What I loved about the book is how Matlin builds up the suspense. Seriously, I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Every chapter had me second-guessing everything and everyone. I mean, do we really know what's lurking in the shadows? And let's talk about the characters! Sarah is such a complex and intriguing protagonist. Her personal life is falling apart, and the mysterious events in the house only add to her troubles. I found myself rooting for her, hoping she would escape the grip of the house's dark secrets. This story had all the elements that make a psychological thriller great - deception, obsession, and an eerie atmosphere that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I even found myself questioning my own sanity while reading it.

I feel like I have read several thrillers with similar storylines to this one recently (new couple moves into a home that was previously the scene of a murder), and so I didn’t have a ton of expectations going into it. I ended up enjoying it much more than I thought I would! There were several elements in this book that I thought were a fresh take on a popular premise, including the reveal which was so clever, in my opinion. I will say that the middle dragged on for me a bit, but the beginning pulled me in quickly and the ending certainly packed a punch.

Also, as always, a moment for the cover! 2023 cover artists have been all over it!!

Thank you to Random House Publishing + NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I read this a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it! It started a little slow but once it picked up I was hooked!

This book was a fun read. It's not one that is very memorable but I liked the spooky atmosphere and the surprise ending.

📖: The Stranger Upstairs
✏️: Lisa Matlin
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I found this book to be a perfect, quick read for spooky season, and learning that it was a debut was even better! Now I have another new to me author to follow for future books!!

Right off of the bat, I found Sarah Slade to be the most unreliable main character I've read about in a longggg time! I found her hard to relate to, but I didn't view this as a problem because she is chaotic! My heart broke for her, and I was rooting for her to get the help she needed.

The ending was absolutely WILD, and I did not see the reveal coming!

In the author's note, I appreciate the author for opening up and sharing a moment of vulnerability with the reader.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Things to know about me: I am a huge sucker for an unreliable narrator, particularly if alcohol is involved, and I like unlikable MCs. Check and check for this book.

Unsurprisingly, the first thing that attracted me to The Stranger Upstairs was the cover. I'm shallow. Seriously, can we just take a moment to drink in these colors? Next was the synopsis, which sold me on the idea of a social media influencer buying a murder house to renovate for content. And with gothic vibes!?

We love that. Additionally, it's from a debut author and is set in Australia. We love that even more!!

Unfortunately, due to over-extending myself, and I didn't get to it as quickly as I wanted to. Then the reviews started rolling in and some of them weren't the greatest. I started to get nervous. I started to prioritize other books over this one. It was a whole thing. Having now completed this, I wish I would have read it sooner. I thought it was so much fun; a gripping page-turner!

In this story we follow Sarah Slade, a therapist, who is also gaining some traction as a lifestyle influencer.
Black Wood House was once the scene of a grisly murder-suicide, and now it's Sarah's latest pet project. She and her husband need a place to start over, and due to its 'murder house' status, they're able to procure Black Wood at a ridiculously low price in a highly-desirable neighborhood.

Sarah's idea is to renovate it and she can use the renovation as constant content to attract new followers, helping her to reach the next level in social media status.

Her husband, not a fan of purchasing the house in the first place, can hardly stand to be there. He doesn't understand Sarah's determination with this project. Once the builders, hired on to help with the reno, begin acting strangely and having unexplained accidents, it appears maybe Sarah's husband is on to something about the malevolent nature of the house.

Nothing is shaking Sarah though, not even the threatening notes that begin showing up for her. Someone doesn't want her there. Is it the house, or someone else and is Sarah really willing to risk everything just for content?

There are so many layers to this story, but you'll have to read it to discover all the little avenues Matlin takes us down. Admittedly, the writing style took me a minute to get used to, as it didn't flow quite the way I expected.
However, after reading the entire story, I sort of feel like the way it was written matches Sarah's personality perfectly. It's like viewing the world through her eyes and I not only came to enjoy it, but I became extremely invested in it. If I had to compare it, I would say the style reminds me of Mona Awad's style.

I was extremely intrigued by the house and Sarah's motivations for being there. I did feel like the house had a lot of Amityville vibes, but it wasn't a turn off for me. I actually quite liked that. Sarah, as a character isn't particularly likable, and you might even classify her as unreliable, but I don't need to like characters to enjoy a story. Additionally, as mentioned above, I love an unreliable narrator, so I think this story was just set-up to work for me.

I also really enjoyed the mystery behind what was happening with the house. It had a great, 'is it supernatural, is it not'-intrigue to it that I always enjoy. As Sarah is coming more unhinged the longer she stays in the house, she's also simultaneously trying to figure out what is going on. I thought Matlin did a great job keeping the intensity up throughout and making Sarah's investigations into her circumstances believable.

I think as far as debuts go, this one is very strong. I think if this is the kind of story that usually works for you, you should absolutely give this one a go. It's tense and gripping throughout, with a very interesting conclusion.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am really looking forward to reading more from Lisa M. Matlin!

I enjoyed this book and finished it in a day! The twist was something I never saw coming! The plot was super intriguing from the start and I went in mostly blind. I found myself annoyed with the main character for a bit, but the book really took me by surprise and I found myself unable to stop about half way through! Although I expected more of a Haunted House vibe based on the cover and title, the domestic thriller was still fun and I was enthralled by the end. I absolutely loved the ending and the fast paced nature of this one made it super easy to read! Highly suggest as a new thriller to pick up!

This book was not exactly what you think! I loved that it kept me guessing, armchair detective and all. It was fast-paced, and thrilling which is what I want and need in a thriller. Also that cover is gorgeous, and makes me want to pick it up! Will be looking for more from Matlin in the future!

Would you buy a house where an infamous murder occurred? I wouldn't either, but I'm not Sarah Slade, and she's not like most of us.

But as she renovates the house of her dreams, things begin to happen that cause her to question her sanity.

This book had an atmospheric, creepy feel to it. I felt sort of claustrophobic in parts of it reading about the house. It's a good story.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved all of the twists and turns in this book! I thought I knew pretty early on what direction it was headed in but I turned out to be completely wrong! The characters were all very complex and well written and the story just has a way of sucking you in. It has some similarities to other books I’ve read recently but the ending was definitely original and one of a kind! I would recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators!

Ok I really liked this but for some reason it's not getting great reviews. I'm a gothic whore though, so that could be it (and I feel like people either really enjoy or really don't enjoy gothic). I love me a paranormal thriller with a haunted house setting and this one brought it. Plus, Matlin takes it a step further with the psychological aspect as our protagonist starts losing her mind while living in said haunted house. I had absolutely no love for our characters in this--especially our main character Sarah. But I did sympathize with her as she slowly spiraled into another type of madness (outside of her current out of touch with reality social media influencer madness). I especially liked the ending to this one and thought it was an engaging and entertaining debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Martin.

I always enjoy these types of thrillers! It has several components that I love including: a self-sabotaging main character, a couple that is struggling, and a haunted house. The ending had a nice twist as well. There was nothing that stood out to make this book memorable, but it is a solid three stars from me!

I'm a little torn on this one, because I didn't love it - but I do think it's pretty unique and memorable. The twist is truly something I could have never seen coming and don't think I've ever seen utilized in a thriller, but I can see how it might make people mad.

I did feel like it was a little plot-less but I had a good time reading it. A fun twist on a haunted house story.

The Stranger Upstairs focuses on Sarah Slade, a self help therapist who has made it her goal to renovate a murder house. Most wouldn't contemplate such as being a place to start over but for Sarah and her husband the idea was the best choice. It was what they needed. A new home. A fresh start.

The neighbors aren't so welcoming and many want her gone. She figured if anything the home renovation would jumpstart her presence once more in social media's graces... she figured that it would save her marriage... but she couldn't be more wrong.

Instead the house gives her random notes, footsteps in the attic, accidents and poisonings some impacting even her beloved cat Reaper.

As she continues to reside in the house and her marriage falls even more apart the chaos of the Black Wood house sends her in a down spiral. Her life, her marriage, and even her job fall away around her until she is left alone to handle her own insanity.

However, with reading the Stranger Upstairs the reader has to question was Sarah Slade really ever sane? Truly as the story continues we find that the one we know as Sarah is really no more than a mimic and the house just an envoy to heighten her state of awareness to become something new.

Needless to say the Stranger Upstairs left me intrigued and interested to find out what happens next. The unexpected plot twists and question of who was found dead in the house kept me turning the page. If you like a paranormal thriller with a rather unhinged main character then this is the book for you. Until next time, happy reading!

Sarah, a social media influencer, buys the infamous Black Wood House for a career boost and to hopefully save her marriage. The seemingly charming fixer-upper takes a spooky turn with mysterious footsteps, a ghostly cat, and messages from thin air. Instead of a typical horror story, it unfolds as a suspenseful journey, questioning the haunted house, Sarah's sanity, and her husband Joe's secrets. The characters, imperfect and real, add depth as Sarah unravels her past. Black Wood House delivers subtle chills and a constant unease.

I don't normally like to read scary books but this one sucked me right in and I finished it in a day.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin opens with Sarah Slade, a social influencer, starting her live over with her husband. The buy a house to renovate that happens to be famous due to a husband killing his wife and trying to kill his daughter before killing himself. When strange things start to happen to Sara, she knows she has to get to the bottom of what is causing these things to happen.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. The synopsis was intriguing, and when I received word that my request to read and review this book, I was thrilled. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Although I didn't necessarily like the main character, Sarah Slade, or her husband, I really wanted things to go her way and for the book to have a good ending. There were so many twists and turns that I wasn't sure what to expect. Whether it was a good ending or not, you'll have to read The Stranger Upstairs for yourself to find out.

Despite not liking Sarah too much, I was intrigued with this story from the first page and found parts of it to be reminiscent of The Shining by Stephen King. It definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and there were times I was creeped out.

Four out of five stars is what I give The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. Don't miss out on this suspenseful, creepy, and horrifying novel. I look forward to reading more stories from this author.

The house, itself, is the main character in this fine thriller. Well-written, dark, and attention-grabbing. I really enjoyed the writing and the cover of this book, but could care less for the characters and the cuss words.

I don’t feel this book is a life-changing thriller - one you’ll keep on the shelf for years to come after reading - but it is absolutely a great debut and a good “filler thriller” for a rainy day.

You can get through this one quickly for a fun and cozy afternoon of reading. But probably not alone, in a creaky house, at night, with pets who stare randomly into dark places in the house.

Highly recommend, but definitely not super impactful.

3.8 stars

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a quick read then definitely give this a chance since it's less than 300 pages. This book kept my attention throughout all of it and turned this into a one day read for me.

Most of the characters in this book are very unlikable but I'm pretty sure that's on purpose. But it was kind of interesting to be in Sarah's mind with how dark she could be.

I have a love/hate feeling towards how the book ends.

3.5 stars rounded up

The story of an influencer who buys a murder house in an affluent neighborhood with the plan to flip it for profit. The reader is given bits and pieces of the story as they read, but unfortunately more often than not, those morsels just serve to keep the reader going versus providing any substance.

There was great promise for this book. The subject is interesting - a mix of ghost story, odd neighbors and unreliable characters. I found that while the characters sought to have the story move forward, they ended up too unreliable to fully immerse myself in the story.

The writing is great for a thriller and I will certainly be interested in seeing Matlin's sophmore novel.