I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It’s available now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

Sarah Slade is a popular influencer and author, and she’s just purchased a neglected house that she intends to remodel and document on her lifestyle blog. Black Wood House was the site of a grisly murder-suicide 40 years earlier and has sat empty for the majority of time since then. The more Sarah tries to make changes to Black Wood House, the more it seems like the house doesn’t want to be changed. Meanwhile, Sarah’s life is unraveling. Her husband is distant, her blog isn’t going well, and neither is her job as a therapist. With her life spiraling, Sarah’s connection with reality begins to fail.

I really, really liked this book. It was equally riveting and terrifying. I wasn’t sure if it was a ghost story or a psychological thriller, but I was rapt. This is the author’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

This is my first book by Matlin, but I doubt it will be my last. The story gripped me from the start and maintained a good pace throughout. The characters felt a little distant, but overall, an engaging read!

A house full of secrets and that is just the beginning. Sarah had so many visions for this house and her marriage but nothing is what it seems. This one kept me guessing!

Huge thank you #randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

The storyline had potential. A social media influencer/therapist/author, Sarah Slade is trying to make a comeback blogging about her recently purchased “murder house”. Unfortunately, this one fell short for me on many levels.
The writing was mediocre at best & was confusing at times. The characters were unrealistic & the repetitive scenarios made me lose interest quickly.
Thank you to #NetGalley & #TheStrangerUpstairs for the ARC. My review is strictly voluntary..

I wanted to love this, but unfortunately I was not a fan of the female mental health aspect which I feel is so overplayed in stories and this was no different. It was a fast read and the ending was not what I was expecting and really shocked me! For a debut, this was decent overall and I’ll be looking forward to what comes next from Matlin.

Y'all, I wrote a whole review of this book, and it didn't save. My autosave feature failed me. :(  So, I'm going to do my best to remember what I wrote.

I know that I loved this book. I took my time reading it at night. It was creepy, and I love creepy. I live on an island, but I live in the woods. I refused to read this during the day and only at night to make sure I got the max creeped out effect.  I mean, who doesn't love a book about a haunted house? 

That ending got me!! I 10000% did not see that coming. The reason why everything was happening surprised me!! The whole book had me hooked and invested, and I freaking loved every second of it. 

This book reminded me of the House on the Hill. I read the book forever ago and can't explain exactly why this reminded me of it. It could simply be the haunted house thing. 

I would have never guessed it was Lisa's first book. You can bet all your pennies that I will be requesting the ARC of her next book whenever it comes out. You know I'm an impatient lady and will not want to wait for PUB day whenever that might be. 

Read This Book If:

👻 you want to say, "WHAT THE WHATTTT?" Multiple times during the reading of a book

👻 You love being creeped out

I'm so glad I bought a copy to keep forever!

If a house could talk it would be the Blackwood house in The Stranger Upstairs. A creepy novel that makes the reader wonder if they are reading things correctly. In the realm of the Silent Patient, this is a twisty book. The ending however, left a little to be desired and I wished the final chapters had been different.

Ah, that feeling when you read the perfect book at the perfect time - that was The Stranger Upstairs. I was in the mood for a creepy thriller and this one was perfect!
The main character is a fairly unlikable social media influencer named Sarah. Sarah buys an old abandoned house in the hopes of fixing it up and making lots of money. She also hopes the project may bring her and her husband back together. The only problem is that the house was abandoned because of a murder-suicide and it looks like she made a big mistake.

First of all none of the neighbors want her redoing the house, they just want it gone. And, it seems as if the house doesn’t want to be redone either. As Sarah sleeps in the room with the bloodstain still on the floor and drinks copious amounts of wine, she becomes an unreliable narrator.

Totally creepy, I enjoyed every minute and found myself sneaking away to read all during the day.

HOLY CRAP, this book scared the bejeezus out of me! (Cue Chandler Bing from Friends here....) While reading this, I could barely sleep and actually felt like this creepy house was haunting ME. I honestly can't believe this is a debut novel, as it was so tightly constructed and kept me engaged (and guessing) throughout. I will definitely be looking to read future novels from this author. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this book. My reviews are spoiler free and freely given.
The Black Wood House is the site of a murder suicide, has stood empty for years, and has recently been purchased by a young couple determined to renovate it. But this house does not want to be changed.
Strange occurrences and threats soon begin to take their toll, leading to a tragic outcome.
The author excels at making you question what exactly is happening and the motivations driving both the main characters and the secondary characters within the town. Well done.

I absolutely loved THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS. There were so many layers to the story that it kept me guessing as each one was peeled back one by one. I am excited to see what is next from this author.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This cover is amazing! It’s the first thing that caught my eye. As a debut novel, I think it did okay! Thank you for the ARC in return for an honest opinion.

What did I enjoy?
• I really enjoyed the first third of the book. I could almost see it being a TV show..
• thriller + horror elements
• unreliable narrators
• fast paced

What could have been better?
• kinda over the “unreliable alcoholic single women” trope
• I’m not sure if it was just me, but the writing felt almost immature. It felt a bit YA or unedited. It definitely made me pull away from really enjoying this book.

I was hooked from the start. This book is truly a creepy thriller that had me guessing the whole time. There was a good amount of characters and suspense. And the setting really added to the whole experience. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

This was a super enjoyable read. I loved the premise and the setting. The main character, Sarah, was a bit annoying but definitely interesting. This was a really creepy twisty story, and the ending was completely unexpected.

Sarah Slade is an influencer, therapist, and… a woman on the run? Sarah clearly has some secrets beneath her glossy exterior, and watching them unravel was quite a ride! For a while this book felt like Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark, but I appreciated the explanation and the ending of this book more. A great read, and I’ll be watching for the author’s next release! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

A mostly single POV that in my opinion should have had so many more to it. I did love all of the news articles pointing to more and more murders at Black Wood House which really helped build the suspense. With no names given in the articles it really made your mind wander and come up with more ways that the story could unfold, all of which, I was wrong. I felt as though Sarah's character droned on a bit too much at times, but was still a solid MC. I enjoyed the spookiness vibes the book gave off, and all in all felt like it was a great debut by Matlin. (3.5)

What an absolutely riveting book!
I could have read this entire story in one sitting if not for the responsibilities of adulting.

I may end up being the odd one out here, but I loved every ounce of Sarah’s character, all the way to the very last words.

If you love a good, crazy, potentially paranormal/supernatural/very lightly haunted house suspense read this is the book for you.

There was so much anxiety and tension and “wtf is going on” throughout this entire book. It was exactly the kind of wild ride I’ve been searching for.

100% recommend, again and again!

4.5 stars

I honestly regret taking so long to finish this book I think I was in a bit of a slump. From the mental health representation in this book as well as the amazing way that this was written, I’m surprised this book isn’t related higher. There were a few scenes that had me on the edge of my seat that I can say I haven’t felt very often lately with a lot of thrillers. I sat with this for a bit as I was hoping for some other conclusion to this on trying to decide what I wanted to rate it. I can honestly say the twist didn’t make me mad or make the story any lack luster. If you want to read something that you’re not sure where it’s going to go or if anything can get any crazier but also go where you aren’t thinking it will, read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

#netgalley