Buckle up for this book review, because we are about to go through all the pain and annoyance this book caused. Spoiler alert; it was A LOT.

I was very excited when I first saw this book cover. It is absolutely stunning. Then I read the synopsis, and I was even more excited to read it. A social media influencer/psychiatrist buys a murder house and plans to renovate it, but the house has other plans and absolute chaos ensues? Sign me up. This book should have been a slam dunk. Unfortunately for everyone who read it, this book was anything but.

I don’t mind unreliable narrators, but if I read one more book where it’s a female with a drinking problem, I will roll my eyes out of my freaking head. Of course, she’s the only one who’s really noticing all of the weird things happening in the house and *shocker* no one believes her because she is drunk all the time. The rest of the characters were terrible as well. The only good character in the book is the cat, and even Reaper deserved better than his stupid owners.

Throw in some details about her failing marriage and a garbage ending, and that’s the book. If I had been reading a physical copy of the book, I would have thrown it. This book is terrible. Please don’t waste your money on it.

3.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ Melbourne, Australia
Publication date ~ September 12, 2023
Est page Count ~ 278 (39 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 6 minutes
Narrator ~ Fiona Hardingham
POV ~mostly single 1st, with an extra POV towards the end
Featuring ~ debut, 2 part story, unreliable narrator, secrets, diary entries, animal cruelty

Neighbors are not too thrilled when Sarah buys the Black Wood House, aka The Murder House, at a fraction of the cost in order to fix it up. I love a good deal, so I could see myself doing something like this.

All characters are pretty unlikable, including Sarah's absentee cheating husband, Joe. But you can't really blame him due to the reason they are married. That's an extra secret from the past that's slowly revealed.

It has a creepy atmosphere vibe. which made me eager to know what was going on upstairs. I didn't like what happened with Reaper the cat, but it was imperative to the story.

Is the whole plot believable in the whole scheme of things, no not really, but is was a pretty good debut. I didn't see the conclusion coming and for that reason I decided to round up my 3.5.

I appreciated the author's note which shared her personal story of her struggles with mental illness.

I was able to listen to a copy as well.
Narration notes:
I think she did a fantastic job with proper emotion when necessary. Her actually saying creak in a creaky voice was pretty funny.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

Sarah, a striving social media influences an therapist decides to buy a murder house to flip for the $$$ but the house has other plans. This is a book I still think about weeks later. It had me hooked and i had to keep reading to find out what was going on in that house. The main character is unreliable and she spirals towards the end which make this book even more intriguing. The twist involving Sarah threw me off but I think the ending left some cliffhangers which I, personally, don’t enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review

This was very Edgar Allen Poe-esque. I got Tell Tale Heart vibes as I was reading. I really enjoyed this book.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

For a debut novel, I am very impressed. A great thriller, but it was definitely a scary one. I had to read this one during daylight hours. Very creepy.

kinda disappointed, i just think this book was not for me but i think a lot of people would enjoy it!! if you like mystery i would recommend! i did like the writing and would totally read more books from this author, just this one wasn’t for me, but maybe it is for you.

I was excited to read “The Stranger Upstairs” for the novel based on the description and great cover. Overall would rate as a 3 out of 5 stars. With a struggling couple whose marriage is trouble, they buy a house in the hopes of they are able to turn a profit and fix her (Sarah) marriage. Bit creepy and haunted with a murder house and overall a good read.

I just finally read this book
I did like there were some plot twists, however they felt more like plot holes.
Given that this book is a debut I’m rounding it up a star.
.5 for having a cat
Speaking of the cat was my favorite character


There was definitely 4 star potential, however character relationships and background didn’t feel very developed to me. There was a lot of important details missing by leaving the background out and some other major details

If you are looking for a fast but slightly frustrating psych/mystery thrilller with a semi-gothic house than I suggest diving in.

3.25
Thanks NetGalley!

The Stranger Upstairs is exactly what a psychological thriller should be! Full of twists and turns and everyone’s sanity is questionable.

A troubled woman with secrets + a murder house. What could possibly go wrong? A LOT!

I was curious about this debut novel surrounding a murder house. Sadly, it proved to be just an ok read/listen. There were things that I enjoyed - the frantic tension, the MC’s unraveling, the creepy AF house, the interspersed news sections that highlight the crime. It was definitely an atmospheric read and gave off lots of tense, what the hell is going on here vibes.

Sarah Slade was the kind of character you aren’t sure if you like, let alone truly want to root for but also can’t seem to look away from. She buys a murder house, at a steal (bc of course no one in their right mind wants to live there) and hopes to renovate and flip it, all the while documenting it on social media. We quickly see that this therapist and self help social media star’s life isn’t all it looks to be on those carefully curated squares and posts. She’s one hell of an unreliable narrator and a certifiable train wreck. I was here for her downward spiral and the escalating creepiness. Yet sadly, the overall story felt long and had too many plot holes I could

I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley! Sarah Slade is a therapist and a self-help writer slash influencer who has just moved with her husband to an old house in a wealthy town. She’s decided that renovating the house will make great online content, and they got an amazing deal on the house because it was the location of a murder years ago. She’s also hoping it serves as a bit of a fresh start for her marriage, which is not in a great place. Instead, though, lots of strange things start to happen – weird interactions with neighbors, major snags with the renovations – and keep getting stranger and stranger. I had a few moments while reading this book where I wasn’t sure what was real and what was in Sarah’s head! It’s a good “spooky season” psychological thriller.

Not often does a book surprise me. I have to say this one did! It also renewed my fear of the dark lol! This was the perfect spooky read with a sidekick cat named Reaper! (How Stinkin’ cute) Very interesting plot and it kept me wanting to turn the page to see what else was going on. It was overall a fun read! This is my first time reading this author but not the last!

Would you buy a house where a brutal murder took place? Well influencer/ therapist Sarah Slater did m, she bought Black Wood House. She compares fixing the house to how she helps fix her patients, and she believes once her followers see this, she will sell the house and make a ton of money. Behind closed doors Sarah’s marriage is falling apart and you begin realize Sarah has a dark past she’s running from. Sarah begins to realizes the "murder house" is more than she signed up for, it has peeling wallpaper, strange occurrences at night, contractors refusing to come out and help, and the neighbors have made it very clear she’s not wanted there. We watch as Sarah begins to spiral out of control becoming paranoid and insisting that she hears the previous murder victims echoing in her ears: "Don't kill me. Don't kill me. Don't kill me."
Sarah with her cat reaper are left alone to confront the house and she wonders . . . is it all worth it? Is someone lurking in the dark or is it the house forcing her out?

Hmmmm…… how do I feel about this book? On the one hand I think it is an okay and atmospheric thriller with some genuinely spooky moments. A social media influencer, a murder house where the echoes of the angry dead still linger…….. Are these supernatural happenings or is our wine guzzling heroine simply losing her mind?

But wait….. I think I’ve read this book before. I think I’ve read it in various subtle variations many times and that is where the problem lies for me. Lack of originality. And as someone who enjoys social media, murder podcasts etc , they are swiftly becoming a played out trope for me. I think I’ll pass on thrillers featuring them for a while.

Thank you to @NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5

The Stranger Upstairs is about a married couple that buy a famous murder house as a fixer upper. Sarah is hoping to gain more followers by documenting her journey then turn around and sell it for a profit, but strange things start happening and she is forced to decide if it is all worth it. I did like the beginning and learning about the history of the house and the crime that took place there. Yes I am a true crime fan. But the way the book was set up I expected more of a ghost story, kind of like The Amityville Horror. This had many twists and turns to it that made me want to continue reading it. If I knew going in it was going to be more thriller than horror I would have been more willing to give it a 4 star rating.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

I went into this book ready to love it, and I'm afraid I just didn't. Sarah has purchased the "murder house" after 40 years of sitting empty, hoping to renovate and sell it for plenty of $--but the house doesn't seem to want to be renovated. Strange things keep happening, and no one wants to work there. She is also a therapist who very clearly has lots of her own problems. She and her husband have serious tension between them. She's of course also an alcoholic, which just feels like the go to issue for female thriller characters to have. In general, I just didn't quite ever get into the groove of this book. That said, I'd try another one of this authors books in the future.

Man, this one got me. I was genuinely scared reading this book - which never happens to me. I did not see the ending coming at all. I really enjoyed the twist and turns of this book and would highly recommend it to others. Looking forward to the Author’s next book.

What a debut! The cover is also absolutely gorgeous! This book is creepy and messed with my mind. The protagonist is one that you hate to love or love to hate? Not sure which as I was reading. To me this book had touches of horror to it. The plot kept me intrigued the entire time. I cannot wait to see what Lisa Matlin comes up with next!!

I really tried to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The storyline was repetitive, and I just wanted it to move on. The idea of it was interesting, but it couldn't hold my attention for long. At times, it could be humorous, but overall, I didn't connect with the book. That being said, I think there will be other readers that really do enjoy the book. Find out for yourself.

I gave it three out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title.

This was an atmospheric psychological thriller with a touch of horror. A murder house and a woman unraveling can't turn out well.....Not to mention all the secrets she is hiding and a marriage on the rocks. Put all this together,and you're in for a twisty tale where you are kept guessing where things are going. A good solid debut. I'll be looking for more from this author.