Second book by Lisa Unger that I have read. This was a great thriller- kept me guessing until the end! 4/5 stars!

If you just beginning to read thrillers, this would be a great one to delve into or start with a book club - plenty of discussion points here! Rosie and Chad end up inheriting a luxurious apartment at the Windermere but at what price? Rosie begins to question the workings at Windermere and two plots unfold at once. We follow Rosie as she unravels the secrets of the place and maybe just what she thought about her life wasn't all that it's made out to be.
For those trying out thrillers, this may be a great start. For seasoned thriller readers, this might have too many plot holes or you may figure it out before the shoe drops. Either way, I found this quite entertaining!

Book Review
The New Couple In 5B
By Lisa Unger


Rosie and Chad Lowan are struggling to make ends meet when Chad’s ailing uncle passes away and leaves his much desired apartment to them. Chad is an aspiring actor and Rosie had a hit book but has struggled to write anything since. After the uncle’s passing there are many questions by others as to why the apartment didn’t go to his daughter. The book plays homage to many other dark and spooky classic stories about homes or neighbors that feel just a bit off. In this dual timeline we also meet lonely housewife and aspiring dancer Willow Winter in the past. Her story will intertwine with others in the building who like Chad and Rosie learn of odd occurrences and suspicious deaths in the building. I liked this book. It has somewhat of a slow start but by the middle really started to pick up. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I thought I was going to love this so much but it fell kind of flat. The storyline was really intriguing and I loved the spooky old city building. I honestly believe the audiobook ruined this experience for me because the voices were just not good for this book and just felt completely off.

The New Couple in 5B" is a gripping novella that showcases Lisa Unger's talent for crafting suspenseful and psychologically nuanced stories. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot twists, and atmospheric writing style, the novella offers a thrilling exploration of secrets and deception in a close-knit community.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚-𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧.

This book started out so strong with that eye-grabbing premise, however, I feel like it dragged so much and started to get repetitive.

I loved the NY vibes and creepy apartment setting (which tends to work so well in books for me). The pacing felt way too slow in my opinion and while the gothic paranormal & eerie vibes were right up my alley… some of the “choices” didn’t sit right with me.

I found the story to be super ridiculous at times… yes, the writing was super easy to read and the story was fine (at best).

This is one of those books I won’t remember all too well in like two weeks, but it had its moments here and there - good and bad.

Thank you so much NetGalley and HTP Books for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and while it was better than the first, I still wouldn’t say it was good. I think this will likely be the last book I read by this author.

I was in the mood for a good thriller and thought that the description of "The New Couple in 5B" sounded like it would be a good fit. And it was!

I enjoyed the basis of the book and how it was a main character who is a writer and is writing about the sordid history of the building that she ends up moving into. I liked the flashbacks to the past and the little mentions that kind of tied all of the various stories together but without shoving it down your throat. (For example: in regards to the "little ghost boy" that the main character sees and how we as the readers kind of pick up on who he is before the protagonist does.)

I also liked how many of the characters seemed somewhat unreliable.

I will admit that I was a little surprised about the supernatural elements with the "accurate" tarot readings and the ghost sightings. I suppose that could be explained away by coincidence and research and lack of sleep making you "see things" but it felt like the supernatural was actually happening so I'm not sure. I was okay with it in the end but it did throw me off a bit since I wasn't expecting it.

Overall I really liked the book and thought it was a good read.

(Would recommend for readers who also enjoyed "Lock Every Door" by Riley Sager.

This one I would rate a 3.5 out of 5! I loved how the setting for this book was a spooky nyc apartment building because like the author said it’s inspired by actual apartments there. I found myself wanting to fly through it after I was about 3/4 done, Rosie was a strong female character who I continued to root for but she was definitely chaotic!

This book was gripping, a Gothic themed story that kept me turning pages from start to finish. I was captured by the strange happenings, mysterious intercom system, and so much more.

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger was captivating and a tad creepy in a good way. It was easy to picture the apartment and old elevator with the creepy doorman. It was mystery and thriller right until the very end. Thank you to Lisa Unger and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

This was just an okay read for me. It kept my attention. I liked it but I don't love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

I have loved this author since reading her book, Last Girl Ghosted. She is now one of my favorites. This is a great thriller, a little more supernatural than I was thinking and tend to like. I liked the twists and the descriptions I thought were well written. I could feel how scared she was when the lights went out and she first saw the boy.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book at the end. I was worried at the beginning of the book that it was going to remain rooted in a fantasy type of storyline. However, the character development had me hooked.

I would recommend this story for anyone who enjoys mystery and an intricate storyline.

Thanks, NetGalley!

Chad and Rosie are newlyweds, madly in love and trying to start their life together while building their careers and maybe a family. When they inherit a posh apartment in an historic NYC building they know their luck is changing for the better and they dream big dreams. But is the building really that posh or are there ghosts left behind from the many murders, suicides and accidents that have occurred there? Will they be able to build their dream life amidst all the strangeness and death?

"The New Couple in 5B" by Lisa Unger is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that delves into the complexities of relationships and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath the surface. The story follows a seemingly perfect couple who move into a new apartment building, only to become entangled in a web of deception and danger.

Unger's storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the tension builds and secrets are revealed. The characters are well-drawn and the plot twists are unexpected, creating a sense of unease that lingers long after the final page.

Overall, "The New Couple in 5B" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and mystery novels. Lisa Unger has crafted a compelling and suspenseful story that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

I really liked this thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I gave this a five stars and I would really recommend reading this book.

Summary:

Rosie and Chad are struggling young adults trying to make ends meet while living in NYC. Surprisingly at the time it is needed the most, Chad’s uncle has passed away and left them a beautiful apartment in a historic building in NYC.

After they try to settle into their new apartment, Rosie begins to question the tenants and some odd situations occurring. Is the building cursed? Haunted?

My Thoughts:

I love all of Lisa Unger’s books and enjoyed this one as well. I usually don’t like the supernatural aspects of a book, but they were really well placed!

I definitely recommend this book! Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy!

Lisa Unger is a staple in the thriller/mystery world and this book did not disappoint! I love every new book she releases. This book has it all. It has mystery and it has horror like qualities. I highly recommend this one for those looking for something comparable to Rosemary's Baby. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger in exchange for my honest review.

“I believe…that you are the author of your life. That you write your own story. That you are the hero and the villain and everyone else.”

Lisa Unger’s books always come as a pleasant surprise where I find myself questioning every single character and still being largely wrong in the end. Especially when you add in the paranormal element that’s embedded into the story from the beginning in a fairly subtle way.

The creepy vibes were perfected throughout this book, from the doorman to the neighbors to the ghosts living in your new apartment building. And you can’t forget the dual timeline that keeps you on the edge of your toes, trying to learn what happened to Willa in 1963 and if it has anything to do with what’s happening to Rosie in present day.

“Bad things happen everywhere, all the time. That’s life, unfortunately. But remember, good things happen everywhere, all the time, too. And you won’t be punished for enjoying them.”

I was completely enthralled in this story from start to finish. Lisa kept me guessing, questioning everyone, and trusting no one. I even questioned the main character for a while, even though we largely only get her POV to begin with. Lisa Unger has become one of my favorite thriller authors over the years and I cannot wait to continue reading her backlist as well as to see what else she has in store for us.

“New York City, as much as I love it, is an assault, a daily punch in the face.”

Read if you like:
- Paranormal thriller
- Creepy, gothic vibes
- Distrustful characters
- Dual timelines
- New York City setting