Sarah Slade, a social media influencer, decides a fresh start in a fixer upper with a dark past is the perfect escape from her own past. But when the secrets won't stay buried, Sarah begins to question is her fresh start was really worth it at all. The Stranger Upstairs is a stunning debut that grabs reader's attention from the very first chapter and never lets up. Sarah is a very relatable character, despite everything life is and has thrown at her, she just wants to push forward and make the best of things. Unfortunately, life has other, more sinister plans for her. The story was gripping and had me on the edge of my seat, going as fast as I could to figure out what happened next. The atmosphere is deliciously creepy, with Matlin keeping readers in perfect suspense. If this is only her debut, this is an author to keep an eye on!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded down.
This book started off so strong and I felt it was going to be rated much higher. But the middle to end just fell flat in my opinion and took a turn I didn’t expect and didn’t necessarily enjoy. Overall this was not a bad premiere novel for this author.

4-4.5 stars

The premise of this story was really interesting: a social media influencer purchases a murder house and believes the fixer-upper will help her reach a new audience on her lifestyle blog. But with a failing marriage and strange happenings around the house, it might be more than she bargained for.

For a debut novel, this was very written, and I quickly became immersed into the story. While it is definitely a psychological thriller and checks off all of the boxes that make a story suspenseful, I was happy to see the author also touched on mental health. With everything going on in Sarah’s life between her crumbling marriage, the strange occurrences around the house, suspicious neighbors, and hearing footsteps in the attic, it was no wonder she felt like she was losing her sense of reality; and to be honest, it was a little sad.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more from this author!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for providing a copy of this book to review.*

This one was a bit of a disappointment for me.
I wish this author much luck in her future books but this one just let me down.

It started out pretty strong then just didn't hold my interest. I had to keep picking it back up and finally finished with a big sigh of relief.
Good premise and well written. I loved the author's notes and that seemed to help somewhat. Always read the author's note.

Thank you for this ARC.

The Stranger Upstairs follows Sarah Slade, therapist and social media self help guru, as she navigates moving into her new house. A house with a history or murder.

Overall I enjoyed The Stranger Upstairs. I wasn't super crazy about the ending but I really liked most of the book. I also wish we would have found out what happened to Janet. She kind of felt like just an unresolved piece. The same with Amanda too. We were led to think Amanda was mysterious as well and we never got any background on her either. It just felt like a lot of elements weren't fleshed out the whole way.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

"you repeat what you don't repair"

This psychological/horror thriller is absolutely chilling and will keep readers hooked until the very end! As soon as I saw the captivating cover and read the synopsis, I knew I had to dive into this book. I never saw what was coming. This story is haunting, shocking, and filled with darkness and twists. I read this through out the day, and let me tell you, when night time hit I was so spooked. I wanted to run into my bed and pull the covers up! The plot is filled with lots of twists and turns that will leave you questioning everything.

Sarah, is social media influencer with a mysterious past. She is running from something and as you get to know her more you see that her past is dark and sinister as the house she is living in. She purchases and renovating the Black Wood House that has a dark past. She soon realizes that this "murder house" is more than she bargained for. With peeling wallpaper, strange occurrences, a failing marriage, and suspicious neighbors, Sarah's reality begins to fall apart and unravel. Is she losing her mind, or is there someone or something in the attic with her?

This book takes you on a wild roller coaster ride! From beginning to end, I was completely captivated by this story. I loved seeing the book come alive. I really felt like it was in the Black Wood House myself. If you're in search of a unique and spine-chilling thriller that will keep you guessing, then this is the perfect book for you. I highly recommend reading it and give it a well-deserved 5-star rating.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

Great creepy psychological thriller - highly recommended!

The Stranger Upstairs is a mysterious, somewhat creepy story of a couple moving to a new neighborhood to renovate a mansion where, forty years earlier, a husband murdered his wife, and his daughter disappeared.

If you enjoy mysterious books that feature multiple personalities, and greedy and vengeful neighbors, then this may be a good fit for you. I requested this title last fall, thinking it would be a great book to read leading up to Halloween, but I didn’t get to it in time. Overall, it was okay. BUT I’m not a massive fan of thrillers, so it’s likely just not the right book for me.

“You repeat what you don’t repair.” This quote was a center point for the novel, as the main characters both had issues that they didn’t deal with, leaving them prone to a repetitive, unhealthy lifestyle.

If you pick up this novel, you must read the author’s note. I have a greater appreciation for the story and the author after reading Lisa’s note.

I enjoy reading psychological thrillers. So, when a psychological thriller ends in my emails, I either accept the request (if it is through a publisher) or buy the book. And that was the case with The Stranger Upstairs.

The main storyline in The Stranger Upstairs centers around Sarah. Sarah is a therapist/blogger/self-help writer who had just bought a house where a man killed his wife, attempted to kill his daughter, and then committed suicide. She and her husband bought the house thinking they would show the renovations step-by-step and eventually sell the home for double what they paid. I felt the storyline was well written when it centered on Sarah, keeping me glued to the book.

Sarah wasn’t a very likable character and wasn’t a reliable narrator. She wasn’t forthcoming with the truth, and what she did admit to was a little suspect. Everything she remembered about her life before she left with Joe seemed skewed, and I honestly couldn’t figure out if she was telling the truth. As her mental health declined, the more I tended not to believe anything that came out of her mouth. By the end of the book, she had me so twisted that I couldn’t figure out which end was up with her.

The whole murder house mystery was intriguing. I could see someone taking an old house with a history, like Black Wood House, and flipping it. There are people out there who would pay good money to live in an infamous house. I also see how a small town would close ranks against a new house owner. Even the nasty jerk whose uncle was the chief of police was believable (there is always that one nepobaby who thinks they rule the town).

The mystery/thriller angle kept me glued to the book. I figured out what was going on with the little nasty things (being unable to get local help, the cold shoulders, and the rat in the mailbox), but I couldn’t figure out the more significant things until almost the end of the book.

My only complaint about the book was the ending. Several twists made sense and explained some things. But I didn’t understand what happened during that last chapter. It just didn’t make sense and left me with more questions.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Lisa M. Matlin for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Stranger Upstairs. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I went into this one not knowing much about it, I was just drawn to the pretty cover! Ask yourself: would you live in a murder house! Sarah and her husband Joe don't seem to mind. They plan to renovate this old house and make a bundle when they sell it. Throughout the whole book, I was not sure if I was reading a thriller, mystery, or horror book. Is the house haunted or is there a human stalking the couple? As the plot progresses, the reader learns many surprising things about the married couple. This book kept me guessing all the way through and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a creepy, murder house story!

I really thought this book had a lot of twists that were unique, especially the ending. If you enjoy a real deep psychological thriller then this is a book you should give a try. I will definitely be waiting for future releases from this author.

A interesting and unique adult thriller novel, that I would recommend to anyone who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ - ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ᴏɴᴇ sɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ. ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀʀʏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀᴛs, ʙʟᴏɢ ᴘᴏsᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴀʏ ɴᴇᴡs ʜᴇᴀᴅʟɪɴᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴄᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʜᴇʟᴘᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ɢᴜᴇssɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ sᴀʀᴀʜ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛs ʜᴇʀsᴇʟғ ᴀs ᴀ ʙᴀᴅ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴏᴅᴅʟʏ ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ. ɪ ᴄᴏɴsᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴡᴀs ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘᴜʟʟ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛᴏᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. ᴀʟsᴏ, ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴛ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ!!! ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟʟʏ, ɪ ʜᴀᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ᴏғ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴀᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏʟᴇs ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs, sᴏ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʜᴏʟᴇs ғɪʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴀɴɴᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴘʟᴀʏᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ɪ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀɴ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙɪᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ɪ ᴅᴏ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ʜᴏᴡ ʙɪɴɢᴇᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ɪs.

📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @randomhouse ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

The Stranger Upstairs is a debut novel. It’s a psychological thriller that I could not put down. Told by a completely unreliable narrator, this book took me for a ride!

Sarah Slade and her husband have bought the Black Wood House. A notorious murder house where 40 years ago there was a horrific murder-suicide. Sarah and her husband have plans to renovate and then sell the house for a big profit. But perhaps the house has other plans.

This book has some horror, some mystery. It’s told in a multi-media format that uses journal entries, texts, and blog posts mixed into the narrative. I really enjoy when a book is written like that because it propels the story.

This story is told from Sarah’s point of view through most of the book, then shifts to another character’s. This is my biggest complaint because I don’t like when authors do this. That’s a personal preference but it doesn’t do anything to enhance the story for me.

Overall, this is a solid first story from this author and I’ll look for more of her work in the future.

Thank you to #netgalley and @bantambooksuk for the advanced e-copy of #thestrangerupstairs.

This is not exactly my favorite genre, but was well-written. I would recommend it to friends who enjoy this genre. The cover is very appealing.

While I blew through this book at lightning speed, I found the book to be very forgettable. There were certainly aspects that I enjoyed, such as towing the line between paranormal and reality and the hints about Sarah's adolescence and sinister past. But for the most part, I found the characters all frustratingly unlikeable and I was bored by the overdone renovating-a-haunted-house-and-going-insane-while-doing-so trope. The ending felt a bit like a cop out, and frankly I always have a hard time getting into characters who are influencers while secretly living miserable lives.

Thank you Netgalley and and Random House for this ARC! I wish I enjoyed it more than I had, but definitely not a bad read for those who enjoy easy thrillers.

A story that is suspenseful and pulled me in from the beginning. That is how I can describe this story,. Most thrillers take me some time to get into and this story was just that but it will all be worth it at the end.

A good popcorn thriller but just kind of a middle of the road read for me - but overall enjoyed. Thank you Netgalley and Lisa for my review copy!

This was a new author and you could tell, I feel at times oh this book is good, however other times I was annoyed like what is going on. A social media influencer and a bartender husband buy a house that been vacant for years and strange things start happening and once a happy marriage has secrets and lies. I feel as the end is a cop out and unrealistic. It could have been good but not for me!

The ending of the book didn’t leave so in shock but seen how the plot twist unraveled left me a little disappointed. The plot twist was pretty much mundane and that’s something I wasn’t really looking for in this book. I thought it was gonna be something more supernatural or crazy. Don’t get me it was a good story just not enough to wow me.