This is a SILLY SIMILE book, with phrases that made me roll me eyes.

I don't know if this is a good mystery, but I couldn't get past the terrible writing. Not for me, sorry.,

I enjoyed this book for the most part. There were a couple of things I didn't care for that revolved around the plot and the ending (I don't want to spoil anything). There were times that I found the main character too erratic. Sarah Slade is best selling self help author, social media influencer, and a therapist in the town of Beacon, Her and her husband, Joe, decide that they are going to buy the murder house in Beacon to fix up and make a profit off of it! But things do not go as planned, they get the feeling that the house doesn't want them there. The town is also not supportive of their choice to remodel the house. There is something off about Sarah, he co-workers don't really care for her and everyone in the two is weary of her. What is Sarah and Joe hiding? Can their marriage survive this house and their past? Does the house really not want them there? What will the town members do to keep them from flipping the murder house?

Wow. I did not see any of that coming.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin is a thrilling and suspenseful ride. In this debut novel we follow Sara. A woman with a house, and a marriage, in need of renovations. In an attempt to fix her life, and become social media famous, Sara buys Blackwood Manor. An old house in a tight knit community with a sordid past. Murders and disappearances are normal for this house. The more Sara fixes in the house the more her life seems to unravel. And the more sinister the neighbors appear. Is someone stalking Sara? How do they know about her past?? Read for the thrilling and twisted conclusion.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and kept me very interested. I did not see the end coming and the ending was absolutely worth the read. All the bits and pieces of the story wrapped up well and I felt satisfied with the ending.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑼𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝑴. 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏

Meet Sarah— a social media influencer who is trying to distract herself from marital woes… So she purchases Black Wood House to renovate. Normal right? Maybe if living in a fixer upper that was the scene of a murder suicide is your thing. Creepy notes, blood stained floors and strange builders are the tip of the iceberg as Sarah’s life continues to spiral out of control.

LET ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I was shocked to find out this is Lisa’s debut! I literally could not put this book down. Dishes? Eating? Sleep? What? Nothing mattered but finding out what was really happening to Sarah Slade. The Stranger Upstairs was such a fast paced read, full of tension and suspense. This was one of those books that had me looking over my shoulder and analyzing every creak and squeak in my own house as I read!

I love a book that knocks me on my ass and has me questioning everything I thought I had learned as I read. The ending had me reeling, and I cannot wait to see what Lisa comes up with next.



Review will be live on Instagram, Goodreads and Amazon on pub day!

I really had to sit after I finished this book and ponder what the heck I just read. The Stranger Upstairs lagged for me at the beginning but then picked up speed and I was intrigued. Super spooky and I always love an unreliable narrator. I think there was some missing aspects, like her husband. Things were just thrown in or left out. However, I could totally see this book as a movie! The last 15% kept me on my toes! 3 solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Ballantine for the ARC!

The cover artwork really peaked my interest in this novel. However, was not what I pictured the house looking like in my mind so that was interesting. .

This is the debut novel from Lisa M. Matlin and overall, I thought it was good.

The Stranger Upstairs follows a "therapist" and influencer who buys an infamous murder house with plans to renovate it with her husband, Joe. However, her life and the renovations quickly become a nightmare - the neighbors want her out and her marriage is failing. Throughout the book, Sarah experiences anonymous, threatening notes, accidents, and unknown footsteps up in the attic of the house.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but it picked up in part 2. The ending was shocking, yet sad.

A massive thank you to Lisa M. Matlin and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: murder, mental illness, and infidelity.

This was really a wild ride. I liked the idea of the book—haunted (?) house, unreliable narrator, cold cases, creepy small town, influencers, house flipping— but it really was a little too stream of consciousness and casual for my taste. It was clearly deliberate and added to the vibe of the book but I felt like it left some details out. I really didn’t understand the husband’s role in the book at all or why the main character needed to have one. He didn’t seem real. For a while I was wondering if he really was real. He just sort of bounced and then only reappeared at the very end.

An influencer therapist with a hidden past who is slowly losing her mind in a creepy murder house?! This book is just as good as it sounds. (Better actually.) I can guarantee you will not see the twists coming. This was phenomenal. Lisa Matlin had me scared of the dark for the past week and feeling like someone else was in the room with me.

LOVED THIS BOOK!!

This one started off really strong, but it kind of lost the plot (!) after awhile. Our main character is an unreliable narrator and she's such a mess in general. It was hard to sympathize with her extensively. Overall, my bigger challenge is we never got to know most of the other characters. They flit in and out and sometimes get caught up in what has happened, but they aren't developed which reduced their impact. The book does have a bit of a horror element that was interesting and the murder house with its grounds are definitely creepy and atmospheric.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

What happens when a social media influencer/psychologist buys a “murder house”to fix up, and flip? Is the house haunted? Is Sarah crazy? Or can everything be explained easily?

This novel is not my norm, but boy did it have me on the edge of my seat! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ACR.#Netgalley #Thestrangerupstairs

Would you buy an old, so-called murder house situated remotely on 400 acres? That's exactly what Sarah and her husband do - buy the Black Wood house, which was built in 1889, and was also the location where a man killed his wife.
This is a creepy, atmospheric read that not only gives you all the spooky old house vibes, but taps into marriatal dynamics as well. As Sarah and Joe begin to renovate this murder house, you start to learn their backstories and unravel the mysteries of the entire neighborhood. I really enjoyed Reaper, the cat. Whenever animals sense something in the darkness, it is sure to add an element of fright!
Keep your nightlight close by, as this will keep you up late at night to finish!

This was... quite a book. Don't let the fact that I finished this book in a day deceive you - it was not a 5 star, award-winning novel. However... don't let my two star rating keep you from reading this either, as it was one of the wildest rides I've ever been on.

No one was likable, the story was somewhat confusing (too many names switching around to keep track of), and it just felt like a combination of The Watcher and Haunting of Hill House (but not in a good way). Sarah is the most unlikable character in existence, which made me want her to get whatever was coming to her in that house. HOW DID SHE GET A THERAPIST JOB WITHOUT BEING A LICENSED PRACTITIONER?!? DO THEY NOT HAVE NPI'S IN AUSTRALIA?!?

Also the whole town being in on the craziness was too much for me; I need my thrillers to be at least slightly believable, even when potential supernatural is involved. And this was too much.

Give it a read if you want something entertaining but bad; this is just the book for you.

Okay, mixed feelings, but overall, great debut novel!! I'll start by saying it is tough getting into a story where none of the characters are overly likeable. It's hard to know who to route for. Our main character, Sarah, comes off as completely superficial, and fills her holes with instagram "likes". Although, when we later discover she has acual severe mental health disorders, she did become more appealing. I felt like there were clues being dropped that never really panned out. However, at about 50%, the book seemed to really pick up, and I found myself completely hooked until the end. I even had nightmares the night I fell asleep finishing it! Looking forward to more from this author!

Free eARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes!

This one was kind of tough. I was excited by the premise- an influencer buys a #murderhouse to renovate for content and sell for profit, but is it haunted? Did the house have something to do with why the previous owner killed his wife and then himself? But I didn't think it was executed very well. There were lots of threads that never seemed to really pan out, the main character is terribly unlikeable- from the first 10% I considered DNF-ing because I had no interest in hearing any more about what a bad person she was. And then when everything was said and done in the end, I was pretty disappointed with the explanation, I felt like with the epilogue the author tried to create more of a spooky ending, and it just didn't work for me. 2.5 stars rounded up (and it's only rounded up because it takes place in Australia so there was a little novelty of the foreign setting for me)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story took a while to get my attention. A slow start and it seemed pretty repetitive. However, around the middle of the book (Part 2), I became fully invested and I was hooked. Sarah is an Instagram influencer who buys a murder house (the murder happened back in the 80s) and she wants to renovate and flip the house for a profit. As soon as she moves in, strange things begin happening. Are these things caused by the neighbors who don't want any outsiders in their neighborhood? Paranormal activity from a house that wants to be left alone? Or something else entirely?
Slow start, fantastic finish. Overall great book!

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa Matlin is an engaging thriller that blends elements of horror, mystery, and other dark themes to create an atmospheric reading experience. The novel follows Sarah Slade, a social media influencer who has recently purchased the notorious Black Wood House—aka "The Murder House," home to a famous murder-suicide scene—to renovate for her lifestyle blog and to escape her failing marriage. As Sarah uncovers the house's dark secrets and becomes increasingly paranoid, the reader is left guessing who or what is out to get her.

The premise of The Stranger Upstairs is intriguing, and Matlin's atmospheric writing effectively captures the sinister and haunting ambiance of Black Wood House. The novel kept me hooked and invested in the story until the very end, as the lines between reality and Sarah's delusions become increasingly blurred.

However, the novel falls a bit short in terms of its storylines, which often feel a bit flimsy and underdeveloped. The eventual "why-dunnit" reveal was somewhat disappointing, as it doesn't fully live up to the suspense and anticipation built up throughout the story. While the storylines could have been more robust and the reveal more satisfying, the novel still succeeds in keeping the reader hooked and invested in Sarah's journey.

The Stranger Upstairs was definitely a promising debut novel, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Matlin writes next.

The book follows Sarah and Joe a couple who buy a “murder house” with the hopes to renovate it and make a profit. Chilling things start happening at the house and Sarah begins to get very paranoid. The story is suspenseful, creepy, and full of twists and turns. I love the short chapters written like news articles. I hope the way it ended means a second book?! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

I was asked to review “The Stranger Upstairs” by Lisa Matlin.

Sarah Slade and her husband, Joe, have purchased the infamous Black Wood House in an upscale Australian area. The house is in famous because it was the scene of a heinous murder. Their goal is to flip it for a hefty profit. No problem, right? Even though she is a therapist/social media influencer with a self-help book, she is feeling the pressure to make choices that will help both her career and her marriage.

Yet, Sarah starts hearing and seeing things. And neighbors are not talking to her. Nor are her plans getting anywhere close to fruition. This story could easily fall into predictability but there were enough surprises that kept me wondering what could happen next.

Four stars.

Many thanks to our author, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced eGalley copy of the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This reads like a first book by this author. Character development is lacking. There isn't a single likable person in the entire book. I can't recommend this book.

The Stranger Upstairs
By Lisa Matlin
Random House Publishing Group
Releasing September 26, 2023

Synopsis: Sarah Slade is a self-help writer and therapist but she's a woman of many secrets. She and her husband purchase a mansion in a tight knit community called Black Wood House. She plans to renovate it with her progress followed online to keep up her social media engagement while she writes her next book. The problem is her neighbors don't want her there and nobody wants to work on the house. Within weeks, her entire life begins spiraling out of control and it all has to do with the murder house. And is it just Sarah or is someone living in the attic?

Review: I wanted to love this. I read several reviews that were glowing, and I got excited. I generally don't like haunted house novels–they all feel the same to me–but I allowed myself to hope this one would be different. Unfortunately, this one could not hook me. I felt like a lot of the elements were cliche to the subgenre (as I'd feared) and the tension was never there for me. Though the psychological angle was promising, its execution was messy. There were things that were never rightfully explained, and the things that did get answered were underdeveloped or rushed. The finale had some interesting aspects to it and the writing was solid, but sadly I just couldn't get into this book. It needed to be darker and more detailed. Flashbacks might have made a big difference. There was just too much missing to make this novel feel complete and ready for it's ambition.

Bottom Line: The Stranger Upstairs tries to be a psychological hit but fumbles the elements, making for an uneven ride that never really lifts off the airstrip.