The New Couple in 5B
A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this unputdownable thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.
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.
Awards and Honors
- People Best Books to Read in March
- Amazon Editors' Pick: Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense of March 2024
- Apple Books March Favorites - Staff Pick
- Publishers Weekly Bestseller
- Apple Books Top Ten Bestseller
- Toronto Star Top Ten BestsellerÂ
- Globe and Mail Top Ten Bestseller
- Barnes & Noble Bestseller
- Amazon Charts Bestseller
- Kobo Bestseller
- Kobo Best Books of the Month
- New York Post Most Thrilling New Books to Read Right Now
- LibraryReads Hall of Fame - March 2024
- LoanStars Top 10 Pick
- Katie Couric Media - What to Watch, Read, and Listen to This Week
- HuffPost Must-Read
- BookBub Best Books of Spring 2024
- BookBub Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2024
- BookPage Most Anticipated Mystery & Suspense of 2024
- GoodReads Readers' Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers of 2024
- CrimeReads Best Psychological Thrillers of March 2024
- CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2024
- SheReads Most Anticipated Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense of 2024
- Deadly Pleasures Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers of 2024
- Novel Suspects Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Novels of 2024
- Gen Twenty Can't Miss Books To Read In 2024
Praise
“Lisa Unger, you’ve done it again.”
—Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emmy Award-winning actress
“Spine-tingling fun.”
—People
“This twisty thriller is pretty much a guaranteed fav for fans of 666 Park Avenue or Archive 81.”
—Katie Couric Media
“This propulsive, haunted thriller proves that competition for New York City real estate really can be deadly...Unger builds her own fast-moving, creepy combination of thriller and horror in one of her best books yet.”
—Kirkus, starred review
“In New York City, real estate can be a blood sport … Unger keeps the reader guessing as the threats escalate: Is the devil in the details at the Windermere, or just the evil that men do?”
—Tampa Bay Times
"Put your iPhone on Do Not Disturb, order takeout and get ready to shiver — with fright, that is."
—New York Post "Most Thrilling New Books to Read Right Now"
“Suspense superstar Lisa Unger conjures up a spine-shivering modern gothic horror. She makes us care deeply about the sympathetic Rosie and Chad, with their relatable problems and desires for stability and success. And as a creepy building, the Windermere stands alongside classic eerie edifices like Stephen King's Overlook Hotel and the Bramford Building of Rosemary's Baby fame. Unger draws us into a labyrinth of unnerving events before bringing it crashing down on our heads with a twist that left us ready to change our locks.”
—Apple Books
“Dark suspense has been a hallmark of best-seller Lisa Unger’s novels, delving into the fears that turn seemingly ordinary situations into frightening situations that can make one doubt what is reality or imagination. THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B uses the haunted house trope to examine a marriage, friendship, evil and even New York real estate in a plot that steadily builds, offering numerous well-placed misdirections that ramp up the suspense… [she] continues her high standards for richly layered suspense.”
—Sun Sentinel
“Unger’s warm, open smile disguises a vivid imagination that’s behind some of the most chilling, engrossing suspense novels of the past 20 years. Beautiful Lies, The Stranger Inside, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six — these are not necessarily books you want to read alone in an isolated, dark room. Or maybe you do… her newest page-turner, THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B evokes the spooky vibes of Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining.”
—Naples Daily News
"THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is a thriller chock full of scary plot twists…Tension builds, almost excruciatingly, and Lisa Unger takes Rosie’s story to a relieving and satisfying conclusion."
—Winnipeg Free-Press
“If The Shining’s Overlook Hotel were a luxury apartment building, it might resemble The Windermere—architecturally stunning, a tribute to a gilded past, yet deeply sinister. I was terrified the moment Rosie and Chad moved in. THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is another thrilling, twisty hit from master of suspense Lisa Unger.”
—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
“Lisa Unger never misses, so it’s no surprise that I loved her newest thriller. THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is dark, atmospheric, and addictive from the first page right up until the shocking ending. An absolutely riveting read from one of the genre’s best—just remember to breathe.”
—Jennifer Hillier, USA TODAY bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark
“The tension just keeps building in Unger’s latest dark and twisty delight. Come for the gonzo plot, but stay to be haunted by a history-soaked old New York apartment building that feels more like a sinister character than a setting, and for bright, ambitious, clear-eyed Rosie, whose voice stuck with me long after I turned the final page. I loved it, and you will, too.”
—Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of With My Little Eye
“Lisa Unger keeps finding new ways to prove she’s among the best in the business. Packed with heart, tension, and fever-dream fear, THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B delivers domestic suspense with a gleaming Gothic edge that would make the great Ira Levin proud.”
—Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of An Honest Man
“Lisa Unger writes with the totality of her heart—and her wickedness. THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B has both on glorious display. Who else could artfully marry a nail-biting domestic suspense novel with a ghostly edge worthy of Du Maurier? This one screams. I read it in a single sitting. ”
—Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of Lone Wolf
"Lisa Unger creates the perfect creepy setting for this superb psychological thriller, which is beautifully crafted and deliciously unsettling. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough."
—Clare Mackintosh, New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Lies
“Another treasure from the brilliant Lisa Unger. Imagine if Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining had a baby. It’s that much fun.”
—Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of The Princess of Las Vegas
"Lisa Unger is simply brilliant, and I love everything she does. Her ability to crawl inside a character’s head and bare their soul piece by jagged piece is unparalleled. This is not different—a writer and an actor inherit a spectacular apartment in a famed New York City building, the Windemere, and it’s off the hook from that moment forward. There’s a creeping dread to this book that made me deliciously uncomfortable. A master at work."
—J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of It's One of Us
“Lisa Unger is always a must-buy for me!”
—Lisa Scottoline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Loyalty
“I love Lisa's gripping writing.”
—Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium
“Another fantastic story by master Lisa Unger.”
—Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of Don't Let the Devil Ride
“Lisa Unger delivers another thriller to will keep you up past your bedtime with THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B—a novel that has earned the praise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself: Sarah Michelle Gellar! ... Unger has a rich imagination and command of the written word; she is able to describe every minute detail in a scene, as well as what is going on inside a character’s head, yet still keep the story moving forward. She also knows how to inject just the right amount of angst into her novels—one of her trademarks ... Unger demonstrates what a master of suspense she is by subverting many tropes and keeping readers guessing. The twist she pulls at the end is worthy of Hitchcock himself. And then she pulls another one while you’re still processing the first! She brings it all to a satisfying conclusion that remains long after you finish.”
—Mystery Scene
“THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B has so many plot lines and red herrings for readers to deal with that Lisa Unger is allowed to get away with her typical intricate plotting to toy with her audience right up to the eye-opening finale. The book definitely has a ROSEMARY’S BABY vibe to it, and I appreciated her homage to its late great author, Ira Levin. But clearly this is a Lisa Unger story, and she has worked her magic once again with this outstanding novel.”
—Bookreporter
“May be one of Unger’s best novels yet — and that’s saying something.”
—BookTrib
“Reading THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is like tucking into a rich dessert: it's dark and intense but goes down so easy that one is disinclined to stop.”
—Shelf Awareness
“THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B took me on a pulse-pounding ride filled with suspense and delivered an electrifying thrill that gripped me from the book's opening pages. The novel skillfully navigated the shadows of the questionable characters and kept me on the edge of my seat with a perfect blend of suspense that left me breathless.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Unger’s novels are textbook examples of perfect suspense fiction, and this title is no different. As we race through the narrative, we watch in terror as 'something dark is on the horizon' becomes something dark that is right next to you. And we are helpless to stop it. Love New York? Then this super accurate portrayal of the City is doubly fun.”
—FirstCLUE
“A must-read for thriller fans!”
—R.J. Julia Booksellers