A big thank you to Many tha
NetGalley, Bantam, and Lisa Matlin for the granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

The book is a real horror, thriller, mystery novel all wrapped in one. I read in the evening while my husband watches television. Let me tell you, I can not easily scared however, after my husband retied for the night, this one had me double checking the locks on the doors and windows and jumping at every noise.

I was freaking out, but had to keep reading to see what happened next. Wow! What a rollercoaster ride.

Be prepared to be surprised and terrified.

Loved, loved, loved the story.

Highly recommend

Sarah is a social media influencer/therapist who’s had a bit too much time pass between her successful book and the anticipated follow up, a book she can’t seem to write. So she decides to purchase a “murder house” a home where a horrific crime has taken place, fix it up and flip it to riches and new found success. Except that the house seems to be resisting all of her changes. And the façade of her happy marriage seems to be crumbling faster than the interior of the house. The neighbors are openly hostile to the idea of someone shining a light on the house and its tragic history, a history that has kept property values lower than preferred. Sarah is determined to succeed, but can she if the house truly is out to get her? This was a fast paced haunted house thriller that kept me guessing. There are layers to the mystery and a more complex protagonist than this simple plot synopsis details. Sarah isn’t a particularly likeable lead character, but she’s definitely interesting. Her social present a sunny image but the reader quickly learns that she’s a much darker character. Definite fun for psychological horror fans.

Dark, twisted and hauntingly well written. This debut novel reads like a seasoned B.A Paris. It has so many twists and while at first I thought this was going to go down the supernatural route it didn't. I loved this engrossing thriller. You see our FMC buy a house where a murder/suicide occured in order to renovate it and turn a profit. Meanwhile her marriage is falling apart and while her husband bartends at night and often doesn't come home she being to witness strange noises and occurrences in the house. You will begin to question what you think you know in this enthralling page turner.

So this morning I got up and thought, “I’ll just read a few chapters while I have my coffee.” I have not MOVED from this spot ALL day! Lisa M. Matlin’s THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS had me enthralled. I can’t believe that this is a debut!
When best-selling author Sarah Slade and her husband, Joe buy Black Wood House in Beacon, Australia it’s basically been empty for forty years after a man killed his wife, attempted to kill his daughter and then took his own life. The daughter escaped, never to be heard from again. A neighbor on the block, whose family seemed to run the town at one point, wants the house razed because it is bringing down property values. Sarah, a social media influencer wants to restore the home to its former glory and document it to her followers. Meanwhile, to pay the bills, she works at a mental health agency as a therapist. But, let’s face it, Sarah is a hot mess. She is unlicensed and drinks herself to sleep most nights. Her only true friend seems to be Reaper (great name), her cat.
As her three year marriage continues to fall apart, strange things begin to happen with both the renovation and her job and oh, she can’t get rid of this headache! Then she starts finding notes. When she begins to investigate she learns that there was a woman who lived in the house for only about three weeks before she disappeared. What is going on here? As Sarah’s life spirals out of control, she finally confides in one of her colleagues who offers support.
I’m afraid to tell you anymore because I don’t want to ruin it. My heart was pounding. My palms were sweaty. My breath was catching in my throat. My head is spinning. I thought this was one great story. The writing is smooth and concise. I could actually feel myself sneaking down dark hallways and the cold seeping into my bones. (Hard to do when it’s over 95 right now.) Lisa M. Matlin is an author to watch. DON’T MISS THIS ONE!

I am absolutely blown away by Lisa Matlin's debut novel, The Stranger Upstairs. Let me tell you, this book is a game-changer! From the moment I started reading, I was completely captivated, and it quickly became my favorite book of the year. The only downside is that I don't think any other book can measure up to this level of brilliance.

At first, I was worried if the story would veer into supernatural territory, which I usually dislike. But let me assure you, it didn't matter at all because this book was just so incredibly good! Matlin's storytelling is unparalleled, and the twist she delivers is mind-blowing and completely original. As someone who has read countless thrillers, that's saying a lot. The main character, Sarah, is deeply flawed, and throughout the book, we unravel her secrets bit by bit, leading to a shocking truth.

I loved every element of this story, from the presence of Reaper, the cat, to the cleverly placed red herrings that kept me guessing. The epilogue is a stroke of genius that left me in awe. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll stop here, but I must mention that learning about the author's personal journey with mental illness in the end added another layer of depth to the book.

I'm incredibly grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Stranger Upstairs. This book has left an indelible mark on me, and Lisa Matlin has earned a permanent spot on my "must-read now" list.

Would you buy a known murder house? A house where a vicious murder-suicide took place? A house that has sat vacant for 40 years because nothing but darkness and death vibes surround it? Well, our main character Sarah Slade bought this house. Sarah is not superstitious, and the price was right! Sarah knows she can renovate the house and make a nice profit, all while promoting the renovations/updates on her highly popular social media page.

Sarah Slade and her husband Joe Cosgrove buy the murder house. Sarah is secretly hoping that while they start making repairs on the house, this time together will hopefully repair their marriage. Joe has become very distant, and he prefers to sleep on the couch rather than with her. How come Joe doesn’t appreciate everything that she’s done for him? While Sarah works during the day as a qualified therapist, Joe bartends at night and he often doesn’t even come home. While Sarah is alone at night, strange things start to occur. Noises in the attic, she starts to become ill, and strange occurrences keep happening.

Sarah has never felt more alone in this murder house, and the town of Beacon for which it sits. All the neighbors and townsfolk are close knit and stick together. The people from Beacon can hardly believe that anyone would even buy that house (which is called Black Wood), let alone live in it. Sarah eventually becomes close with her coworker, Emily. Sarah has never had a real friendship, and she’s hoping that she can trust Emily.

Don’t let the pretty cover of this book fool you, because this book is dark and twisted! There were many twists and turns in this book. And you wonder is Sarah just as ugly as the 40 year old murder house?

I definitely recommend this book, as it was a fast read that kept me turning the pages fast enough. There are some loose ends that I would like answers to, therefore 3.5 stars rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date September 26, 2023.
Genre- Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction

The Stranger Upstairs! WOW! I got this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was intrigued from the first page! I had to know what the murder house was about and what really happened inside! It was a twisted tale of who and what! I loved the story that was being told, what I thought was happening but then a twisted turn of events! If you love a twisted tale of suspense, haunted house, mixed with lies and psychosis this book is for you!! I loved it!

First off I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review this book.

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS BY LISA M. MATLIN
Out 9/26/23

I cannot believe that this was Lisa Matlin’s debut novel. It was so good! I got Amity vibes and The Watcher vibes. All the while being nothing at all like those.
She is obviously a talented writer! This is definitely one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read this year!
I can’t wait to see what else comes from her mind.

This is my first Lisa M. Matlin novel and I was impressed! Solid storyline and finished it pretty quickly. Will definitely read whatever she releases next!

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

The cover! The synopsis! Caught my attention right away. Both amazing and the story was even better! I seriously couldn't put this one down. It had the mystery elements that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The subject of mental health was unexpected, but nicely done. Usually a very hard subject to approach, but this author was able to write it with ease. The ending was unexpected and I felt somewhat disappointed at first. But sitting with it a bit and reflecting on what she was explaining, made it seem better than what I initially thought of it. I would definitely recommend this.

I went into this not sure what to expect and I was delighted by how dark and creepy and downright strange the book was. The atmosphere and setting were excellently written, with an unsettling vibe throughout. It gave me some Shirley Jackson vibes, too. Definitely recommend!

The first half of this book was pretty slow for me. But it definitely got better as time went. I liked the plot but felt the writing could have been better. “I bit my lip…” was said WAY too many times. At first it was hard for me keep up with the timeline going back and forth but again for easier once I figured it out. I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters except for Emily. Overall, it wasn’t terrible. But not something I would read again or even suggest to a friend. Sorry, just not totally for me.

Sarah buys the Black Wood House, the home of a murder-suicide. She's an Influencer so she hopes documenting her renovation of this house will bring more views. Strange things start to happen and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the novel. The house was its own character within the book and it totally creeped me out. This is a debut novel so I'm looking forward to future endeavors by this author!

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. Sarah is a social media influencer with a secret past and is starting over. She decides to buy the Black Wood House and renovate it. Quickly, she realizes the "murder house" is more than she signed up for with the peeling wallpaper, strange occurrences, failing marriage and suspicious neighbors. Gradually, Sarah begins to spiral and loses all sense of reality. Is she going crazy or is there someone or something in the attic talking to her? This is a wild roller coaster of a ride!! I was so dedicated from page one to the very last sentence, such a creepy thriller!

The Stranger Upstairs comes out at the end of September 2023, and is the perfect spooky Fall read. The book centers around a Sarah, an Instagrammer and therapist with dubious credentials and a heap of personal problems. She and her husband buy the home where a murder occurred many years ago in an expensive neighborhood with hopes of renovating the house and flipping it.

The house is a central character in the book, and it is oh so creepy. The writing constantly creates a sense of tension and unease. As a suspenseful and frightening Fall read I think it works well. Unfortunately, I found all of the main characters entirely unlikeable. In fact, my favorite character was Sarah's hate filled cat.

I'm giving this book 4 stars, because it is very good at what it is--a novel fueled by an angsty, unreliable narrator and good writing. Ultimately however, this was darker than I prefer and therefore did not rise to the level of 5 stars. That said, I have no doubt it will be successful upon publication later this year.

Thanks to Netgally, Lisa Matlin, and Random House Publishers for providing an ARC of htis book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was awesome. This is a story about Sarah slade who buys a house with a history that is scary to most people and it is about everything that happens in between. I loved how this book flowed. This was my first book from this author. I’d highly recommend if you love thrillers.

Social media influencer, therapist and wellness author, Sarah Slade, buys a "murder house" to start over, document her renovations, and cash in on the views, the endorsements and the sale of the house. She's such a fame seeker, that she believes that what happened in that house 40 years ago will not effect her, but the past will come back to haunt you.

I was first drawn to this book because of the cover and title. I don't typically read horror-ish books, but the psychological thriller aspect of the synopsis made me want to dive right into this book. 'The Stranger Upstairs' had me hooked from page one. It's full of twists and turns I did not guess, and I honestly didn't want to because I wanted to see what unfolded at each turn. I made the mistake of reading this in a quiet, dark hotel room and freaked myself out. *creak creeeeaaak creakkkkkk* Why would I do that to myself? Even though I was creeped out, I still didn't put the book down, I kept reading.

What's upstairs in the attic? Why did she stay? What is up with the neighbors? Why are there so many secrets?

Lisa M. Matlin KILLED it with this psychological thriller debut. I look forward to what she has in store for us next.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC for my honest review.

Spooky house purchase with the intent to renovate? Count me in!

Sarah's dream house is the spot of a notorious murder that happened 20+ years prior. The townspeople are terrified of it, and wish to have the house demolished. Contractors refuse to work on it, and repairmen flat out refuse service. Wallpaper doesn't seem to stick to the walls and there's something just wrong about it.

I couldn't have imagined the journey this book would take me on. I don't wish to spoil thos well written tale, but I advise future readers to examine everything, and don't take anything at face value.

Overall a fairly good suspense novel. Did not really enjoy reading about the main character's husband and his qualities.

Wow wow wow!!! This book for line one had me. The writing style is so easy and nice to read ever for a moment or chapter do you not want to know what's going to happen next. The twist or omg sections in this book had me gasping. There are many points were I'm actually scared, proper scared like some of the best horror movies didn't make me feel this way. I feel in love with reaper and I always believe animals have a six sense about things like this. The author also brings in the reliable parts of the rich neighborhood where know one new is welcome and a husband and wige struggle to keep there love and themselves alive. 5 star I can't wait to read more from this author and so thankful for net galley for giving me the chance to ARC it.