Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
I went into this one not knowing much about it, I was just drawn to the pretty cover! Ask yourself: would you live in a murder house! Sarah and her husband Joe don't seem to mind. They plan to renovate this old house and make a bundle when they sell it. Throughout the whole book, I was not sure if I was reading a thriller, mystery, or horror book. Is the house haunted or is there a human stalking the couple? As the plot progresses, the reader learns many surprising things about the married couple. This book kept me guessing all the way through and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a creepy, murder house story!
As someone who avidly reads romance books, this thriller kept me HOOKED! I listened to it in less than 24 hours.
Sarah Slade is a well recognized therapist and best selling author period. Deciding to shake up her life, She purchases a home where someone has been murdered. Figuring it'll go well and boost her social media engagement as she renovates, life sounds great. That is, as long as she ignores the peeling wallpaper and bloodstained carpet.
Quickly, The changes of the house are becoming more than she bargained for. Neighbors hate her for buying a house that someone was killed in. But are they the ones who are sending spine chilling notes? Or is it true that she's hearing creeping noises throughout the house? Whatever it is, Sarah better watch her back.
The Stranger Upstairs, a debut thriller by Lisa M. Matlin, kept me listening until the very end. Narrated by Fiona Hardingham, the story comes to life quickly through diary entries, police reports and quick blog posts. I found the pacing to be One that made me not want to stop listening this book. Overall, I recommend this thriller for those who want a good fall read that'll keep you thinking.
Thank you Random House Ballentine and Penguin Random House Audio for my earc and alc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Sarah Slade is a well recognized therapist and best selling author period. Deciding to shake up her life, She purchases a home where someone has been murdered. Figuring it'll go well and boost her social media engagement as she renovates, life sounds great. That is, as long as she ignores the peeling wallpaper and bloodstained carpet.
Quickly, The changes of the house are becoming more than she bargained for. Neighbors hate her for buying a house that someone was killed in. But are they the ones who are sending spine chilling notes? Or is it true that she's hearing creeping noises throughout the house? Whatever it is, Sarah better watch her back.
The Stranger Upstairs, a debut thriller by Lisa M. Matlin, kept me listening until the very end. Narrated by Fiona Hardingham, the story comes to life quickly through diary entries, police reports and quick blog posts. I found the pacing to be One that made me not want to stop listening this book. Overall, I recommend this thriller for those who want a good fall read that'll keep you thinking.
Thank you Random House Ballentine and Penguin Random House Audio for my earc and alc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
2.5 ⭐️⭐️ because the cover is gorgeous.
Otherwise, with being less than 300 pages, I couldn’t get into the book. Almost every character is unlikable (except the cat) and the execution of the storyline could have been better. The twists were ok at best. I’m not sure where the 5 star reviews are coming from but I’m convinced we did not read the same book.
Otherwise, with being less than 300 pages, I couldn’t get into the book. Almost every character is unlikable (except the cat) and the execution of the storyline could have been better. The twists were ok at best. I’m not sure where the 5 star reviews are coming from but I’m convinced we did not read the same book.
A solid 3 star read. I had a good time reading it, and the ending was surprising. I will say that I didn’t particularly care about any of the characters, and that is the main reason that I am giving this three stars. I found that I wouldn’t have been upset if any of them disappeared, and the husband, Joe, was just there. Absolutely no relationship building for these people. I suppose in a short book like this one, that’s to be expected.
The Stranger Upstairs is one of those stories in which you find yourself rooting, at times, for a character who doesn’t quite deserve it. Sarah Slade is cynical, secretive and kind of self-destructive. Her private thoughts and behavior when no one is watching make you wonder how she managed to become a social media darling. She is determined to flip creepy, decrepit Blackwood House, despite its violent history, without the support of her increasingly distant husband, and without the perks of now-withering influencer stardom. As last ditch efforts go, Blackwood House is impressive, even with its eerie vibes and propensity to slam doors. What better way to regain what she once had than revitalizing a murder house and turning a handsome profit? Sarah soon reveals what really lies beneath her Instagram-ready veneer and gets in her own way, but she is so earnest in her desire to make something good from the bad things in her past. She is complex and tortured, and it turns out, the definition of an unreliable narrator, but you believe her. After all, she’s not the crazy one.
I couldn’t read this one at night! Author Lisa Matlin’s descriptions of Blackwood House as a sinister, heaving presence that feeds off Sarah’s growing madness called for reading in the bright light of day, but those details are also what made the house feel like a character in it’s own right. The story felt part murder mystery/part supernatural thriller but with an ending so rooted in logic, I definitely did not see it coming. There are a few threads I’d have loved to learn more about, but overall this was a fun read and fabulous debut from Lisa Matlin.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House Publishing Group for access to this advanced reader copy!
I couldn’t read this one at night! Author Lisa Matlin’s descriptions of Blackwood House as a sinister, heaving presence that feeds off Sarah’s growing madness called for reading in the bright light of day, but those details are also what made the house feel like a character in it’s own right. The story felt part murder mystery/part supernatural thriller but with an ending so rooted in logic, I definitely did not see it coming. There are a few threads I’d have loved to learn more about, but overall this was a fun read and fabulous debut from Lisa Matlin.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House Publishing Group for access to this advanced reader copy!
This was a gripping listen, I was invested immediately and needed to finish quickly. I think I listened for most of my workday so I could finish. A psychological thriller, or is it?
Wow. I could not put The Stranger Upstairs down. I was completely sucked in right from the start. The story follows Sarah Slade and her husband, who have recently purchased a run-down Victorian that was the location of a brutal murder nearly 40 years prior. The goal is to renovate, document it and then sell it for a profit.
Right from the start, I knew something was going on with Sarah and I had my suspicions about her. But I was not expecting the storyline that ended up happening with her and husband, and ultimately Sarah as a whole.
Yes, the story kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing, but it also tackles some tough issues like mental illness, and Matlin does it in a fabulous way. The mental health representation is great. The whole story feels like a creepy haunted house story, and then BAM, you're hit with the major twist which I thought was such an interesting way to end the book.
If you're looking for a fast, unputdownable read, check out The Stranger Upstairs!
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
Right from the start, I knew something was going on with Sarah and I had my suspicions about her. But I was not expecting the storyline that ended up happening with her and husband, and ultimately Sarah as a whole.
Yes, the story kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing, but it also tackles some tough issues like mental illness, and Matlin does it in a fabulous way. The mental health representation is great. The whole story feels like a creepy haunted house story, and then BAM, you're hit with the major twist which I thought was such an interesting way to end the book.
If you're looking for a fast, unputdownable read, check out The Stranger Upstairs!
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book but feel strongly that the title does not fit the story.