I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Yes, yes, yes! One word of advice: go into this story as Blindly as possible and just know you're going on one hell of a ride!

A magnificently written psychological thriller/suspense. This book is everything I hope to read and MORE. Sleep with the lights on and hold your partner close. I love that fact that this story centers around the "house' which is basically the main character. I was definitely fooled by that ending and this doesn't happen often!

That annoying leak that just won't stop, peeling wallpaper, the smell of rot, and a cemetery for a back yard.

The question remain: Would you buy a house you knew someone was murdered in? A house that no one wanted, that sits empty. A house that you drive by 1,000 times and can't look at it because you know you're going to see a scary murderer looking out the window.

5 big, beautiful stars for this fast paced original story!

#TheStrangerUpstairs #NetGalley
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.
But the renovations are fast becoming a nightmare. Sarah imagined custom avocado wallpaper, massive profits, and an appreciative husband who would want to share her bed again. Instead, the neighbors hate her guts and her husband still sleeps on the couch. And though the builders attempt to cover up Black Wood’s horrifying past, a series of bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic only confirm for Sarah what the rest of the town already knows: Something is very wrong in that house.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for giving me an advance copy.

This book actually scared me a little and I had to read a light rom-com after finishing it! That being said, I give it 5 huge stars!!!

This story veered more creepy than thriller, which is not my favorite. For the right person, it would be a great read. The characters are unlikeable but I think in a thriller, that's ok. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing-Bantam for the gifted arc

I did
Not finish The Stranger Upstairs. The characters were not believable and the author’s unnecessary use of foul language led me to a DNF.

If you're a thriller fan, this is great in so many ways! It was definitely spookier than many I've read recently and walked the line of paranormal vs reality very well right up until the end. The main character spirals into insanity and is at times insufferable, which makes sense by the end. This book followed a lot of familiar thriller tropes and wasn't anything ground breaking. The final wrap up was a great pay off, but in my opinion, the epilogue kind of ruined it. Overall, I'd recommend to thriller fans.

3.5 rounded down.

Such a creepy psychological stunner! Since I watch a lot of home renovation shows, it made me extra engaged with the plot because of the role that played in this story! It was a bit like a modern day Hitchcock thriller and I was definitely here for all the twists and turns!

Thank you so much Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for providing this eARC, in exchange for my honest opinions.

I know this isn't a comedy or satire or anything and while it was a great mystery/thriller, I couldn't help but think of all the shows and books where the "haunted House Renovation" is absolutely hilarious!

This book was so weird. The main character Sarah is so unlikeable and pretty much everyone else in this book sucks too. There’s only one character that I liked. With that said this book really messed with your head. Sarah is coo coo the author did a really good job of portraying that.
Some things in this book were a little annoying (like her constant drinking) but other things happened and were a little bit creepy. Most of the time I was like what is going on!? Some things I did end up guessing and some I didn’t.
I definitely want to read another book by this author.


Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I was begging for this to be good but it just wasn’t. I couldn’t connect with the characters and all in all the plot was meh.

While the cover of this book is gorgeous, the story kind of sucked. I feel like the haunted house trope with the woman slowly thinking she's going crazy is being overdone lately and I just wasn't into it.

I’ve been on such a spooky haunted house kick, and was so excited for this debut, from the moment I saw the cover. It was fast paced right from the start, and there were plenty of twists to keep you guessing. I look forward to more books by this author.

Unlikeable and unreliable characters. Creepy af. I loved it! Fantastic twists and turns and a jaw dropping climax!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This one had me hooked from the cover alone. A murder house and a writer with a troubled past? Sign me UP!

🏚🐈‍⬛Book Review:
Title: The Stranger Upstairs
Author: Lisa M. Matlin
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3.5 stars

I liked this book but unfortunately didn't love it like I had hoped! I was first drawn to this book by the cover (I know, the horror 🫢), but seriously, look at it! I'm always up for a good chiller as well, so this seemed to fit that description. I first received this as an arc on netgalley, but then it was offered as an option for purchase on @bookofthemonth, so I grabbed it!

I really enjoyed reading about the main character's cat, Reaper! He sounds like my soul animal! Sarah Slade and her husband, Joe, move into the infamous "murder house" in the town of Beacon. The neighbors want the house demolished after its terrible history of a double murder that took place 40 years ago. They are less than welcoming to the new couple that just moved in looking to not only renovate but to then sell the Black Wood House at a healthy profit. But the house has other plans in mind.

Creeking floorboards, footsteps in the attic, new wallpaper that will not stay put, the cat's apparent discomfort, a husband that goes missing for days at a time and a woman named Amanda that no one seems to talk about. The ending was strange and unexpected. It was okay, but I felt it could have been more. It's not too bad for this authors debut novel!

Published: September 12th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley and @randomhouse, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book, home improvement of a murder house, was very intriguing. I enjoyed the creepy, sinister atmosphere and paranormal aspect of the house. I liked that the horror was psychological and not gory. If you enjoy haunted house stories with unlikeable characters, where the owner slowly descends into madness then I would recommend checking this book out.

This haunted house thriller from Australia is creepy and entertaining! Not Your Typical Haunted House Story this book has a house where a murder occurred and an influencer/therapist who thinks she can flip it for an amazing profit! But did she get in over her head ?
This book had one of the most unlikable main characters ever but it was still a fun read !
Susan Slade, the MC, is someone I hope to never have the displeasure of meeting. She is a narcissistic, toxic personality and I still wanted to see how she would handle the situations she found herself in. I found pleasure in her getting tastes of her own medicine but sometimes I would find myself feeling sorry for her.
Underneath her pretty exterior lies a very troubled woman with an ugly past which she never tried to seek any help for. So, why feel sorry for her? Susan has met more than her match in the Blackwood House and I would feel very bad for anyone who had the misfortune of living there again!
This book was definitely a quick twisty read !

I was immediately captivated by the gorgeous cover of The Stranger Upstairs. The book blurb pulled me in further - an influencer and her husband bought a murder house to renovate, but bizarre things begin to happen. Sounds creepy, right? Unfortunately, that was as creepy as it got for me. I felt like there was some missed potential for this one and I was underwhelmed by the ending.

With that being said, I would still pick up another book written by this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam for the digital galley of this book.

Sarah has found out she can get a great deal on the house of her dreams, because someone was murdered there. That doesn’t bother her, and renovating Black Wood House makes for great content and a distraction from her failing marriage. Unfortunately, the process isn’t the dream she imagined. The neighbors hate her, and the situation isn’t helping her marriage. Plus, bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic reinforce suspicions that something’s really wrong in Black Wood House. Sarah’s life and sense of sanity continues to spiral out of control, and she realizes that Black Wood’s deadly legacy has only just begun.

This book was just fine. I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what happened, and I enjoyed the pacing. Not a super memorable thriller but definitely a good time while reading it. If you’re a thriller book lover, you’ll probably enjoy it, too.