Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City; he is an actor between jobs while she is an author hard at work on her second book. They are just about able to afford the rent on their little apartment. But when Chad’s uncle passes away, they are delightfully surprised to hear that he left them his apartment in the beautiful Windermere building. With its classic design and complex history, the Windermere is both luxurious and timeless. The other tenants in the building are so welcoming and the doorman, Abi, is so helpful. But as Rosie and Chad settle into their new life in the apartment, Rosie becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Why are there cameras and intercoms everywhere? And why does Abi never seem to leave? When a tenant ends up dead, Rosie begins looking into the sordid past of the building and people in it.

I am a huge fan of Lisa Unger’s books so I was thrilled to get an early copy of this! From the first few pages, there was this feeling of impending doom; you could just feel that something was going to happen in that building. With its history and the constant presence of Abi, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was going on here but I knew I was in for a wild ride! Though mostly told from Rosie’s perspective, there are bits and pieces of the past history of the building and its tenants weaved throughout. That was such a fun way to add some extra creepiness into this book! Part ghost story and part thriller, “The New Couple in 5B” had me fully invested and I couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out!

Thank you to Lisa Unger, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley and Edelweiss for the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

The new couple in 5B is actually my favourite Lisa Unger book to date!!! I’m obsessed with the thriller genre, but particularly when it features spooky, potentially supernatural elements, along with historical counterparts and classic dated architecture giving the setting a beautifully unique and interesting vibe. This book is packed with ALL that, so buckle your seatbelts for this wild ride!!

The story follows Rosie and Chad, who are a young couple embarking on their mission towards building a family alongside hopefully successful careers. Chad is a theatre actor trying to become a big movie star, and Rosie is a one time published author working on her next best selling book.

The inspiration for Rosie’s next book stems from the apartment they just inherited from their recently passed Uncle, a historical goldmine in the heart of NYC, worth millions of dollars and featuring a mix of old school services, like an ominous doorman who suspiciously seems to be there at all hours of the day and somehow is always first to know everything.

Everything is going well if you don’t consider the fact that death seems to be following Rosie everywhere she goes. But some things aren’t adding up, and we keep hearing things about Chad that, although well explained, don’t seem to sit well with us.

The building itself seems to harbour secrets and has somewhat of a dark past. A lot of murders, suicides and unfortunate accidents seem to follow this place like a lost puppy. But who cares about all that when you just inherited a home worth up to 5million.

I absolutely adored this book I stayed up all night reading it, I could not put it down. I loved the plot and all the side elements. I loved the small chapters set in the past that could either be history itself or Rosie’s interpretation into her work of fiction.

If you are a fan of “Lock every door” by Riley Sager, the setting absolutely reminded me of this book and I am sure you will love this one just as much, if not more!

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

"The New Couple in 5B" by Lisa Unger is a tour de force in contemporary psychological suspense, where the brilliance lies not just in the pulse-quickening plot but in the intricately layered characters that inhabit its pages. Unger deftly transcends the conventional thriller, presenting readers with characters so finely drawn that they become living, breathing entities, each carrying their burdens, secrets, and desires. The suspense is not merely a sequence of events; it's a carefully orchestrated dance of revelations and twists, unfolding with an almost musical precision.

What sets this book apart is Unger's ability to delve into the psychological intricacies of her characters. The narrative isn't just about what happens but why it happens, and this exploration adds a profound depth that lingers in the reader's mind. The emotional landscape is richly textured, allowing readers to connect with the characters on an intimate level.

Unger's descriptive prowess creates a vivid tapestry of the story's setting, immersing readers in the atmospheric details of the surroundings. The scenes come to life with cinematic clarity, enhancing the overall reading experience.

In the realm of psychological thrillers, "The New Couple in 5B" is a standout, not just for its gripping suspense but for its literary richness. Lisa Unger's storytelling mastery, character complexity, and atmospheric prose converge to create a reading experience that transcends genre conventions. This book is undoubtedly deserving of its 5-star rating, a testament to its narrative brilliance and the depth of its exploration into the intricacies of the human psyche.

Book: The New Couple In 5B
Author: Lisa Unger
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: March 5, 2024

This is a must read. It’s creepy, atmospheric, and has that one “oh my gosh are you kidding me jaw dropping moment!” I’m not sure why but it felt a little bit like Murders In The Building. I can’t say it’s really even comparable because the book is darker but maybe the building I envisioned is like the one in the show. I really enjoyed the timeline switch between present day and the Windermere in 1963. The subplots were just as interesting as the main plot. I might have tweaked the ending a little which is why it was only four stars for me. I enjoyed the supernatural aspect and would like to have seen that developed more. Lisa Unger is a go to author for me and I anxiously await new books from her!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is March 5, 2024.

FANTASTIC book. This book is part horror, part mystery/thriller, with a little romance and suspense thrown in. It’s a gripping story with just enough suspense to keep you guessing. As the story unwinds, there are many surprises, twists and turns that make this an enjoyable read. My thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's suspenseful and entertaining - another good release from Unger. I was guessing until the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Unger is a must-read author!

Thank you to Netgalley for the early read!
The New Couple In 5B was a fast paced thriller. I could not put the book down! It had an eerie feeling throughout the book with some paranormal feels throughout the story.
This was my first time reading this author and I loved her writing style.

This was a captivating thrill ride for sure. Every single time I thought I had this story figured out, boom, there's a new wrench thrown in. I couldn't figure out if this was real people or hauntings going on. And I found that really worked for the storyline. You have no idea who you can trust in this and I loved that journey for me. I haven't found a book this author has written that I didn't love. This one is no different.

I couldn’t put this down. I read in every free second and loved it. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A fun, creepy thriller. My patrons will love this… it’s a slow burn and build but overall very well done and written.

Really this was probably a 4.5 ⭐️ for me. I was captivated from the first chapter and ate it up in 2 days.. The building and its residents are creepy and as more people die, it gets harder to figure out who is friend and who is foe. The only reason I knocked it down half a star is I can get pretty picky about endings and felt like more attention should have been given to the building in the last chapter. But otherwise it was great and look forward to it being another best seller in March 2024.

For more reviews follow me on TikTok @jillandjackets

Rosie and Chad's luck takes a turn for the better when they inherit Chad's uncle apartment. Moving away from their dingey apartment into the Windermere, they think their luck has changed. Rosie is a writer and spends a lot of time at home, over time she begins to notice the creepy cameras and the doorman that is always present. She starts to see ghosts. The Windermere has a troubled past with a lot of deaths within the building. Rosie can't seem to escape as more continue to pile up right in front of her. She vows to get to the bottom of the crimes, no matter what.

This book was a hit. Creepy, ghost vibes and beautiful apartment buildings leave a chilling setting. The cast of characters kind of give it a locked room vibe because it's mostly inside the building. Lisa Unger did a wonderful job. Pick this book up when it releases. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Lisa Unger is an auto-buy author for me and should be for any fans of the thriller genre! When I saw she had a new book coming out, I was anxious to get my hands on it!

THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B tells the tale of a couple in a new home that has quite the story itself. Lisa Unger as always tells a great story. The book was twisty and the paranoia was palpable.

While this trope is common among thriller writers, the twist at the end was completely unexpected and Lisa Unger again proves why she is one of the best in this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The New Couple in 5B, by Lisa Unger, is a twisty somewhat suspenseful novel melding the past and current times of a much sought-after address. Who and what can you trust? Are the people you meet real, can you trust your own memory? I am looking forward to reading more from this author! Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

This novel definitely gives 'Only Murders in the Building' vibes and it's a good read in a genre I'm not an avid reader in. There could have been more suspense scattered in because the basement scenes had my heart racing. Overall, this was a novel I read quickly and enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The New Couple of 5B.

I'm a born and bred New York and a fan of books set in NYC so I was pleased my request was approved.

After the death of his uncle, Chad and his wife, Rosie move into a swanky apartment in the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. But all is not rosy because the old building hosts some unwanted guests, and they're not leaving anytime soon.

First, there are not so subtle shades of Rosemary's Baby in the narrative, which I liked; the elegance and old world charm of an old timey fun timey building in NYC; creepy, old neighbors, the tone and setting setting the mood for something not quite right.

Rosie is a typical heroine in these genres; she survived an unconventional childhood and upbringing yet lacks basic street smarts and intuition.

She's not very interesting or compelling, trusts her husband, a man she has intense sexual chemistry with, but married after just a few months, despite her gut feeling something is off.

He's handsome and charming (like Guy in Rosemary's Baby), but isn't in the narrative much.

Second, I loved the supernatural elements of the story, and wished the author had expanded on those themes, such as incorporating the ghosts into the story more instead of Rosie just seeing apparitions.

Third, the ending was a little corny, how Rosie gets away from her captors. I know it's hard to take old people seriously as bad guys and it was a stretch for me.

I did like how Rosie's sister comes to NYC to see her, and the ending when Rosie reunites with her family.

I enjoyed The New Couple in 5B a lot more than the author's last book.

Lisa Unger never fails to keep my interest from page one until the end. She's a master storyteller. So cuddle up and get ready for a fantastic ride.

There is a lot to like about this book! It’s fast paced with surprise twists, set in a spooky setting with even spookier characters. I gobbled this story up in a day. I do wish that the apartment complex was more of a central character. I love when a setting is like a person, unreliable and untrustworthy. The basement scenes were perfection and gave me the creeps, but I wanted more. The husband was terrible! I don’t know what the overall timeline was meant to be, but I felt like everything happened to the MC within a couple of weeks. She really went through it! Overall, a good read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader version of Lisa Unger's newest thriller. New neighbors moving to creepy neighborhoods or apartments is a well used theme amongst thriller writers. Lisa Unger does it very well, but there were many similarities to other stories I've read recently. 4 stars because of her fabulous writing style, not the common thriller plot.

This was such a great, suspenseful thriller! I couldn't put this book down and I would love to read more by this author. You'll never guess the twist at the end!