Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this ARC! I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn't quite do it for me. I like a little bit of hot mess in my stories but between the main character's unlikable personality, damaged past, drinking problem, failing marriage,and phony career, it really left me nothing and no one to cheer for. I will say that this was a super quick read and I really enjoyed the spooky details about the house, I wouldn't have wanted to read it alone in the dark!

This one was creepy! Sarah buys the Black Wood house aka murder house. Weird things start happening and we’re left to figure out what is going on!?!

This one is full of twists and the secrets revealed at the end were shocking!

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC!

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS
BY: LISA MATLIN

Five Stars+++

This was an interesting example of first impressions being not always correct. When I started reading this Terrific debut, I didn't think I would like it. Kathy from Random House who asked me to consider reading two books, that she thought based on my reading history, I'd enjoy. I said sure. This is the debut from Lisa Matlin, whose Gothic Horror novel is simply outstanding! I didn't realize it was horror, until I finished it, otherwise I most likely would have passed. When I realized it was set in an exclusive town called Beacon, near Melbourne, Australia--I was not looking forward to reading it, but I am super conscientious, when I make a commitment I always keep it. At first the local flora and fauna with some words that I didn't know what they meant, along with this author's use of coarse language, I thought to myself, just read this and get it over with. I couldn't have ended up loving this more. So my lesson learned is giving something that initially turns me off, a chance can turn out to be an amazing reading experience. I really highly recommend this, which is a genre typically I avoid. I am so happy that I kept reading, because I am very impressed with this novel. I know it is one that I am going to classify as a diamond in the rough. Forgive me for the cliche. I can't praise this enough, and I won't be seeking horror again, but this was exquisite!

I was told in the opening lines, that Black Wood House is an old Victorian Gothic, built in 1889, sitting on two acres. The very beginning asks in Bold print stating this: "Want a great deal on a house? BUY ONE WHERE SOMEONE WAS MURDERED! Here's the killer truth: A Brutal murder can slash the price by as much as 50%. But would YOU do it? Bestselling author Sarah Slade would." For clarification I most certainly would never want to live in ANY house, that I knew there was murder, no matter what! I don't care whether I'm getting it for 50% off! I told you that the beginning was a huge turn off. I saw this woman who was a fake therapist, with a bestselling book, with her dysfunctional marriage of no greater than five years as a turnoff in a huge way. What turned me off was mostly because of her harming those who sought out a qualified psychologist, looking for help, and her uncaring attitude towards those who were hoping for relief, by a bored, fake psychologist with a fake degree. she describes tuning out her patients as she daydreams, not listening to them, just pretending she is. She had this plan to renovate the house she bought, because it sat vacant for 40 years, and then put it back up for sale, in order to make a profit. I was quick to judge this woman, because she was so cavalier. At least her husband didn't boast about their plans, he was not posting the above on Social Media, like she did, he said the house gave him the creeps. So that is me judging this book, the carefree author as instantly unlikable. This was me saying read it and move on, be more selective in what you will agree to read.

Except I learned that Sarah was not really qualified to be a therapist because she had not earned the BA that she claimed she did. She had a fraudulent resume with a somewhat new marriage to Joe, who refused to sleep with her. She picked the bedroom with bloodstains where the former occupant murdered his wife, attempted to murder their only child, a daughter who got away, before he killed himself. I was saying to myself, "Hurry up and get this over with." If you can get past the beginning, that is where the graphic, gruesome, details end, and this house becomes its own character.

The neighbors are unfriendly and Sarah is someone who I began to feel very sorry for. Her husband is never around so there is this growing isolation in this house, because the neighbors don't like her. She develops insomnia, and the creak, creak, creak sounds she hears turns this house into a very creepy place that has stale air. The renovation that begins in the kitchen quickly comes to a stand still. Nobody wants to work in her house because of its infamy. The house starts to feel like it is alive, not wanting to change from the way it is. Sarah little by little begins to unravel. I started to think this house was haunted. I just want to say that the more I read, the creepier it felt. I know when you don't sleep over an extended period of time, it's possible that you can hallucinate. If you have trouble at work, a neighbor who wants the house demolished, and you hear noises, like Sarah is. She starts to feel nausea, develops headaches, and the house is easily becoming a scary place for a young woman to live alone. She is terrible at her job as a therapist with her not knowing, or having the capacity to help her clients from lacking the education, and formal training to know how to help those who place their trust with her to help them, she is dangerous to them. One day she gets told by a neighbor that she looks exactly like a young woman named Amanda, who used to live there. Sarah becomes obsessed with finding about what happened to Amanda. The woman seems to have disappeared. Her husband never comes home and her marriage is deteriorating. She suspects he is cheating, which it turns out he is. When Sarah confronts him he admits he is and he wants a divorce and moves out. There is one woman therapist who is nice to her, but things just keep getting worse. All I can say is the author was able to create suspense with the noises that the house makes. Sarah is losing clients, missing work at an alarming frequency, and her boss fires her. She is developing fevers, horrible headaches, and vomiting continuously. It truly was sinister. She thinks someone breaks in one night. Her only comfort is her cat named Reaper, who appears to be dying. When she has to take her cat to the Vet who thinks her cat was poisoned. She blames the man who has been mean to her for poisoning her cat. It's the same neighbor who wants her house demolished, whose property value has tanked. His Uncle is on the police force, who asks her when she calls, why she wouldn't leave his nephew's property when he told her to leave, this happened when she goes door to door of every neighbor, asking about what happened to Amanda? One thing after another happens to Sarah, without anything letting up.

Then at 50% in the novel, the author drops a major bombshell, that is so unexpected ratcheting up the creepiness to a greater degree. It only increases the creep factor towards escalating, which is impossible to predict this plot twist. I had thought things were already bad, but this is a major revelation, that is guaranteed to shock the reader. I think that this author has outdone herself. Things get more nefarious. Sarah gets worse. I wish I could describe how the author manages to scare me, but I was really convinced that something terrible would happen. Best not to spoil it for others. I was impressed with the descriptive way the house held me captive right up to about 98%, and most books don't begin to scare me, like this one, which grew more intense the more I read. It's absolutely convincing in that it's a realistic outcome. I am not experienced with this genre, and this is the last time I plan on reading a horror novel. This was enough for me & for those who have read the more famous horror Authors might not find this frightening, at all. With my limited knowledge this was unexpected in terms of what I usually read, so it impacted me, because I hadn't read the synopsis. I have a few titles that I've heard from horror readers, who have mentioned their idea of what they consider satisfying, but I really don't want to read them. Knowing about them is enough. Those who read horror regularly might be disappointed, that this isn't frightening enough, and I apologize in advance. This was not a paranormal or demonic at all, which I won't read. Ever! This one had a realistic explanation at the very end which was perfect. It made sense what the cause was with keeping me from having to suspend belief. I felt this was just enough to disturb me, but I have to give this debut author credit for her ability to surprise me by how much I ended up loving it, more than I expected, but hopefully I won't have nightmares from it.

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Lisa Matlin and Random House Publishing Group--Ballantine.Bantam for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheStrangerUpstairs #LisaMatlin #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBantam #NetGalley

One of my favorite thriller tropes is houses that are personified. The Stranger Upstairs is the paradigm of this theme — the house seems to be a living, breathing being. I don't want to give away too much about the story, but there are so many interesting plot points and twists. However, the end felt a little rushed and underdeveloped. I wish we would have learned more about some of the house's secrets and how the neighbors responded.

Wow! I loved this. This is the story of a couple who tackle the renovation of a 'Murder House ' where a murder/suicide happened. The locals are sure the house should be left alone. I felt the house wanted to be left alone due to the eerie occurrences, but I am a bit of a wimp who may or may not occasionally use a night light. Anyway, this book employs all the right devices to make you question exactly what is going on. The cat has to know there are supernatural forces working to keep renovations from happening. The locals know what is going on in that house. That's why they avoid it and don't want to work there. I felt like I was Sarah, hearing noise above my head, and wanting to find a rational explanation, This book was exactly what I needed. It struck all the right notes for a thriller/mystery. I know this will be a nice addition to fall reading lists.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc.

Sarah Slade is a social media influencer, author, and therapist. From the outside looking in, her life is almost enviable. She has a loving husband, a successful self-help book, and a growing fanbase on social media. While attempting to write her second book, Sarah and her husband Joe buy a house. They are able to get it dirt cheap because it's a "murder house" that has been sitting empty for 40 years. A man killed his wife in the home but that doesn't faze Sarah. Sarah's plan is to renovate the spooky house and document it for her fans to see. She also hopes to sell the home for a tidy profit.

It's soon revealed that things aren't as perfect as they seem. There are cracks in Sarah's marriage and they are both hiding secrets from their past. When renovations start adding up and strange things start happening in the house, their already strained marriage takes a hit.

Sarah starts becoming more and more scared and paranoid. She starts losing followers on her social media accounts. She almost believes the house is a living entity and it's definitely a character of it's own in the book. Every noise and creak has you wondering if Sarah is going crazy or is there really someone out to get her. Could it be one of the unfriendly neighbors or could it be the ghosts of the previous dead tenants? You'll have to read it to find out.

Sarah is a very flawed and unstable character but that only ramps up the tension. Her husband Joe is spineless and unlikable from the start. He adds to Sarah's stress level and paranoia. Will their secrets be revealed? Will they survive the renovations on the house?

I give kudos to the author for her descriptions of a small town in Australia. The cold eeriness of the forest bordering the property adds to the spook factor. There were a few words/slang that I was unfamiliar with but Google and an Aussie friend set me straight.

The Stranger Upstairs comes out September 26 which makes it a perfect start to the Halloween season. Cuddle under a blanket with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa and enjoy the goosebumps that this novel provides. This is a solid debut novel from Lisa M. Matlin and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy to review.

The Stranger Upstairs is Lisa Matlin’s debut novel, set for release 9/26/23. At 276 pages, it is a quick read, and I would describe it as more horror than traditional thriller genre. The story is based in Australia, and there were cities, words and regional references that were unfamiliar to me as a US-based reader.

The premise of the story is a couple, Sarah and Joe, buy a house where a murder/suicide took place, in a wealthy suburb that they otherwise couldn't afford. Neighbors want the house razed, but the Sarah wants to make some profit and prop up her Insta-cred by renovating it and posting about it. There is a mysterious backstory about the Sarah’s sister, and suspicion about several neighbors who are unfriendly and may be terrorizing Sarah and Joe. But are they? Soon Sarah begins to spin out, slowly losing her grip on reality. Who is *really* after Sarah? Will she figure out the mystery of the house? And what is the backstory about her sister?

I would give this a solid 3.5-stars, partly because although I like thrillers, horror isn’t my favorite, and the conclusion was clever, but not what I wished for. I'm rounding up to 4 because I like to support debut authors! Congrats to this new author and thanks to #netgalley for the advance copy!

Don’t read this one at night!

What happens when a haunted house meets a pathological mess? That's the question in THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS, where an externally glossy Instagram influencer with a failing marriage and an ugly past buys a house where a notorious double-murder took place. Intending to revive her husband's flagging interest and their flagging bank account by renovating the house and flipping it for a profit, Sarah becomes increasingly convinced something--the unfriendly neighbors, the stalker leaving her ominous notes, maybe the house itself--wants her dead. A fast, fun, gasp-inducing read.

The Stranger Upstairs gave me chills from start to end. It was a quick read and a mixture of thriller and something a little more dark. It was a good combination in my opinion, and very “entertaining” that kept me looking over my shoulders.

It was a enjoyable read with characters you will care about, some of them anyway, lol.

Thank you very much Kathleen Quinlan from Random House Publishing Group for the recommendation and approval, also to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy for an exchange of my honest review.

“The Stranger Upstairs,” a psychological thriller, features the ultimate unreliable narrator, Sarah Slade, who recently purchased Black Wood House, a Victorian Gothic that had been abandoned for forty years after a man bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer and attempted to do the same with his daughter, before killing himself with an overdose of pills. Sarah and her husband Joe Cosgrove hope to renovate the house and make a profit from the sale, featuring the progress of the renovations in Sarah’s Instagram feed.

But it’s pretty clear early on that Sarah is not who she seems. First, she admits to the reader that she and her husband changed their names after fleeing their hometown of Queensland after some unspecified horrific event. Moreover, she has faked her credentials as a therapist to land a job at Mercy Community, where her aberrant behavior costs her clients and alienates her fellow staff members.

In addition, she and her husband are estranged, and have been for some time. As a result, Sarah lives in the “murder house” alone, and is soon plagued by strange noises in the attic and even stranger behavior on the part of her cat, Reaper. She is soon convinced that both she and the cat are being poisoned. In addition, the reader catches scintillating glimpses of the future in short newspaper blurbs between chapters that hint at unknown bodies being found on the property. As Sarah’s anxiety ratchets up, her true self slowly begins to emerge and the reader is right there inside her head as she begins to unravel. The twist at the end is as unexpected as it is revealing. This book is sure to appeal to anyone who likes a well-crafted psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I recently had the pleasure of reading an early copy of The Stranger Upstairs. I fell in love with Sarah Slade within the first chapter and though I'd had a long and difficult shift at work I found myself reading the first 3/4 instead of sleeping.. Because once begun, you will be obsessed. Sarah and her husband Joe have bought a "Murder House" Sarah, who is a therapist and an author and a rising influencer plans to renovate it.. Putting the whole journey on her Instagram page. Sarah and Joes marriage is clearly strained and carrying multiple secrets. The town is bucolic. The house is foreboding. The townspeople unwelcoming. Even Sarah's cat, Reaper, is spine tingling creepy, and disarmingly charming at the same time. You as a reader need be warned: Read this one with all the lights on.. The writing is deep, dark, foreboding, and beautiful. It will wrap itself around you like a comfortable cashmere throw. Do not miss this one. I predict it will be the thriller to read this fall. Tank you Random House and NetGalley. Cannot wait for Sept. So I can get my hands on a psychical copy for my shelves. Lisa Matlins, keep writing!!

certainly compelling because i stayed up too late to finish it, slightly predictable (which is fine, too surprising of a twist makes it seem like the author did a bad job setting it up), kind of has Sarah Gailey Just Like Home vibes though that is more horror than thriller and I think better written.

Wow! The Stranger Upstairs is quite the debut. Bravo to author Lisa M. Matlin for writing an absolute wild ride of a first novel!

Influencer Sarah Slade is married and about to renovate a “murder house.” Black Wood House is the scene of a violent brutal murder decades earlier and it’s the perfect project to exploit on social media for likes and sponsors. Naturally, nobody is thrilled about her plans and life as she currently knows it is slipping away.

Again, I’m so impressed that this is a debut novel! It was well written, well executed, and well planned out and timed. The book becomes more urgent with each page. The twists are truly shocking to me and there are several of them! It wasn’t your typical out of left field twists that seems unrealistic or just for shock value.

Sarah’s (the main character) descent and character development from moving into the house to the end of the book is truly wild and manic and as the reader you can truly feel it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fast paced thrillers that keep you guessing and have you checking over your shoulder.

Lastly, the Author’s Note was heartbreaking and also shining with resiliency. This is such a powerful statement and I hope it reaches all who could benefit — do not skip it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House - Ballantine, and Lisa M. Matlin for giving me the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy. I can’t wait to purchase this when it comes out September 26, 2023.

Thank you to Random House Publishing/ Ballantine Bantam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book officially releases in September and, if you don't pick up another book for the spooky season, get this one. It's such a great read, and it blows my mind that it's a debut novel.

I read this entire book in a day. I could not put it down because I had to know what was happening.
Was Sarah Slade suffering from mental illness? Was she being stalked by her neighbors? Was she just paranoid? Or was Black Wood House actually haunted? Outside of the mystery aspect, the atmosphere and pacing created this feeling of unease and eeriness. There were certain points that had my skin crawling. (The weird wallpaper and bloodstain in the main bedroom being a big one).
And the characterization of Sarah Slade was so well written. She was a complex, nuanced character that I loved to hate. The house, too, was such an entity. Was it actually haunted though? Read and find out.

Just a few stray thoughts:
**The cover of this book is STUNNING!! And, fortunately, you can judge this book by its cover.
**The author's afterward was wonderful. Definitely give it a read as well. Lisa M. Martin was very candid about her struggles with mental illness, and I found it so inspirational that she would allow herself to be vulnerable and open herself up to the audience in that way. Makes me like the book even more.. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Incredible Debut Novel!

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin is an amazing debut novel. And here is why:

- Atmospheric thriller with an eerie house as a central character
- Blogs and podcasting incorporated in an artful way that moves the story forward
- Psychological issues/mental health
- Love/hate with the main character
- Ending that will keep you guessing

Follow Sarah Slade's mysterious and creepy story as she purchases a "murder house" with plans to renovate, share the journey on her blog, and make tons of money. All while showing up snobby, rich neighbors who act like mean girls from high school. The house takes on a life of its own, and this book will keep you up all night reading until the very end.

This will be a favorite read for me for 2023 and I am grateful to Lisa M. Matlin, Bantam, and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. I am writing this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

#lisammatlin #strangerupstairs #bantambooks #murderhouse #thriller

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC The Stranger Upstairs.

The Stranger Upstairs was a well written modern suspense story. I liked how the author included peoples addiction to social media as apart of the story. I think her adding that element had me hooked from the start. Most people have their favorite creators and reading this book felt like you were reading about one of them.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

I could not put this book down. There were so many twists and turns that just when you thought you had a handle on what was going on, the story would throw another curve ball at you and knock you for a spin. I Imagine it’s a lot like Sarah Slade must have felt as her life unraveled at the murder house. There was really only one likable character in the whole book, but the complexity of even the unlikable characters kept me interested in their story and left me hoping for them. This was a fun read!

As soon as I read the synopsis I knew this was going to be a good one!

Sarah buys a murder house that has been abandoned for the past 40 years, although she finds out maybe it hasn't been fully abandoned. She plans to fix it up in order to gain followers and sponsors.
Sarah and her husband move in and quickly learn that things are not as they seem.

The story is interesting and has a creative twist. I was completely unable to guess the ending and I love that about a book. I loved the atmospheric read with an unreliable main character.
This is an amazing debut and I highly recommend grabbing this one! The author note at the end is very touching and brought me to tears. Something I did not expect after reading one heck of a thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Stranger Upstairs" creates a sense of dread and suspense through the main character's confusion when strange things start to happen in her new house. Fast read, and well-paced suspense. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy mysteries set in (possibly) haunted houses. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.