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An ARC copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
MY REVIEW:
Get ready for The Stranger Upstairs to give you all the creeps this fall! This is a book that will introduce you to renowned Psychologist and Social Media influencer, Sarah Slade. Her and her husband have just purchased one of the most popular Murder Houses and are planning to renovate it and re-sell it. But the mysteries of the house will not stay subdued. The terrible murders that happened here 40 years ago, still haunt the neighborhood and will soon be haunting Sarah and Joe as well.
Plot Review
This is your typical haunted house style plot, but it has a few twists and reminded me a little of Just Like Home with it’s deeper connections within the house. There were plenty of twists in the plot that I didn’t see coming and kept the flow of everything moving along nicely without hiccups. Individual motivations and drivers, as well as character development support the plot and provide a well-rounded story that was really quite enjoyable.
Character Overview
Sarah is the main character and she brings a lot to the table in this one. As the observer, you will watch her full transition throughout this one and it’s a sight to behold! The author, Lisa Matlin leans on her own experiences with mental health issues to give you a really deep understanding of Sarah and what her experience is like.
The husband Joe is essential to Sarah’s development, but ultimately an unimportant character. Other than that, you have a few other supporting characters, but the emphasis of this one is all about Sarah.
Overall Review
What really propelled me from a 4 star to a 5 star on this one, was the ending. I loved how Matlin let the Murder House situation play out and Sarah’s open ended conclusion in the story. I walked away from this one with more questions than answers and it left me thinking about it for days. A great psychological thriller that will have you pointing fingers at everyone!
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A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut.
Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.
But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.
When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.
With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa M. Matlin was a guitarist in a rock band before switching from songwriting to story writing. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, pug, and golden retriever. She’s probably rewatching The Walking Dead right now and trying not to laugh at her own jokes. Matlin is a passionate mental health advocate and your dog’s number one fan.
Adventures in Literature 
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