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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
This book was a crazy ride, I felt like I was going crazy right along with her. I had my nose pressed to the page by the last chapters.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Stranger Upstairs has so many twists and turns and the perfect amount of creepiness. It would make a great TV show or movie.
Book read: Audio (Libro.fm) / Hardcover (Bookstore)
Book read: Audio (Libro.fm) / Hardcover (Bookstore)
I really wanted to get lost in this story, but instead I was lost in unnecessary cussing and frequent cockatoo sightings. Are cockatoos as common in Australia as squirrels in the US? Because wow imagine if I listed every time I ran into one.
At times I would get real creeped out (I’m a scaredy cat) but then the story would slow down and the suspense dissipated. The last 1/3 really picked up, but the epilogue left me with more questions.
I’m also confused how credentials were never checked for Sarah to be working at a therapist office and seeing clients independently, especially when, unless I missed it, she’s probably only 23?
Sarah and her husband just bought a house where a terrible murder was committed 40 years before. The house has been abandoned, but having seen other couples renovate true crime houses and make a large profit, Sarah can easily envision a similar experience for this place. She’s a therapist by day but in her free time she’s a content creator with a large blog and social media following. Oh, and she’s published a #1 self help book with a second on the calendar. So renovating a house makes sense?
Her husband has grown distant since the move, sleeping on the couch or at a friend’s most nights. Sarah has her cat and a growing suspicion there’s something the townspeople aren’t telling her about her new home. Well, someone is and they leave notes throughout her home when she’s asleep or at work.
I could not put this book down! What a fun and quick read. I absolutely love a flawed, morally grey/morally bankrupt female main character. I wish things had ended up differently for Emily (the only lovable character in the book besides Reaper), but otherwise I loved how the story unfolded. At no point did I know what the end would hold. The author’s note at the end was perfection as well. Matlin is officially a new favorite author!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Every novel I read about real estate transactions in Australia leaves me feeling more confused.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Sarah Slade is a therapist and social media influencer. She buys Black Wood House that is situated in an upscale neighborhood at bargain basement prices. Sarah hopes to document the renovations on social media and thereby generate interest enough to sell it for significant and much needed financial gain. It’s a large Victorian that hasn’t been occupied in 40 years because a gruesome murder/suicide had been committed there and people were afraid of the history behind the house. Sarah and her husband Joe have a secret past. They are not who they appear to be and their marriage is failing. Joe is never home and Sarah suspects that he is having an affair. The tradesmen in the area do not want to work on the property and the unfriendly neighbors want the house demolished and are silent about the property’s history. The house begins to take its toll on Sarah. There are too many unexplained accidents, footsteps from the attic, doors opening and closing on their own along with other creepy occurrences, Sarah’s physical heath and personality drastically change. Two unidentified dead bodies are found in the house. Does Sarah survive the haunting experience or is she destined to die too? Many will enjoy this murder mystery but it’s not for my audience. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.