Such a great debut novel! I’m new to this genre of psychological thriller/creepy/horror/ghosts and amloving it! I couldn’t put this down, even at night when it was dark and quiet.
Sarah is an influencer in Australia. She and her husband Joe buy Black Wood house, planning to document their renovations on social media, but it’s also where multiple murders took place 40 years ago. The house has stood abandoned since then, or has it been empty?
The murder house creeped me out from the beginning. Contractors wouldn’t take the job, peeling wallpaper, lights that don’t work, noisy birds outside, post it notes with messages appearing out of nowhere, neighbors who don’t want Sarah in their neighborhood……..
I thought I had it figured out, but no I didn’t! The twists and turns towards the end of the story were brilliant.
At the end of the book , prior to the acknowledgements, the author, Lisa Marlin, shares her personal mental health journey.These words were such a brave addition to a debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Shocking twist!! Really enjoyed this book!! The story follows Sarah , a therapist , who moves into a house where a murder has occurred many years prior. Things start happening soon after she moves in. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for the chance to read this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Sarah purchases a Victorian with an ugly interior and an even uglier past. Her hope is that restoring the house, exploring its gruesome past for public consumption and working on her marriage will turn her life around. Unfortunately, she’s underestimated the amount of work her marriage and the house need and the fact that the past is never truly over, never really the past. A fantastic read for the spooky season

3.5 overall!

I love a haunted house theme so I was definitely excited for this book! I was hooked from the start and honestly didn’t want to put it down. The short chapters definitely helped and made it a quick read. The author did a great job with leaving you hanging after each chapter and needing to continue to find out what happens at the end. The creepy factor was good and this would be a good read for spooky season. I loved how mental health was a key component to the storyline and it gave me The Watcher vibes, which I enjoyed.

I did feel like it got very repetitive at times which made it drag just a bit for me. I also felt like there were storylines that didn’t get more attention and gave a open ended feel to it. I also still don’t know how I feel about the ending too.

Overall, I liked this book and think it’ll be a good spooky season read. It was definitely a quick, fun read!

I'm always searching for new authors and finding this debut novel by an Australian author piqued my interest even more. Based on this promising book, I will add Matlin to my list of authors to follow.

Sarah Slade is a therapist and best-selling self-help author whose own marriage is in shambles. When she and her husband buy a run-down Victorian house where a gruesome murder occurred 40 years ago, Sarah hopes to restore it and flip it for a profit. She doesn't count on the hostile neighbors who want the house demolished, not restored, and the creepy feeling the house emanates. When odd things begin happening both to her and the contractors working on her house, she begins to wonder if the stories about the house are true: is it haunted?

I found the story a bit uneven at times, but overall this was a satisfying read. Although Sarah increasingly is captivated, if not captured by the house, her personality begins to change--or maybe it's revealing her true self. In any event, she becomes an increasingly unlikeable character whose decisions become poorer as events spiral out of her control. I think this is a good, atmospheric novel and I look forward to more from Matlin.

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam publishers for an advance copy of this book n exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. The publication date is September 12, 2023.

Creepy creepy creepy!! I read this book in a day. Could not put it down! I loved Sarah’s inner monologue at the beginning of the book she made me laugh when I probably shouldn’t have. The back and forth at the end had me at the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next! What a creepy fun read!

I devoured The Stranger Upstairs.
I’ve been looking for more thrillers in the genre of Riley Sager. You know the type. Crazy mad story with layers of twists and a paranormal vibe. Well this is it. Get your hands on this book when it comes out, you’re in for a treat!

Lisa M Matlin’s dedication is both cute and hilarious.
I’m looking forward to her next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing group Ballantine for the early access galley. I’m very grateful I got the chance to discover one of this year’s very much anticipated book, and what a treat!

I just reviewed The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. #TheStrangerUpstairs #NetGalley

This debut thriller had a strong premise: an influencer buys a "murder house", where a brutal murder-suicide took place years before, and she intends to renovate it for a profit while growing her brand. Matlin's author's note about her personal struggles with mental illness was very moving, and she brings a sensitivity to the mental illness of her main character, but ultimately this story just didn't gel for me. I found Sarah Slade, a woman full of secrets and darkness, impossible to empathize with or root for in any way. Unlikable characters only work for me when they're compelling and nuanced, and Sarah was so extremely messed up and amoral that I kept hoping she would just die already. There are hostile neighbors, strange noises, and a pervasive sense of dread. I will definitely check out future books by Matlin, as her writing is solid and I think she has potential. If you like Samantha Downing, you will probably like this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine/Bantam for a digital review copy.

I liked this. I came into it with no preconceptions, and I think the author did a great job of writing crazy (I mean that in a very positive way). I was surprised several times at the direction the story took, and ultimately, I was satisfied that I read it. Well-done for a first novel!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for gifting me this advanced readers copy in exchange for my review!
4/5 stars. Wow- what a story. This psychological thriller will keep you on your toes. Overall, solid debut novel. The ending did seem a tad rushed and I could have used a bit more detail in the overall plot. I loved the main character’s dry humor and her sassy cat companion.

This was such a creepy and twisted debut and I loved every second of it. This book was just wanted I needed to get me into my spooky season reads

I absolutely DEVOURED this book, finishing in a matter of hours. I spent the entire time questioning everything I read, wondering what could possibly be happening. The story was so fast paced and even though I didn't particularly like the main character, I felt myself wanting to know more and more about what was going on. I think this is perfect for anyone who likes Alice Feeney, Ruth Ware, or American Horror Story. Looking forward to more from this author in the future!

"You repeat what you don’t repair."

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an arc for The Stranger Upstairs! Following Sarah's descent into madness was such a fun read. I was able to predict most of the twists throughout but that did not stop me from binge reading this in just a couple hours. Lisa M. Matlin states in the acknowledgements her struggle with mental health and how it affected the writing of this novel, so I am very happy she finished this great debut and I hope to read more from her in the future!

This was a steller debut book. It gave me the creepy feels, but also kept my interests. I liked the unreliable narrator, and I feel that the twist at the end really solidfied it for me.

This book is gripping, unpredictable and addictive. It’s crazy good! If this is Lisa Matlin’s debut book, she has a fabulous career ahead of her.

Sarah and her husband, Joe, buy what is known as a murder house. Forty years prior, a murder/suicide took place here, but Sarah thought she could gain more social media followers if she did something crazy, like buy, renovate and live in an actual murder house. With her marriage crumbling, her job on the rocks and her precious cat, Reaper, getting sick, Sarah feels like she’s losing her mind. Maybe the house is alive and asking her to leave. Maybe she’s just drinking too much to dampen her nerves.

Whatever is going on, Sarah must keep going. She refuses to let the house win, the neighbors bully her out of her new home or give up on her dreams of flipping this house. But to what extent?

With many clever plot twists, this rates 5 stars, and I urge you to pick up a copy on September 12, 2023. You’ll be so glad you did.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for the ARC.

Sarah Slade and her husband, Joe buy Blackwood House, a dilapidated mansion where 40 years ago a murder-suicide took place. Sarah sees herself as an influencer and decides to document the renovation on the internet to gain momentum for her career.

Sarah and Joe have serious martial issues and the house doesn’t help the situation. Sarah moves into the murder room, bloodstain on the floor with its horrible reputation. The neighbors want her out, but the house has other plans.

As Sarah spends more time in the house the crazier things and Sarah becomes. Noises, notes, footsteps in the attic convince Sarah that she’s not alone and in very real danger.

Sarah and Joe have secrets from their past and both of them are extremely unstable.
This story made me claustrophobic and all I wanted was for Sarah to leave. Run away! But the house has other plans for Sarah and bodies start piling up.

This debut novel is a frightening and skin-crawling. Sarah’s snarky insane attitude and unbelievable courage made this a horrifying entertaining read.

This book grabbed me from the very first chapter. I ended up staying up most of the night because I couldn’t put it down. I was so wrapped up in what was going on with Sarah and who could be behind it all. I was definitely shocked by the ending and I loved it! I’m so glad I got the chance to read this one. This was a quick read for me (luckily because I didn’t want to put it down)

I did not finish this book, so I wouldn't normally give it a star rating, since I don't think it's fair to rate a book I didn't finish. I only put a star reading because the form made me.. I don't think the book is bad, I just don't think the book is for me. I follow the rule that if I am not enjoying a book after reading 30% of it, I allow myself to DNF it. I got 30% in (chapter 11) and decided that was enough.

It's probably only fair to mention that I have ADHD, and that I used to force myself though books I didn't enjoy. That combination means I'm pretty quick to DNF now if I hit that 30%.

In this case, as is with most books I DNF, it was the pacing that got to me. The book starts with two really intriguing premises that I was eager to learn more about: a haunted house and a fraudulent therapist. I was excited to deep-dive into both of these mysteries to find out exactly what was going on. However, instead of taking me deeper into those mysteries, the book kept introducing new ones: What's the deal with the creepy janitor? What did the husband do to have to hide his identity? What happened with the protagonists' sister? Who or what is in the attic? Who are the "others" that the neighbor refers to? Who is stalking the protagonist? Is there something supernatural in the woods?

Instead of making me more intrigued, the effect was that I never got enough information about any one thing to really care about any of it. Again, I have to stress that this may not be the case for other readers, it was just the case for me personally. I think a lot of readers who may not have my reading personality may be drawn in by all the questions.

A creepy psychological/horror thriller that keeps readers engaged to the very end!! A social media influencer with a secret past is starting over. She decides to buy the Black Wood House and renovate it. Unfortunately, she realizes the "murder house" is more than she signed up for with the peeling wallpaper, strange occurrences, failing marriage and suspicious neighbors. Gradually, she begins to spiral and loses all sense of reality. Is she going crazy or is there someone or something in the attic talking to her? I loved everything about this book! #netgalley #thestrangerupstairs

Who would buy a house where there was a brutal murder?

Well… Sarah Slater did.

Sarah wanted to buy the house just because she wanted people to see that she can fix the house just like she fixes people in her therapy sessions.

Meanwhile, she can’t fix her own marriage, and she can’t let her past be known, but it seems as if someone does know.

Why didn’t anyone want the murder house?

No one wanted it mainly because of the murder, but sounds from upstairs, bizarre accidents, intimidating notes and more make Sarah wonder what’s going on.

Someone doesn’t want her to change anything, and a neighbor warns her about someone in the attic.

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS is one mystery fans and those readers who like creepy, haunted houses and characters with secrets won’t want to miss. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.