OH MY GOODNESS!! What an INCREDIBLE debut novel!! Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a creepy psychological/horror thriller that keeps readers engaged to the very end!! When I saw this beautiful cover with all the pretty colors and read the synopsis I knew I had to read this book! However, do not let the cover fool you because the story is haunting, shocking, dark, and twisted. I recommend not reading it late at night like I did because I wanted to put my Kindle in the freezer and might have slept with a light on in my room!😬 There are so many harrowing twists and turns and you will find yourself questioning everything!


I was completely captivated from start to finish! If you are looking for a unique and creepy thriller to read that will keep you guessing then this is the book for you. I highly recommend this book and it deserves a million stars!!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A therapist and self-help writer with all the answers, Sarah has just bought a gorgeous Victorian in the community of her dreams. Turns out you can get a killer deal on a house where someone was murdered. Plus, renovating Black Wood House makes for great blog content and a potent distraction from her failing marriage. Good thing nobody knows that her past is as tainted as the bloodstain on her bedroom floor. This a dark and disturbing story and full of somewhat unlikeable characters. It held my interest until the end in spite of that and I ended up enjoying the read.

The Stranger Upstairs is a thriller/suspense debut by Lisa M. Matlin. Sarah Slade and her husband Joe need to get away. They purchase Black Wood House (home of a murder/suicide) with the intentions of Sarah recording the remodel on her blog. But from the beginning, things aren't as they seem. Sarah hears noises, voices, and finds notes hidden in her home addressed to her with things that no one else would know. Sarah and her husband are both running from secrets in their past - has someone found out who they really are? And what about the girl that purchased the home before them...there is no record of her purchase and she's gone missing.

This wasn't a hit for me, but it wasn't really a miss, either. I thought that the story seemed a little disjointed in parts and the writing style wasn't for me. I also thought that I didn't really connect with any of the characters except one and she wasn't really in much of the book. I thought that there was a good twist near the end. It wasn't the explanation I was anticipating. But I didn't like the ending. And I think I'm kinda over the whole "the female main character is crazy' trope. But these are just my thoughts and I there are many higher ratings out there. If you like suspenseful stories, creepy settings, unreliable narrators, and unexpected endings, this one is for you.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty, dark, atmospheric story! It was very unsettling, in a great way. I was slightly disappointed by the ending, but found this author's writing very engrossing. The Stranger Upstairs consumed me until the last page, and I look forward to reading whatever else Lisa Matlin writes.

Social media therapist and her husband buy a house that no one else wants. It’s the scene of a gruesome crime 40 years earlier.Soon they are doubting their choice to buy this house when menacing messages begin to appear.

There were plenty of twists in the plot that I didn’t see coming and kept the flow of everything moving along nicely

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin was definitely a creepy and scary read. I like the premise of the story, an author moves into a house where a famous murder took place years before. I especially enjoyed the parts telling about the previous murder and what happened 40 years prior. This was a very fast read, and I can’t wait to find more books by this author. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

I’ve had this on my list for a hot minute! I haven’t been much of a horror reader, but it is a genre I want to explore. Sometimes you just need your heart to pound really hard.

Unfortunately, this book was okay for me. Not necessarily scary or heart racing, but definitely suspenseful. I just wish there was MORE. It was mostly just the FMC Sarah’s guilt, a little bit of horror trope, some squeaking, more guilt, mental decline, ending. The motive of the neighborhood kind of feels a bit random and the ending was unfulfilling for me. And then the stranger upstairs really wasn’t explored on. It was kind of just…there.

Some positives I enjoyed is seeing the relationship between the FMC and her husband. That was honestly the most interesting thing for me. Why did they carry so much guilt? Why did they hate each other? Who is right in this marriage? Learning about their past was so enticing, I kind of wanted the book to be about just that. Sarah herself is an interesting character throughout the book and in the ending. A book just about her and her crazy past and journey would have been an enticing read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Lisa, and Bantam for an advance copy of The Stranger Upstairs. I did read this book back in September buttttt, I’m awful at timely reviewing.

Sarah is starting over. As a blogger with a pretty significant following, her fresh start is also her new material - she has purchased Black Wood House, an infamous house with a dark history. Her plan is to fix up the old house and draw new subscribers in with the notoriety of the property.

Unfortunately, this is more than just a simple fixer upper. Sarah starts to hear noises as if there is someone walking around in the attic, only to find no one there. The contractors hired to help with the reno start acting strangely, and then threatening notes start to turn up. Sarah isn’t sure who or what could be closing in on her, could it be her past or is the house out to get her?

I always say that psychological thrillers are ambitious for a debut novel. They are not easy to write, obviously as the entire point is to confuse readers to the point that we’re questioning our own sanity. I think this book deserves a higher average rating than the 3.48 that is listed on Goodreads…and yes I know I gave it 3.5 stars. First of all, it’s being marketed as a horror novel and I really think that’s doing it disservice. It’s not a horror novel. That’s like calling some of Riley Sager’s later books horror novels. They’re not and neither is The Stranger Upstairs. This book has horror influence, yes absolutely, but it is at its heart a psychological mystery thriller. My opinion is that your normal horror reader will pick this book up and ultimately be disappointed, however if you’re truly a thriller lover then you’ll enjoy this one.

I thought the backstory was a great way to introduce Sarah and the journey we were about to take together. Obviously social media influencer / online angle is popular right now, but I enjoy it and I think this was one of the more unique ways to thread social media into the plot.

I also enjoyed the setting - it was obviously current day Australia but there was a great gothic feel to it and I think Lisa did a nice job with the atmosphere and tone of the book.

Overall I thought this was a solid psychological debut. I’d be interested in reading additional works by Lisa.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

This book was not for me. I read this via audio and while the narrater was great, I just couldn't follow the story. Everytime I thought I knew what was going on, something else weird would happen!

4.5 stars. Really loved this suspenseful mystery. Very broken and flawed characters who are not particularly likable, but yet I found myself hoping they would come through stronger in the end. At first I thought the mysterious events were a bit too over the top, but it came to a satisfying conclusion. The author's afterwords is also well worth reading.

Lisa Matlin's The Stranger Upstairs will be a good recommendation for readers who enjoy suspense. There is plenty of haunted house-ish creepiness! Those who enjoy an unreliable narrator as well as shifting perspectives will find a lot here to like as well. Spoiler alert: the cat does not die, but for people who have low tolerance for bad things happening to an animal, this might be problematic. It was for me as I have very little tolerance for reading about such things.

There were some loose ends that I would have liked to have seen resolved. For example, what did become of Janet Campbell? The initial murder mentioned in the book was in 1980, so it's not some 100 year old mystery. It's a bit hard to believe that no one knew what happened to this kid after her father murdered her mother. Why on earth did Sarah and Joe marry? What was the story on Amanda and her boyfriend? It makes me wonder if these ends were left untied with possible plans for more stories related to Black Wood House.

One murder house, one social media influencer, one rocky marriage and a neighborhood of people that hate you. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?! enjoyed this thank you net galley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a reveiw

This was a fantastic book. Just when I thought inhad it all figured out, the twist knocked me on my butt. I would have never guessed. The writing and storyline were so well done.

A successful influencer moves into a “murder house” to fix it up and blog about it. She’s hoping the new house and remodel will also help improve her marriage. Unfortunately, things do not go as she had hoped.

The Stranger Upstairs is a story with secrets and drama. Shifting timelines are used, though I found it to be somewhat disjointed. This is a slow burning novel that picks up during the second half.

An atmospheric, creepy, and dark thriller. The Stranger Upstairs is an enjoyable debut novel. Good for readers who enjoy dark thrillers with unlikable and unreliable narrators.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

**Review of "The Stranger Upstairs" by Lisa M. Matlin**

Lisa M. Matlin’s “The Stranger Upstairs” is a masterclass in suspense and mystery, crafting a narrative that is as thrilling as it is intricate. Matlin expertly weaves a tale of paranoia, mystery, and psychological drama that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Her ability to build tension and unfold the plot layer by layer is nothing short of remarkable, making it impossible to put the book down.

The characters are deeply developed, with the protagonist’s emotional journey providing a compelling core to the story. The setting is described with such vivid detail that it almost acts as a character on its own, enhancing the eerie atmosphere of the novel. Matlin’s writing style is fluid and engaging, drawing readers into the depths of the plot with ease.

“The Stranger Upstairs” stands out for its originality and gripping suspense, setting it apart from typical thrillers. Each chapter ends with a hook that drives the narrative forward, ensuring that the suspense never wanes. This book is a perfect blend of psychological intrigue and dramatic twists that satisfies from the first page to the last.

For fans of thrillers who crave deep psychological insight and relentless suspense, "The Stranger Upstairs" is a must-read. Lisa M. Matlin has truly outdone herself with this novel, earning it a well-deserved five stars for its brilliant execution and captivating storytelling.

Social media influencer Sarah Slade and her husband buy an infamous murder house in the neighborhood of her dreams. They hope to renovate and flip the property for profit, but the unfriendly neighbors want the house to be bulldozed. When strange things begin to happen, is the house haunted? Or is it the bad neighbors? Could it be something more sinister? As this seems like any typical Hollywood horror movie and something sinister lives within the house this seems far from what I was expecting and actually had me shocked at the end.

The author did a great job with pacing and kept me on my toes until the end.

Read this as part of a net galley early read. Loved this book. It kept me guessing the whole way through with a twisty, windy plot and ending I didn’t see coming! Can’t wait to read more from this author.

I was so excited to read this book-initially drawn in by the premise and captivating cover. Unfortunately, I found “The Stranger Upstairs” to be a bit all over the place. For some reason, I found it hard to get into the story and the side portions got me off track what I think the author ultimately wanted us to focus upon. This just didn’t end up being a memorable read for me, so 2 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an opportunity to access and review.