It's weird that I happened to pick two books in a row with such similar main characters: women with mental health issues operating as therapists with faked credentials, who are also struggling to write books and have a drinking problem? This is so oddly specific, and it seems really odd that there would be two new books in a row with such similar characters by different authors.

Anyway, the book was pretty good. I liked the premise a lot, although the book did feel a little slow at times in the middle. The book gives Amityville Horror vibes with the implication that the house is possessed and is driving people to do its evil bidding.

Keywords: haunted house, psychological thriller, influencer, lies & secrets, crumbling marriage, dark twists

Wow, I loved this debut from Lisa Matlin from the get go. It was eerie, mysterious, full of twists that left me in a chokehold. I loved/hated the heroine and the book fit all my genre/trope expectations while remaining completely unique.

I think it would be a great read for fans of Gillian Flynn and Caroline Kepnes! Think that style through the eyes of a deeply troubled influencer with a dark past.

This one hooked me right away! It was dark, eerie, creepy, all of my favorites! It was also anything but predictable throwing me for more than one loop. I got slight Home Before Dark vibes just slightly creepier. Once I hit the halfway point I bunkered down for the long haul because I needed to see how it ended. I think the couple had just as many issues as the house! I love a haunted house as good as the next person but I would have run screaming from this one the first change I got!

The synopsis of this book pulled me in so fast that as soon as I got an email about receiving an ARC, I was instantly staring it. I will absolutely read more from this author and look forward to seeing what’s next. Plus I have a soft spot for dog loving authors that are mental health advocates!

The last hour of the book… I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I needed answers asap. And although I felt like it was a little rushed, I did enjoy the answers and reasons of everything.

I mean this in a good way - I hated the main female lead Sarah, she rubbed me the wrong way from the start that I looked forward to seeing her fall worse and worse as the book went on. Im thinking the Sarah wasn’t meant to be a character we loved and it made everything that happened in the book so much easier to handle than if the lead was a likable character. This author knows how to write a lead who is easy to dislike and not grow an attachment to because honestly if I had grown an attachment to Sarah the outcome of this book wouldn’t have made sense. The twists weren’t expected, made me not want to put this book down and if Sarah was a likable character the twists wouldn’t of really be plausible. Sometimes we need an unlikeable character to have a great debut thriller novel and I’m not hating on that at all.

《 5 ✰ 》

What happens when a murder house and a social media star have a meet cute?

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that we have no clue what horror is coming for us.”

The Stranger Upstairs is an atmospheric and chilling fast-paced read with moments full of tension, anxiety, and fear. Leave all the lights on and put a bell on every household member. Lisa Matlin is deft in constructing suspense and twists that subvert the readers' expectations until the last page. I loved it!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bantam, and Lisa Matlin for the gifted ARC.

3.5 rounded up for first book and originality

This story was very different, I’m not sure what category I would place it in. There were moments of confusion and fear (horror, thriller) and then there seemed to be a supernatural element (not sure if the final reveal cleared this up completely). Many reviewers did not like the main character, Sarah. I found her fascinating. I also felt a lot of sympathy for her as she tried to navigate “life” as someone who doesn’t feel like she belongs (anywhere, to anyone).

The conclusion was unexpected which was both good and bad. It was original, which was a bonus, but also left a few issues unresolved. The epilogue (after a really fun last chapter) seemed unnecessary and didn’t add much for me but 🤷‍♀️. Overall I quite enjoyed this story and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

This was a terrific read. Lots of interesting twists, and turns, psychological problems that only compound. Enough resolved at the ending to make it feel like an ending, but a few questions linger. I would definitely read more from this author. 5 BIG STARS!!!

Therapist and self-help writer Sarah Slade purchases a murder house in the well-known community she has always dreamed of living in. Thinking that this home renovation would make for an interesting blog, her marriage takes a backseat to the disturbing yet intriguing past of her new dwelling.

As the renovations turn into a nightmare and Sarah begins to hear things and receive threatening notes, she begins to wonder if this home is worth it in the end. Would her life eventually end here as well? Or will she be able to flip it before it’s too late?

Overall an intriguing and creepy novel. I especially enjoyed how Matlin turned the house into a main character as well.

There was some confusion as to what I thought of as “an intrusion” of certain people at the novel's beginning, which I thought ruined the overall feel of the setting. But overall, seamless progressions throughout. A typical horror/mystery setup with a slightly unique turn of events made for an engaging read.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The description and the cover of this book appealed to me. Sarah and her husband buy a house that someone was murdered in. Sarah has a large social media following and blogs about her journey remodeling their new home known to many as the "Murder House." Things go well for a short time until strange, creepy things start happening. Not sure who is to blame, Sarah starts to have suspicions about her neighbors. Soon Sarah's life starts to spiral, her husband disappears and the cat is even acting strange.

I liked how the author brought the story together in the end. I wanted to find out what was going to happen and why all the strange things were happening with the house and Sarah. It held my interest until the end.

I really liked the main character Sarah in the beginning, but towards the end things just got so strange and her behavior seemed to be repetitive and unlikeable. I would have liked to have had more storyline about her husband Joe, he just played such a small role in the story. There were places in the story where I felt a little lost or the storyline jumped a bit or some things felt unfinished.

I did find it to be a good read, and I am happy there were some answers in the end. Thank you Netgally for a copy of The Stranger Upstairs. This is my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this e-ARC.

This book had me so freaked out the entire time I was reading. You just had no idea what was happening, or what happened to the MC in the past that made her and her husband run from their hometown.

Black Wood House has a terrible history, being that a husband murdered his wife there and tried murdering his daughter, as well, before killing himself.

Our MC Sarah buys Black Wood house w her husband in order to renovate it for her Instagram followers, then sell it for a profit.

Right after they move in, weird, creepy things start happening, and you don't know if it's the neighbors trying to drive the couple out, the house itself trying to drive the couple out, or what? Sarah definitely makes some dumb decisions throughout the book and always puts herself in danger, which drove me nuts, but it makes for a good story because those were the very scary parts.

I gave this one 5 stars because I was seriously creeped out from the get go, and I love that in a thriller.

First off, the cover of this book is one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen! What a mystery with some twists in there! Parts of the book were hard to follow but not a bad start as the debut book for this author.

How far would you go to "do it for the gram"?

In this book, our main character, Sarah, buys Black Wood House, the scene of a famous murder. She plans to document the renovations on her social media. Living off booze and Instagram likes, she finds that owning a murder house in addition to running from her past and trying to fix her broken marriage, is a heavy load to carry. As the renovations go on, Sarah begins to experience some pretty creepy things, and we have to wonder- does Black Wood House want her there?

I really enjoyed this book on the surface level. It was engaging, creepy, and super entertaining. Sarah's character was wonderfully unlikable in a way that makes you wonder whats next and how she'll ruin it. The creepy house vibes were on point and I was trying to figure out what was going on right until the end. There were plenty to curveballs to keep the reader invested and on their toes- I especially enjoyed guessing the motivations of some of the side characters.

Toward the end of the book it felt like a few pieces were incomplete or rushed, but it was a very satisfying ending that suited the book perfectly. I enjoyed most of the epilogue, but was a bit thrown off by the very end. Thankfully a quick Google search helped me figure that one out.

I think fans of Mexican Gothic and Home Before Dark would really enjoy this book. Also, if the synopsis doesn't hook readers, this cover will! It's gorgeous!

When Joe Cosgrove and Sarah Slade buy the old Victorian Gothic “Black Wood House” in the town of Beacon, they’re well aware of its history. The locals call it the “Murder House,” and they wish someone would just demolish it. But for the price, Joe and Sarah couldn’t pass it up, and they plan to flip it for a quick profit. Except the house seems to have other plans. From the moment they move into Murder…I mean Black Wood… House, their lives become increasingly complicated, and paranoia rules the day. As the plot progresses, unsavory details emerge from all directions, including Joe and Sarah’s. My oh my, what a tangled web. A creepy, gripping, mind boggling labyrinth of possibilities leads to an unexpected conclusion. It you like it creepy, this one’s for you.

Great book about a couple who buy a old house in where a murder had taken place several years before. They plan to renovate and flip the house to sell. People in their new neighborhood seem less then pleased that the house has new occupants. Then strange things start to happen while fixing up the house.

This book took a bit to get started, but it never lost my interest - the entire storyline was done in such a unique way. At about the 50% mark, the book really took off and I refused to put it down until I finished.

The creative use of newspaper articles, journal entries, and a final additional POV had me struggling to know what was going to happen or who to believe. I was truly in the dark until the end (which was fantastic). I also have to say, I was on high alert worrying about Reaper - that cat had my heart for some reason lol.

I also want to note, read the author's note at the end, it was truly vulnerable and I appreciated her sharing what she did with her readers.

WOW! What a remarkable debut! The Stranger Upstairs is the first book I have read in a long time that kept me at the edge of my seat throughout!

Author, Lisa M. Matlin, introduces the reader to Sarah Slade, wife, self-help author, therapist, and SO much more! After Sarah and her husband, Joe, move into a home in which a murder occurred previously, Sarah begins to hear noises and question whether the house really wants her in it.

This is definitely not a book to be missed!

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

WOW JUST WOW!!!!!! The Stranger Upstairs written by Lisa Matlin was no exception!!!!! This book was so dark, haunted, and just flat out creepy, but I loved every minute of it. The cover and the blurb were top tier, but once you read this book you will be absolutely SHOCKED. The Stranger Upstairs is like a creepy modern thriller meets classic gothic horror aesthetic. The cover is so pretty, all the vibrant gorgeous colors, but the story is nothing like the cover, it's dark, twisted, and haunting. This would be the perfect book to read during Halloween, but of course I couldn't wait that long, I was so excited to get my hands on this book. If you choose to read this book, which I totally recommend everyone to do, be prepared to have a flashlight ready and sleep with the lights on. When I thought I had all the answers, I was completely wrong and thrown right back into the woods. I had to bite my tongue a numerous amount of times to keep from screaming because I was completely shocked and freaked out. I had goosebumps the entire time, I had nightmares of peeling skin, birds staring at me with these dark devil eyes. I knew from the very first page I was going to love this book and it never once disappointed. I can't recommend this book enough, grab a cozy blanket and some heavy core snacks. This thriller was like nothing I have ever read before and I absolutely LOVED it.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHING GROUP, BALLANTINE FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

First off, I'd like to thank my absolutely amazing and gorgeous BBB, Cecelia for buddy reading The Stranger Upstairs with me and holding my hand through this scary book, I had the best conversations with you and sharing our crazy thoughts together💓.

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the beautiful cover in this gothic psychological debut novel. Sarah Slade is starting over. Sarah and her husband Joe are the new owners of the infamous Black Wood House, the scene of a grisly murder suicide. Bill Campbell decided to murder his wife Susan with a hammer, Bill tried to kill his daughter Janet as well, but she managed to run away, but the words "don't kill me" will haunt this house forever. Janet ran away, but no one has seen or heard from her since then. No one knows why Bill killed his wife and then killed himself, it's all a mystery. Sarah is determined that renovating The Black Wood House will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and help distract her from her failing marriage. When Sarah starts sharing details about her renovation on social media, she enjoys watching her likes and comments rising. Sarah decides to get a job as a therapist at this community center, but she gets drunk every night in her office after her last clients. After Sarah's secret past, do you really think she got a college degree to become a therapist?

As Sarah starts painting over the house's horrifying secrets, Sarah knows way better than anyone that a new facade can't control every single secret. Sarah has so many secrets of her own, that when you read this book you will be completely dumbfounded, maybe even disgusted like I was. Sarah and Joe's marriage is failing horribly, they don't even sleep together anymore. THEIR FIRST DATE WAS SO WEIRD when they shared a backstory of how they met. Sarah is a social media influencer and Joe is a bartender. Sarah has hired builders to help move the renovation process smoothly, but then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents, one builder was smashed in the back of the head, but no one was around to do it that anyone could see. Once this all happens, Sarah knows there's only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the blood stained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears in the attic. People start ending up dead in The Black Wood House, but no one absolutely knows anything. There's a dark forest, there's weird birds that just stare at Sarah, the wallpaper is peeling like when you have really bad sunburn and it just starts peeling.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah is convinced that someone or something is out to kill her, who could it be though? Her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself? The more Sarah keeps up with renovations, the angrier Black Wood House becomes. It's like the house is trying to get rid of Sarah and Joe, could it be Sarah's sanity or the Campbell's ghosts? You just need to read this book to truly find out. It was all so creepy and haunted, I couldn't help but scream. With every single passing moment, Sarah's life spirals further and further out of control, along with that her sense of reality gets so out of hand. Sarah so desperately wants to cling to the lies she has crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah must wonder.... was it all worth it or will The Black Wood House be her final unraveling? All the secrets that started unraveling had me on the edge of my seat. I didn't expect to be wrong so many times, but every time I was wrong it was like I was being thrown into the woods and having the birds stare at me like I was insane for even thinking about the outcome of all the twists and turns. The Stranger Upstairs will definitely have me sleeping with my lights on from now on, just wow, it was so haunted and creepy as heck.

This had mystery (quite a few) , suspense,misdirection, supernatural aspects (a haunted house),marital issues, sibling issues, neighborhood drama, a bloody hammer, paranoia, murder and revenge. And a nice couple of twists at the end really made this an enjoyable read. Was the ending perfect? No. But, it was pretty good, so, no real complaints. When this is released, it should definitely be on your TBR if any of that sounds good to you. And, I will be looking for future releases from this author!
4.25⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to have an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a pretty good mystery! I enjoyed the story line and thought it was well developed. Normally, I have trouble picking out twists and turns and didn't see all the ones in this. It was good! I enjoyed it!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Net Galley for allowing me to read this debut novel. To sum it up nicely, I really enjoyed this book. The plot was solid and I’m always a fan of a book that slowly reveals bombshells. There were a lot of characters and sometimes I found myself trying to remember who was who, but it stayed fast pace pretty much the entire time and was a solid first novel. I also really loved the author’s note at the end and seeing the About the Author made me love her and her book even more. I’m looking forward to upcoming books from her!