Inspired by Rosemary’s Baby, we have Unger’s newest, The New Couple in 5B. I loved learning about Unger’s reasons for writing this story in the afterword. I always think that process is so cool! The setting of New York and the posh apartment made for a great location. It was easy to visualize and creepy in its own right. The book has an overall gothic tone with bits of supernatural. I liked our main character Rosie. She was really fleshed out and felt real to me. This one took a minute for me to warm up to. It’s a slow burn and you have to stick with it a bit. The ending really ramps up and makes for a great surprise. Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

Rosie and Chad Lowan recently lost the only close family that they had, Chad’s uncle Ivan. After his death they learn that Ivan’s apartment at the Windermere has been left to them; a luxury apartment that comes with hefty monthly fees that they’ll struggle to pay if they decide to stay. They figure this may be the break they need and hope their luck will change.

They’re welcomed by the other tenants immediately, but there’s something going on that Rosie can’t seem to put her finger on. Abi, the doorman who is always there, gives Rosie a vibe she doesn’t like, and she feels that there’s more to the intercom system than meets the eye. As Rosie delves into her research about the Windermere as she’s writing her book someone ends up dead. Is there a chance that person knew something and that led to their death?

I was so excited to read this novel when I got approved, and it didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed the twists and turns; all the time trying to make connections and figure out what was around the corner. I will definitely be recommending this to others!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheNewCouplein5B

This book started so strong and then wavered and completely dropped the ball at the end. Such a let down.

This was my first by this author, and definitely will not be my last! I was so hooked right from the beginning, and invested in the dual timelines and multiple POV. I was so excited to see how it all tied together and it did not disappoint. I am not huge on ghost stories, but I am so glad I went out of my comfort zone to try this out.

Fast-paced thriller with some paranormal activity thrown in! I'm not usually a big fan of paranormal activity in books but here it really helped with the plot because the "ghosts" that were seen were integral to the building itself. Yes, the building, the Windemere on Park Avenue in NYC is a character in the novel.

Young couple Rosie and Chad inherit an apartment in the Windemere from Chad's uncle after caring for him the last year or so of his life. Chad is a struggling actor and Rosie is a true crime writer who is starting to write a book about the building and the tragedies that have occurred there over the decades. Rosie is apprehensive about moving in because she was under the impression that Ivan the uncle, was leaving the apartment to his estranged daughter, Dana.

There is a friendly elderly couple next door, a doorman who seems to always be present, and a bizarre set of neighbors who all make for a full cast of people who give the reader the creeps. People die; are they murdered or suicides? Dana seems to be in the middle of it all but she doesn't know why.

I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book but ended up a little disappointed in the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This one was a bit too dark for me, so I did not finish. I am sure it is just me as others appear to really like it. I know that the mystery/thriller genre is inherently a tougher one to navigate...

Thank you so much @ParkRowBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 05 March 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Rosie & Chad have recently inherited a multi-million dollar New York apartment which has come at the perfect time for them as they try to grow their family and land their career-making roles. As they start living there, they learn that the building has a sordid history as do the occupants.

WHAT I LIKED:
- creepy apartment building in New York vibes

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- realized i'm not a fan of when a mystery / thriller turns a little bit paranormal (in all fairness I thought I was picking up a domestic thriller...)
- the actual ghost element seemed random and unnecessary to actually driving the plot forward
- slow moving throughout & this made the story itself feel stagnant
- didn't really understand most characters motivations

A very well written thriller that kept me wanting to pickup my book and keep reading. Love the slow reveal at the end about all the details.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the ARC copy of this one!

Unfortunately this one was way too similar to a book I recently read in Janaury that it just didn't work that well for me. However, if it would have been a fresh take on this type of story, then I would have absolutley enjoyed it no doubt!
So while it didn't hit the mark for me, I do still suggest you give it a chance and read it!

Had great creepy vibes & a fun setting for sure!

I loved everything about Lisa Unger's latest release, The New Couple in 5B. A building full of secrets, residents who all seem friendly, but also to be hiding something, and a ghost in the basement? Yes, yes, and yes. I loved the dual timelines and how they tied together, all around Apartment 5B. This is my favorite kind of thriller, where there's a realistic, believable plot with real-life characters, but also that element of the paranormal to add in that little spine-tingling chill. I can see this one being on beaches and in pool bags everywhere this spring and summer.

This is my first book by Lisa Unger and it did not disappoint. I thought it would be a traditional domestic thriller but it had a bit of a supernatural element to it which I loved! First, I knew the husband and the doorman couldn’t be trusted. Secondly, I love how the characters of the past were intertwined with the current characters living at the Windermere and in Rosie’s subconscious. I was totally surprised at Rosie’s willingness to blindly believe her husband’s lies and troubled past. I felt like the plot twists were very polished, and that the author did a fantastic job of keeping us (the reader) intrigued and constantly off the scent of the actual “murderers”. Additionally, I would’ve liked the author to touch on more of the “occult” aspect or the supernatural aspect of the building a little more to really make this a more creepy and terrifying tale! However. I totally loved it and appreciate the sophisticated writing.
Thanks to #netgalley for approving this title!

It was a very spooky read and full of unexpected twists. At first it was a bit slow getting started and the whole time I kept thinking “What is happening here?!” There were flashbacks that gave us a glimpse of the past of the apartment and explains all the ghostly things that seem to be going on around Rosie.. I did feel there was too much going on at once, but overall it was okay.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are a young New York City couple in love but struggling financially. Chad is an actor and they are sure that his big break will come soon. Rosie is a writer who has had one book published. It was critically acclaimed but she is having trouble with her new book. When Chad’s uncle dies and leaves them his extremely expensive Murray Hill apartment, Chad is thrilled but Rosie isn’t sure. The Windemere has a dark past where gruesome murders have taken place but the older people in the building are so welcoming that Rosie puts aside her concerns and they move in. However, something isn’t right. Rosie sees images of dead people, the doorman is always on duty, there are cameras everywhere and a speaker in their apartment. Is the doorman listening to them in their apartment? Something isn’t quite right with Chad either or is Rosie imagining it? When a neighbor and others connected to them begin to die, they find themselves in the middle and under scrutiny by the police but can Rosie discover what is going on before it is too late?. I really enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down.

The New Couple in 5B was published on March 5, 2024. Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for a fair review.

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger
Rating: 3.5 stars
Pub date: 3 /5

Rosie and Chad are thrilled to learn they’ve inherited their uncle’s swanky, $5 million apartment in New York. They have been struggling to make ends meet, and this seems like some well-deserved good fortune. Until they move in and Rosie starts to realize things are not what they seem.

This was a fun, spooky, twisty read. I enjoyed the slow-burn aspect of the story as well as the “what the heck is going on?” feeling I had throughout. The supernatural aspect gave this a dark, atmospheric feel and made the story even more exciting. The dual POV and timeline gave us a look at the history of the building and helped us understand how the previous deaths could be contributing to the current day occurrences.

While I mostly enjoyed this one, there is a lot going on. The timeline shifts in various chapters took me out of the story and slowed things down. The various subplots started to get confusing, and I kept waiting for them to intertwine into one story. Unfortunately, I still have questions even after I finished.

Overall, this was entertaining and I’m glad I picked it up. It’s my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last. Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my advanced reader copy.

I enjoyed this book. There were many twists, especially at the end, that I didn’t not see coming at all.
I gave it four stars because the story line seemed to move slowly quite a few times. The end of the story was excellent.

I did enjoy this spooky story set in a haunted New York apartment building. It would be the perfect October book club book. The story progressed a little to slow for me and took awhile for me to get through the book. BUT the last 25% of this thriller was so good and really motivated me to finish it.
If you enjoy creepy haunted house stories like the Haunted Mansion, I think you’ll like this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of this book!

Thank you to net galley for the opportunity to read the book. I am not usually into the paranormal, but this book had enough other twists to keep me interested. It was a good thriller but did take me awhile to get through. Definitely recommend if you are Really enjoyed the book ! At first .. it was a bit hard to keep track of the characters but once I started reading it consistently, I was hooked. The way Araminta was gaslighted was frustrating but was also a great depiction in ghosts, spirits and how places can hold stories and secrets.

Listen for the Lie pay homage to books like Rosemary's Baby. A young couple inherit a spacious, grand apartment in an old building. Not everyone is happy for them. They gave their time to care for Chad's uncle, so the inheritance isn't completely out of nowhere. Still. Rosie never expected to move into the incredible building. Unfortunately, neither did Uncle Ivan's daughter, who is not going to make their life easy. It doesn't take long at all for the shine to dull.

I appreciated the supernatural aspect of the story. It added to the tension and brought an extra spookiness to the events. I could not stop coming up with scenarios to solve the whodunit myself. I have to say that I loved the way the author ended her story.

Intuition, integrity, and illusory.

We follow Willa, during the 1960’s living at the Windermere apartment building. Her story reflects an eerie edge of betrayal.

Rosie is our other main character, a beginning author who is seduced by ghosts, haunted areas, and dark memories that are compacted into one known location. As a reader, you will ask many times why anyone could live in this ghostly building. Do her lifelong goals and husband run parallel to the murky risks she willing to take?

There’s a creepy, cool, drafty mood through the pages of this book. How much of where you live is a reflection of the life you’ve lived?

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Lisa Unger, and NetGalley for this opportunity!

I have read other books by Lisa Unger, so I was happy to receive this from Netgalley and the Publisher. This book was an interesting read, filled with murder and ghosts. What more could you ask for! Rosie and Chad inherite this lovely apartment, after Chad's Uncle dies. Once they move into tis apartment, Chad starts acting strange. So many strange characters in this book, starting with the doorman to this old New York apartment building. Adding to the charm of this building were the ghosts living in the basement and scaring the daylights out of anyone that.encountered them. Everyobe seems to have a motive for all the stuff happening around Rosie. She's not sure who she can trust. Very entertaing read. I give it a 3.75 out of 5