The Stranger Upstairs-“Most people wouldn’t buy an infamous murder house to renovate for fun” . . .

278 pages publisher Bantam publish date Sep. 12,2023

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ABOUT THE BOOK

A therapist and self-help writer with all the answers, Sarah Slade has just bought a gorgeous Victorian in the community of her dreams. Turns out, you can get a killer deal on a house where someone was murdered. Plus, renovating Black Wood House makes for great blog content and a decent distraction from her failing marriage. Good thing nobody knows that her past is just as filthy as the bloodstain on her bedroom floor.

But the renovations are fast becoming a nightmare. Sarah imagined custom avocado wallpaper, massive profits, and an appreciative husband who wants to share her bed again. Instead, the neighbors hate her guts and her husband still sleeps on the couch. And though the builders attempt to cover up Black Wood’s horrifying past, a series of bizarre accidents, threatening notes, and unexplained footsteps in the attic only confirms for Sarah what the rest of the town already knew: Something is very wrong in that house.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. But as she peels back the curling wallpaper and discovers the house’s secrets, she realizes that the deadly legacy of Black Wood House has only just begun.

MY THOUGHTS

Debut author, Lisa M. Matlin writes a psychological thriller that’ll keep you glued to the pages.
The “Death House” it’s called, the lovely Victorian mansion she buys to renovate and resell, flipping houses is all the rage now. She knows she can make a nice buck doing it. Never mind a murder took place here forty years ago and the neighbors know not to go anywhere near it.

That’s them and not her though, she’s a social influencer and A therapist and self-help writer, her blog posts about the renovations will boost her followers’ numbers immensely.

Never mind the house has putridly stale air from being closed up for forty years, very few windows and they don’t even open for a good airing.

I could visualize everything I was reading. The book is dark with a gothic feel to it.

From sleeping in a bloodstained room to sounds in the attic, creepy notes found around the house and feeling sicker and sicker all the time. She’s lost her mind; the evilness of the house consumes her. She’s gone into such a dark place, is it possible for an escape without hurting herself or others?

You can’t read this without feeling creeped out. It will have you wondering when you’re alone, what’s that noise, is there someone here. I wouldn’t advise reading this alone at night.

Something is very wrong in Black Wood House, everyone knows it. Will she become its next victim? Looking forward to the author’s next book.

Pub Date 12 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

What do you think? Would you read this book?

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