The New Couple in 5B

Disappointing mystery thriller.

Chad and Rosie Lowan are over the moon when they inherit a luxury apartment in the historic NYC building known as the Windermere. Soon, however, the atmosphere takes an ominous tone and Rosie begins to fear that there are unhappy ghosts that linger in the apartments, the halls, and the basement. Horrible things have taken place in this building. Suddenly, people they know are dying and Rosie is afraid she might be next.

This was overly long and repetitive with a dual timeline and the one thing I cannot tolerate in my crime fiction -- the supernatural. I did not care for any of the characters and even though the author dangled a lot of red herrings, it was quite predicable and the outcome no surprise. Rosie show more was annoying and the others quite stereotypical in their roles as friends, husband, and relatives. I listened to the audiobook as I read along, and I found the narrator very irritating with her attempts at doing all the voices though she seemed to channel Rosie's angst and histrionics appropriately. In short, this requires dealing with the slow pace and all the melodrama while suspending disbelief at every turn of the page.

Although I am grateful for the advance copy of the e-book ARC, I can't recommend this unless you enjoy those aspects of this story that I do not.

2.5 stars show less

A true crime writer and her husband move into an upscale flat with a disturbing past in THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B. This was a fun read, and I loved the creepy gothic atmosphere. How could I resist an old luxury New York apartment building with dark secrets to keep? It’s a dash of Rosemary’s Baby with some Simone St. James mixed in. I greatly enjoyed this modern ghost story from Lisa Unger. It’s well written, and I loved the unique, compelling (and twisted) characters.

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger is a mystery merged with a supernatural horror novel set in NYC in a historic Manhattan apartment building in Murray Hill on Park Avenue. It is highly recommended.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are living in NYC and struggling. Rosie is a true crime writer and Chad is an actor. Right now she needs a new book proposal accepted and he needs a good role. During this same time the two have spent the last year caring for his dying uncle Ivan. Much to their surprise, Ivan has left his multi-million-dollar apartment in the historic Windermere to them rather than his estranged daughter, Dana. She is furious that she was not only cut out of Ivan's will but that he gave the apartment to Rosie and Chad.

Rosie focuses the show more subject of her next book the Windermere. The building had been the scene of many gruesome accidents, murders, and incidents over the years. Even living there, Rosie can feel the dark history and is sure she saw a ghost. It is certainly a weird atmosphere present. Cameras are watching everywhere, the old elevator requires an operator, and Abi, the longtime doorman seemingly always there. When two different murders occur, Rosie begins to wonder if a building can be cursed as she also questions the integrity of those around her.

Interspersed between the chapters following Rosie during the present day happenings are chapters set in the 60' told from the point-of-view of Willa, a married woman who lived in the same apartment before Ivan. Both the story from the past and the present day intrigue are suspenseful and increase the tension surrounding the story and the Windermere. While reading you will become increasingly concerned and anxious about Rosie's safety - and Willa's in the past. Rosie is a great character, however I wanted her to get a clue earlier.

Unger is a go-to writer for me who always excels at well-written, un-put-downable thrillers. The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger met all those features, adding a supernatural element to the mystery. I can't say I was a huge fan of the paranormal plot elements, but I was glued to the pages regardless of my hesitancy. There is enough going on that is sinister and creepy that the tension would build anyway. There are some great twists along the way too.

Not my top-rated Lisa Unger novel, but she set the bar pretty high with all her previous five star books. If you like a mix of the supernatural with a mystery, this would be an excellent choice for you. Thanks to Park Row Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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The New Couple in 5B had an interesting premise, and I definitely love stories about older apartment buildings that tend to have shadier pasts. The story moved along rather quickly and there were parts that were engaging, but I felt like it tried too hard to be spooky, adding in paranormal elements that really had no relevancy to the story.

First of all, I wasn't a fan of the character development in this book. Rosie is described as this big researcher, having written a non-fiction book that has sold moderately well, and is currently doing research on, you guessed it, the apartment building to which she is moving. While I didn't dislike Rosie, I can't stand it when an author makes a character so stubborn they can't see the roots for show more the trees, and this is the case with Rosie, as in my husband is so kind, loving, perfect with me, therefore there is no way he can be mean, nasty or whatever to anyone else. It's not the blind devotion that bothered me, but the fact she didn't do any research about any of those people who are in her life that bothered me. There is a mention about her hesitancy over the keyboard, but that's as far as it goes. Really? I'm a researcher and I research EVERYTHING!!!

And Max. His story line didn't make sense either. Just trying to throw some controversy in this book, but that whole story line bothered me so much, from the lawyer right down to Rosie's reaction. It gave me such 'ick' feelings, I didn't want to read any more about it. Do better. Same with Willa's story. I really hope the author wasn't expecting me to feel sorry for someone who pretty much cheated and threatened everyone around her. That's how it felt coming across the pages, but I am totally on the husband's side and the young boy's.

And the rest of the secondary characters, while I enjoyed them, I do like some development when something happens or when they do something unexpected. Which leads me to plot development. Because this story revolves around the characters' motivations, it is more character led, than plot led, but I definitely need to really understand their motivations and reasons, something I don't really feel came across well in these pages. There were a lot of coincidences and assumptions used to move the plot along, both of these I think are weak tools to use when trying to move the plot forward.

Verdict
The New Couple in 5B suffered from a clear lack of motivations from most of the characters which left me feeling somewhat disconnected from both the plot and the characters. It was a quick read however, and there were parts that I did enjoy. However, the plot is somewhat predictable, the characters lack depth, and some of the plot points don't actually go anywhere, like the paranormal stuff. Overall, one that was full of potential, but definitely fell short of the mark for me. show less

Rosie, a writer, and Chad, an actor, inherit a luxury apartment after his uncle dies, angering his cousin. That is when all the troubles begin. Rosie begins seeing things, an old love affair and its consequences have a hold on the building, and jealousy and bitterness over a loss of some real estate are themes in this sinister tale.
People are not what they seem, and you never know who to trust. Just when you think you have it figured out, you get thrown for another loop!
Nice one, Lisa Unger!

Lisa Unger has written some great novels, so I'm always anxious to read her latest. But THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is not her best.

The first 200 or so pages of this book are very repetitious and pretty ho-hum, i.e., boring. Rosie tells us over and over how she resents her upbringing by parents who were superstitious fakes. At the same time, she tells a silly ghost story.

Unger's main premise is that Rosie and Chad, a married couple, have inherited an apartment in an old building that seems to be cursed. Throughout the years many of its residents have died there, some murdered, others APPARENT suicides. But the ghosts: the story would have been better off without those. They only made the suspense feel silly.

I did enjoy that every character show more (except Rosie, who tells the story in first person ) is suspect throughout the novel. That's what made me keep reading to the end.

I also liked that Unger slips in references to her older books here and there. For example, Chad, an actor, was given the starring role in a TV series about The Hollows.

But THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B is a disappointment because I know Unger can do better. That's why I'll still be on the lookout for her next book. show less

The New Couple in 5B is Lisa Unger's latest (and much awaited) book.

Rosie and Chad are fortunate enough to inherit a beautiful apartment in a historic building in New York City, complete with a doorman. The other owners are quite welcoming to the young couple. Almost a little too much really. And the doorman seems be there 24/7. And what about that... And we'll stop there. It's much better to discover the rest yourself.

Unger brings the tension in and ramps it up, over and over again. I had my suspicions about what might happen. I was partially right, but there were twists and turns I couldn't predict.

Just as twisty turny was Rosie and Chad's marriage. I wanted to shout out loud at Rosie! She seems to have blinders on when it comes to show more Chad. I must admit to getting frustrated with her. The inclusion of an 'entity' caught me off guard. I quite liked the two timelines that gives us a look at the history of residents of 5B.

This book kept me engrossed from first chapter to last. My only quibble was Rosie. She was just so willing to forgive and forget ever thing Chad does. I didn't see her as the strong woman she purported to be.

I chose to listen to the audio of The New Couple in 5B. The narrator was Vivienne Leheny
She's such a wonderful reader. Her voice has so movement to it - up, down, and she easily captures the tones, emotion and so much more. Perfect for what's happening in the plot. The voices she employed all matched the mental images that I had created for the characters. Her voices for male players were believable. A great performance of a really good tale. show less