Oh my gosh, I’m not even sure where to start with reviewing this! What. A. Ride. We meet social media influencer/therapist Sarah and her husband Joe as they’re relocating to the perfect town of Beacon, where you’re only allowed in if you’re “one of them” and anyone else is treated like an outsider. The couple buy Black Wood House, where a gruesome murder suicide took place 40 years prior. The locals say the house is haunted and want the property bulldozed but Sarah has her sights set on a sweet 6 figure profit if she and Joe get going on renovations. As the renovations begin, and Sarah shared the journey on her IG and blog, it becomes clear that someone or something does not want her to improve the home. Sarah slowly becomes unhinged, her marriage is threatened, and her sanity is questioned to the point where we the reader cannot trust her. I was HOOKED from start to finish with this deliciously creepy read.

I knocked one star because we never find out what happened to Janet, the surviving daughter from the original murder; and also there needs to be extreme suspended belief for the big reveal at the end. Overall, a wicked debut and I will Absolutely read this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded to 5

“Maybe it’s Maybelline. Or maybe it’s murder.”

This one has a bit of a slow burn but consistent pacing which worked for me to add to the creepiness factor. It’s pretty descriptive in the beginning and sometimes that’ll sorta lose me.

However, at about the 46th page things started creeping me out. Oh yeah, so I’m thinking ok, this book is soooooo for me. Oh and the talk about the “roos” coming out and night grinding their teeth….I’ve never thought of them like that and it’s sorta terrifying. The cat’s behavior weirded me out.

I don’t want to give anything away but I wouldn’t say this is a stereotypical thriller, but maybe mystery verging on horror? I mean the creepiness was spot on. This was like unreliable narrator in a haunted house kinda deal. I don’t really know how I’d classify it (partly because I’m exhausted - I read this in one sitting) but I know I liked it.

I loved her dedication in the beginning of the book and the author’s note. It made the darkness of the book make so much more sense. I loved that she channeled her dark thoughts into this creepy novel. A lot of the feelings she had are so relatable which made me love this book even more. I’m someone who rarely reads author’snotes but I felt that I needed to for this one.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
It took a while for me to get into this book. The idea of the house speaking to them.
Who moves into such a controversial house for social media fame? No thanks.
Then about halfway in, you start to see what’s happening and it makes sense. I enjoyed it. Couldn’t stop reading once I got going.

They always say don’t judge a book by its cover, but this beautiful cover drew me in to this book. Then I read the synopsis and knew it was one I had to read. When I saw there was a house where a murder had occurred and a blogger decides to buy it I was all in. This book was full of eerie moments that have you on edge but the ending is the real kicker!

This is a wonderful debut novel by the author who I also want to give kuddos to for sharing her mental health story in the note from the author. As someone who can relate to your words, thank you.

Spooky and intriguing! I have to admit, it takes a lot for a book to scare me but this one gave me jump scares at night at any little noise, lol. I loved all the darkly funny wisdom nuggets coming out of our main characters thoughts, I highlighted a lot of passages, especially in Part 1. I went into this story expecting a thriller but I would call it more like horror with the pacing of a thriller. It’s probably best to go into this blind and enjoy the ride so I’m not going to say much about the plot to avoid spoiling anything for future readers. Just know that this one is dark and will take you to very unexpected places. This debut was very well done and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next! Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on September 12, 2023

The overall premise for this story is very good and I was super excited to read. This debut novel starts off strong . . . thick with small-town mystery and spooky vibes. A popular therapist/author with an expanding social media presence buys an infamous murder house with the intention of rehabilitation. This situation is simply ripe with madness and eerie possibilities.

Without giving anything crucial to the plot away I must admit that the POV character Sarah Slade became abrasive, unlikeable, and nearly intolerable to me. Being in her mottled head filled me with high anxiety and it was not fun at all there for a minute. If you don’t mind the narrative being occasionally disjointed or slow and uncomfortable for a bit, the story does eventually get back on a more coherent and enjoyable track before the end.

If you enjoy spine-tingling stories or mild horror, this might be a good pick for you this Halloween season.

Available for purchase September 12, 2023

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Stranger Upstairs for my unbiased evaluation.  3 stars

Sarah Slade is a best selling author, therapist, and aspiring social media influencer who is looking for something to bolster her career and save her dying marriage. She decides buying an infamous murder house in a small town and documenting the renovations will do just that. However, strange things start happening when she moves into the house and she must find out if it's the townspeople or the house itself that want her gone... before it's too late. This book was very atmospheric and descriptive with perfect haunted house vibes. The majority of the story is told in the perspective of our slightly unreliable narrator, which I think added to the mystery and suspense of the story since it kept the reader second guessing. The pacing of the story was a little bit slow in the beginning but did pick up about halfway through. I think this would be perfect for fans of Home Before Dark and Amityville Horror.

Sarah Slade is a best-selling self-help author and therapist. She and her husband purchased Black Wood House, a run-down Victorian house where a murder occurred 40 years ago. Sarah’s goal is to fix it up and resell it for profit. However, she soon discovers hostile neighbors that want the house demolished. The house also emanates a creepy feeling that does not seem to dissipate whether day or night. When creepy notes begin to appear, Sarah becomes certain that someone is out to get her, but who? Sarah’s life spirals further and further out of control.

Lisa M. Matlin creates a setting that is genuinely creepy here. I really enjoyed the premise of the story, buying a murder house and living in it. I found myself racing through the beginning of the story. Then, about midway, I realized I wasn’t really connected to any of the characters. I feel the characters of the story were never fully developed. However, if you can look past the characters not being fully developed, this is a great creepy read for spooky season. The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy thrillers with unreliable narrators this one is definitely for you! I give it 3/5 stars.

This is one of the better haunted house books I've read. I did dock a star because I found the main character so unlikeable that it was a struggle to feel any kind of sympathy for her. I read the book in two sittings and was intrigued by the plot. None of the characters were particularly endearing and that includes the house itself. I would have been interested in a little more background on what exactly was wrong with Sarah.

Good spooky novel for a cold fall evening.

Sarah Slade, bestselling self help book author and therapist decides to buy a murder house with her husband Joe. She wants to renovate it and then sell it. But the house doesn't seem to want to be renovated. Her marriage is falling apart. This book was a wild ride and kept me saying to myself, "Just one more chapter." It kept me intrigued the entire time. It had immaculate murder house, spooky vibes. For this to be the authors debut novel is very impressive. I would definitely read more from this author in the future! Go pick this book up! Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random house publishing group for the opportunity to read this book!

When Sarah Slade buys a murder house to renovate, she gets more than she bargained for! Mysterious and terrifying things start happening to Sarah. She’s determined that this fixer upper will allow her to double her investment, but will she stay alive?

This book took me a while to get into. There was a lot going on and I remained confused up until the very end.. You will definitely be kept guessing but keep with it because it will all be revealed. Who is Sarah Slade anyway??

🙀🙀🙀.5 (cats instead of stars, once you read you’ll understand). What a fabulous debut novel for Lisa Matlin. I loved that the beginning of the book gave me Amityville Horror house vibes. I will say some parts were predictable but some twist I did not see coming! I loved the added blog posts, diary entries and news articles. It helped break up the book and made it that much more suspenseful. Although, I thought parts of the book dragged on a little too long.. overall I thought it was a great book and I’d definitely read from this author again!!

I want to thank the author and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Stranger Upstairs! What a debut read from . Can’t wait to read more! It had the right amount of suspense. I spent the entire book sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I didn’t guess the ending but I liked it.

Definitely would recommend this one. And the best part it’s being released right before spooky time

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for a copy of The Stranger Upstairs in exchange of an honest review.

The Stranger Upstairs is a psychological thriller debut. It is also billed as gothic and a haunted house story, but I don’t feel that this book really falls into those categories. The main character, Sarah is a hot mess and very unreliable narrator. This book is not going to be for everybody, there are plot holes and things that are left unresolved. I only recommend if you enjoy books with unlikeable characters, unreliable narrators, and don’t mind having parts of the story unresolved in the end. Otherwise, I would skip this one.

Twisted psychological thriller/horror/mystery. It is difficult to follow as there are so many personality changes and switches in character throughout the book. Only a couple of characters are even remotely relatable or likeable and that is short lived. Good for a debut book but I suppose I was expecting something less convoluted from the disruption. Not really my cup of tea. I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Sarah Slade and her husband Jose Cosgrove decided to leave their home and buy a home far away from everyone and everything they knew. They just don't buy any house it the famous Black Wood House where a man murdered his wife and tried to kill his daughter. Why would anyone want to buy this house that is associated with a murder.

Sarah and Joe are not who you think they are. They both have many secrets that they are hiding and buying this house is a new life for them. Only once they move into this house their lives have changed and not for the better.
Sarah is an media influencer and Joe a bar tender. they figured they would renovate the home and sell it at a great profit. Sarah would let everyone know on social media how the renovations were going., Yet something started changing. Joe was never around or he never came home from work Sarah was left alone just with her cat Reaper. The house was trying to tell Sarah something but what.

I am not a true fan of horror thrillers but this one kept me glued to each page. What was the house trying to tell Sarah? Notes pop up everywhere at the house and at Sarah's job. Reaper is taken sick and they think its poison Who is trying to drive Sarah crazy? Over time Sarah is losing it and everyone around her knows. Even her friend from work Emily tries to help. Sarah has never had a real friend and suddenly she feels Emily is hurting her.. She loses her job, her husband is probably cheating on her and she feels she is losing her mind. There are so many twists and turns in this book i needed to find out more and more.

Ms. Matlin you truly did write a roller coaster of a book. You truly converted me to read more books like this one.. I truly felt sorry for Sarah thinking someone is truly out to get her. The community of Beacon did't want her there, everyone including Joe was against her, except for poor Emily who truly tried to help her. I will say I didn't see the ending coming, but once you found out all of Sarah and Joe's secrets the ending truly made sense.. Any one who reads this will truly be sucked in from start to finish. One thing I will take away from this book is that you cannot always run from you past and try to rebuild yourself into someone you aren't.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for the ARC copy. I would highly recommend it.


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really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.

This. Book 🤯 Wow. I was sucked in from page 1 and thinking THIS IS CRAZY from 16% 😂 So so good and I’m so impressed that this is a debut novel! Amazing 👏

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam for this advanced copy!

When I said I DEVOURED this book!!!

Loved it. I LIVE for an unreliable, chaotic main character, and this one DELIVERED.

And the element of the unknown???? GIVE ME MORE.

I loved the authors note at the end, too. Brava, Lisa!!

I went into this book blind, and I was not disappointed. This gave me the creeps at times and had me on edge. I read this in 24 hours because I could not put it down and I sure did not see that ending coming. Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.