A Man Downstairs by Nicole Lundrigan is a mesmerizing tale that weaves together suspense, psychological intrigue, and haunting narrative threads. When Molly Wynters returns to her hometown to care for her ailing father, she unwittingly sets in motion a gripping exploration of memory, trauma, and long-buried secrets. Lundrigan expertly navigates the complex interplay between past and present, slowly unraveling the tangled layers of Molly's recollections and the far-reaching consequences of her childhood testimony. The characters are richly drawn and multidimensional, each contributing to the palpable tension and mystery that surrounds the events of that fateful day. With a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the very end, Lundrigan masterfully ties up loose ends in a satisfying conclusion. A Man Downstairs is a riveting and unputdownable read that showcases Lundrigan's exceptional talent for crafting compelling and suspenseful stories.

Our MC Molly has moved back to her hometown to take care of her ill father. Molly’s mother, brutally murdered when Molly was just 3 years old. The book flip flops from past to present and quite honestly will keep you guessing.
Molly is sure she knows who killed her mother, after all who could make such a dire mistake??

Thank you to NetGalley,  Nicole Lundrigan, and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC copy of "A Man Downstairs".

"A Man Downstairs" immerses readers in a gripping tale of suspense and psychological intrigue, as protagonist Molly Wynters grapples with the haunting memories of her past while confronting present-day threats that unravel the fabric of her small hometown.

Returning to care for her ailing father after her divorce, Molly hopes for a fresh start but finds herself haunted by the violent trauma of her childhood: witnessing her mother's murder and the subsequent conviction of a teenager based on her testimony. As she delves deeper into her past, doubts emerge about the accuracy of her memories, leading her to question whether she told the whole truth during the trial years ago.

Rich in atmosphere and psychological depth, this masterful thriller is both a riveting page-turner and a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of memory and guilt. I highly recommend adding it to your list of must-reads.

When Molly Wynter moves back to her home town to help take care of her ailing father, the truth about her childhood is forced to the surface. 
As a child Molly witnessed her mother being killed, her testimony sent a teenager to prison, and the validity of that testimony has often been questioned.
When weird things start happening around Molly she starts questioning what she saw that night. 

This is a dual timeline, multiple POV book, keep everything straight because it can get a touch confusing at times.
This was a dark mystery and while the big reveal at the end was a little anticlimactic, it was still a twisted little story.

It was an enjoyable read, but did not have that "wow" to it.

I would recommend it if you are looking for a slow burn mystery. And if you can get your hands on the audiobook, the full cast reading was great!

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Creepy fun and original. Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

A Man Downstairs follows our FMC Molly and the tragic events of her mother’s passing that have haunted the duration of her life, stemming from a young girl to present day.

The story is told over past and present timelines and narrated from multiple POV, Molly, her father and a mysterious person tell their own stories as the timelines collide into each other eventually giving us the big picture as events of that night unfold.

This is a dark, psychological thriller where the “evil” is unclear. Is the bad guy one specific person or is it the small knit community harbouring disturbing secrets and decades old murders.

This is definitely the kind of book where not only one single person is at fault, but instead the various decisions and reactions of multiple people making one big mess and having unforeseen consequences.

This is definitely the type of book that makes you think deeply and ask yourself questions about morality and the psychological nature of people.

Thank you to Nicole Lundrigan, Penguin random house and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the first book I have read from this author.   I found it to be a very well written book. Often when a book jumps around from past to present it can be a bit confusing.  This is definitely not the case here. 

The characters are very well developed.  I especially enjoyed Molly's character.  Molly's past comes back to haunt her after she returns to her hometown.  In an effort to uncover the truth about what happened to her mother all those years ago her life becomes in danger.  I highly recommend this psychological thriller.

Nothing suspenseful or thrilling occurred during the build up of the story and it didn’t really pick up or peak my interest until I was into it over 50%. It almost lost me and I almost dnf’ed.

I would have liked this to be more twisty, thrilling and dark. Especially given its title, ‘a man downstairs.’ I kept waiting for a scary man to be downstairs, but nothing in the story correlates. (Spoiler alert)

Let me tell you, this book is creepy, disturbing, sinister!

I enjoyed the dual timelines plus the multiple POV’s, there was great character development with some who are just slightly flawed. Plus, the small town feel truly added to the mystery of it all and made it seem like everyone was truly a suspect.

Overall, 𝐴 𝑀𝑎𝑛 𝐷𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑠 was a slow burn, unpredictable psychological thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end!

I devoured this book in no time and it took me right out of a reading slump! This was a chilling psychological thriller/mystery with multiple POVs, sketchy and suspicious characters, and dual timelines. There was definitely a cup or two of messed up events and characters in the story, but what's a thriller without a little bit of twist? This story kept my attention from start to finish, without ever a dull moment throughout the 400 + pages, and an ending that did not disappoint. I do wish more questions had been answered regarding the sketchy behaviour of other supporting characters because I do feel that there were still a few loose ends.

A Man Downstairs is a story of lust, lies, control, paranoia, and of course, more than one or two cold-blooded murders.

This was the first book I've ever read by Canadian author Nicole Lundrigan and I look forward to discovering more of her books!

⚠️ Please note that there are several potential trigger warning in this book, including, but not limited to: postpartum psychosis, homicide, stalking, death of loved ones, domestic violence.

🙏 Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"A Man Downstairs" by Nicole Lundrigan is a gripping thriller that skillfully weaves together dual timelines and multiple perspectives to create a captivating narrative.

When Molly Wynters was three years old, she witnessed the murder of her mother. Now recently divorced and trying to start life anew, she must return to her hometown with her son to care for her father, who has recently had a stroke. A qualified therapist, Molly volunteers on the local helpline, where she begins to get threats about what she witnessed as a child in her mom's murder. The tragedy of Molly's mother, Edie, still lives on in Aymes, and as Molly's stay extends, she begins to question if she did see "a man downstairs."

The pacing keeps you hooked from start to finish, with suspense expertly maintained throughout, culminating in a satisfying climax. I found Molly'son, Alex, quite annoying due to his entitled and ungrateful behaviour. The other characters added depth to the story, and I was particularly interested in "him." I kept turning the pages to figure out who "him" was faster than I could piece things together. I particularly enjoyed Edie and Gil's story and felt extremely sad for them. Lundrigan's adept handling of suspense and pacing compels readers to keep turning the pages to unravel the mystery of 'whodunnit.'

Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse for the #gifted copy.

Heart racing small town psychological thriller! I was kept constantly guessing! Molly’s return to her childhood home to take care of her father turns into her recalling her mother’s murder while at the same time dealing with her own son’s problems. What really happened the day her mother died?

Molly returns to her childhood hometown to care for her ill father. She remembers a childhood filled with love but when she volunteers for a helpline she becomes the target of someone who knows her past and how a tragedy that unfolded may be more sinister than she recalls. A gripping story about the fragility of our memories.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced reader copy of this book.

A small-town mystery with not so perfect characters that are dealing with family secrets, neighbourhood rumours, and suppressed memories. This slow burn thriller has multiple POV, including a perverse unknown male, that take you through both the past and present as we looking into the murder of Edie Wynters. It is cleverly written in the way that the end isn’t what you would except and leave you wondering what twisty and eerie events may happen next.

Lundrigen writes about childhood memories so well to remind us that what we remember may not always be accurate, and how we perceive our parents may not be what we experienced in reality.

The characters were well developed and had that small town air in the way everyone knows your business, hears all the rumours, and has their own opinions about everyone. Alex, the FMCs son, wasn’t for me as I found him to be irresponsible and disrespectful for a good two thirds of the book.

Overall if you want a creepy psychological thriller, this is the book for you!

This was probably one of the best character driven thrillers I’ve read. Nicole really brought the depths of the characters to life & made me question so many of them.

This book definitely gave me creepy vibes & I can tell you the most shocking moment for me was….well, actually I don’t wanna spoil it. But let me tell you….you’re gonna be shocked!!!

This book has dual timelines & multiple POVs & what I like to call “Easter eggs” so…definitely pay attention to all the little details throughout the book. I made little notes with character names & things I found to be significant “clues” throughout the book. None of them prepared me for the plot twist though.

I love a good cold case & this one did not disappoint.

"A Man Downstairs," by Nicole Lundrigan is a must-read for fans of suspense fiction. It’s a riveting suspense tale that seamlessly blends character-driven drama with a gripping mystery.

Returning to her hometown due to her father's failing health, Molly Wynters grapples with the lingering shadows of her mother's unsolved murder from her childhood. The author masterfully employs a dual timeline narrative, alternating between past and present, which keeps readers hooked with each revelation.

The ensemble cast is richly developed, each harboring secrets and connections to Molly's past. As Molly confronts her memories and questions her own role in her mother's death, readers are treated to glimpses into the minds of other key players, including Molly's speechless father, whose perspective adds an eerie layer to the narrative.

Beyond its suspenseful core, the narrative delves into themes of marriage, trust, love, family dynamics, and grief, grounding the story in relatable human experiences.

The unpredictable twists and turns keep readers guessing until the final pages, with the author skillfully defying expectations in a satisfying conclusion.

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley, Viking Publishing and Nicole Lundrigan for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Unfortunately I found this book to be a very slow burn, and not in a positive way. Very little happened for the majority of the book, and the mystery in the current timeline felt very low-stakes, as nothing actually happened to the protagonist until the very end of the book. The last 50 pages or so picked up but the climax was not worth the wait in my opinion.

This was an ok book. It seemed pretty predictable and just kind of blah for me. The author was interesting to read though and I did like how it was written.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of A Man Downstairs by Nicole Lundrigan. I really enjoyed this book. Molly returns to her family’s hometown with plans to organize her father’s home after he suffers a debilitating stroke and discovers some long lost secrets from her past. As the key witness at a young age in a her mother’s murder trial, she is now questioning her memory. Dark and suspenseful.

Lundrigan is a master of characters and scenarios. I’ve had a whole lot of luck with her books over the past few years. When I saw she had a new story on the way, I was looking to get my hands on it.

This story starts off with Molly Wynters moving back home with her son to make some hard decisions regarding her aging father. Molly has a history that is crystal clear in her mind…but can you count on the memories that come from childhood trauma?

A Man Downstairs is a story that pulled me in with the characters; it goes back and forth from multiple points of view at different times. Lundrigan did a fabulous job of developing her characters, I needed to know where the story was going to go and to really understand the truth behind Molly’s past.

Lundrigan kept some mysteries hidden in the story. Right from the start we know what happened, but the who and the why is cloaked in mystery. As the story developed, my theories shifted and adjusted accordingly.

A Man Downstairs was a great story, it will definitely keep Lundrigan as one of my go-to authors.

*4 Stars