➠ ʙᴏᴏᴋ: The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa Matlin

➠ ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅs ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 3.81/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ Pub date: August 12, 2023 (out now!)

➠ 💭 If you want to finish this book and have those facial emotions 😳😅😬🤯 or you want to say “what the F,” do yourself a favor and read this book.

If you enjoy reading about any of the following: love, heartbreak, independence, destruction, natural disaster, confronting your fears, special bonds between family and friends, kinship care, etc, this book is definitely for you!

Sarah Slade (an individual with an eery past), a social media influencer and therapist purchases the Black Wood House with her husband. Sarah tries to conceal the horrific past that occurred at this home in order to bring in more sponsorships to further conceal her failing marriage and her underlying issues. However, once the contractors she has hired have weird things that begin happening to them, does she realize something might truly be wrong and someone might be out to get her. She confides with a friend at work who tries to help her, but she gets in a little over her head.

This book truly made me say What the F. I never expected the ending. Even when it was playing out, I still didn’t believe it. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but once I hit 50% or so, it did and I thought it was fantastic. It was a great debut novel and I’m excited to see what is next for this author.

Thank you Sourcebooks for providing me a #Netgalley of this book! #gifted

Never judge a book by its cover because I definitely didn't think this book was going to go the way it went. But in a very good way! It's atmospheric, creepy & eerie all the things you want in a haunted house novel. There were some chapters that were slower than others but that didn't stop me from enjoying it & very good character development. This was an amazing debut novel, can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us!

I cannot believe that this is a debut! I was hooked from the start and had to force myself to put the book down when I needed sleep! It's not very often that I hate all the characters in a book and end up loving the book. But this is the exception! I cannot wait to see what else this author releases!

I was enamored by this book. I LOVED the unreliable narrator. I enjoyed the "neighborhood" drama of this murder house. I truly didn't know what would happen or how. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and would definitely recommend this spooky thriller.

Sarah Slade and her husband Joe buy the Black Wood House, the setting of a famous murder years before. Sarah's plan is to remodel the house and document the entire process on social media to boost her popularity and hopefully gain some lucrative partnerships. But the town doesn't want her there, her husband doesn't want to be there, and even more so, the house doesn't seem to want her there. As the days pass, Sarah fears all of her plans are going far off the rails.

This was one that was a real mystery. There were so many unlikable characters - meaning all of them - that there was no clear person to root for. I couldn't figure out the explanation for what was happening to Sarah, other than that everything in her life turned out badly.

Definitely a well written story and it kept me interested throughout. It's a quick read with lots of action and twists and turns.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available September 12, 2023.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M Matlin

My rating:
4/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah Slade and her husband move into Blackwood House with the intention of renovating it. Blackwood House has a horrific past. Sarah starts to notice strange things happening to her and she starts to believe that the house does not want her there.


Okay this book genuinely blew my mind 🤯

I had no idea where this story was going up until the end and I did NOT guess the ending.

This was such a fast paced read that kept my attention. I also had to mention that I loved the main characters cat named Reaper 🐱

This was twisty, spooky and kept me on the edge of my seat. It is so refreshing to read a good thriller.

Give the author’s note a read at the end. It shares the author’s journey to write this book.

Overall I would absolutely give this one a read! I saw it was one of the Debut picks for September on Book of the Month! I was luckily approved to read an advanced copy from Netgalley.

I did have a couple unanswered questions so that’s why I didn’t give it a solid 5.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC! You can read this one now!

Took me a bit longer to finish this book, I couldn't read it at night! Wow, keeps you on the edge of your seat until the last page. Kind of creepy!

Sarah is a therapist and self-help writer. She also just bought a gorgeous past, with a not so pretty past. People have been murdered in her house. She got it for a great deal and is excited to renovate it. While she’s making the renovations, she plans to blog about it and get some social media points.

Things quickly become a nightmare. Nothing is going right. When Sarah’s cat ends up sick, she thinks someone is out to get them and is sabotaging their efforts. Something things to be making noise in the attic, and strange things are happening. Can Sarah figure out what is going on before the house gets the last laugh?

Ah this book! I love a good psychological thriller and this one did not disappoint. I wanted this one from the moment I read the blurb, and it lived up to all the expectations I had in my head. I am shocked that this one is a debut, it was really well written. There were a few plot holes that I was shaking my head on, but nothing major. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to read this one in one sitting, because it is completely bingeable. I loved the twists; they kept coming right up until the end. They kept me on my toes and wondering what was next. I enjoyed the haunted house in a small-town setting; it was a lot of fun. I also loved that while I hated the main character, I couldn’t wait to find out more about her.

If you are looking for an utterly bingeable psychological thriller, then check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you PRH Ballantine and PRH audio for review copies! The Stranger Upstairs is a wild story that takes on the haunted house story and unreliable narrator tropes and runs with it. I really liked this one in places but I felt as well that pacing was a little off, it took me a while to get into the story as I was struggling to decide what the focal points were (a messy social media influencer, a marriage that wasn't great, a haunted house threatening the MC and past occupants) and some threads didn't seem needed to tell the story (such as some of what was happening with neighbors or her husband). But I was sucked in anyway, which brings me to the well done examination of someone falling apart, which I think is very well done and an ode to the author for bravely sharing parts of herself in this story, I was moved by the connection she offered readers with her note and that helped me better reflect on how she developed Sarah's mindset.
This is a good one for haunted house fans, it worked really well for me on audiobook as it helped to get into hearing Sarah's story so I recommend the audiobook in particular.
3.5 stars rounded up based on reflection with the author's note

🏠 The Stranger Upstairs - Lisa M Matlin

3.5 ⭐️ This was a really solid debut and perfect for spooky season! Haunted house vibes, a spooky murder house, and unlikable, extremely unreliable characters. This one is spooky, mysterious, and has plenty of twists and turns.

Social media influencer, Sarah Slade has decided to make a move; into the notorious Blackwood murder house, which she plans to renovate and update her followers on her blog. The problem? No one in the town wants her there, mysterious notes start appearing, contractors won’t work for her, and she starts to think she’s losing her mind. As her life starts to spiral out of control, crazier things start to happen in Sarah’s life and secrets come to life.

So, I enjoyed this one. It’s short and the chapters are short so it’s easy to fly through it. I enjoyed the twists, turns, and surprises, but the ending didn’t do it for me. I thought it was spooky, mysterious and building so nicely and then the ending flopped. I wanted more and or a different result? I’m not sure. Overall, I thought this was a social debut and will fulfill your spooky vibe cravings.

This book is set in Australia one of my favorite places for book settings and was so excited it was going to be one of my first haunted house book reviews in The beautiful country. I was sadly disappointed however because although it has all the trappings of the great haunting it really was a letdown. With Sarah who starts the book letting everyone know her and her beloved Joe, who stopped sleeping with her months ago, we’re on the run. Just bought a murder house called Blackstone mansion and despite her relationship being in tatters and most of her life being a complete lie she was hopeful she was going to remodel The possible Haunted Mansion for her Instagram account then she would sell the house and make a huge profit. She was also she pretended to be a marriage counselor and a famous self-help author who didn’t believe none of what she spouted and hated her clients. She only considered herself having a good day when her clients were having bad ones. There was one thing I found creepy and that’s she kept referring to Joe as her beautiful boy… I don’t know why but that struck me strange. Now onto the book the house had a history of murder a man murdered his wife and wanted to murder his daughter who supposedly got away. This happened in the 70s and supposedly no one lived there since then or at least that’s what the strange estate seller told Sarah and Joe. While Sarah was out jogging because despite the fact she ate fast food ate nothing but trash and drink immense amounts of alcohol and smoked she like to jog to plan out her revenge on all the people she hates. While doing this a woman stop her and gets emotional calling her Amanda and Sarah wants to know why but when she starts asking the villagers they say nothing. I haven’t even mentioned the strange things that have been happening like the movie she found in her house that was her sisters favorite movie and all the post it notes she keeps finding around the remote mansion. when her flat face cat Reave starts acting weird and help to find one of the mansions secrets it changes everything but there was way more to come. If you read this book as a thriller I think it will be more enjoyable but as a haunting not so much. They do have some very chilling parts like with her cat the sticky notes but it all gets explained in the end and it’s not enough to call this a haunting. Unfortunately the end doesn’t make Sarah or Joe better people it just further explains how horrible they are but having said that I would be lying if I said I didn’t find the book interesting I was just let down with the whole haunted aspect when there wasn’t that much of the whole thing but they’re not they have lots of twists and turns in the book. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes

The Stranger Upstairs centers around a social media influencer named Sarah. She buys a murder house and plans to document the renovations all over her instagram. What better way to gain followers and promote her second book than buying a murder house? But is she truly alone in the house? Is the house talking to her? Does it want to be renovated? Why do all these terrible things keep happening to Sarah?

The premise of this book was SO promising but it really did just fall flat to me. I didn’t like any of the characters so I couldn’t relate to them or get invested in what happened to them. It definitely had spooky vibes and the ending leaves you guessing which is nice. The bones are good but I just had a hard time getting invested. If you’re looking for a more surface level book, you just might enjoy this! Giving it a 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

3.5⭐
With this beautiful cover, and interesting plot, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I was entertained from the start and read it in one sitting. An influencer and therapist buys a "murder" house to fix up and flip while she writes about it on social media to her followers. A modern day thriller that will keep you guessing.

Sarah Slade is trying to start over, she and her husband purchase the Black Wood House where a murder/suicide took place with the intention of recording the remodel on her blog. But things aren't as they seem when strange things begin to happen around the house. Accidents, notes left inside the home, someone knows her secrets.
She isn't sure who the threat is, and is beginning to wonder if it was all worth it. Will she be able to figure it out or will it become her undoing?

Thank you NegGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is kept different than typical thrillers I've read. At first I was so unsure where the story was taking me and I kept thinking "has Sarah been crazy this whole time?" This was wasn't a 4 star for me because by the end, it didn't *wow* me. I found it somewhat predictable but still enjoyable. I recommend this book if you like spooky houses, unreliable characters, and LOTS of mistrust and wrong-doings to people

This book is twisty and fun! I always enjoy a good debut! I also have to say I am obsessed with this cover. It may be my favorite of the year!

Thank you @Netgalley for my copy!

Could you live in a house where murders occurred? Sarah Slade thinks she can. Sarah is a social media influencer and hoping to gain fame and fortune restoring the Blackwood murder house. As the story unravels so does Sarah. This just out September 12th in time for spooky season. Grab it and check out who’s really in the attic.
Thank you @netgalley

Sarah Slade is staring over. As a social media influencer who just purchased the infamous Black Wood House (scene of a grisly murder-suicide 40 years ago) she plans on documenting the renovation process on her lifestyle blog. But as Sarah paints over the house's horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can't conceal every secret. She can't hold onto contractors, her neighbors are all suspicious, she hears things in the house, and her husband is away most nights afraid to sleep in the house. With every passing moment, Sarah's life is spiraling out of control - and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

For this being Matlin's debut novel, she sure knows how to keep a reader on their toes. I was immediately captivated by the writing, the mystery behind the house, and so many questions about Sarah and what was going on with her. I liked the hints towards why Sarah and Joe were starting over in this town sprinkled throughout, and the way Sarah narrates as the book goes on really immerses you into her spiral. Though there were some loose ends that I would have liked to see tied up, this book had me hooked and I absolutely could not put it down.

This will be a perfect book for people looking for a dark, thrilling read for spooky season!

Wow! This was such a PERFECT fall poolside read. Best combination of fast paced thriller mixed with spooky horror.

Sarah is a published self help author with a massive social media following when she buys a "murder house" hoping that the renovation would lead to sponsorships. Things aren't always as they appear...Sarah is not only in a struggling relationship with her husband, but she also has a secret from her past that could destroy her life.

This was a quick read and total page turner, making it a perfect book to bring to the beach for one last vacay in the sun. I just found the end to be very confusing. I had to read it a couple of times, and i'm still not sure i fully understand what happened lol.

Also--don't skip the authors note at the end.

I will absolutely pick up anything else by Lisa Matlin, and I can't WAIT for her to write another book!

3.5 stars rounded up. Bold and original and just the right amount of campy, Lisa M. Matlin's debut The Stranger Upstairs reminded me why I love depraved, unhinged narrators.

Meet Sarah Slade. She's a therapist with a bestselling self-help book to her name, and on the surface, she appears to have it all. She has a charming husband, a growing social media following, and a brilliant idea for her brand new lifestyle blog: She's going to buy Black Wood House, the site of a grisly murder 40 years ago, and renovate it, growing both her online following and her bank account through the sponsorships that will surely be flowing in.

But Sarah Slade also has some secrets. Behind the shiny happy Instagram photos and chirpy blog updates lie some darker truths: Her marriage is falling apart, she's hiding a sketchy past, and buying Black Wood house is a last, desperate measure to avoid financial ruin and (even worse!) online irrelevance. And after she and her husband arrive at Black Wood House, it becomes clear that someone or something is determined to bring Sarah's secrets to the surface -- no matter what it takes, and no matter who gets hurt.

I'm not going to lie, The Stranger Upstairs is kind of a messy book. There are some plot holes and odd time jumps, some characters behaving in ways that didn't quite ring true and some turns in the plot that left me scratching my head. But I finished it almost a week ago, and I've been thinking about it ever since: how much fun it was, how completely unique it was. It's this totally binge-worthy combination of haunted house horror, pitch-black humor, psychological thriller, and domestic suspense.

I love an unreliable narrator and can appreciate an unlikeable character if they're written well, so Sarah Slade checked all the boxes for me. The Stranger Upstairs is written in Sarah's first-person voice, so we are inside her head as tensions escalate and she begins to unravel. Interspersed with her narration are entries from her blog, which so perfectly juxtapose Sarah's reality with her online persona, and snippets from newspaper articles hinting at distressing events to come at Black Wood House, which kept me riveted and turning the pages to find out what was going to happen.

While utilizing a creepy, atmospheric, foreboding haunted house setting to her fullest advantage, Matlin explores the darkest parts of the human psyche in such a creative, fascinating way in The Stranger Upstairs. Add this one to your Spooky Season reading! Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the early reading opportunity.

I didn’t really enjoy this book. Sadly, It was too slow for me to keep me interested. I do think that it had a good start and I would try another book by Lisa. I do love the cover!