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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
Sarah Slade is an influencer, who buys a "murder house". It's called a murder house because a man killed his wife with a hammer and then went after his daughter. Luckily, the daughter escaped running down the street to a neighbor's house yelling "Don't kill me, Don't kill me, Don't kill me". Meanwhile, the man committed suicide in the bathroom. Both husband and wife are buried in the yard, side by side. The town believes this house to be haunted, and at every town hall people vote to get the house bulldozed. Sarah wants to renovate and flip the house to make loads of money. Life is not going well for her. She wrote a self-help book that made her famous, but hasn't been able to write a second book. Her relationship with her husband is failing. He moves into the house with her, but sleeps on the couch every night. Her influencer status is starting to fade, and her new therapist job at small local hospital is boring. She needs this house to make a comeback. This is kind of a fun, creepy story with some twists and turns. I did enjoy the story line and the short chapters, as it kept me reading until the end. However, the characters aren't developed; and almost all of them are completely unlikeable, even Sarah.
Sarah Slade is an influencer, who buys a "murder house". It's called a murder house because a man killed his wife with a hammer and then went after his daughter. Luckily, the daughter escaped running down the street to a neighbor's house yelling "Don't kill me, Don't kill me, Don't kill me". Meanwhile, the man committed suicide in the bathroom. Both husband and wife are buried in the yard, side by side. The town believes this house to be haunted, and at every town hall people vote to get the house bulldozed. Sarah wants to renovate and flip the house to make loads of money. Life is not going well for her. She wrote a self-help book that made her famous, but hasn't been able to write a second book. Her relationship with her husband is failing. He moves into the house with her, but sleeps on the couch every night. Her influencer status is starting to fade, and her new therapist job at small local hospital is boring. She needs this house to make a comeback. This is kind of a fun, creepy story with some twists and turns. I did enjoy the story line and the short chapters, as it kept me reading until the end. However, the characters aren't developed; and almost all of them are completely unlikeable, even Sarah.
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Relatively enjoyable, but not sure I’d revisit. Felt the ending was frustrating overall. Started with an interesting reveal, but fizzled out in the last few pages.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Murder
I enjoyed the book until the very end. The ending felt unfinished and I wanted more about the house.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Omg this book freaked me out. I thought the writing and the suspense were really well done.
I didn’t love the ending. I wish it had been something different. I did really enjoy the author note at the end and I love how transparent the author was.
I will definitely be reading her next book.
I didn’t love the ending. I wish it had been something different. I did really enjoy the author note at the end and I love how transparent the author was.
I will definitely be reading her next book.
Thank you to #RandomHouse #Bantam and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is September 12, 2023.
THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS is a mesmerizing and often terrifying Gothic thriller about Sarah Slade, therapist, author, and part-time social media blogger as well as the proud new owner of the infamous Black Wood House. The house was an incredible bargain since no one has expressed an interest in it after a grizzly murder/suicide took place there 40 years ago. What a way to revitalize her blog as she documents her efforts to restore the old monstrosity. Maybe this new project will even help her reinvigorate her failing marriage. But Sarah has dark secrets and so does the old house. Unraveling them both may be a dangerous undertaking.
#Bookstagram #DebutNovel #LisaMMatlin
THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS is a mesmerizing and often terrifying Gothic thriller about Sarah Slade, therapist, author, and part-time social media blogger as well as the proud new owner of the infamous Black Wood House. The house was an incredible bargain since no one has expressed an interest in it after a grizzly murder/suicide took place there 40 years ago. What a way to revitalize her blog as she documents her efforts to restore the old monstrosity. Maybe this new project will even help her reinvigorate her failing marriage. But Sarah has dark secrets and so does the old house. Unraveling them both may be a dangerous undertaking.
#Bookstagram #DebutNovel #LisaMMatlin
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes