A couple with a secret past binding them together buys a murder house to renovate but as they make their attempts the house seems to be fighting them, when they aren’t fighting themselves, in The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin.
Starting over isn’t unfamiliar to Sarah Slade, but this time as the social media influencer and therapist begins renovations on an infamous murder house, Black Wood House, she’s posting updates on her lifestyle blog so there’s greater scrutiny on the façade of a life she’s built to hide her secrets, including the deterioration of her marriage. With hopes that fixing up the house to make a tidy profit may help improve things between her and her reserved husband Joe, Sarah’s stress and anxiety levels ratchet up, making it easier to attribute some strange things happening in the house to that, but as sounds, like footsteps in the attic, suddenly slamming doors, and mysteriously menacing notes appear, Sarah is convinced that someone in the tightly knit community of Beacon is trying to intimidate her to leave. When Sarah tries to get to the bottom of who could be harassing her, she uncovers the mystery of Amanda, the woman who purchased the house before her who disappeared, sending her in a spiral that she could be next, especially if the truth about her were revealed.
With a house presented as an intriguingly ominous and haunting entity, the scenes that take place within the confines of those walls have an eerie feel to them to drive readers to question just what the reality of the situation unfolding is. While there were unnerving things happening in the house to build up suspense within the narrative the pace moved slowly until events reached a sudden boiling point and began to happen in a quickfire manner; the secret binding Sarah and Joe together, while terrible, was built up to be much more dire, causing the truth of it to feel overblown, especially with Joe’s lack of presence during the story. Sarah is yet another depiction of a woman with mental illness struggling to cope while using alcohol and being presented as unreliable as a result, which is disappointing because her mimicking ability and tendency was fascinating but generally underutilized and could have helped to set her character apart from others of her ilk in such a familiar story. Though the inclusion of blog posts and new stories varied the format of the text, there was a lack of emphasis on the touted social media element of Sarah’s character and the insertion of another character’s perspective for a couple chapters, though providing a level of rationality to balance the delusions seizing Sarah, felt disjointed in their incorporation, taking away from focus on how Sarah’s mental state changed.
Overall, I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin will keep you awake at night listening for sounds in your attic!
Lisa M. Matlin knows how to write spine chilling novel’s, that will make you look at homes for sale totally different.
With a house that’s haunted by a family that the neighborhood loved, woe to the people that decide to buy it.
This was a read until you’re finished, fantastic thriller of a book!

Could you stay in a house where someone was murdered? 40 years ago, Bill Campbell brutally murdered his wife, Susan in Black Wood House. He attempted to do the same to his daughter, Janet, but she managed to get away.

Sarah Slade sees no issue living in a “murder house”. Sarah is therapist and best selling author of a self help book. Her and her husband, Joe, hope to fix up the house after a vacancy of 40 years. If they are successful at turning around Black Wood House’s reputation they stand to make a decent profit. Sarah believes she can fix the house but Joe is apprehensive and finds the house creepy.

There is so much work to be done on the house but we soon discover that’s not all Sarah needs to improve. Her marriage is failing and Joe grows more and more away from her. Sarah is also meant to be hard at work on her second book but is finding it harder to write.

Sarah’s plate is definitely full but you learn early on that she is not reliable. Her past is full of lies and her true identity/personality are a secret even to herself. I can’t say that I liked Sarah or Joe and that can put off some readers who want to root for someone.


I love the cover! There’s been a trend lately of thriller/horror books ditching the traditional black and red for bright pinks and purples.

I like when books tell the story in different medias. Blog posts, text chains and news articles are a fun way to move along the storyline. I was originally drawn to the social media aspect of the story. I wish that had been utilized a bit more. We could’ve seen Sarah sharing photos of updates and more feedback in the comments with her attempting to find people to work on the house. This aspect of the book kinda flopped for me. As well as the house renovation.

I feel like some of this was disjointed. I still enjoyed the book but I felt like the pace was off. Usually stories like this have the couple move in full of optimism, little things happening here and there and then a big finale. Maybe some readers will enjoy that this didn’t follow that same old technique. I would’ve enjoyed learning more about the original murder. I think some restructuring of the plot and timeline could make the book feel more complete.

Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers. Thanks NetGalley and Lisa Matlin for the opportunity to read The Stranger Upstairs. I have written this review voluntarily.

Sarah Slade is a therapist and instagram influencer hoping for a fresh start when she buys Black Wood an old murder house, to fix up. The train wreck that is her life keeps spiraling, and leaves you alternating between rooting for her and against her. This book grabs you from the start, and keeps you on edge throughout with a fun mix of paranormal and psychological thriller. I felt like I was watching a scary moving with my hands over my eyes, peeking through my fingers because I couldn’t look away. I made the mistake of reading while camping and then thought every sound in the woods was something nefarious. It was fun reading some of the different phrases from an Australian-based book. If you are looking for a quick, spooky book that keeps you guessing until the very end, THIS IS IT!

The cover of this book is gorgeous! I read as an Ebook but might just have to buy the book because it will look beautiful on my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. This was my first ARC and will be tough to beat! It’s hard to believe this is Lisa Matlin’s debut book. I will be reading everything she writes from here on out!

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I have always found these types of stories to be thrilling and enticing. I would have to say this book fits that criteria. Sarah and her husband by a house that has a bad history and once they move in, questionable things begin to happen to Sarah. I never expected the ending to go that way, but I find it an interesting explanation.

This spooky, atmospheric, fast-paced thriller had me on the edge of my seat. The main character, Sarah, is flawed and an unreliable narrator and as she unravels seems intent on taking down everyone with her. The setting and circumstances were unique and modern and will appeal to a wide range of mystery/thriller readers. I read this in one day and will be a recommendation for a great summer read.

Initially, I thought this book was a tad overdone with its endless use of similes and ly words, but as I read further, I had to admit it had ensnared me with its plot.

Can a house make one sick, sick enough to murder? That seems to be the way with Black Wood House. It has a history but Sarah Slade and her husband tend to avoid listening, as they see the house as a get rich scheme, after the renovations of course. Things go awry immediately as the house seems to be sending signals that it wants no to be there, no one to disturb its walls, no one to upset whatever it is that resides there.

Sarah and her husband have secrets, ones so deep that they needed to run away and change their appearances. Sarah's husband is no prize, or no help either as he runs off nightly to somewhere or is it someone? As Sarah descends further into the house's clutches, she is convinced that someone is out to kill her. It could be her husband, her neighbors who send off the creepiest vibes, but more probably the house.

Not bad for a new author. She sets a tone of creepiness well and although there are some crazy happenings in the tale, it somehow comes together, with a big amount of stretch.

Thank you to Lisa M. Matlin, Bantam Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out in September of 2023.

Sarah Slade is a social media influencer who buys the notorious “murder house” in hopes of documenting the renovations to her fans in her blog.(The previous owner killed his wife and then himself inside the house) She and her husband Joe are having a bit of a rough patch, but she thinks this new chapter may help sort things out between them. As she starts her renovations, it’s as if some force is working against her. She starts hearing strange noises and receiving threatening notes. Both she and her cat become very ill.. but Sarah still can’t seem to give up on living in the haunted Black Wood House. I really liked the premise of this novel. Unfortunately, I was not invested in any of the characters and felt that the story dragged a bit. There were definitely some creepy and disturbing twists.. But this novel was just not for me. I gave it 2 stars.

This is a SILLY SIMILE book, with phrases that made me roll me eyes.

I don't know if this is a good mystery, but I couldn't get past the terrible writing. Not for me, sorry.,

I enjoyed this book for the most part. There were a couple of things I didn't care for that revolved around the plot and the ending (I don't want to spoil anything). There were times that I found the main character too erratic. Sarah Slade is best selling self help author, social media influencer, and a therapist in the town of Beacon, Her and her husband, Joe, decide that they are going to buy the murder house in Beacon to fix up and make a profit off of it! But things do not go as planned, they get the feeling that the house doesn't want them there. The town is also not supportive of their choice to remodel the house. There is something off about Sarah, he co-workers don't really care for her and everyone in the two is weary of her. What is Sarah and Joe hiding? Can their marriage survive this house and their past? Does the house really not want them there? What will the town members do to keep them from flipping the murder house?

Wow. I did not see any of that coming.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin is a thrilling and suspenseful ride. In this debut novel we follow Sara. A woman with a house, and a marriage, in need of renovations. In an attempt to fix her life, and become social media famous, Sara buys Blackwood Manor. An old house in a tight knit community with a sordid past. Murders and disappearances are normal for this house. The more Sara fixes in the house the more her life seems to unravel. And the more sinister the neighbors appear. Is someone stalking Sara? How do they know about her past?? Read for the thrilling and twisted conclusion.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and kept me very interested. I did not see the end coming and the ending was absolutely worth the read. All the bits and pieces of the story wrapped up well and I felt satisfied with the ending.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑼𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝑴. 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏

Meet Sarah— a social media influencer who is trying to distract herself from marital woes… So she purchases Black Wood House to renovate. Normal right? Maybe if living in a fixer upper that was the scene of a murder suicide is your thing. Creepy notes, blood stained floors and strange builders are the tip of the iceberg as Sarah’s life continues to spiral out of control.

LET ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I was shocked to find out this is Lisa’s debut! I literally could not put this book down. Dishes? Eating? Sleep? What? Nothing mattered but finding out what was really happening to Sarah Slade. The Stranger Upstairs was such a fast paced read, full of tension and suspense. This was one of those books that had me looking over my shoulder and analyzing every creak and squeak in my own house as I read!

I love a book that knocks me on my ass and has me questioning everything I thought I had learned as I read. The ending had me reeling, and I cannot wait to see what Lisa comes up with next.



Review will be live on Instagram, Goodreads and Amazon on pub day!

I really had to sit after I finished this book and ponder what the heck I just read. The Stranger Upstairs lagged for me at the beginning but then picked up speed and I was intrigued. Super spooky and I always love an unreliable narrator. I think there was some missing aspects, like her husband. Things were just thrown in or left out. However, I could totally see this book as a movie! The last 15% kept me on my toes! 3 solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Ballantine for the ARC!

The cover artwork really peaked my interest in this novel. However, was not what I pictured the house looking like in my mind so that was interesting. .

This is the debut novel from Lisa M. Matlin and overall, I thought it was good.

The Stranger Upstairs follows a "therapist" and influencer who buys an infamous murder house with plans to renovate it with her husband, Joe. However, her life and the renovations quickly become a nightmare - the neighbors want her out and her marriage is failing. Throughout the book, Sarah experiences anonymous, threatening notes, accidents, and unknown footsteps up in the attic of the house.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but it picked up in part 2. The ending was shocking, yet sad.

A massive thank you to Lisa M. Matlin and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: murder, mental illness, and infidelity.

This was really a wild ride. I liked the idea of the book—haunted (?) house, unreliable narrator, cold cases, creepy small town, influencers, house flipping— but it really was a little too stream of consciousness and casual for my taste. It was clearly deliberate and added to the vibe of the book but I felt like it left some details out. I really didn’t understand the husband’s role in the book at all or why the main character needed to have one. He didn’t seem real. For a while I was wondering if he really was real. He just sort of bounced and then only reappeared at the very end.

An influencer therapist with a hidden past who is slowly losing her mind in a creepy murder house?! This book is just as good as it sounds. (Better actually.) I can guarantee you will not see the twists coming. This was phenomenal. Lisa Matlin had me scared of the dark for the past week and feeling like someone else was in the room with me.

LOVED THIS BOOK!!

This one started off really strong, but it kind of lost the plot (!) after awhile. Our main character is an unreliable narrator and she's such a mess in general. It was hard to sympathize with her extensively. Overall, my bigger challenge is we never got to know most of the other characters. They flit in and out and sometimes get caught up in what has happened, but they aren't developed which reduced their impact. The book does have a bit of a horror element that was interesting and the murder house with its grounds are definitely creepy and atmospheric.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

What happens when a social media influencer/psychologist buys a “murder house”to fix up, and flip? Is the house haunted? Is Sarah crazy? Or can everything be explained easily?

This novel is not my norm, but boy did it have me on the edge of my seat! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ACR.#Netgalley #Thestrangerupstairs

Would you buy an old, so-called murder house situated remotely on 400 acres? That's exactly what Sarah and her husband do - buy the Black Wood house, which was built in 1889, and was also the location where a man killed his wife.
This is a creepy, atmospheric read that not only gives you all the spooky old house vibes, but taps into marriatal dynamics as well. As Sarah and Joe begin to renovate this murder house, you start to learn their backstories and unravel the mysteries of the entire neighborhood. I really enjoyed Reaper, the cat. Whenever animals sense something in the darkness, it is sure to add an element of fright!
Keep your nightlight close by, as this will keep you up late at night to finish!

This was... quite a book. Don't let the fact that I finished this book in a day deceive you - it was not a 5 star, award-winning novel. However... don't let my two star rating keep you from reading this either, as it was one of the wildest rides I've ever been on.

No one was likable, the story was somewhat confusing (too many names switching around to keep track of), and it just felt like a combination of The Watcher and Haunting of Hill House (but not in a good way). Sarah is the most unlikable character in existence, which made me want her to get whatever was coming to her in that house. HOW DID SHE GET A THERAPIST JOB WITHOUT BEING A LICENSED PRACTITIONER?!? DO THEY NOT HAVE NPI'S IN AUSTRALIA?!?

Also the whole town being in on the craziness was too much for me; I need my thrillers to be at least slightly believable, even when potential supernatural is involved. And this was too much.

Give it a read if you want something entertaining but bad; this is just the book for you.