Member Reviews

I have enjoyed all of Lisa Unger's books. I loved the two timelines and was creeped out by the old macabre building. This story was a slow burn for me but I couldn't wait to figure out who did it. The ending was a little anticlimactic but I'd still recommend this to anyone who loves a spooky mystery.

Was this review helpful?

Personally, this one just wasn’t for me. I only gave one star because I didn’t finish this book. Honestly, it felt like something that would be very up my alley but moved too slowly in the beginning to hold my attention. I’m sure it would be great for other thriller lovers though!

Was this review helpful?

Wow - what a story. Rosie and Chad are moving into their new apartment in a prestigious old building in New York, ready to start a new chapter in their lives. Right from the start the story has an eerie undercurrent, but as a reader I couldn't figure out if it came from the unfaithful husband, the scheming doorman, an overactive imagination or the building itself - or even a mix of all those things. This book kept me at the edge of my seat, and I did not want to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

A well written, thriller with all the elements, a creepy building with a history of murders and suicide, long term residents with secrets, spying neighbors and doorman, a bit supernatural at times and a storyline set in the present and one set in the past. Absorbing for me and I think my students will love it

Was this review helpful?

The New Couple in 5B is another amazing book by Lisa Unger. The twist kept coming in this book and it made me never want to put it down. I loved seeing a glimpse into the past with the flashbacks incorporated in this book.
This book is about a couple who inherit an apartment with a history of murders, suicides, and deaths. The neighbors all seem nice, but there are a lot of secrets going on in this building. The deaths keep coming and everyone starts looking suspicious. It really keeps you on your toes as you read and try to figure out who is responsible for these deaths. I am so happy that I was able to receive an advanced reader copy of The New Couple in 5B through NetGalley. It was a wonderful book and I would definitely recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

Wow, At the beginning this new one by Unger started as a slow burn. However, by the end, the twists were unexpected. Filled with indulgences, ghosts, and betrayal The New Couple in 5B is a quick read thriller that will keep the reader guessing on what is really happening in the historic Windermere Residence.

Was this review helpful?

Lisa Unger has done it again! And this time, she's incorporated the likes of Only Murders in the Building. The way she creates characters who each have a complex backstory that usually intertwines, but you don't see it until the grand reveal is amazing. I also liked how there was a two stage reveal, like just when you thought everything was solved... think again!

Was this review helpful?

I have enjoyed all of the Lisa Unger books I have read so far. I really wanted this and it’s a wicked good read. It’s a good idea to keep up with the list of characters from the beginning. Who is who.

Creepy setting in an old and macabre building , two timelines, ghosts, murder, scary feels are all here.


A young couple, Rosie and Chad, inherit an apartment in a very old building that still has a doorman and someone who runs the elevator for them. The place is set up with an intercom system so that the people in the apartments can just speak to the doorman and ask for what they need... which is very creepy. Rosie suspects he has the ability to listen in on conversations but she can’t prove it.

Rosie sees ghosts in the basement from the very beginning; she also sees visions of murders that have been carried out in this old building, including people who supposedly have jumped to their deaths. Or were they pushed? Everybody is a suspect at some point, so it was fun trying to figure out who did what. I thought this was a really good story and I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lisa Unger for an ARC review. I was entranced.












I have enjoyed all of the Lisa Unger books I have read so far. I really wanted this and it’s a wicked good read. It’s a good idea to keep up with the list of characters from the beginning. Who is who? Creepy setting in an old and macabre building in New York., Two timelines, ghosts, murder, scandal, and scary feels are all here.
A young couple, Rosie and Chad, inherit an apartment in a very old building that still has a doorman and someone who runs the elevator for them. The place is set up with an intercom system so that the people in the apartments can just speak to the doorman and ask for what they need... which is very creepy. Rosie suspects he has the ability to listen in on conversations but she can’t prove it. Rosie sees ghosts in the basement from the very beginning; she also sees visions of murders that have been carried out in this old building, including people who supposedly have jumped to their deaths. Or were they pushed? Everybody is a suspect at some point, so it was fun trying to figure out who did what. I thought this was a really good story and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lisa Unger for an ARC review. I was entranced.

Was this review helpful?

After caring for their dying Uncle Ivan, Rosie and Chad Lowan are lucky enough to inherit an apartment in the historic Windermere building in New York City. What appears to be good fortune turns dark and sinister shortly after they move in. Rosie feels like she is always being listened to and watched, the building seems haunted, and people are dying.

This book kept me guessing until the very end. The characters are strangely bizarre, and the plot twists all over the place. There are a couple of things that didn't seem credible to me as I read the book, but it was so mysterious and intriguing that I overlooked them.

Overall, The New Couple in 5B is a fascinating thriller that I would recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Was this review helpful?

The New Couple in 5B is exciting, albeit a little predictable. However, if you pick up a book like this, you generally know what you're going to get, right?

When a struggling couple is blessed with an NYC dream inheritance (a beautiful apartment), there appears to be some baggage. Creepy neighbors, a pissed disinherited daughter, and ghosts run abound in this book! The pacing is a little interesting, and there are times where the narrator / main character needs a stern talking to, but otherwise, I was pretty hooked.

3.5 stars rounded up!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this one! It reminded me of Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door. A dark, twisty, quick read!

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa Unger's "The New Couple in 5B." While it started off as a bit of a slow burn, there were so many mysteries and questions to uncover throughout the novel, that I couldn't stop reading! As soon as I thought I knew who was safe and who wasn't, it all turned and kept me on my toes. I love a twisty mystery, as long as it all feels logical to me, and this was did not disappoint. Lots of fun and intrigue!

Was this review helpful?

The New Couple in 5B is a modern retelling of Rosemary's Baby (get it? The protagonist’s name is Rosie), with hints of The Shining. It's more horror than Unger's usual thriller mystery. The story is pretty intriguing and scary, although Rosie is hard to like because she is just so stupidly naive!
Thank you Park Row for the digital review copy.

Was this review helpful?

Regrettably, this novel did not resonate with me as much as others by the same author. The incorporation of the paranormal aspect within the apartment did not appeal to me. Despite the initial anticipation, I felt that the story took too long to truly develop, and by the halfway point, not much of significance had occurred. It seemed to revolve around a substantial amount of female gaslighting, which did not sit well with me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for this arc!

5/5 stars!

The couple in 5B was a fast paced and engrossing story that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! I really loved Rosie as a character, and the other people who loved in their building, the Windermere (what a name too!) were so mysterious!! Fantastic book!

Was this review helpful?

This is not only one of Lisa Unger's best books, but its completely different to her previous books. Very dark and a little gothic.. The writer keeps you on your toes deciding who is telling the truth and who is not the person they would like you to believe they are. A young couple receive an inherritance of a New York apartment when an uncle dies. However, although their apartment is beautiful, the building has an interesting past. There was a couple of things that did not make sense. For example, how did Sarah know where to find her sister., but I still found the book hard to put down.

Was this review helpful?

This book was just ok for me. I love the setting and the premise of the story. I felt like there were some storylines that were left unfinished or that I needed more information. It was an easy read that had plenty of twists and turns.

Was this review helpful?

I just reviewed The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger. #TheNewCouplein5B #NetGalley

This is a story about a young couple. The writer is researching a building in New York called the Windermere for her next book and then gets to live there. Her husband is an actor whose recently deceased Uncle has bequeathed them his apartment.

The story was engaging from start to finish with many twists and turns. There are a few chapters telling what happened at the Windermere in 1963 which the writer later learns something about. There is a bit of a supernatural vibe and suspicious characters. I would highly recommend “The New Couple in 5B”.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this dark and twisty read. The setting and characters were great! The plot kept me guessing and the setting really helped advance the plot.

Was this review helpful?

What I find so compelling about this book is the way it captures the foreboding buildings of NYC that are rich with history—dark and otherwise—and combines them with ghost stories, mysticism and skepticism all rolled into one. There was a lot of really exciting elements and it certainly kept me on my toes with so many ominous twists. Ultimately, I was a bit underwhelmed by final act and felt like there were some bits left unanswered that may have tied it together in a more thrilling way. Still, though, there was one last twist that I think made for quite a pay off.

Was this review helpful?