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.
Her new novel is The Stranger Upstairs.
At CrimeReads Matlin tagged six "murder house novels ... best read with a light on," including:
The Overnight Guest, by Heather GudenkaufRead about another entry on the list.
There’s nothing like a good snowed-in thriller, especially when the protagonist is taking shelter in an isolated farmhouse wheretwo people were murdered.
As the storm worsens, the reader feels like they’re trapped in that rural farmhouse, aching to get out. This high-tension mystery expertly weaves in three stories and timelines, leaving it up to the reader to connect the dots before the next earth-shattering reveal.
Gudenkauf creates a terrifyingly tense atmosphere where the twists and turns don’t let up. Perfectly paced and suspenseful, The Overnight Guest will keep readers holding their breath until the final reveal.
The Overnight Guest is among Catherine McKenzie's five thrillers in which the setting becomes a pivotal character, Lisa Unger's best (or worst!) books to read in a secluded cabin in the woods, and Deborah E. Kennedy's seven top mysteries set in the Midwestern winter.
The Page 69 Test: The Overnight Guest.
--Marshal Zeringue
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