Would you live in a house where someone was murdered? That is the premise of The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. A therapist and self-help writer with all the answers, Sarah has just bought a gorgeous Victorian in the community of her dreams. Turns out, you can get a killer deal on a house where someone was murdered. Plus, renovating Black Wood House makes for great blog content and a decent distraction from her failing marriage. Good thing nobody knows that her past is just as filthy as the bloodstain on her bedroom floor.

This is a good haunted house story with characters that have plenty of secrets. I enjoyed the small-town setting and the characters. There were a few unresolved elements, but the story kept my interest, and The Stranger Upstairs was an enjoyable read.

I would rate this a 3.75 out of 5 (rounded to 4).

#TheStrangerUpstairs #NetGalley @atrandom

“The house doesn’t want to be fixed…and neither do I.”

Good read, but not great. The baseline psychological thrill was there but I found it lacking compared to other thrillers.

Fantastic haunted house story! Parts were creepy and exciting and i couldn’t put it dow. The whole story was compelling, intriguing, and so fun to read. Sarah is a very complex character with a backstory and history you know is bad before you really learn about it, and watching her unravel was full of wild moments

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinion. Highly recommend this book!

Sarah is a social media star. She has written a best-selling book and is working as a counselor. Her career seems to have stagnated and in an effort to revitalize it, Sarah and her husband decide to buy a "murder house" in an upscale area and flip it. By posting the progression of the renovation, Sarah hopes to gain viewers and entice someone into buying the house. The neighbors are not welcoming and when they have a plumbing problem, no one wants to help. While this would cause most people to reconsider, Sarah plows on. She lives for the affirmation she receives from her followers. Cracks begin to show in Sarah's carefully crafted life. Will she be able to make the necessary renovations to interest a buyer? Sarah and her husband do not seem happy. Is the house causing stress in their marriage? Do Sarah's followers pressure her into bad decisions?

What a creepy story! Lisa Matlin took social media, murder houses, and psychology and twisted them together giving us a true thriller. This is one of those books you shouldn't read right before bed because you won't sleep! At first look, Sarah seems to be a rational, ambitious woman. The more we get to know her, the more we see her flaws. Sarah is a very complicated character and with the turn of each page, more of her unique personality emerges. Throughout the book, the attic is the main point of interest. Yet Sarah doesn't venture into the most interesting place until more than half of the story is over. It was a frustrating point for me and I know other readers may not mind. For a debut book, Lisa Matlin amazes me! It is evident that she is fearless and more that capable of keeping readers thrilled to the very end.

This book is an extremely bingeable thriller that will make you want to sleep with the lights on!

Sarah is a therapist who has recently purchased Black Wood House with her husband Joe. She plans to renovate it, posting videos on Instagram and her blog to get attention for it, and then sell it for a large profit. Black Wood House is already famous as the site of a murder suicide 40 years ago, and Sarah is convinced that the attention from its history will only help her sell the house. Strange things start happening when they move in, and nothing and no one are what they seem.

The author is fantastic at creating an unbelievably tense atmosphere, making me very uncomfortable while reading. I had to put it down when trying to read at night and go back to it in the morning! The house felt like a character all its own, with its spooky sounds and the feelings it stirs up in Sarah.

There is an underlying mystery of what happened to the prior owners layered on top of what is happening to Sarah, and the whole thing was compelling, intriguing, and so so entertaining. Sarah is a very morally grey character, and watching her unravel all her secrets was full of OMG moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a heart-pounding novel that will captivate readers from start to finish. The author skillfully crafts a suspenseful narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns, ensuring an enthralling reading experience.

The story introduces readers to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. As the plot unfolds, their lives become intertwined in a high-stakes game of danger and deceit. The author expertly maintains a sense of suspense throughout the book, keeping readers guessing and eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to create a palpable atmosphere of tension and unease. The author's vivid descriptions and attention to detail transport readers into the world of the story, making them feel as if they are right alongside the characters, experiencing the thrilling events firsthand.

I just wanted to start by saying, can we talk about this cover? holy smokes. it's GORGEOUS.
I absolutely loved this book, classic haunted house story with a great suspense build for the story. I found it extremely hard to put down. The social media updates throughout the book were awesome (although full of lies) and made you feel like you were being updated on the renovation but also learning more about Sarah before she deleted her thoughts. The main character was quite fascinating and boy, did she have skeletons in her closet. This book kept you on edge the whole time, it was fast paced and a great thriller overall.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to devour this book. This will be coming out in September 2023 and I truly hope anyone who grabs a copy devours it like I did.

This book had me clenching my teeth and lord knows I heard every creak in my house throughout the two days that I engulfed this book. I found myself feeling numb in Sarah’s lowest moments and frazzled and eye darting during the mayhem. I always say I want to live somewhere that if I scream loud enough the neighbors would hear me and I can say I am thankful to have neighbors who watch out for one another. Buying a home you never know how welcoming the neighbors and community will be. You can count me out from buying a murder house but I’ll be first in line to buy a copy to read about it!

A note to the Author: Lisa you smashed this debut novel. I want to thank you for being authentic and open about your struggles and your encouraging words to those currently struggling.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

Pub Date: September 26, 2023

I just finished this book, and I am still reeling from the ending. First, I love a story with a gray protagonist, and Sarah definitely checks that box. All of the twists and turns and figuring out one piece of the puzzle, only realize you have unlocked a bigger puzzle! I was kept guessing through the whole story, and then, left guessing a little more, even after the epilogue. I am so glad that Netgalley and this author and publisher approved my wish, because this was one of the best haunted house stories that I have read!

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Marlin is a perfect haunted house story. It starts with a social media influencer determined to flip a murder house for a profit and to reignite excitement for her blog. As unexplained noises, notes, and signs of trespassing occur, Sarah Slade wonders if she made a mistake. What may start out as a typical ghost story, The Stranger Upstairs finishes with an explosion of secrets from the past. This is one of the better haunted house stories I have read and would recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

Thank you Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was an interesting ride for sure! To say that Sarah has a LOT going on in her life is an understatement. With a creepy murder house that she starts to lose herself in, I had to wonder if it was Sarah that was the one who was crazy or the creepy murder house

Social Media influencer Sarah buys a house famous for a double murder. Her plan is to fix up the house and her failing marriage while boosting her career as a horror house star. The only problem is almost from the start her postings are flat our lies. The house doesn’t seem to want to be fixed or welcome anyone home. Her marriage is disintegrating, and Sarah ignores clues of the house’s haunted-ness while desperately trying to keep up online appearances. This was a quick read, nicely written little haunted tale. I did not like the characters, especially Sarah and her fakery but that is what sold the storyline and made it believable that anyone would continue to live in a haunted house. I actually enjoyed the portrayal of her selfie, Instagram, social media obsession because it actually portrayed what’s really going on behind all those “candid” shots. Sometimes unlikeable characters are the best to watch fall apart! Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for this advanced reading copy. This is my honest opinion in exchange for the chance to read the ARC.

I found the premise to be quite interesting, which is why I decided to download the boom. However, it did take me a bit to get into the story. The writing was alright. The boyfriend or husband was annoying. I don't get why she would stay with him anyways. I did end up liking the overall story, but I just kind of got bored at points.

I don’t know where to even start with this breathtaking debut from Lisa Matlin! Like an onion, there are so many layers to unpack in this domestic thriller. It’s got a creepy Victorian house, murder, mystery, and secrets out the wazoooooo. And I was hanging on every moment of it! I urge you to read this book and I hope she writes more. Thanks Penguin and Netgalley letting me read it. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will leave it as this- if you love thrillers and mystery, this is your book! #netgalley #thestrangerupstairs

This book was an absolutely wild ride! I was guessing what was going on, right up until the very end! HUGE thank you to Lisa M. Matlin, NetGalley and Penguin Randomhouse Publishing for the advanced reader's copy!

I really enjoyed the spooky elements of this book and found myself even having nightmares if I read it too late at night. Definitely read this during the day or have a buffer before bed if you want to have a peaceful sleep, but that’s exactly what made this book so compelling! The fact that it affected me after I was done reading it is a sign of a good book - it just sticks with you.

I will say I’ve never been a fan of the “drunk” unreliable narrator trope, but I thought it was well done this time around! The FMC was completely unhinged and without giving away spoilers, it totally makes sense why. She was both totally whacked out while also intriguing and having me curious for more.

On a final note, some things felt unfinished at times like Sarah’s relationship with her husband. I wanted more of their story and felt that there wasn’t enough there for me to care about him not being around. I also felt like the ending was a bit abrupt and could’ve used just a little more for a complete conclusion, but ultimately this was a page turner and I really enjoyed this read!

If you love creepy houses, dodgy neighbors, unreliable narrators and family drama then you will absolutely devour this book!

Social media influencer and self-help author/therapist Sarah Slade thinks she's hit upon a great idea--buy a notorious murder house, make renovations while documenting the whole thing and hopefully getting lots of likes and follows along the way, and then sell the restored home for a tidy profit. Right away, things seem a little weird; her husband barely wants to sleep in the house, no one wants to do any work on the place, not only do the neighbors refuse to interact with them, but someone is actively trying to drive them away with threatening notes and dead rats, and even Sarah's cat, Reaper, is acting off. The house, however, is the least of Sarah's problems. The glossy social media facade hides a failing marriage, a past scarred by secrets, and, as it turns out, a host of mental, emotional, and pathological personality issues; Sarah is not the person her clients and employers believe her to be and for all of these reasons and more, she is probably not the best choice for providing anyone any therapy or counseling. As we watch as Sarah becomes ensnared in the house's grip, we wonder if it's the house itself, or Sarah's spiraling mental decline (and if you've read enough haunted house books in the past decade, you may have some other theories.) I loved this stories for its atmosphere and tension, and I loved the bones of the story itself. I even loved the *idea* of Sarah. I am not sure that I loved how the character herself was handled, especially all the wine-drinking. Far be it from me to say how characters suffering with substance abuse issues should be written, but something about Sarah's drinking feels sloppily approached. Then again, alcoholism is kind of a sloppy thing to deal with (my family is full of them, so I feel like I can comment on this somewhat.) And this could just be a me-problem. But I found those portions of the book very uncomfortable to read. Otherwise, The Stranger Upstairs was pretty solid.

It is hard to write a good haunted house novel. It either works or it doesn't. This one worked.
This story had layers and each layer has layers, so you have to actually pay attention.
I wasn't sure if I loved or hated our protagonist. She is clearly damaged but she loves her cat.
I am terrified of kangaroos and they were coming out of the forest to sit in the yard and I was like "nope. I would leave.". Loved that part.

After a month of disappointing reads, I needed a win. And Lisa M. Matlin delivered! I loved this so much! It had so many elements I love: haunted house trope, unlikable characters with secretive back stories, an unreliable narrator, a bad ass pet, and a small town setting with a community trying to push you out. I was invested from the beginning and it was such a fun read trying to piece this mystery together. It was the perfect blend of horror, mystery, and thriller. The final act wrapped up in a very satisfying way and in a way that actually makes sense (always a risk in this genre). I really like Marlin’s writing style, too. It was witty, eerie, and made me laugh out loud a few times. I can’t wait to see what she writes next! This will definitely be a popular release.

I really wanted to love this book--it seemed to have everything I look for in a book. But I couldn't get past the main character...I did not like being inside her head and didn't like her voice from page 1. I feel like this could've been so good but it just missed the mark for me.

compulsively readable, even if it did lean on the “drunken female protagonist” trope more than i would have liked. huge fan of the twist, definitely going to keep my eye out for this author’s future works.