstairs. However, the attic is not the only thing harboring secrets as Sarah and Joe have skeletons in their past as well.

Lisa M. Matlin switched from songwriting as a guitarist in a rock band to story writing. She lives in Australia, the setting for her first novel. She offers a narrative about her own struggles with mental health at the end of the book.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting September 4, 2023.

I would like to thank Bantam Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Silly silly novel with a familiar plot that has been done better before by other authors. Not for me but maybe for others.

Sarah Slade (well-known therapist, social media influencer, author) and her husband Joe, purchase the Black Wood House in the affluent city of Beacon. Black Wood House has a gruesome murder history in which a husband bludgeoned his wife to death, then attacked his daughter, before taking his own life. The locals say the house is haunted and want the property bulldozed. Sarah believes they will be able to renovate the home and made a handsome profit. As renovations get underway, weird things start happening in and around the house. Sarah’s life starts to spiral out of control. Is it the murder house that wants them out? Could it be the hostile neighbors? Or is Sarah truly losing her mind?

I know they say not to judge a book by the cover, but this one was too pretty to pass up. This story is dark and creepy. There were times where I found myself unable to read this at night. I loved that Sarah was a slightly unreliable narrator, it really gave those hot mess vibes that you’re almost expecting from someone that decides to buy and live in a murder house. This was great psychological thriller/horror debut and I’m excited to see what the author writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Random House Publishing- Ballantine for a free digital copy of the book. This is my honest review. Publication date: September 12, 2023.

Sarah talks her husband into purchasing a murder house fixer-upper in a very affluent small town. After moving in, strange things immediately start happening. She's hearing strange noises, receiving notes, and starts believing the house is rejecting any updates. She can't decide if it's the house itself or if a neighbor is trying to dredge up her past and scare her away so the house can be torn down. All of these weird occurrences start to make her feel like she's going crazy; she's becoming disoriented and losing gaps of time. Is Black Wood House haunted or is there a much simpler answer to what is happening?

I did enjoy The Stranger Upstairs and I wasn't totally expecting the plot twist. Some parts of the story were a bit slow and I wish we would have had more of Sarah and her husband's backstory. Overall, I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery!

Thank you to Lisa M Matlin, Random House Ballantine - Bantam, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Slade is a best-selling author and a social media darling. In an effort to expand her brand, she purchases Black Wood House, the scene of an infamous murder-suicide. Her goal is to renovate the house and flip it for profit. Soon after moving in, she begins to hear noises and discovers that the previous owner has gone missing. Sarah shares a striking resemblance to Amanda, the previous owner, but Sarah knows that people aren't all they appear to be. She should know, she is keeping a tremendous secret that will forever change her life.

I expected a good solid thriller out of this book but I was disappointed. The writing seemed spastic and the storyline was a bit convoluted. It just felt like it took too much effort to read and concentrate on. The main character was really unlikeable - it was too easy to root for her ending. She had done some despicable things and treated people like dirt beneath her feet. I'm hoping to read more by this author with a better main character and a more stable storyline.

Spooky and creepy. I’ve been reading a lot of books about influencers but this one hooked me. Suspenseful til the end.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 rounded up

First off, this book creeped me out a lot more than I thought it would. At first, I was getting a lot of Amityville Horror vibes but this took a turn into something much more than just a cursed murder house.

This story is full of:
Secrets
Hostile Neighbors
Possible haunted murder house that does not want to be fixed
Unreliable character narration
Cheating husband

This would be great for any thriller/mystery/horror lover.

I received this ARC to read and review from NetGalley. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this ebook.

First I need to say.. LOOK AT THAT COVER!! It’s beautiful! The Stranger Upstairs is the debut novel from Lisa M. Matlin. It was not what I expected! It’s not just another haunted house story!

Therapist, author and social media influencer Sarah Slade just bought Black Wood House, aka “Murder House”. It takes a certain type of person to buy a murder house and Sarah is that person. She moves in with her husband, Joe, and her rescue cat, Reaper. Sarah doesn’t mind that the previous occupants died in the house in a murder-suicide. They’re even buried in the back yard! She’s determined to renovate this house and even makes her bedroom in the ‘murder room’. Unfortunately, the entire neighborhood seems to want her gone and she starts hearing things upstairs when she’s alone. Is she going crazy?!

The Stranger Upstairs is an awesome psychological thriller. It’s atmospheric, spooky and full of dark humor! It would be perfect for any spooky season TBR! I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC! 4 stars!

Oh my gosh, I’m not even sure where to start with reviewing this! What. A. Ride. We meet social media influencer/therapist Sarah and her husband Joe as they’re relocating to the perfect town of Beacon, where you’re only allowed in if you’re “one of them” and anyone else is treated like an outsider. The couple buy Black Wood House, where a gruesome murder suicide took place 40 years prior. The locals say the house is haunted and want the property bulldozed but Sarah has her sights set on a sweet 6 figure profit if she and Joe get going on renovations. As the renovations begin, and Sarah shared the journey on her IG and blog, it becomes clear that someone or something does not want her to improve the home. Sarah slowly becomes unhinged, her marriage is threatened, and her sanity is questioned to the point where we the reader cannot trust her. I was HOOKED from start to finish with this deliciously creepy read.

I knocked one star because we never find out what happened to Janet, the surviving daughter from the original murder; and also there needs to be extreme suspended belief for the big reveal at the end. Overall, a wicked debut and I will Absolutely read this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded to 5

“Maybe it’s Maybelline. Or maybe it’s murder.”

This one has a bit of a slow burn but consistent pacing which worked for me to add to the creepiness factor. It’s pretty descriptive in the beginning and sometimes that’ll sorta lose me.

However, at about the 46th page things started creeping me out. Oh yeah, so I’m thinking ok, this book is soooooo for me. Oh and the talk about the “roos” coming out and night grinding their teeth….I’ve never thought of them like that and it’s sorta terrifying. The cat’s behavior weirded me out.

I don’t want to give anything away but I wouldn’t say this is a stereotypical thriller, but maybe mystery verging on horror? I mean the creepiness was spot on. This was like unreliable narrator in a haunted house kinda deal. I don’t really know how I’d classify it (partly because I’m exhausted - I read this in one sitting) but I know I liked it.

I loved her dedication in the beginning of the book and the author’s note. It made the darkness of the book make so much more sense. I loved that she channeled her dark thoughts into this creepy novel. A lot of the feelings she had are so relatable which made me love this book even more. I’m someone who rarely reads author’snotes but I felt that I needed to for this one.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
It took a while for me to get into this book. The idea of the house speaking to them.
Who moves into such a controversial house for social media fame? No thanks.
Then about halfway in, you start to see what’s happening and it makes sense. I enjoyed it. Couldn’t stop reading once I got going.

They always say don’t judge a book by its cover, but this beautiful cover drew me in to this book. Then I read the synopsis and knew it was one I had to read. When I saw there was a house where a murder had occurred and a blogger decides to buy it I was all in. This book was full of eerie moments that have you on edge but the ending is the real kicker!

This is a wonderful debut novel by the author who I also want to give kuddos to for sharing her mental health story in the note from the author. As someone who can relate to your words, thank you.