**SPOILERS**

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It was an entertaining, haunting, spooky story. The main issue that I had with it, however, it that it got confusing in some places. I honestly don’t fully know what happened - as I feel like my questions did not fully get answered. The book does not need to wrap up in a perfect bow, but I feel like I had just as many questions at the end as I did at the beginning. I did like the writing style of the book and the way the chapters flowed! I would give 3.5 if Goodreads did half stars!

This story revolves around Sarah, who has just purchased a house famous for a double homicide.
When Sarah moves in with her husband, weird things start happening. Throughout it the book you also discover that Sarah’s past and the town itself is not who they seem.

I received an advanced reader copy of this through NetGalley, so thank you to them!

Such a good read - I really enjoyed this book & the thrill of it. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Idk what to do here y'all. It isn't that there is anything especially good happening here, though it is fresh in a dirty kind of way that I think would've continued to grow on me, but there absolutely isn't anything bad, so, enjoy?

Very spooky and so good! Told from multiple viewpoints you are drawn into the mystery of the house, what really happened to all the previous tenants, and what is Sarah really hiding?! Quick read, full of suspense and drama.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Lisa Matlin and Bantam (Random House) for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Thank you #NetGalley and #randomhousepublishing for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: Sept. 26, 2023

4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

"A social media influencer buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this deeply psychological gothic debut thriller."

This was 253 pages of gripping mystery and thrills! This was a quick read that wasn't lacking suspense. Think Amityville horror, but the new homeowners have some dark secrets, too. This is Lisa Martin's debut novel, and you will certainly want to read this when it's published in September!

I enjoyed this book it was an interesting story and concept. It kept me intrigued throughout most of it even though the beginning was kinda slow it was still a good read.

“Houses don’t make people crazy.”
Sarah and Joe purchase a home for a really good deal. It’s super affordable because a terrible murder-suicide occurred inside the home decades ago and it’s been sitting empty since. Sarah took on this project and is going to document it to her hundreds of thousands Instagram followers. However, Sarah and Joe quickly realize this project isn’t going to go as they expected. The not so happily married couple (who have a ton of secrets they are keeping from each other and the world) quickly begin experiencing terrifying things. “You shouldn’t have bought the house, son. It doesn’t want to be fixed, and it doesn’t want you here. And it’s going to make you pay.”
This book was crazy, crazy good. I really enjoyed it and got goosebumps from being so spooked. It was creepy, suspenseful and shocking. This is probably the creepiest book I have read in a long time.
Aside from being super creepy, I really appreciated how relatable the author made Sarah. Sarah was struggling in real life in her marriage, career and this home renovation yet when it came to posting on social media, her audience would have never known she was struggling. “Media relations Sarah” she referred to herself. “Instagram is the other Band-Aid. It’s toxic, I know. But the more likes I get, the less I bleed.” It was such a minor portion of the book, but I really feel like a lot of people would relate to this point.
“We have no clue what horror is coming for us.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 from me, I completely recommend this book when it comes out in September! Thank you to netgalley, the publishers and the author for letting me read this arc!

Thank you Random House Publishing-Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Stranger Upstairs.

This is the first book I have read by Lisa M. Marlin and I can definitely say this won’t be my last! The Stranger Upstairs is about a woman who buys a murder house that has a life of its own. The new owner, Sarah has secrets of her own past that are slowly revealed. I went from cheering for her to hoping that she gets what she deserves by the end of the book. Then there’s the house. The house with a horrendous history of murder seems to have a life of its own, taking victim after victim.

Once you start this book, you wont want to put it down!

The use of a house as symbolism is one with its roots in very real psychology. Carl Jung explored this concept after a dream of his own, and it's become a staple both in dream analysis and in fiction. THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS is the latest story to employ this—and does so masterfully, as it chronicles the breakdown of Joe and Sarah in the Black Wood "murder house."

Sarah is an influencer psychiatrist: by day she offers advice to in-person clients, and by night she curates her social media persona and works on her next self-help book. In an attempt to get more eyes on her socials, she convinces her husband Joe in flipping Black Wood House. The home was the site of a grisly murder/suicide 40 years prior, and has allegedly stood empty since then, with the surrounding town of Beacon looking to bulldoze it.

But strange things start happening once Sarah and Joe move in. The house appears to resist renovation. The pair's already rocky marriage takes a nose dive. Sarah begins finding notes from someone who appears to know far too much about her. And the whole time, shreds of the life she left behind come to life: the tragedy she's attempted to hide that could unravel everything.

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS isn't so much the story of "who's trying to kill Sarah" as it is "who IS Sarah." The mystery is secondary. Sarah as a person—her past, her sins, the truth of her perfectly curated personality—is the real story at work. Lisa M. Matlin masterfully crafts a dual story of a woman and a house. Both hide grisly secrets. Both give a general sense of unease the longer one is around them. And, despite all efforts, neither truly wants to be changed.

Writing an unlikable protagonist, much less an unlikable narrator, is a challenge. But it's one that Matlin handles admirably. It's like finding yourself listening to a friend vent, and a bit too late realizing that they're the one in the wrong. It's a fascinating journey with a chilling conclusion. I can't wait to see what else Matlin creates in future.

WOWZER! This is one of those sit down and get comfy reads as once you start you are hooked and don't want to put the book down. It was fast paced, creepy, bizarre and so engrossing. I loved it! I was happy to see all the references to mental health as that is such an important issue and needs to be talked about more.

This book would be perfect for book clubs as all the discussions it would open up.

I can't believe this is a debut novel as it was so well written. I liked hearing the thoughts going through Sarah's head as at times they were hilarious. This book had so many different layers revealed and it was just fascinating to watch it all unfold. Well Done! Can't wait to see what this author does next.

I have a like/dislike mentality towards the main character. I kept going back and forth for wanting to root for her one minute and not liking her the next.

I like the different point of views the author told the story. The mix of the podcast, news paper, blog post and point of view of the characters blinded together nicely. It kept the story suspenseful and kept wanting me to keep reading.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher, the author #LisaM.Matlin for the arc of #TheStrangerUpstairs

This book was extremely intriguing. The whole premise caught my attention from the moment I received the email asking me to read the book. As a debut novel, I think this was great. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, although the twist was decent. I would recommend and I give it 4/5 stars!

Sarah and her husband Joe buy a house in a upscale neighborhood that had a brutal murder decades ago.
When I read this I thought I was in for one creepy ride.
The very first chapter really grabbed hold of me but there was something with the following few chapters that made it really hard for me to want to continue reading. About halfway through the book I was hooked again and couldn't wait to finish. I have to say that the ending surprised me in ways that I didn't expect.
I would recommend this book as I think overall this was well written and a great story.
I definitely would like to read another book by this author.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was an excellent mystery/thriller that kept me reading late into the night. Especially enjoyed the characters and the setting.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61266198

This was so good!! I like a creepy haunt and this one doesn't disappoint!!! I couldn't put this down.

My first book from Lisa Matlin, and I will definitely be reading more! Sarah was a great character, a hot mess express, if you will. Throw in a creepy house and twists and turns and I’m just smitten. Highly recommend this read.

"The house doesn't want you here..."

So begins the story of Sarah and her husband Joe, who have just moved into Black Wood House with their adorably disgruntled cat Reaper. Previously the site of a brutal crime and a mysterious disappearance of the previous owner, strange things start happening to the couple after they move in. Threatening notes, dead rats, and things that go bump in the night... not to mention the fact that everyone in town seems to be in on a secret not shared with the Cosgroves. But what is out to get Sarah and Joe - is it paranormal activity in the house, leftover from its heinous past? Is it the neighbors, desperate to drive the newcomers back to where they came from? Or is it something more sinister?

Matlin's debut novel hooked me in from the very first page. She has an easy to follow, approachable writing style peppered with brilliantly vivid depictions of the setting. The tension builds steadily as the book progresses and I could feel Sarah's confusion, distrust, fear, and disorientation as the story unfolds. Throw in a few twists that will make you question every word you've read up to that point, and you've got a masterful page-flipping thriller from beginning to end.

Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! The ending had a lot going on - without giving away any spoilers, the author could have chosen any one of the variety of things she ties together and still had a satisfying ending, but the combination is sure to leave you stunned. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! This title will be available everywhere in September 2023.

This was a pretty interesting read, focused on Sarah and her husband Joe who buy a house that was the scene of a brutal murder a few decades ago. Turns out that the house may be haunted and the neighbors don’t want anyone living there. Sarah already has some pretty serious issues coming into the book, and something about the house is making her spiral into madness.

I didn’t think the synopsis really explained the book well because Sarah had issues walking into the story that were pretty apparent to begin with. I also didn’t feel that I got a good idea of the dynamic between her and Joe- why was he so willing to move to a new town when he doesn’t even want to be with her and how did their relationship deteriorate to the point where the book begins? I also thought that depictions of Sarah’s sister left me wanting more info about what she was really like; I felt that the various references to things that had happened didn’t jive with each other. That all being said, the spookiness of the house and the things that were happening were really well done, and I appreciated the extra level of creepiness from the cat; all cat owners know that they can freak you out good in the middle of the night.

Overall, I could have used more character development but overall I thought the book was pretty good, bringing both spookiness and suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Forty years ago, a man viciously murdered his wife, attempted to kill his daughter and then committed suicide in Black Wood House. The gothic style mansion, with its bloodstains and haunting history has been empty since then, falling slowly into disrepair. Enter therapist Sarah Slade who, with her husband Joe, buys the house and plans to write a blog as she painstakingly renovates each room. The house will be gorgeous, it will sell for a huge profit and Sarah’s blog will make her rich and famous. The house has other ideas.

This is all I will say without spoilers. This is a debut thriller and what a thriller it is! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The pace is at first deliberately slow and narrated in the present. Brief newspapers stories from the near future give clues as to what has occured but then you see the events as they really happen. It’s a technique that had me turning pages as fast as I could. Buy or borrow The Stranger Upstairs! When you are finished, be sure to read the Author’s Note. And, Lisa Matlin, I can’t wait to see what you write next! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Lisa M. Matlin for this ARC.

This book!! Wow, you have to read this! It kept me up most of the night to finish it!!
I just reviewed The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. #TheStrangerUpstairs #NetGalley
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