Another great book from Shalini Boland. Her books never disappoint. This one kept me guessing from the start and I couldnt predict at how it was going to end. It is a gripping story with a twist I could never have expected or imagined . Highly recommended

EXCERPT: 'Nina? Are you coming in, then? ' Zac's warm brown eyes beckon.

I realise I'm standing on the doorstep in a dream while Zac has stepped into the hallway. Suddenly, I'm giddy with nerves and excitement. I can't wait to get inside, but I'm also a little anxious. The one and only time we saw the inside of the flat was three months ago before we put in the offer. I knew we had to move fast to secure it. Property gets snapped up so quickly in this area. I hope it lives up to my memory.

ABOUT 'THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS': I should never have become friends with the couple upstairs…

The first time I step inside this cosy apartment with its sash windows, just minutes from the sea, I think it would be the perfect place for me and my partner Zac to start again. A chance to leave our troubled past behind.

Chris and Vanessa, the couple upstairs, are so welcoming: smiles, flowers, a home-baked cake. It’s strange how he does all the talking, and she seems so shy, but I’m just thrilled to have new friends nearby.

But everything starts to go wrong… my business begins to crumble, I can’t ignore the whispers at our housewarming party and loud arguments from upstairs keep me awake at night. I can’t sleep, I can’t think straight and I feel like someone is watching me in my own home.

And then Zac comes home one afternoon, his face clenched with fury, and says he knows what’s going on. He knows about my secret…

He won’t listen to me. He storms out and I’m left in tears, completely devastated.

Why has my life fallen apart since we moved here? Am I going mad? Or is someone trying to destroy us?

If only I’d known what I know now.
If only I hadn’t trusted the couple upstairs.

MY THOUGHTS: I have read, loved and rated books by this author at five stars in the past but, to be honest, The Couple Upstairs was a very average read. As I got to the 50% mark, I realised I was bored. I seriously debated not finishing, and couldn't quite believe I was considering doing this to a book by Shalini Boland! I had decided to read one more chapter - they are very short - when Boland threw me a curveball, and I kept reading.

Even though I kept reading, The Couple Upstairs was ultimately a disappointment for me. 'Average', and 'obvious' are the words that come to mind, and there's no way that I consider this to be a psychological thriller. No thrills, no suspense, and the psychological motivation is very weak.

Even though this is written in the first person, I didn't feel that I was there, living Nina's experiences. I didn't like Nina, or Zac, their families, or their neighbours. I didn't relate to any of them.

There were a number of things that seemed totally unrealistic to me, from buying a flat after only one viewing, to the end where (view spoiler)

Not a read that I will be recommending. This author can do, and has done, much better. Had this been the gripping psychological thriller it's promoted as, I would have read the 260 odd pages in one sitting rather than taking 3 days, as I did.

⭐⭐.6

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama

I: @shaboland @bookouture

T: @ShaliniBoland @Bookouture

THE AUTHOR: Hello :) I write suspense thrillers and dark adventures, and I live in Dorset, England with my husband, two children and our dog. I only write reviews for books I enjoy!

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Couple Upstairs by Shalini Boland via Netgalley for review.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

4.5 Stars

Shalini Boland is back with a superb psychological crime thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats barely able to catch their breath: The Couple Upstairs.

Nina and Zac’s new home was meant to be a fresh start for the two of them. Having been together for a very long time, their dream house was the new beginning they had been hoping for. Keen to leave the past behind, Nina and Zac hoped to put old ghosts to rest and to no longer be threatened by their past mistakes and regrets. As they open the doors to their new home to their friends and family, they also invite their new neighbours, Vanessa and Chris. Nina is keen to make a good impression on them and to prove that her and Zac are the sort of people they’d love to have living in the neighbourhood. But will letting Vanessa and Chris into their new home prove to be the start of a beautiful friendship? Or the biggest mistake of Nina and Zac’s life?

Just who is this couple they’ve let in through their door? Are they the happily devoted couple they make out to be? Or is there something far more sinister going on than meets the eye? Nina cannot shake off this horrible feeling that there is more to this couple than they are letting on. Could they somehow be connected to the spate of bad luck which has befallen Nina and Zac ever since they moved in together? Or is Nina letting her imagination run away with her? The pressure has lately been getting to Nina. Who is leaving all the nasty reviews about her business? And rather than bringing them even closer, ever since they moved in together, Nina and Zac find themselves growing more and more distant with each passing day.

Who wants to destroy Nina and Zac? Will they succeed? Or can they withstand any obstacle standing in their way?

Shalini Boland has done it again with The Couple Upstairs. A fast-paced, nail-biting and nerve-jangling crime thriller that will make readers’ hearts jump out of their chest, The Couple Upstairs is a tense, twisty and terrifying thriller packed with secrets and revelations readers will not see coming.

Shalini Boland knows how to pen an addictive and absorbing thriller readers greedily gobble up in one go and in The Couple Upstairs, she has once again written an outstanding chiller that will keep them reading all through the night.

You don’t really know your neighbors…. No matter how friendly they seem to be; There are always secrets behind closed doors.

Zac and Nina moved to a new beautiful apartment minutes away from the sea. Their move is a chance for them to leave everything behind and start fresh. Nina is excited to get to know the neighbors and maybe make friends as well. Meeting the couple upstairs Chris and Vanessa was extremely odd. Chris did all the talking and Vanessa his pregnant wife was super shy and silent.

Nina decides to make a housewarming party as soon as they moved in; inviting her friends, family and the neighbors. As soon as Zac and Nina settle in the apartment, things start to go wrong; her business starts to fall apart, she can’t sleep at night because of the arguments from the upstairs apartment.. someone seem to be watching them…

One day Zac storms in telling her that he knows her secret! and he won’t be able to stay with her any longer… What did happen? Why their life fell apart when it was supposed to be the beginning of something beautiful?⠀

The character development was well done. This novel might be short but it did have depth. I loved Nina and felt bad when no one is believing her....

This is my first book by Shalini Boland. I can safely say that this won’t be the last book I read by her. I could not let go of the book because she hooks you in. Such a page turner with twists you don’t see coming.

Such a brilliant writer. I feel like she knows what she’s doing which is amazing.👏🏽.

Thank you for the copy.

The plot is about zac and nina. Having known each other for 5 years or so they decide to buy a house together. Once they move in they meet their upstair neighbors - chris and vanessa. But then things start going downhill from there. Personally and on the work front.

Ninas business is on eggshells and shes is constantly worried about vanessa and if shes been abused by chris. But when Zac accuses her of cheating everything begins to unravel for her in seconds.

Shalini boland is definitely one of my fav. But this one doesn't stand out. The characters aren't fleshed enough and the story is wafer thin. The pacing and writing is good but plot itself I found silly. At least the way the author went about it. Especially the climax felt rushed without the thrill of a reveal.

Worth a read for boland fans..

The Couple Upstairs by Shalini Boland is a slow paced psychological thriller that was fairly absorbing.

This was a bit slow paced for my liking, but I found it interesting enough to keep on reading. At times I found it to be slightly repetitive and at times going back and forth in time, as much as I like it generally, it didn't quite work for me here, simply because I thought it was confusing,
While I liked the protagonists, and thought they were drawn well, I can't say I warmed up to them or rooted for them either. They were engrossing enough to keep reading however.
The build up was down well enough, but the ending felt kind of flat for me. I just thought that it would be more gripping and explosive.
I would have liked the book to be shorter or more fast paced as I think that would have added to the thrill of the whole story.
All in all it was a satisfying and engaging read.

Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for an advance ARC in return for an honest review.

This is my third Shalini Boland novel so I new that this was going to be tension, drama and suspense and this novel has this in bucketloads.

Nina and Zac have bought a flat in a converted house and are looking forward to their new start in their relationship. But there is something up with the neighbours upstairs. Things start to go wrong for Vanessa and she is left wondering who is out to get her.

This is a great read. Vanessa is genuinely terrified and has no idea why someone would want to sabotage her life like that. I did roll my eyes with the twist and I did feel that she might have been better moving onto her new life without Zac who for me was not a very good boyfriend.

A really decent four star read though, fast paced with lots of twists and turns.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Couple Upstairs' by Shalini Boland.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Shalini Boland, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 13th September 2021.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'One Of Us Is Lying and 'My Little Girl' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us.' I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Shalini and if this is half as good as 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'One Of Us Is Lying and 'My Little Girl' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists a prologue, 50 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Dorset, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. The fact that this book is based in England is even better as I have been on holiday in England many times so may even recognise some places Shalini has set the book around. I have in fact literally just returned from a holiday in Dorset!


This book is written in first person perspective with the main protagonist is Nina Davenport. There are also some chapters from the past from an anonymous (until the end) authors past. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.

WOW!! Where to even start?!? Firstly I must say yet again I was NOT disappointed by the very talented Shalini Boland!!! I started reading this book this morning and finished it in a day.

It is extremely well written as is every book I have read by Shalini with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline. The blurb and cover work perfectly with the storyline. Every single time I told myself I'd finish the chapter and then put it down and every single time I was left with a sort of cliff hanger refusing to allow me to put it down. If your planning on reading this I would recommend clearing your schedule!!!

Absolutely gripping storyline which I got completely sucked into. A great unputdownable page turner filled with suspense, friendship, family, deceit, mystery, love and lies. I loved the storyline, especially the shocking plots that I would never have seen coming! Not just one either!! There's nothing worse than when you have worked everything out and your not even half way through a book so a massive well done for that!! I definitely did not even have the person involved in my suspect list AT ALL, wasn't even close to working out what was going on, soooo many red herrings. I haven't been that shocked in a book in a while so WELL DONE Shalini!! I really had my head set on a certain person, I can't say as I don't want to spoil it but I'm sure many other readers will feel the same. I really could not compliment this book any more it is an absolutely gripping, addictive and shocking page turner.


It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

The characters were all well rounded and realistic with their own personality traits, strengths and weaknesses. It was very interesting watching how the bonds strengthened and weakened between characters throughout the storyline. I really felt for Nina as her world came crumbling down around her. I really connected with and became invested in her and my heart felt torn every time something was going wrong with her life. She had done absolutely nothing wrong and just wanted to be a kind neighbour and make friends. I couldn't stand Tricia and thought her to be really stuck up without any reason to be. I did originally feel sorry for the anon authour of the chapters from before but certainly not later on!! Loved the last chapter, something I love with Shalini is that she always seems to dedicate the last chapter to a certain character in books and really makes you want to see what happens and several times I've been left hoping and wondering if that storyline will be carried on.

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Shalini Boland for another absolutely fantastic success!! I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work!! I really would love to see your books on the big screen one day, I can guarantee they will be a success if they are even half as good as the books you write!!!

Overall a page turning, epic psychological thriller that will keep you thinking about it long after you have finished. I would love to see this turned into a film.

Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Romance Novel and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us and of course Shalini Boland and just anyone looking for an epic read with a twist. What are you waiting for?? Go grab your copy now!!!


304 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#TheCoupleUpstairs #Bookouture #ShaliniBoland #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@ShaliniBoland @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86

https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I’m on a roll at the moment with great books and this is another. What a writer. Great storyline, with good characters and writing. Couldn’t put it down. Absolutely gripped from the very beginning. Wow.

The Couple Upstairs definitely kept me on my toes.
This was a great suspense read. Thank you NetGalley!

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Shalini Boland's books just never disappoint me. This is another captivating thriller that had me wanting to snuggle up at night reading it in the dark, fully enveloped in the creepiness that just kept on building. Another unputdownable read from Shalini, with just the right amount of creepiness, dark characters and twists to keep you hooked and to be believable. It will have anyone living in their idealic neighbourhood side eyeing their neighbours. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐#netgalley #shaliniboland #thecoupleupstairs #tea_sipping_bookworm #litsy #thestorygraph #amazonkindle #bookqueen #bookstagram #thriller

Nina and Zac have purchased their first home together. Their finances will be stretched a bit thin but both are hard workers and, in the meantime, Nina is looking forward to watching her new business grow. She’s also looking forward to putting down roots and maybe even becoming friends with the people upstairs. But, almost immediately something feels wrong and before long Nina wonders if she and Zac have made a big mistake.

The Couple Upstairs is a fast-paced thriller. The characters are well-drawn and the plot is well-conceived. I always enjoy Shalini Boland’s books and this one is no exception. But, in the end, the way everything was resolved was a bit unbelievable. Furthermore, I had already figured out some of the plot and that hardly ever happens to me. Only the final twists came as a surprise and it seemed too neat and tidy. As a result, I would give this book 3.5 *s.

Even so, I still found The Couple Upstairs to be entertaining and enjoyable. I’m already looking forward to Ms Boland’s next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Nina and Zac are moving in to the downstairs flat of Mistletoe Lane, within minutes of them stepping inside, their upstairs neighbours Chris and Vanessa are there to welcome them with a bottle of wine and a homemade chocolate cake. Not long after having a couple of slices both are violently ill, food poisoning or the bug that’s going around? I know which I would put my money on!

Zac is a plumber and Nina is hoping her start up fashion business will take off, especially after having to change the name and branding due to a competitor. The flat is a fresh start and Nina’s dream come true. Then in the devious hands of Shalini it all turns into a nightmare….

Nina reminded me of Nicole Kidman’s character in The Stepford Wives. She knows something is wrong but can’t quite put her finger on it but is determined to get to the bottom of it, regardless of the consequences. Zac was your stereotypical man, duly unconcerned and ignorance is bliss. I am definitely in the Nina camp, if I heard furniture being thrown around and shouted arguments I would want to know what was going on too. Chris is definitely an odd one and what’s with the ignoring Nina and only speaking to Zac business? It isn’t 1950 and it’s all a bit strange.

The pacing was fast as always, the neighbourhood is full of creepy characters and if you enjoy being a bit weirded out then I would say this is the book for you. On a final note I’m a reader who loves extras, prologue, epilogue, you name it I’m in and to get both was the icing and that final sentence was the cherry on top!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This story is what I'd consider slow paced. I felt quite bored reading this and while I understand how the situations are stressful the writing doesn't make them feel that way. Ultimately decided I won't be finishing this one, I'm pretty sure the ending is predictable and while i can't guess the motive I'm just not interested enough to find out.

Nina and Zac are excited to move into their new home on Mistletoe Lane. They’ve bought the downstairs flat, and the couple who live upstairs seem like great neighbors. Chris is confident and outgoing while Vanessa is shy and reserved but excited about expecting their first child.
Soon after they move in though, things start happening that can’t be easily explained and Nina thinks that for some reason Chris is trying to break her and Zac up. But there’s much, much more to the story.
Although there’s lots of predictability in this, there’s enough events leading up to it that you’re still left pondering whether or not it is actually predictable.
There’s more than one character that is questionable and as Nina’s stress level ratchets up, the tension becomes palpable.
Grab this one and prepare to buckle up!
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review

I always enjoy a book by Shalini Boland and this was no exception. She is a wonderful author of tense and gripping psychological thrillers and this is in that genre.

The couple upstairs introduces us to our main protagonist, Nina, who is moving into her dream flat with partner Zac in the lovely Mistletoe Lane. They have high hopes for their life there and her new business venture which she has named after their new address. Nina and Zac meet and try to befriend the upstairs neighbours Chris and pregnant wife Vanessa but she seems oddly subdued and he seems loud and menacing.

Fast forward to the business failing, the relationship of Nina and Zac under stress with crashing revelations made to Zac by neighbour Chris and the couple upstairs making noise day and night. Why has the dream become a nightmare and why will no one believe Nina?

Told over two timeframes there is a clever twist that makes itself known close to the end and keeps the reader enthralled. Good storyline and characterisation which make for a recommended book for those who enjoy this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

From chapter one, you know that there is something wrong about the couple upstairs. Nina and Zac's new home was supposed to be a new beginning from them, but little do they know what lies in wait for them at their new home. While I really liked the book at the start and through at least 60%, I wasn't really a fan of the ending or Nina and Zac's relationship, but again, that's just a personal opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Rounded up from 3.5

It's been a while since I've sat down with one of Shalini Boland's psychological thrillers, so I was very much looking forward to getting stuck into The Couple Upstairs.

Nina and Zac move into a new flat together. It's meant to be the start of something great for them, especially with Nina's new business, but everything starts to go wrong for them and pushes them to a breaking point.

The Couple Upstairs starts off gently, with little things that may be accidents or mishaps, but slowly becomes more and more tense as the author amps up the stakes.

Nina was a well-drawn character. She seemed to be just trying her best, under so much pressure, which made me like her. I'm being honest, Zac kind of annoyed me through most of the story. I can't go into specifics in case of spoilers, but boy could he have done with a smack sometimes.

I felt this was more of a whydunnit than whodunnit, but finding out the motive, the why of it all, kept me hooked until the end. Also, it wasn't too dark or disturbing, so perfect if you want a psychological thriller that isn't too heavy.

The Couple Upstairs is a fast-paced thriller that was intriguing from beginning to end.

Dear writer you done a great job. I enjoyed this book from the start. Gripping and right paced. I was on the edge with the main character all the time. When you know something is not right and you and you can not belive what really happened.

Story is simple but it is great like that. A couple come to a new appartment and the troubles begins. It happens a lot. And there are neighbours who behave so strange and the couple has mixed feelings. Everything begins to fall apart but at some point all is puzzeled. But it is there stil hope to solve everything?

BOOKWORMS Review: As always Shalini delivers with this completely engrossing thriller . Zak and Nina find their new start at 15A Mistletoe Lane,the lower level of a double apartment. Nina is running her own online fashion store which she has renamed after her new abode and Zaks a plumber working for himself.
They've met the neighbours from above pregnant Vanessa and Chris her husband. All seems well at first but things start to slip. Ninas business starts to suffer bad reviews,the couple upstairs are almost becoming rude,with Vanessa hardly leaving the flat is something up with her and her husband? But Zak seems totally oblivious to the rudeness,the rows,the weirdness of the while situation and is enamoured with the ever charming Chris.
Is someone sabotaging Ninas business and if so why? Mistletoe Lane is not the fresh start they'd hoped for. Will keep you flipping the pages.

With thanks to Shalini Boland,bookouture and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.