A review by dkyrisch
The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

4.0

"The Stranger Upstairs" is a debut novel by Lisa M. Matlin. I can't help but start by saying what a awesome cover! Nice and pretty colors..... This will obviously be a cozy mystery. One with a murder house and bloodstained floors.

Sarah Slade (kuddos for the great name) and her husband Joe buy a murder house because the price is right. Folks just don't line up to buy those things anymore. She plans to fix it up on her blog and maybe try and fix her marriage which isn't going so well.

Spoiler alert: This is not a cozy mystery. Things start going bump in the attic and she starts to get evil notes everywhere. This house does not want her there. Sarah starts to lose control of herself and reality as she starts losing her mind trying to stay in this house.

This was a well written book and I loved Sarah's decent into madness. As for her character, she is lovingly unlikable with a ton of snark and possibly a world record "F" bombs spoken and thought. Mainly towards her husband. And the ending? There is a great chance you will not see that one coming.

Highly recommended.

I really appreciate Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for giving me the opportunity to review this book for free and it's out now.