Molly testified as a toddler against a teenager accused of killing her mother. As an adult, she returns to her hometown to take care of her sick father and her troubled teenage son but people in the town remember her mother's murder and she soon begins receiving threats.

Everyone in this book is unlikeable, the protagonists, the antagonist(s) and every side character. Switching between multiple POVs when everyone is unlikeable makes the reading experience very draining. Enjoying a book is tough when I'm not rooting for anyone. Despite that, it was a quick read with a good resolution. Although not all issues and problems were resolved, only the main problem was resolved. I would've liked to see those other issues addressed and I would've enjoyed any character development at all.

The setting is both current day and 40 years ago. Small town is rocked by the murder of young mom and the only one that witnessed the it was her 2 year old daughter, Molly. The events of that day define Molly and her well respected father. 40 years later Molly comes back home to care for her dad. When anonymous phone calls start coming in, Molly starts to question her memories. Did she put the wrong man in jail? Did she really know her mom? The direction the story goes in appears to be obvious until the second half of the book. When you think it’s done, the epilogue reveals twists you will not see coming. My favorite chapters were the ones going back to the 80’s. The author paints a very clear picture of a young family’s unraveling and the price all involved pay. Slow burn for the first half of the book but a complete page turner for the second half. Super thankful for netgalley providing an advanced copy.

Unfortunately, this one ended up being a DNF for me. The plot of this story felt very slow, and it felt bogged down by the multiple timelines, as I didn't find the past timeline story very interesting. I was also incredibly irritated by Molly's son, and couldn't stand reading about all the awful things he said to his mom. This one was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Molly Wynters has moved back to her small hometown to care for her father who suffered a stroke and is no longer able to communicate. When she was a young girl Molly witnessed her mother’s murder and her testimony sent a teenager to prison.

I've really enjoyed previous books by Nicole Lundrigan so was happy to get in on the Netgalley "Read Now for the first 200 members" for this one. As with previous books by this author, I was immersed in the story and my imagination was in overdrive as I tried to guess where the story was going. The novel is narrated in "Then" and "Now" chapters by Molly, Molly’s father and someone just called “Him”. His identity isn't revealed until the very end. The characters are well defined and Molly's flashbacks to the time of her mother's murder raised many questions. Molly was only 3 at the time so realistically I'm not sure how much she'd remember. Sometimes an epilogue works and sometimes it doesn't but in my opinion it was necessary in this case in order to tie up all the loose ends. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 5, 2024

I just reviewed A Man Downstairs by Nicole Lundrigan. #NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the read and Nicole Lundrigan- Canadian author!!

Molly returns to her hometown to care for her father who has suffered a stroke, only to have her traumatic past unravel.
Truths will be revealed by these interesting characters but never given away.
You’ll have to read until the very last page to find out the truth.

A Man Downstairs is the story of Molly Wynters’ family and a tragic event that took place when she was a young child. Molly is looking for a fresh start when she moves back to her small hometown to help care for her father. She is not only tormented by memories of her past but also is receiving threats via a support line she volunteers with.

The story is told in three storylines/ Point of views; Molly shares the present day storyline, Mollys father, Gil, tells the story from his point of view in the past, and the third storyline is told by a mysterious narrator that we know only as “Him”. With three storylines, we are instantly pulled into family drama present and past as well as the mysterious narrators storyline. I enjoyed all three point of view/storylines and was trying to remember little titbits from each one as I read a different storyline to try to figure out more than the author had revealed.

This is an intricate thriller with a dark, creepy side and because there is no obvious “bad guy” you won’t be able to put it down . Each storyline is as compelling as the last as it builds to a strong reveal.

Full of suspense and twists that helped to make the story absolutely packed to the brim.



Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Random House Canada and author Nicole Lundrigan for the Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Molly’s mother, Edie, was brutally murdered when Molly was three years old, and Molly’s testimony about “a man downstairs” helped convict a local teenager of the crime. Years later, Molly and her teenage son return to her small hometown to help out her aging dad, Gil, after he’s suffered a debilitating stroke. Molly is a therapist, so she volunteers for a local helpline. She immediately starts receiving threats that make her question everything she thinks she knows.

This slow-burn psychological thriller is told in dual timelines and multiple POVs, which reveal that the story Molly has been told her whole life about her parents and their marriage isn’t nearly as rosy as she’d been led to believe. Everyone in this creepy little town is suspicious and they are all hiding something. My favorite POV was from the dude who is obsessed with Molly’s mom and has a *VIVID* delusional fantasy life where they are together - it was super disturbing, and I loved it. I wasn’t quite sure where this was going until the end, which was fun, and I loved how the truth was slowly unspooled. And then there was that last bit at the very end ???!!!??? YIKES!

I’d love to see this book made into a movie or show and am excited to read more of Lundrigan’s books!

A Man Downstairs starts with a chilling prologue that immediately grabbed my attention! This is a slow burn mystery into the lives of Molly Wynters and her family. The story unfolds in dual timelines with chapters alternating perspectives of Molly, her father, and ‘Him’. Each flashback revealed a little more insight into Molly’s thoughts and memories of her traumatic childhood. I was fond of Molly’s character and got a good sense of her struggles as a mom of a teen, daughter of an ailing father and trying to reconcile the past.

This was a suspenseful and captivating crime fiction novel that definitely surprised me! I loved the twists and unsuspecting details of the crime

A Man Downstairs was definitely a page turner! Told from multiple POVS, from different time periods, the plot was so well written and everything tied together in the end. I could not figure out where the story was going, especially that final little twist at the end!

I haven't read from this author before, but I will definitely be checking out their other books!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC. The book releases March 5, 2024!

A Man Downstairs is a suspense novel that grabbed my attention throughout the whole book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Molly moves back to her childhood home with her son after her father suffered from a stroke. It's hard being back home because when 3 years old, her mother murder right in front of her and her testimony put away a teen for murder. Being back home has her doubting if her memory aligns with what actually happened to her mother.

It's told in two different timelines between multiple povs, it was written seamlessly and easy to follow along. Many times I thought I knew what happened, but then we get thrown twists and turns! Keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This was my first read from Nicole Lundrigan and I'm intrigued in her writing style. Look forward to reading more of her work.

This realese on March 5, 2024! Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Nicole Lundrigan for the advanced digital copy of this book ~my own opinions~

4/5⭐️

I really enjoyed this read! I have never read anything by this author before and was really excited to be picked to read an ARC copy of A Man Downstairs.

I like to go into books blindly without knowing what they’re about and I’m so glad I did with this one! The whole time I found myself trying to figure out the WHO? And the WHEN? And the WHY? To no avail! The twists and turns kept coming and kept me turning the pages!

Looking forward to reading more by this author in the future!

A Man Downstairs
2⭐️

This one fell short for me. The ARC formatting was distractingly bad. Paragraphs weren’t indented, multiple speakers were quoted in the same paragraph, some lines only had one or two words. I had to reread several sections to make sense of things.

Molly returns to her hometown to take care of her father’s affairs following his stroke. The town is very small and she bumps into people from her childhood at every turn. 40 years earlier Molly’s mother was murdered and Molly was a key witness as a 3-year-old. Molly is currently struggling with being a single mom to a teenager and the reminders of why she left her hometown as soon as she could. The reader also gets to read about Molly’s parents early relationship and a mystery character’s escalating obsession with Molly’s mother.

This is told from 3 POV: Molly (present day), Gil (past), and HIM (past). The premise had a lot of promise. I found it difficult to connect to the characters and thought the dialogue seemed basic. I struggled with Molly being a key witness as a toddler and being surprised by the fact that maybe she didn’t remember things as clearly as she thought or that anyone would hold that against her. I don’t know, it just didn’t flow and grab me the way I expect a psychological thriller to do.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Lundrigan, Penguin Random House for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date 05 Mar 2024

This book was good. Original story and I like how it went back and forth between the different characters. This is a must read if you enjoy thrillers.

Molly moves back to her childhood home along with her son to care for her father who has suffered a debilitating stroke. When she was three, she witnessed her mother being killed and gave testimony in court that helped convict a teenager. Being back where she was raised, brings up memories of when she was a child. A seed of doubt begins to grow as Molly questions if her memory of that tragic night is accurate. Meanwhile, since she’s a therapist, Molly volunteers for a local helpline, but starts receiving threatening phone calls. It seems someone else doubts Molly’s memory. Did they convict the right person?

I was sucked in to A Man Downstairs immediately. Nicole Lundgrin has the ability to weave an intricate story with multiple moving parts and the psychological depth of human nature. Molly’s reminiscing invoked nostalgia and resonated with me. I too, had Boggle competitions with a parent, watched The Jetsons on the ‘boob tube’ and got Mr. Bubble poured in my bath! Nicole’s writing style and descriptive word choices made me feel as if I was THERE, in the moment, reliving the eighties. Yes, it WAS quite satisfying to slam a phone down. (IYKYK!) How appropriate that a novel about childhood memories, generated several for me!

Along with the dual timelines and multiple POVs of Molly and her father, there’s a creepy anonymous narrator that made me uncomfortable and squirm in my seat. I could’ve done with slightly less time in his warped mind. Otherwise, this slow burn domestic thriller with hints of a mystery was STELLAR. Secrets, lies and betrayals in a small town that never forgets, make A Man Downstairs a dark and twisted yet complex tale. I’ll be first in line for Nicole’s next novel!

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my spot on the tour, and Nicole Lundgrin, Viking Books, Penguin Random House CA and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Scroll down for potential spoiler trigger warnings.





























⚠️Infidelity, language, sexual situations, stalking, postpartum depression, mental illness, drug use, prescription drug abuse, death and mention of suicide

I really enjoyed this one. It had multiple POVs and time jumps which kept the book moving at a good pace. I did kind of guess the twist about half way but that didn’t deter me from finishing the book. I actually really liked the ending! Would definitely read more from this author.

Lundrigan does it again! This is my second book from Nicole Lundrigan and I am amazed by her ability to craft such interesting and creepy characters. This is not a fast thriller but more of a mystery suspense novel that focuses mainly on building up the characters to the point that everyone is a suspect. Told from 3 POVs, this is the story of Molly and her son Alex who return to her hometown after her father, Gil suffers a stroke and can no longer communicate. Molly is haunted by her past. When Molly was extremely young, her mother was murdered in front of her. Molly's testimony put a young boy/teen away for that murder. But now, Molly isn't sure what she believes anymore and is forced to deal with her past. We also get her mothers back story from the viewpoint of Gil, Molly's father. And there is a 3rd POV, an unknown boy/teen who meets Molly's mother Edie and has an unnatural obsession with her.

The story will keep you guessing. Did Molly accuse the correct murderer all those years ago? Who is the boy? And what really happened in that small town.

I could not put this down from the moment I started it and it kept me guessing the entire time. This is definitely going to be one of my top thrillers of the year.

Molly returns to her hometown after her father Gil suffers a debilitating stroke. But going home again is hard when her childhood took place under the cloud of her mother Edie’s murder, especially considering that a preschool-aged Molly’s testimony put a young man behind bars. Until now, Molly has never wavered in her recollection of that day, but she’s beginning to think maybe her memory doesn’t entirely align with what really happened.

A Man Downstairs is a engrossing slow burn, character driven, tangled web of a domestic suspense story. I really enjoyed the dual timeline, multiple POV structure. I especially liked Gil’s perspective in the 1970s; his career as a pharmacist was a very effective backdrop for his and Edie’s mental health during that era. The “Him” perspective of a teenager obsessed with Edie is really creepy and chilling. The author skillfully sprinkles hints and red herrings throughout the complex plot, and despite all my guessing, I did not predict who killed Edie or guess Him’s identity. I could see this book making an excellent TV series!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, Viking Books, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC. Wow what a story, Different points of view, different times in their lives, some twists you won't see coming. Do yourself a favour and read this.

A Man Downstairs was quite an interesting thriller, one that captured my attention fairly quickly. Lundrigan’s writing was captivating with a rather interesting plot involving multiple characters, yet never felt confusing. The use of dual timelines really aided in putting all of the pieces together to bring about a rather interesting conclusion. It’s certainly a solid thriller that felt equally entertaining and dark, exposing deep family secrets and truths hidden in a small town. While I felt the ending to be slightly predictable, I would recommend this title to anyone looking for a twisty thriller!

Nicole Lundrigan just maybe my new favourite Canadian mystery author. She brings twisted to a whole new level. I was not sure I was going to be able to complete A Man Downstairs in the span of the weekend, but Lundrigan had be staying up late and turning the pages…
This is a psychological thriller, told in past and present timelines and from multiple POV. It has many complex and interesting characters, dysfunctional relationships that takes place in a small town.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.