The Stranger Upstairs -- Lisa M. Matlin, Hardcover

Most people wouldn't buy an infamous murder house to renovate for fun . . . but Sarah Slade is not most people.

"This debut novel deftly explores our shadows--the dark parts of ourselves we don't want others to see. I couldn't stop reading."--Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat

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.

Author: Lisa M. Matlin
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 09/12/2023
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.10w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780593599952

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 08/01/2023 pg. 32

About the Author
Lisa 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. Lisa is a passionate mental health advocate and your dog's number one fan.