S. F. Prescott

Riddled with suspense!

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.

Published September 12th, 2023.

The story started off strong, hooking me with its dark premise and unique voice. I was immediately drawn in by the protagonist, Sarah, who buys an infamous ‘murder house’ with her husband, Joe, after which they quickly move into despite the tragedy that occurred inside years prior. It’s clear from the start they’re having marital issues and at one point, she even admits her suspicion that he’s having an affair. Then the notes start appearing.

The setting did a great job at creating an underlying tension and at one point it left me wondering if there was a supernatural element to the story. The pace slowed down in the middle as Sarah’s drinking increased and she forgot to take her medication, but it picked back up again in the last quarter of the book. The characters were believable but very unlikable, except for Emily, which made the ending all the more difficult to read. The theme of mental illness was very clear and woven throughout the story in clever ways, but in the end I felt confused about the specific condition Sarah suffered from. Her slippery mental state was palpable to read, including the scene when she collapsed at work and had to be sent home. The twist was interesting and somewhat logical, although I felt it a little too coincidental that the effects would play out in the exact same way with the previous owners.

For readers who enjoy dark topics, creepy settings, and unreliable female narrators.

Synopsis:

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.