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.

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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.

Spooky and intriguing! I have to admit, it takes a lot for a book to scare me but this one gave me jump scares at night at any little noise, lol. I loved all the darkly funny wisdom nuggets coming out of our main characters thoughts, I highlighted a lot of passages, especially in Part 1. I went into this story expecting a thriller but I would call it more like horror with the pacing of a thriller. It’s probably best to go into this blind and enjoy the ride so I’m not going to say much about the plot to avoid spoiling anything for future readers. Just know that this one is dark and will take you to very unexpected places. This debut was very well done and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next! Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on September 12, 2023

The overall premise for this story is very good and I was super excited to read. This debut novel starts off strong . . . thick with small-town mystery and spooky vibes. A popular therapist/author with an expanding social media presence buys an infamous murder house with the intention of rehabilitation. This situation is simply ripe with madness and eerie possibilities.

Without giving anything crucial to the plot away I must admit that the POV character Sarah Slade became abrasive, unlikeable, and nearly intolerable to me. Being in her mottled head filled me with high anxiety and it was not fun at all there for a minute. If you don’t mind the narrative being occasionally disjointed or slow and uncomfortable for a bit, the story does eventually get back on a more coherent and enjoyable track before the end.

If you enjoy spine-tingling stories or mild horror, this might be a good pick for you this Halloween season.

Available for purchase September 12, 2023

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Stranger Upstairs for my unbiased evaluation.  3 stars

Sarah Slade is a best selling author, therapist, and aspiring social media influencer who is looking for something to bolster her career and save her dying marriage. She decides buying an infamous murder house in a small town and documenting the renovations will do just that. However, strange things start happening when she moves into the house and she must find out if it's the townspeople or the house itself that want her gone... before it's too late. This book was very atmospheric and descriptive with perfect haunted house vibes. The majority of the story is told in the perspective of our slightly unreliable narrator, which I think added to the mystery and suspense of the story since it kept the reader second guessing. The pacing of the story was a little bit slow in the beginning but did pick up about halfway through. I think this would be perfect for fans of Home Before Dark and Amityville Horror.

Sarah Slade is a best-selling self-help author and therapist. She and her husband purchased Black Wood House, a run-down Victorian house where a murder occurred 40 years ago. Sarah’s goal is to fix it up and resell it for profit. However, she soon discovers hostile neighbors that want the house demolished. The house also emanates a creepy feeling that does not seem to dissipate whether day or night. When creepy notes begin to appear, Sarah becomes certain that someone is out to get her, but who? Sarah’s life spirals further and further out of control.

Lisa M. Matlin creates a setting that is genuinely creepy here. I really enjoyed the premise of the story, buying a murder house and living in it. I found myself racing through the beginning of the story. Then, about midway, I realized I wasn’t really connected to any of the characters. I feel the characters of the story were never fully developed. However, if you can look past the characters not being fully developed, this is a great creepy read for spooky season. The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy thrillers with unreliable narrators this one is definitely for you! I give it 3/5 stars.

This is one of the better haunted house books I've read. I did dock a star because I found the main character so unlikeable that it was a struggle to feel any kind of sympathy for her. I read the book in two sittings and was intrigued by the plot. None of the characters were particularly endearing and that includes the house itself. I would have been interested in a little more background on what exactly was wrong with Sarah.

Good spooky novel for a cold fall evening.

Sarah Slade, bestselling self help book author and therapist decides to buy a murder house with her husband Joe. She wants to renovate it and then sell it. But the house doesn't seem to want to be renovated. Her marriage is falling apart. This book was a wild ride and kept me saying to myself, "Just one more chapter." It kept me intrigued the entire time. It had immaculate murder house, spooky vibes. For this to be the authors debut novel is very impressive. I would definitely read more from this author in the future! Go pick this book up! Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.