Audiobook Review: A Haunted Thriller

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

Read By: Vivienne Leheny

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Summary from Goodreads:

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.

Confession:

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. It has a tightly woven plot, with fascinating characters, a setting that was dark and creepy, and an ending that left me wanting more. The narrator, Vivienne Leheny, does an excellent job of getting the tension of the story across, as well as some of the horror that the characters were feeling.

The story is mostly told from Rosie’s perspective which really worked well for this story. I liked Rosie and found her to be a complex and relatable character. She is haunted by her past but really wants to push past it and separate herself from it. She has suffered depression and is currently in therapy. I thought the author did an excellent job with this part of the story. She is an introvert, but is loyal to her friends and husband and tries to do her best by them. She is also much stronger than she thinks and is able to make her way through everything that happens to her.

There are some chapters that are told by Willa, a resident of the apartment from 1963. This part of the story is interesting, but initially doesn’t seem to tie in with present story. It does take a while for the connection to become clear, and it does end up being an important part of the story.

The rest of the cast of characters are also well done. They are for the most part and eclectic group of both wealthy and middle class characters, that are all hiding a dark past. You will like most of the characters at the start of this tale, but as they all start to reveal their darker side you will become just as confused and scared as Rosie. All have a role to play in this story as well, which made it that much harder to figure out what was really going on! There are some well done twists that you will not see coming.

The story is a bit of slow burn, with lots of moving parts and characters. There is a paranormal aspect to this story, with Rosie seeing ghosts who give cryptic messages. This lent a spooky air to the setting, especially in the Windermere. The building and its inhabitants, both real and ghostly, all lend to the overall gothic feel to this story. I think the paranormal part of this story could have been turned up a notch, but it certainly lent an interesting aspect to this story.

Overall though I really did enjoy this story. There were some things that didn’t quite work for me at the end of the story, but I am willing to overlook those, because the road getting there was so well done. If you like your psychological thrillers to have a bit of a gothic ghost story feel to it, then this is a story you should give a chance. It is a strange yet captivating tale that will keep you guessing and needing to know how it all ends.