This is a hard book to review. It's very easy to get caught up in the mess that is this woman's fractured mind. The story is fascinating and terrifying at the same time, yet I had trouble putting it down.
Sadly, mental illness is a common problem that, to this day, continues to be swept under the rug and hidden behind closed doors, and until that significantly improves, life will be horrible for many of those who must deal with this problem every day..
Don't ever stop writing, Ms. Matlin. You're really good at it!

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳."

This was a fun and spooky debut by Lisa M. Matlin. I loved the idea of an influencer buying a murder house to show the renovations online. The unreliable narrator, Sarah Slade, worked really well for this story, and I loved reading to see exactly what she was hiding.

The setting of a creepy, old house that a murder took place in years before was my favorite part of the book. The house itself felt like another character in the book and it gave me eerie vibes during the scenes set there.

I listened to the audiobook while I read along with the DRC and enjoyed Fiona Hardingham as the narrator. She did a good job with making the book spooky and keeping me guessing.

The author did a good job of throwing in red herrings, and I honestly did not figure out the ending until a couple of chapters before. There were some plot holes and a few things you need to suspend disbelief for in this book, but overall this was a unique take on the haunted house trope and overall I enjoyed the story.

Make sure you read the author’s note at the end.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, PRH Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

This one had me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out what was real and what was imagined, and what was supernatural and what was terrible neighbors.

Sarah Slade is a social media influencer and therapist with a troubled past, a failing marriage, and caught up in flipping a murder house. Honestly, I was not a fan of hers, and yet I had a hard time looking away. If I were prone to nightmares, this book would have given me nightmares. The house was a character in itself, and in some ways was the most interesting part of the story. But what I liked was that although Sarah was not a great person, the author did a great job diving into her motivations and the vicious cycle she found herself in.

The author did a great job of building the suspense and without revealing spoilers, I have mixed feelings about the ending, partly because I didn't really like her that much. Although I have to say, I was an even less of a fan of her husband. The ending definitely fit with who she was and I have to say I was left unsettled, which I suppose was part of the point.

This author shows promise and I would be interested in reading more from her in the future. She is from Australia and I like reading books from authors from other countries. It's always a different feel.

Overall, I'd recommend this for people who enjoy psychological thrillers set in a contemporary setting.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M Matlin is a psychological thriller, I guess. To me it was kind of a mess. The type of things that happen in this book don’t happen to mentally healthy people. Sarah and her husband, Joe, have bought this house. It was relatively cheap as it was a murder house, which is to say that forty years earlier a man had gone berserk and murdered his wife with a hammer; he had gone after his daughter, too, but she escaped. The blood stain was still on the bedroom floor. Sarah thought they could flip it and make a mint. But the minute they moved in things started happening. Things that made her more nuts than she already was.

Not my cup of tea, but I hung in and I guess for what it was, it was decent. It was frightening, the things that kept happening in the house, but Sarah was so mentally disturbed, it was hard to know if they were really happening. Her husband seemed pretty normal but kind of brutalized by Sarah’s mental illness. The whole thing was really not worth reading, for me.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Stranger Upstairs by Random House Publishing-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingBallantine #LisaMMatlin #TheStrangerUpstairs

The cover is gorgeous and based on the synopsis, I was excited to read this but I’m sad to say I was a bit disappointed.
It started off great but I couldn’t stand Sarah. While I don’t mind an unreliable or even unlikeable narrator, Sarah was just too much. Reaper the cat was a bonus though!

A lot of time is spent in Sarah’s head as she slowly loses her mind and you’re left wondering, is it the house or are the people in the town messing with her? I enjoyed seeing her thought process as she tried to work out who was behind everything.
The pacing felt a bit uneven at times - the beginning had me hooked but lost me somewhere around the middle. The end though? That had my attention again.

While I didn’t love this, I’m definitely looking forward to what Lisa M. Matlin writes next!

Good debut, but not as suspenseful as I'd hoped it to be. A good story to read around Halloween with a good dose of spooky!

First things first, I really enjoyed this spooky thriller, especially the haunted house vibes! Though it all comes together in the end and makes more sense, I thought the beginning felt a little forced since our protagonist not only bought a murder-house, but was also a social media influences, and also a therapist. It seemed to be combining too many elements of the thriller genre rather than picking one and elaborating on that to give the story more depth. This book was definitely plot-driven, and though the ending wasn't quite what I hoped, it overall was a very enjoyable read that I would highly recommend. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This one definitely had some twists I didn’t see coming. Sarah Slade (therapist, blogger/minor social media darling and author of a best selling self help book) and her husband need a fresh start so they’ve just made one of the biggest decisions of their lives. They’ve bought a house and plan to renovate it. But not just any house. The infamous Black Wood House, an infamous murder house that has sat empty for 40 years. Right from the start author Lisa Matlin starts dropping hints that things aren’t right, aren’t as they seem. With the house. With the Sarah and her husband. And I have to say Ms Matlin was very sly in the way she dropped those little nuggets of information, in the way she slowly revealed the truth about our…heroine? Yes, I meant that as a question. Because Sarah is quite the complex character, and I have to honestly say I am not sure if we are actually meant to like her. Sure you’re likely to sympathize with her at times, and yet…well, I don’t want to say too much more about her as I’d probably be risking spoilers and I honestly don’t want to taint anyone’s feelings about the character. Better to go in somewhat blind and make up your own mind about her. Needless to say things do not go smoothly for Sarah and her husband. Moving is a stressful experience at the best of times, moving into a house needing a massive overall even more so, but then throw in the things that begin to happen (odd notes being left, strange noises, etc) and things just snowball from there. My feelings for Sarah aside, there is no denying how engaging this story is, and I did not want to put it down. Every time you think you know what is going on, things will take an unexpected turn. And I for one love when that happens. This is an extremely impressive debut novel and I look forward to seeing what Matlin will come up with next. Her author’s note at the end of the book both touching and absolutely raw in its honesty. Don’t skip it. Overall 4.5 stars, and as I said it’s an impressive debut. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Stranger Upstairs.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2H2O8H07BB73W/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

#FirstLine - Welcome to Black Wood House.

“The Stranger Upstairs" by Lisa M. Matlin is a gripping and suspenseful novel that explores the complexities of its protagonist, Sarah Slade, a therapist and self-help writer, who seems to have it all together on the surface. Set against the backdrop of a charming Victorian house with a dark history, the story delves into the entwined mysteries of Sarah's past and the eerie events unfolding in her newly acquired home.

Matlin weaves an intricate narrative, skillfully blending elements of psychological thriller and domestic drama. Sarah's journey, both as a character and a homeowner, takes unexpected twists and turns, drawing readers into her world of secrets, betrayal, and self-discovery. The author's vivid descriptions make the Black Wood House come alive, with its ominous atmosphere and chilling secrets that lurk behind the wallpaper.

As the story unfolds, readers are treated to a rollercoaster of emotions, from sympathy for Sarah's struggles to suspicion of her neighbors and the history of the house itself. Matlin masterfully builds tension, keeping readers on edge with each page-turn, as the line between reality and Sarah's increasingly unstable perception blurs.

"The Stranger Upstairs" is a thought-provoking exploration of the consequences of one's actions and the darkness that can hide behind the façade of a seemingly perfect life. Lisa M. Matlin's storytelling prowess shines through in this suspenseful tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, this novel is a must-read.

“I wonder if he’s imagining it—the morning after the murder, the blood all glossy red like lipstick.
Maybe it’s Maybelline.
Or maybe it’s murder.”

“Most people sweep monsters under the bed. I pull the covers back and let them crawl in.” 🤯

This is a gothic psychological read about a social media influencer with a secret past that she’s desperate to protect. To help boost her likes and follower counts, she buys a murder house to renovate and document on her blog. But there’s more to uncover in the house besides peeling wallpaper..

This debut was creepy and such a fun way to start the Halloween season! The murder house was the site of a murder-suicide from decades earlier, largely left abandoned and feared. I am not sure what it is about social media that had Sarah Slade ignoring her intuition and the locals’ warnings, but the need for likes is a powerful thing ineeed apparently. So powerful she chose the bedroom with the blood stain on the floor. I’m ceeeped out just imagining that! Yikes.

This story had a lot of moving parts that unwrap like a present as you get deeper into the story. A failing marriage. A dead sister. An attic that emits creaking and all manner of sounds. Don’t read this one alone, guys! You have been warned. 👻

The audiobook narrator was so great at capturing the angst and fear of the characters and their circumstances. Don’t kill me don’t kill me don’t kill me! Ahhh so good. Add this to your spooky tbr today!

Thank you also to Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook!
L

Add this book to your spooky season TBR, now! The Stranger Upstairs is out today.

Let me just start by saying gothic novels are usually not my thing. I have a hard time getting into books with a house as a character. But, this just proves to never say never! Because this book WORKED for me!

This one has…
- an MC you love to hate
- an intriguing plot
- a fantastic format that keeps you turning the pages

This one drew me in from very beginning, and by the end, I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know how it all ended. And I liked what the author did!

This is a debut novel and I’m very impressed! I’m definitely here for whatever Liz Matlin comes up with next!

Book Review: The Stranger Upstairs
If you're looking for the perfect thriller to begin spooky
season!
Sarah Slade attempts to start a new life when she purchases
a murder house in hopes of renovating it for a profit while
increasing her social media followers. Turns out Black Wood
House is a lot more than she bargained for. The renovations
will deplete her savings and the town does not want her
there. Her marriage to Joe is falling apart and the secrets of
their past are unraveling.
As Sarah grapples with her reality, she becomes III, starts
finding strange notes around her house, and realizes a
specific town member wants her out of Black Wood House.
As she investigates further into the house and the town, she
finds more secrets. As she travels further down the rabbit
hole of Black Wood House and it's past, she begins to lose
grips on what is real and what is imagined. She begins to
wonder if the renovation was worth everything it has cost
her.
Thank you @netgalley @randomhouse and @lisa_m_matlin
for allowing me to read this thriller.
#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #kindlereads

Stigmatized properties and the people that choose to move into them are a long term obsession of mine so the concept for The Stranger Upstairs really caught my attention. What if a couple with something to hide bought a murder house to renovate and share their experience on social media. Then strange things star happening? Is it the the house? Paranoia? Conspiracy?

This was a really fun ride that will keep the reader guessing. While it takes a moment to come together and find it’s footing in the beginning, once the writing finds it’s rhythm it really pulls you in. The idea of an influencer buying a murder house was really interesting and I wish it had been explored more in the story. At one point we start getting these news articles which were really great for upping the tension and making the reader question what is going to happen and how. Soon I couldn’t put it down, the twists and turns the story takes are great. I think this would also make a really thrilling movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“The property has a barren feel to it, like the very ground is grieving. Like it’s stuck in the memory of that day.”

Sarah Slade and her husband have moved into The Black Wood House, the site of a horrible murder-suicide, in hopes of renovating it to reel in views on Sarah’s blog page. But The House has other ideas. The more Sarah tries to renovate it, the worse her life in The House becomes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think it started off a little slowly, but it picked up toward the end with a twist I did NOT see coming!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a debut! I finished this in one day. I thoroughly enjoyed the descent into madness that Matlin took us on. I love books with unreliable narrators and this one fit the bill perfectly. If you want a book that makes you question your own sanity, look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this debut novel. WOW. What a debut! This novel was a very fun and well written read. Definitely engrossing right from the beginning. Written part blog, and part newspaper article, the story starts off as a ghost story, but ends up being so much more than that!

Sarah, a therapist, and her husband have bought Blackwood House, a home where a husband brutally murdered his wife and attempted to murder his daughter. Sarah and Joe are immediately met with resistance, as the neighbors that know the history of the house want it torn down.

Some parts were a little bit confusing and it made me wonder where this was all going, and then it all came together so beautifully! There are a couple of unanswered questions, but that’s ok. And I absolutely loved the author’s note and the acknowledgments.

Most people would be afraid of a haunted house, even for an inexpensive deal and a Reno project for some social media fame. But not Sarah Slade. The story follows Sarah on her journey on a haunted house, as she unravels if it’s really a cursed house or is it her?

Overall, this story was alright - a little too slow moving with little development for me. And a pretty unlikeable protoganist. The book had a few fun twists at the end; but the whole concept of a horror house that’s cursed was a harder to follow when the narrator builds up her own story so much of having real life people in her questionable past that could hold grudges against her as well. Pick this book up if you like a main character to root against and prefer a slow build climax to the end. Overall, I would give this closer to a 3.5

That’s one creepy house and one creepy book. I can’t say much without giving it away except what do you expect when you buy with plans to flip THE Murder House. Get ready for a dark, creepy ride.

Themes:🇦🇺🏚️💀🪦🔪👀

My thoughts: 🤓🥸🫡🤔😬🫨😲

#netgalley
@netgalley
@bookofthemonth
#bookofthemonth
#goodreads
#readmorebooks
#readmorebooksbywomen
#mybookishlife
#readersofinstagram
#bookstagram
#bookstagrammer
#thestrangerupstairs

“The Stranger Upstairs” by Lisa M Matlin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a super fast read! I really enjoyed it and loved how there was hints on the twist throughout the book. The books contains a creepy old house and two people with secrets.
Sarah and her husband Joe buy the Blackwood House that has stayed abandoned for decades after a murder suicide while the daughter got free. No one wanted to buy the house or work on it since the deaths. Weird things started happening to Sarah. She was missing days at a time waking up not feeling well, her cat was getting sick, and random notes telling her to get out are left around.
What is the murder house doing to Sarah? Is her past coming back to haunt her?

“Give me validation. Give me praise. I’m empty. Fill me up.”

Thank you to NetGalley, Bantam, and Lisa Marlin for an eARC of The Stranger Upstairs!

As we enter into the spooky season, my reading taste is turning more towards thrillers and mysteries. This book is the perfect combination of both and kept me on my toes the entire time. Just when. I thought I knew what was happening a twist would get thrown in and I had to re-asses my theory. I love books like this. I read a lot of thrillers, so it takes a lot for a book to keep me on the edge of my seat, but The Stranger Upstairs did.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. I felt very bad for Sarah at the beginning. She seemed like the typical millennial with a nice shiny life on social media, but a much messier one in real life. As we get to know her character more, we begin to see her true self emerge. But things don’t just unravel, everything keeps going and we see her reach rock bottom. We don’t know what it is from. Guilt? Are her neighbors trying to drive her insane? Does she have a mental disorder? So many possibilities are hinted at that it makes Sarah’s character hard to read, hard to like, and hard to hate.

Black Wood house is a creepy character on its own and I honestly wish I could go visit it. I had such a vivid picture of this house in my mind that I felt like I was actually there. Often times there were thoughts and sounds attributed to the house. Are these actual thoughts? Is the house haunted or is this all in Sarah’s mind? It was just another element that kept me on my toes.

I also really liked the pacing of this book. Things start off slow, but build up until everything is falling apart at a frantic pace. Towards the ending I felt like I couldn’t end fast enough. As the plot built, I felt the same sense of crazy energy Sarah must have been feeling while she was questioning herself. This didn’t come on suddenly - it was a slow build like the loss of Sarah’s sanity - so I felt the author did a wonderful job creating these complimentary feelings.

I did feel like there were a few unrealistic elements that took a bit away from the plot. The notes and their explanation were one. Some of them made sense while others left me with questions. Also - Sarah works as a therapist and only one other therapist senses anything wrong in the practice? The ending was also pretty outlandish - especially considering the technology we have now, but it is fun to think that it could happen,

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for a fast paced thriller that will get you in the mood for fall and spooky season, look no further! 3.5 stars rounded up.