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.
“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.
Lisa M. Matlin was a guitarist in a rock band before switching from songwriting to storywriting. 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.
My Thoughts
The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin is in the genres of horror, mystery, and mystery thrillers. It is a debut novel for the author. Basically, it is about a woman, therapist, and self-help writer, Sarah Slade, who buys a dilapidated house, a beautiful Victorian mansion. She wants to feature this remodeling effort in her blog.
The history of Black Wood House is not a great one, as the remodeling gets underway, there is a dark and gloomy 'presence' in the house. There had been a murder/suicide, thus called the Murder House. Her marriage to Joe is not on the greatest of terms he sleeps on the couch.
The house was built in 1889 and one day Bill Campbell decided to murder his wife and then himself. The house sits empty for 40 years who would want to buy a house like this? As she gets started on the renovation, noises can be heard, strange neighbors who seem to not want her there. There are strange smells, decaying wallpaper, etc. Everything you would wish for in a haunted house, right?
Well, Sarah was hoping that it would not be haunted as she does not believe in ghosts, there must be someone or someone in the town who does not want her there. She persevered even with the strange goings on. Even her cat Reaper is acting strange. Stares at things that are not there. she decides to take the 'murder room' as her bedroom.
Threatening notes are found around the house and the previous owner, Amanda, has disappeared. Other people had also owned the house but left quickly, Sarah wonders why and she does some investigating on her own.
The plot moves along rather quickly and the more into the book I got the more I wanted to get to the end. I love these type of stories, keeps you guessing, some things I found strange, like when the lights go out, instead os stumbling around in the dark, where was her torch/flashlight.
If you enjoy this kind of novel, you won't be able to resist reading this book.
I give it 5 stars!
I received a copy of the book from BOMC and Netgalley!
No comments:
Post a Comment