Rating: 3.7/5

With her debut novel Georgina Lees has produced a slow-burning, but ultimately captivating and impressive psychological drama.

Suzie lives alone in a ground floor flat in London. For reasons which will become apparent over time, she is not a happy spirit and has become quite reclusive. She could certainly do without the indirect intrusion into her life of Emily, her noisy, inconsiderate upstairs neighbour. But when Suzie does finally get the silence that she she craves, it brings not relief, but concern. Where has Emily gone? And why does nobody seem to care?

Considering this is the author's debut novel the writing and structure displays a surprising level of maturity and dexterity. "The Girl Upstairs" won't appeal to everyone. It is very much a "slow-burner" and does take some time (perhaps a little too long) to get into its stride - but, as the narrative develops and the backstories of the key protagonists are gradually unveiled, it becomes an increasingly engrossing read.

Georgina Lees does a fine job of creating the oppressive sense of loneliness and isolation that can be felt by someone living in a largely faceless and friendless city such as London. The story is told in the first person, primarily from Suzie's perspective, but later also from the viewpoint of Emily. I have to say that there is no clear distinction between the voice given to Suzie and and the one assigned to Emily. If it weren't for the fact that Emily's chapters are signposted as such and written in italics it would be difficult to distinguish between her and Suzie. Under normal circumstances I would be critical of a writer for failing to give individual characters clear, distinct voices. However, in this particular instance, I have to acknowledge that it may be a deliberate ploy on the part of the author to convey the similarities between the two women and their predicaments. So, regardless of whether it is the result of intentional design or merely a happy accident, it works.

A well-written, character-driven, psychological drama mystery that marks a fine debut.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

The creeping dread that became all-encompassing throughout this book was incredibly well done. The questions raised by Suzie's actions and her unreliable perspective kept me engaged and prevented me from putting the book down. The tension between Suzie and Emily was worrying relatable. I always love slow thrillers where the drama unfolds in a satisfying and well-plotted way. This book is clever and thrilling, and will have you gripped from the first page!

I have to say that when I started this book, I wasn't sure if the main character, Suzie, and I would be a good fit. She lives in a first-floor flat, and it seems that her upstairs neighbor, Emily annoys her every time she moves or breathes. My first thoughts, nosy and unreasonable neighbor, soon changed as more of Suzie's backstory was revealed.
Suzie has never had a kind thought or spoken a kind word to Emily. She has suffered a terrible personal tragedy and the way she feels about Emily, well you would think she'd be glad when a week goes by with no noise and no sign of her neighbor. That wasn't the case though, and when she voices her concern to the landlord, Emily's parents and the police are soon involved. But no one seems to think twice about her disappearing, and worse, her family doesn't seem to care.
Suzie becomes slightly, okay, totally obsessed with finding out what happened to Emily. She is met with disinterest by Emily's co-workers, her parents, and even the police feel that she has taken an unhealthy interest in this case. When it stops being an active investigation, Suzie is even more determined to prove that something bad has happened. But did it really or are her problems manifesting in a way that makes everyone seem suspicious?
After the story is established, the POVs shift between Emily and the events leading up to her vanishing, and Suzie, remembering her past and searching for Emily in the present. I had four different theories about where this story would go, and one of them was almost correct! There were quite a few twists and revelations about both of these women, and honestly, both of their lives were filled with sadness. I thought the ending wrapped up everything well, and except for my personal opinion that some of these characters deserved more than what they got, it was a hopeful conclusion.

WOW!!! I. COULD. NOT. PUT. THIS. DOWN. I read it all in ONE sitting! It was amazing! The story line was captivating and engrossing while the main characters, Suzie and Emily, were so well written and interesting that I couldn't get enough of them. Plenty of suspense and twists to keep you guessing until the very end! Bravo!!

A thriller full of grief and the mundaneness and loneliness of London life. It’s slow paced but an easy read. The characters are well thought out, and it’s a believable storyline.
Suzie lives by herself in a small London flat, we know something has happened in her past that has made her incredibly sad but are not immediately told what. Above her flat have been a series of tenants, all unsatisfactory and mostly short stayed. Emily is the most recent tenant and they have had run ins over the noise she makes. When all goes quiet overhead Suzie realises that Emily can’t be there but on looking closer thinks that she has gone missing. No one really seems to care or believe her but Suzie is determined to discover the truth.

I chose this from a list of exciting upcoming releases on NetGalley, and the blurb looked interesting. I have never read a book by Georgine Lees before and am trying to expand the authors I read, so it was a great choice.

At first, I am unsure if I like the main character Suzie much. She appears to be a bit of an annoying, moany neighbour I wouldn't want to live near. She doesn't seem to be very warm, caring or even tolerant of living in a ground floor flat.

This book has a great plot and builds to a superb climax. There are two main things to focus on throughout; what's going on with Suzie especially her mental health and what's happened to Emily. For some reason, Suzie, who has barely even spoken to Emily and mostly to complain, thinks she knows her better than anyone else. You would imagine that she might be somewhat relieved that she has moved on and that it's now more peaceful. But, ultimately, we see that she was right to be concerned and that she probably does know Emily and care for her more than most of her family or friends do. This is quite a sad, depressing read with plenty of insights into Suzie's struggling and confused mind.

The characters are well written. I can feel Suzie's irritation t Emily's noise, even if it does feel a little unreasonable. Emily appears to be fun and carefree, perhaps a bit of a loose cannon. However, Suzie's determination and dedication to finding Emily are admirable and help develop a great plot. It was a nice change to read a book with so few characters and was straightforward to follow and know who is who.

I enjoyed the superb ending, which had a great twist I genuinely didn't see coming.

While my first impressions weren't great, to be honest, Suzie comes across as petty and annoying. But, of course, you will hear your neighbours; you live in a downstairs flat! However, she grew on me and was quite sweet. She has been through a lot, and it was nice to learn more about this as the book progresses.

There are plenty of twists and moments that make you stop and think, making for an exciting and thoughtful read. However, it was very sad to see that although Emily has friends and family, none of them appears overly concerned when she goes missing. I wonder if this is a sign of the times with superficial friendships at least or whether the opposite would be true, especially with the presence of social media and people jumping on the bandwagon when something terrible happens.

This was creepy AF and kept me guessing the entire time. Definitely not a predictable thriller and so many twists and turns. Loved the main character and this was well written. I look forward to more from this author in the future.

Highly recommended in the thriller department.

Thanks to Netgalley, Georgina Lees and Harper Collins UK 1 More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 12/9/21

While I liked Suzie's chapters well enough, I found myself waiting to hear Emily's side of the story - or to hear from someone who knew her well. It saddened me that she basically had no-one, and this was her fate. Anyway. The "whodunnit" itself made total sense, but still came out of left-field. The book itself could have moved a little faster in general too.

That said, a great book to reconsider moving to and renting in a big city ;)

Plenty of mystery in this gripping novel to keep the reader hooked. The Girl Upstairs was a twisty, intriguing read that I very much enjoyed.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end.

We have all had that neighbor that is just obnoxiously loud, but have we all asked them to stop and they just don’t? What would you do if you saw something that possibly put their life in danger? This book makes you think so much about what you would do in that situation! Told from the viewpoint of the neighbour you get sucked into this novel and can never predict the ending!

Highly recommend.

*Thank you to Georgina Lees, NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/the-girl-upstairs/

“I heard Emily before I saw her. The harsh smack of heels against cheap wooden floorboards. The loud phone calls. The incessant music.”

“I knew Emily before I met her. Discarded receipts in our communal hallway. Sticky leftovers in the shared food waste bin. Wine shop vouchers in the letterbox.

Now she’s gone missing, and I’m the only one who can find her. The only one who can save her.”

The Girl Upstairs is a unique and slow-burning mystery that centers on Suzie Arlington, a young widow in the depths of great despair and depression, finding it hard to move forward. A story that draws strong comparisons to The Woman in The Window by AJ Finn, though Suzie is not a recluse. She has become fixated on her new neighbor, Emily, a young woman who seems to have an exciting life and lots of friends. But mostly, Suzie is just irritated. She is living in a world of darkness where memories of her late husband run through her mind. The noises above crush her and she must stop them. Loud music continually invaded her quiet space coming from upstairs. She can hear Emily when she uses the toilet, makes dinner, has sex, and walks back and forth. When Suzie complains to the council, Emily confronts her and then disappears. There are alternating chapters from Emily’s point of view, which tell the reader that she does not have the perfect life Suzie thinks she does.

After the confrontation, when Suzie does not hear Emily in the apartment for one week, she goes up to give her mail and realizes her door is open. Her apartment looks like it is ransacked, and Emily is nowhere to be found. Getting a sense that something is very wrong, Emily contacts her landlord and the police. When no one seems interested in finding out where her neighbor is, including Emily’s own family, Suzie starts her own investigation. When the cops tell her they have closed the investigation, she goes beyond what a normal concerned citizen would do.

I had a lot of empathy for Suzie but also felt disappointed in her character. She seemed to have no self-preservation. She rarely showers, won’t sleep in the bed she shared with her husband, hasn’t done her dishes in a long time. When her apartment starts to smell, it becomes the wake-up call Suzie needed. The investigation into her neighbor’s disappearance has given her a new lease on life. The author draws comparisons to when Suzie’s own husband disappeared. Now she realizes she can do something about this disappearance. She feels a kinship to Emily and wants her to be found. While The Girl Upstairs is a slow-burner, the last chapter wraps up quickly. I loved the ending. There is a huge twist, and not one that I saw coming. Georgina Lees has written a fantastic mystery that is absorbing and asks, “How well do we know our neighbors?”

This was a strange kind of read for me, at times I was hooked by the story but I also found it quite slow so I just can’t decide if I liked it or not. It’s told mainly from the point of view of Suzie who is a sad and complex character and as we slowly discover why I found myself really feeling for her and her determination to find out what has happened to her neighbour Emily. It’s a very sad and intense read, well written and at times the feeling of loneliness that Suzie has becomes very overwhelming and claustrophobic. Although at times I was about to give up on this book I also had a need to know just what was going to happen and I was a little disappointed with the the conclusion.
So for me a three star read , did I enjoy it well I’m not sure but I think it’s a read others may.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Definitely kept me hooked the entire time. I liked and disliked Suzie. She has a lot of really annoying qualities. I didn't really think the fact that she uncovered things so easily while the police knew nothing was believable. A lot bugged me about this book but the plot was good enough to keep me reading. I probably wouldn't recommend this to a friend but I'm glad I read it.

Thank you for the chance to read this. I enjoyed the book and it kept me mostly gripped overall however I did find myself skimming over parts at the beginning as I found it repetitive. In saying that I did want to know what happened at the end and kept going. It was like a book of two parts, slow at the start with the pace picking up later on.

The synopsis from author:
How well do you know your neighbour?Would you trust them with your life?
I heard Emily before I saw her. The harsh smack of heels against cheap wooden floorboards. The loud phone calls. The incessant music.

I knew Emily before I met her. Discarded receipts in our communal hallway. Sticky leftovers in the shared food waste bin. Wine shop vouchers in the letterbox.

Now she’s gone missing, and I’m the only one who can find her. The only one who can save her.

Because I know her best, and I heard everything.


Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC of this book.

I didn't see that coming! The Girl Upstairs was a nice little mystery that was interesting to watch as it unfolded. Kept me guessing the whole time. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading many more from Georgina Lees. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found this book to be very slow, and almost sad. It wasnt what I expected.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an honest opinion

It's a pleasant surprise when reading a new author and really enjoying the book. There's enough suspense to keep you wondering why Suzie acts the way she does and even when everything unfolds you still don't know the final outcome until the very end. For a second, I had an inkling on who was behind "the girl upstairs" disappearance but didn't suspect how it would end.

Thanks NetGalley, Georgina Lees and HarperCollins for this ARC.

I found this book a little disappointing to read, in my opinion it doesn’t really go anywhere. There was no suspense which didn’t really make it a psychological thriller at all, and I really struggled to read it.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Suzie lives on the bottom floor and her upstairs neighbor is noisy and doesn't care. Following a noise complaint, Emily goes missing and Suzie feels like it's her job to help find her.

I really struggled with this book and forced myself to read it. It was boring and never had me on the edge of my seat like I want from a good suspense book