The Stranger Upstairs is about a woman named Sarah who buys an old Victorian home in her dream neighborhood for a price well under its worth because of a death that happened there. Her husband is less than thrilled about the place and he spends most of his time away from the home. Sarah decides she will document the process of fixing up the place to earn extra money influencing, but she’s not getting the views she had anticipated. The few comments she does get are warnings that she’s not welcomed. Contractors don’t seem to want to be hired to work on the place, and the one that does instantly regrets it. Bizarre things happen and we are left wondering if the house is haunted or if it’s someone in the neighborhood trying to scare her away. Sarah is also a therapist, but as the book goes on she sees less and less of her clients even forgetting days of the week. Was the house making her crazy? Was someone inside making her crazy? I thought I had it figured out but with a twist in the end that totally made sense, I was found shocked.  At times this book had an eerie feel.

In the author notes at the end, Lisa Matlin talks about her own mental health struggles including needing to reach out to a lifeline. I feel like her own experiences helped shape the character in the book, and I’m glad she didn’t give up. There are resources at the end of the book for anyone needing help.