The Couple Upstairs

by Ann Girdharry

The perfect home…. or the perfect nightmare?

The Couple
Ellie Mitchell is a writer and her husband, Rob, is a surgeon. They met after a whirlwind romance and everyone sees them as the ideal couple – happy, successful and in love.

The Lodger
Sabrina is mother to a five-year-old daughter.
A single mum who’s going through a messy divorce, Sabrina's looking for a place to stay and when the Mitchell’s offer her their downstairs apartment, it's the perfect place to lie low and heal from her wounds.

A shocking secret…
The three of them form a friendship but all is not as it seems. Lies and terrible secrets lurk beneath the surface. As their lives become entwined, who can be trusted?
Someone has a sinister agenda and one of them must discover the truth, before the only way out is murder…

Grab your copy today!

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Ebooks, Mystery, Fiction, Amazon, Mystery Thriller

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2021

About the author

Ann Girdharry writes crime thrillers and psychological suspense.

She's a Kindle Storyteller Award Finalist 2022 and her debut novel was an ERIC HOFFER Book Award Finalist.

Here are a few fun facts -

I love to travel and I've lived in the USA, Norway, UK and France.

One of my passions is gardening and another is Krav Maga self-defence.

You can connect with me -

Via my website
http://www.girdharry.com

On Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/AnnGirdharry...

My Reader's Group
Be the first to know about my new releases by joining my Reader's Group.
(No spam, I promise! ) - details on my website.

Titles

I Know You Saw Her
The Couple Upstairs
The Woman in Room 19

Deadly Motives
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Lies
Deadly Silent

Good Girl Bad Girl
London Noir
The Beauty Killers

Reviews

[Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychological thrillers are my go to genre, I don’t think I will ever get enough of them. This one in particular was a very enjoyable read.

The Couple Upstairs follows Ellie and Rob a newly married couple who decide to rent out part of their house to a single mum (Sabrina) and her young daughter (Maddie). But as secrets and deceit spread, who is telling the truth?

One of my favourite things about this book was the short chapters. It helped keep the pace up and I felt like I was absolutely flying through it. I never felt like I was having to force myself to read, in fact I had to force myself to stop at times! Ann’s writing was seamless and I absolutely loved her inclusion of a rare genetic illness. I am always supportive of raising awareness and inclusion through novels and I absolutely loved the way Ann portrayed the difficulties families can face when a loved one is extremely unwell. I often found myself questioning what was going on, I loved that I was struggling to work out quite who was lying and what they were lying about.

My main issue with the book was that I wish each chapter made it clear who’s point of view it was based from. I absolutely love books from multiple points of view because it can add so much depth. Although I was able to figure out who it was quite quickly, I wish the chapters had titles of the person who it focused on. I also didn’t feel completely connected to Ellie. I loved that she was an author, and she was a badass female. I just wish she’d maintained more of her independence in the face of love. I guess it was a very realistic portrayal, but I still wanted her to just have a bit more autonomy than she did! That being said I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking to read more of Ann’s novels!

I would recommend this book to anyone that loves psychological thrillers! I want to thank Ann Girdharry for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS is a gripping psychological thriller by British, crime thriller author, Ann Girdharry. She is the author of the Tales of the Unexpected series and Good Girl Bad Girl, her debut mystery, suspense. Having enjoyed reading her novels, I was very fortunate to have been chosen as an early reader for her stand-alone novel, “The Couple Upstairs.”

The Mitchell’s (Rob and Ellie) are both in their late thirties and professionally successful. Rob Mitchell is a doctor and Ellie is an author of romance novels. After Rob’s first wife died in a terrible tragedy, he remained single right up until he met his current wife, Ellie. It had been difficult to do things as a couple, but he was learning to compromise. Ellie had lived in London, as an author where she met Rob, soon got married and sold her London property when they moved to the town of Lewes.

Ellie had found a property with a self-contained apartment which they planned to rent out. They told their agent, Adam, also their neighbor that they had both agreed to rent the apartment to a single person…with no children. But Adam assured the couple that he had a good prospect in mind, a single mother, Sabrina with an easy five-year old daughter, Maddy. Sabrina was moving down to Lewes to escape a messy divorce, a perfect place to be isolated, and heal from the aftermath of trauma.

Rob and Ellie accepted Sabrina and Maddy to rent the ground floor apartment in the house.

Now the drama begins… everyone is hiding something… so many lies and secrets. Everyone has something to hide and information is revealed on a need-to-know basis.

This is an amazing read with a fast-paced plot with lots of twists and turns that had you guessing until the end. The characters are relatable and believable, and totally engaging with the characters coming alive on the page.

The story was really enjoyable and well written. Highly recommended! Many thanks to the author for my digital copy.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie and Rob have renovated their beautiful home, complete with a 2 bedroom downstairs apartment. Rob travels a lot and they thought renting out the apartment to some nice woman would mean company for Ellie, as well.

Sabrina is a single mom with a 5-year-old daughter. She's desperately looking for some place safe as her ex-husband was not only abusive, but he's also a police officer.

The friendship they form is not exactly what it seems to be. Sabrina has an eye on Ellie's husband... Ellie has secrets from Rob .. and Rob has his own agenda.

BOOK BLURB: Lies lurk beneath the surface, and dark secrets from the past will suck them all into a downwards spiral, where the only way out is murder…

There are many twists and turns to navigate as the secrets are slowly revealed, one by one. It's a bumpy, suspenseful ride to get to the surprising conclusion. The characters are solidly drawn, and they all seem to have an issue with telling the truth.

Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced mystery that will keep you turning the pages. I read most of this on a long flight and finished it staying up way too late.

[Debbie Mathis PA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this one blind and I loved it! At first I didn't know where the author was going but once it got started.... WOW!! The story was fast paced and we really get to know and relate to our main character. I didn't see the ending coming. I loved it! If you like a good thriller, you will enjoy this story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun read! The chapters alternate between Ellie who lives with her husband Rob and Sabrina their new lodger.

Rob and Ellie are a successful couple. Rob is a heart surgeon whilst Ellie is a romance author. The pair seem loved up and are still in the honeymoon period with having a whirlwind courtship then getting married within a few months of meeting. You begin to question how well they both really know each other.

Within days of Sabrina moving in, strange things start to happen as well as things just not sitting right with not just Sabrina but Rob and Ellie also. It soon becomes apparent that all three have secrets which really ramps up the enjoyment of this novel.

The Couple Upstairs is a compulsive page turner filled with secrets and lies. There is lots going on and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me the closer to the conclusion I got. The secrets are shocking and there are some fun twists and turns that makes this a must read for fans of psychological thrillers. My first novel by this author and will be looking out for more!

[Lin Perrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ann Girdharry for the advance Kindle copy in exchange for a honest review. Married couple Ellie and Rob rent out their downstairs flat. Rob is a top heart surgeon and Ellie a romance author. Single mother Sabrina and her daughter Maddie move in. They all have their own secret and lies making a outstanding psychological thriller.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Somewhat suspenseful, a couple of ‘surprises’ but most of them were telegraphed well ahead of time. A slew of unlikeable characters (caricatures, essentially: the despicable husband, the devious neighbor, the naive but suspicious wife with her own secrets.) And I really disliked the writing style - too many rhetorical questions posed by the characters ( But why did he marry me? Does he really love me? Why did he pick me when he’s such a catch? And on and on, ad nauseum. Not really worth my time - but I finished it anyway, as I did sort of want to see how it ended.

[Cherihy808 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded down). Another tough one to review. Bottom line I enjoyed the storyline for the first half of the book, and it had potential to be a 4 star BUT it lacked something in the writing. I honestly can’t quite put my finger on what it is but I just felt like the writing wasn’t so great. I think maybe it was the dialogue. I normally enjoy a lot of conversations between characters but some of it just sounded silly as I was reading. At times I forgot I was reading what was supposed to be a mystery/thriller.

As far as the characters go, I hated them all except Kath. Honestly though that didn’t affect my rating. It’s common to dislike characters in a book (especially a mystery) but to still think it’s a great book! Not the case with this one though.

The ending was very far fetched!! I don’t regret reading this one but I’m not sure I would recommend it because to be honest if you ask me in 6 months what it was about, I probably won’t remember…very forgettable.

[Vanessa Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twist after twist, this book is amazing, if u have not read it. You need too

[Jake Fraser · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped at 35% as EACH INDIVIDUAL was giving me a stomach ache with how awful they were! On to ChatGPT to ruin the ending for me. ✌️

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed how the characters were each introduced, and how we quickly realise that nobody is quite as ‘innocent’ or free from their past as you might initially think - everyone is hiding something or has an ulterior motive. I liked seeing everything play out while trying (and mostly failing!) to guess what was really going on. The pacing of the story was good and it kept my attention well, especially towards the end once the final twist was revealed. All of the loose ends were tied up neatly, and I thought it was a strong, clear ending.

[M.S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent plot spoiled by the writing

Maybe I'm just picky, but it disappoints when an author seems to have no skill in the art of writing. There was a lot of explaining what happened at the end which could have been slipped in during actual scenes in a subtle way. I found the 'telling' without the 'showing' rather boring and it underestimates the intelligence of the reader. I realise from other reviews that my opinion will not be popular, but I read to be challenged mentally, not put to sleep.

[Zimbellina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mother and child move in to an apartment below a couple who aren’t all that they seem.

Ok I hated everyone except the minor characters. I can’t say I enjoyed this book but it did keep me reading so it gets 3 stars. At least the ending was satisfying.

[Mary Summer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really disliked this book. The plot was completely disjointed, and the twists didn’t feel clever or earned, they just appeared whenever it was convenient for the author. None of the characters were remotely likeable, which made it hard to care about anything that happened. Overall, a frustrating and poorly written story.

[Mary Lennox]

Highly entertaining, entirely implausible, but a good summer read

[Shamika Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was Okay

I feel like there was a lot of attempts to throw the audience off the sense, and a lot of unreliable narration that just felt like a big lie. I figured out the twists, just one that stumped me.

But it was an okay read, a little unsettling but okay.

[Tammy Tkach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read

Kept me on the edge of my seat. A really well-written and suspenseful story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Jane Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok read

The actual story was ok but far fetched. The writing wasn't particularly good and very simplistic. Too many coincidences and the end just seemed rushed.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Couple Upstairs was such a great read to get back into the Psychological Thriller genre. I was reading a ton of sweet and cute cozy mysteries, glad I got back to my spine tingling roots. This book has such a layered plot which in my opinion was incredibly enjoyable. This book is so exciting and keeps you guessing to the point where you don’t want to put it down. We meet a couple Rob and Ellie they truly seem to have it all, but as a reader you couldn’t be more wrong. While we are meeting this newly happy married couple we also Sabrina. Sabrina is a single mom looking for a new place to live. Rob and Ellie just converted a part of their property into a beautiful new apartment that seems to be the perfect place for Sabrina and her daughter Maddy to land. There’s so much every single character is hiding it makes this story damn near impossible to put down. I wish I saved this one for a vacation because it was all engrossing and super fun. Usually you can really predict the direction of these types of Psychological Thriller but this one is an absolute guessing game. There’s so many details, so many secrets, and so much blackmail the story could go in any which direction. If you want to stay on the edge of your seat and really enjoy twists and turns The Couple Upstairs is a great read for you.

[Star Shining Forever · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not “totally gripping.”

The storyline was ok but the writing was some of the blandest I’ve seen. “Show, not tell.” This writer missed that message.

Plus, every chapter doesn’t need to close with the emphasis that everyone has a secret. Yes, we get it. Now keep us hooked with the story instead of just repeating the fear that ABC will find out XYZ.

Further, Ellie is a pretty unlikeable protagonist, keeps secrets and gets into predictable trouble and stress, but still doesn’t do anything sensible. Just worries and faints a lot.

Oh, and there’s a blatant editing error at the climax where a character is referred to by the wrong name *multiple times*, so I was pulled out of the flow having to go double-check who was who.

Best thing about this book is that the chapters are short and it’s so bland that you can skim through pretty fast. There’s definitely better psychological thrillers out there.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This newly wed couple had it all-or so Ellie thought. When her husband, Rob, decided that they should rent the downstairs apartment to a single woman and her young daughter Ellie was skeptical. She befriended Sabrina anyway. Maddie, Sabrina's young daughter was very quiet but it hurt Ellie because she had a deep dark secret that nobody knew.

Rob has secrets of his own. He was constantly after Ellie to let him be a signer on her bank account--Thank heavens she never did--well she did ultimately-but she was a very smart lady! You will love this!!

Things start getting a bit crazy and the twists and turns are many as all the secrets start being revealed.

All I can say is you have to read this novel where the people who should have a happy ending do--the ones that don't get their just desserts!

I received an Early Reader copy of The Couple Upstairs from the Author.

[Mrs S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book direct from the author, in return for an honest review.

In my opinion, another great psychological thriller from the brilliant Ann Girdharry!!

The Couple Upstairs, Rob and Ellie, seemingly have it all, except Rob really wants a child and Ellie seems to do anything to avoid having anything to do with children!?! That is until Sabrina and her daughter Maddy move into the flat downstairs....

Weird things start to happen and it soon becomes apparent that everyone is keeping secrets!

This book is full, from start to finish, with twists and turns and surprises that will have you questioning everyone and their motives. A real page turner and a must read for any psychological thriller fans. Highly recommended.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading a previous book by Ann Girdharry (Good girl, Bad girl) I knew that I would be in for a ride with ‘the couple upstairs!’
This book is perfect for an autumn mystery read.
Rob and Ellie a loved up married couple decide to rent out their downstairs apartment to single mother Sabrina.
Sounds normal, but all isn’t as it seems!
The couple upstairs is a faced paced story that is absolutely packed with twists and turns.
Despite trying to work out what was going on, each time I was wrong!
I loved how there wasn’t too many characters to keep up with, and many had secrets to hide of their own.
Check out ‘The Couple Upstairs’ if you love a good psychological thriller!

*I was provided with an ARC of ‘The Couple Upstairs’ in return for an honest review.

[Buttercupp77 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie, a successful romance author, and Rob, a cardiac surgeon, are still enjoying newlywedded bliss when they decide to accept single mother Sabrina and her young daughter Maddy as tenants in their first-floor apartment. Everyone has secrets, and no one is who they seem.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I thought the pacing was excellent. I liked that all the characters were flawed (to varying degrees) which made them feel real. In fact, the whole novel had a very realistic feel to it, which I appreciated immensely.

I wouldn't call it a perfect novel - some elements did stretch my credulity a bit. Still, I was completely engrossed in the book and look forward to reading more thrillers from this author.

I received an ARC via the author.

[Jessica Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
I want to thank NetGalley and Ann Girdharry for allowing me to read this early although it did take a bit.
So, this story is about a woman who is married to the man of her dreams that desperately wants a child but she doesn’t really want one and they have a small cottage on their property that he decides to rent to a younger woman with a young child without asking his wife first.

There are 3 main characters:
Sabrina-Jealous and revenge
Rob-wants $$$$$
Ellie-clueless and wants to take care of Jacob

The plot? Many- A dr that has some secret problems and addictions, a wife with a secret child, a women with an abusive ex-husband

I wasn’t sure about this book at the start as it was a slow read but once it got going, it was really good.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story revolves around a couple Rob and Ellie, and their new tenant downstairs, Sabrina with her five year old daughter.

Sabrina has left an abusive relationship behind and is living in fear of her partner finding her.

It becomes clear that none of the characters are what they seem and all are hiding secrets.

I found this a total page-turner and couldn't stop reading. I had to find out what happened next. It was very tense and full of twists all building up to a great finale.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisting Terror

I really enjoyed reading this novel by Ann Girdharry, it was full of twists and turns and secrets. Even though I suspected some of the turn of events fairly early on, there is no way I discovered them all.
There is something so sneaky about some of the characters who turn out to be just reticent yet there is something everyone seems to be hiding!
Do yourself a favor and read this, it may creep you out and it may make you look deeper into friendships you feel safe about!

[Sara_A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant twists and turns

At first I was a bit put off by the first chapter being set in the future of the main plot but it worked well because I was always second guessing who's point of view it was.

Good story line and brilliant pace. It didn't feel too repetitive even with the 3 character storylines running along side each other. This was my only problem the point of view would change to a different character mid character, it was a little chaotic for my brain at times.

Lots of shocking twists and turns coming together for a great ending.

[Pat Pullum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good thriller and a fast read. Rob and Ellie are married, but have no children. They decide to rent part of their home and Sabrina and her five year old daughter, Maddie, move in. All seems to go well at first and all Ellie's friends love the new renters. Then some time later, Ellie finds something in one of Sabrina's boxes that makes her suspicious. Is Sabrina telling the truth about her past and what will happen if anyone finds out about the huge secret that Ellie is hiding from her friends and even her husband.