I just gobbled up Lisa M. Matlin’s THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS in two days because I HAD TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. The world she creates is so vivid that I constantly felt watched and anxious as I read, as though the walls in MY house were closing in on me. The writing is assured and expert as Matlin unpeels the layers of her characters, surprising me with every new discovery and twist. I was on a rollercoaster of fear, empathy, and shock, loving every minute of it. I don’t want to give anything away, but read it with the lights on, sun blazing through your windows, and don’t even trust your wallpaper!

The Stranger Upstairs is Lisa Matlin’s debut novel. And what a wonderful debut it is.

Sarah and Joe have just completed the purchase of Black Wood House - the former home of Bill and Susan Campbell. 40 years prior to Sarah and Joe buying Black Wood House, it is the scene of a gruesome murder suicide. Bill murders Susan. Bill tries to murder their daughter, Janet, but is unsuccessful. Then Bill kills himself. No one knows what happens to Janet. Like literally - no one knows #dammitJanet

Sarah has dollar signs in her mind when impulsively deciding to buy BWH. Joe, her husband, merely goes along with the decision. Not at all happy they’re going to own, and live in, a #murderhouse. Sarah, with her book fame and social media following, just *knows* this is what will make her even more famous and will absolutely turn a profit once they’re done with renovations. If the house allows for renovations, that is. The house is hiding something. And so are Sarah and Joe.

I absolutely hated Sarah and Joe - and I do believe that to be the point. Sarah is batshit crazy - is the house legitimately making her crazy? Or is it the SSRIs and alcohol? Or is it the past she refuses to let surface even in the safety of her relationship with Joe? I do find it interesting that Lisa, who struggles with her mental health, didn’t choose to write a character that gets help. I don’t know that the book would’ve had the same vibe if Sarah *did* get help so I get it. I just find it curious. Joe was merely a blip in the book but I found myself screaming at him a lot.

I normally don’t love red herrings - like say what you mean and don’t fuck around - but I do think those within this novel actually add to the suspense and overall explanation at the end. I also normally don’t love an unreliable narrator - don’t make ME feel insane, authors! - but Lisa does a fantastic job with Sarah.

I did find it interesting that we had an added voice towards the end of the book. I understand the necessity but it still felt odd to me. Also the epilogue 👀😬🥴 Bless.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oooooh I love love love this one. This book turned out to be so unsuspected. It’s spooky, it’s creepy, it’s chilling. I love that mental health is highlighted in this. I do wish it had blatantly stated what Lizzy was diagnosed with however. I will definitely be purchasing this book upon release!!

Definitely for fans of Lisa Jewell and Mexican Gothic.

This was pretty twisty and you end up both knowing and not knowing what really happened or is happening. The truth is fluid and the house is the main character really but we don't get enough of it. And why people are so attached to the murdered owners from 40 years ago. So, while it's a decent psychological thriller there's a lot of story not explored which makes it ring slightly hollow. Maybe similar to the Family Upstairs, Martin will write a sequel or prequel to get into all that.

Quick read, 2.5 stars.

What the F*** did I just read!!!

This book is a rollercoaster from chapter one.
Sarah Slade is a social media influencer and therapist. Her and her husband just bought a house but there’s a catch. 50 years old a husband killed his wife in that same house.

This book is movie worthy. I could picture the whole situation in my head. This book was giving me the chills and I might have nightmares from it. This book is so beautifully written and so detailed.

You could not tell if Sarah was crazy or legitimately being haunted or messed with. I loved it!!

The ending was great!! I did not guess it and it surprised me.

I love when a book keeps me guessing, and this one did a great job. Up until the last chapter I wasn't sure about anything. What's real, what isn't, who's responsible, who isn't, even whose is the other body. I thought it was all wrapped up nicely in the last chapter. But then there was an epilogue...

Woooooof this was a wild ride. The writing was SO atmospheric - I couldn’t stop highlighting sentences in the first few chapters as I adjusted to her writing because I kept being blown away by the vivid imagery and descriptions. The characters were NOT likeable, which usually doesn’t work for me, but the storyline was propulsive so I couldn’t stop reading. Something that didn’t work for me was how wildly unreliable the narrator was - I am tired of this trope and she was actively contributing to her own unreliability. I mean, all she ingested for weeks (months??) was wine and coffee. Just not realistic. And I think the storyline still could’ve worked with slightly less self-sabotage. But overall, this was incredibly creepy and very well written.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I had a hard time getting interested in the novel. After 1/3of the book, it picked up and I was able to complete it. The characters were interesting as was the storyline. I had an idea of what i thought would happen at the end, but did not expect the ending as it happened.

The Stranger Upstairs—Lisa M. Matlin

One night, a man took a hammer and smashed his wife’s head in. He tried to do the same to his daughter, but she managed to escape. He took his own life later, but the residents of Beacon say he’s still haunting Black Wood House to this day. The rest of the town won’t go near it—but Sarah Slade? Therapist influencer and author of a best-selling self-help book? Not only does she buy Black Wood, but she plans to live there until she’s able to sell it. It’s the perfect plan. What could go wrong?

It’s not long for Sarah to realize it’s everything. The house has too many problems, the town hates her, and her marriage and career are falling apart. Convinced the house is alive and the rest of the town hopes it kills her, Sarah quickly comes to terms with the fact that she’s all on her own. History will repeat itself, whether Sarah’s ready for it or not…

So, right off the bat: I really loved this book! It was chilling, creepy, and twisty—an absolute mind-bender in the best way. The things that were most intriguing about the plot were the mystery of the house, the town/town’s reaction to Sarah’s situation, her past, and ultimately all the little secrets she uncovered. Also, the way it was written—as in, the whole convoluted-ness of it all—I thought it was so well done that I didn’t know if what I was reading was all in Sarah’s head or if it all actually happened to her. Matlin did an amazing job at keeping me guessing. She also has a knack of capturing what mental illness feels like. Thought it was like one long fever dream that I loved sweating out. An absolutely fantastic thrill ride. Highly recommend!

Ok, so this review is going to be a little different, I'm not going to write a summary, there will be no rehashing of events, just straight up why you need to read this book.

I loved it, everything about it, it's dark and creepy and so twisted that it had me hearing every little noise in my house the entire time I was reading it.

There is so much depth to the story, so many twists and turns, and our characters are so well-developed that I kept forgetting that this was Lisa Matlins first book. There were little things here and there that made me think of some of my favorite books and authors and it was brilliant.

I know this one doesn't come out until September but I had to put my thoughts to paper while they were still fresh in my mind. I will be posting a full traditional review closer to the publication date.

If you're looking for a psychological thriller that will have you jumping, yelling, and begging for more this is the book for you, put it on your TBR now because this book is fantastic and I can't wait to see what comes next from this author.

I can honestly say this book gave me the same feel and the same sense of wonder I had after I read my first Stephen King novel, I didn't think I'd ever find another book that gave me that feeling, but this one did.

Awesome. Hooked me from the first chapter. Great plot, characters, storyline, everything. So so good. Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

This whole book I was trying to figure out how it would end and did not guess the ending at all. The house as a character was amazing and I love the thought that house keep a memory. Excellent ending that kept me guessing until the last page.

First of all thank you so much for the ARC. I am so grateful to have been able to read this book. Second of all this is a 4/5 read for me. This book is SO atmospheric and uncomfortable. I loved that a lot. The more I read though the more it felt like a Darcy Coates novel. But that's not a bad thing. Her books are really great. And this book is really great.

This author did an amazing job making you feel how the main character feels. From the excitement about moving in to when things went array. How ever the character felt you felt it. And I always love a story about a therapist who needs their own therapist. Though this one made me worry if my therapist actually likes me or not.

I read this book in a span of a week. Which is the longest its taken me to read one book but my daughter was home on spring break. So how long it took wasn't because the book was boring. I hope this book will get an audiobook companion though. So when it comes out I can listen to it while I'm running errands and or cleaning my home.

This is an excellent debut novel! Instagram influencer and wellness author Sarah Slade buys a “murder house” with plans to renovate it for content. The house seems to draw the dark energy from her failing marriage and hidden secrets. Soon Sarah doesn’t know what is reality and what is just her imagination.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC.

Let me start by saying I will not consider this as a thriller book.

The stranger upstairs is divided into two parts, for the most part it was good but I found myself bored at times. To be honest the way the plot ended was different than I expected and it was disappointing, this book had so much potential.

I would definitely recommend it to someone who's looking for a physiological thriller book.

I was hooked from the first chapter! What an amazing debut book! You really created big shoes to fill for your next book!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of "The Stranger Upstairs". Is it a mystery thriller or horror story? Lisa Matlin’s pulse-pounding debut novel keeps the reader guessing and on the edge of your seat. I absolutely loved this novel. I couldn't stop reading it and even dreamed about it! I can't wait to see what else Lisa M. Matlin has for us next! Be sure to add this to your TBR pile until. it hits selves on September 26, 2023!

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was different and unique and has an unreliable narrator but not in the classic meaning of that. It's hard to say much without revealing a lot but the plot goes back and forth with whether it's horror or not. I really couldn't be sure and felt the anxiety that the main character felt as her life fell apart. It was creepy and atmospheric.
It started a little slow for me but as it picked up, I couldn't put it down. There were a lot of themes explored in this story- marriage, family relationships, social media, mental illness, job identity...it's a great read!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Slade is not your typical buyer. Most people would never consider purchasing an infamous murder house for the sake of renovating it, but Sarah is no stranger to taking risks. As a therapist and self-help author, Sarah sees her purchase of Black Wood House as a unique opportunity to blog about the restoration process and distract herself from her failing marriage.

However, Sarah's dream renovation quickly becomes a nightmare. Her plans for custom avocado wallpaper and a lucrative profit are overshadowed by the disdain of her new neighbors and her estranged husband still sleeping on the couch. And despite the builders' attempts to mask the home's gruesome past, Sarah's discoveries of threatening notes, bizarre accidents, and unexplained noises confirm that something is very wrong with Black Wood House.

As Sarah's sense of reality begins to slip away, she delves deeper into the secrets of the house, peeling back the curling wallpaper to reveal the truth. But with each new revelation, she realizes that the deadly legacy of Black Wood House is far from over, and her life spirals out of control.

Most would run from a home with such a sinister past, but for Sarah, it's too late to turn back now.

Captivating story about an unstable narrator who moves into a home with a sordid past, and unwelcoming neighbors. Oh and the house may be haunted? Loved how this story unfolded, and it was delightful.