This psychological thriller debut is excellent. I’ve heard it described as if Luke from Gilmore Girls was a serial killer. It is slow burn suspense that ratchets up the tension towards the end of the novel and becomes unputdownable. The less you know going into the story the better. The book would be a great book club selection as it begs to be discussed.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for the electronic ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I look forward to the author’s next novel.

The Quiet Tenant by Clemente Michallon is a page-turner and a psychological thriller about a serial killer, beloved by his community, who keeps one of his victims in a shed behind his house. Wow...this book was dark! I loved the multiple POVs and the quick pacing, which made it hard to put the book down. Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of the The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon.
The Quiet Tenant is a disturbing too-realistic account of a serial killer and the women he preys upon. A book that will make you question everyone you encounter, and watch your back when alone. A book that I will continue to process long after finishing.

The Quiet Tenant by @clemencemichallon was a slow burn thriller with a inscredible tense atmosphere. It’s a unique take on a serial killer story with alternating viewpoints of three women in his orbit. That perspective was fascinating to me.

Read this if you like slow burn thrillers and books about serial killers.

Thank you, @aaknopf @penguinrandomhouse !

This was good! Bone chilling and creepy but the multi perspective story was a great book for our spooky season book club book.

Okay this book had me hooked from the first page! I could t read it fast enough and once I picked it up I did t put it down until I was finished. The writing was amazing and the story didn’t let up until the end! I have recommended it to everyone!

THE QUIET TENANT was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and after seeing so many of my book friends five star reviews, I was so excited to read this.

I savored it to read with my husband, during spooky szn, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

While I did initially enjoy it, I found the pacing was too slow burn for me without much else in the plot, aside from what was mentioned in the synopsis.

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy

"The Quiet Tenant" by Clémence Michallon is an enthralling and thought-provoking novel that artfully blends elements of mystery, psychological suspense, and human drama. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and expertly crafted narrative, this book delivers an engaging and emotionally resonant reading experience.

Clémence Michallon's writing is both eloquent and evocative, drawing readers into a web of secrets and intrigue right from the opening pages. Her storytelling is marked by a profound understanding of human emotions and relationships, which adds depth and authenticity to the narrative.

The characters in "The Quiet Tenant" are intricately portrayed, each with their own unique complexities and inner demons. Their personal struggles and psychological depth make them compelling and relatable. The author masterfully delves into their pasts and motivations, creating a rich tapestry of lives that intersect and diverge in unexpected ways.

The novel's plot is a maze of secrets, revelations, and moral dilemmas. Michallon weaves a story that keeps readers eagerly turning pages as they navigate the intricacies of the characters' lives and the mysteries that surround them. The sense of suspense and unpredictability is skillfully maintained throughout the narrative.

One of the novel's standout qualities is its exploration of the human condition, the consequences of one's actions, and the complexities of relationships. The characters' choices and moral struggles serve as a powerful lens through which to reflect on broader themes of guilt, redemption, and the fine line between right and wrong.

In "The Quiet Tenant," Clémence Michallon has crafted a compelling and introspective thriller that will resonate with readers who appreciate a blend of psychological depth, suspense, and human drama. It is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that lingers in the mind long after the final chapter. This book is a must-read for those seeking a nuanced and absorbing story that challenges perceptions and emotions.

I did like this book, however, it left me with more questions than answers. An epilogue at the end from one of the characters would have been nice. Maybe they could have wrapped up and answered some questions. Pretty good book and will recommend.

*Major trigger warnings for abuse, sexual abuse and captivity.

The tone of the novel is tense and unnerving. Michallon does a great job with her writing and creating tension. Her characters were believable. The book is very creepy and believable, but I did not enjoy it. Being from the women's perspectives made it uncomfortable and too close to be a fun/escapist read. Michallon does her job too well and my lack of enjoyment of the book is more about the books I like and not a failing of Michallon.

The Quiet Tenant introduces us to Aidan Thomas, a quiet hardworking man who has just lost his wife to cancer and is raising his 13 year old daughter on his own. His townspeople love him and rally around him to help. Little do they know that he's been harboring a secret for many, many years.

This novel is told from varying viewpoints: Emily, the local restaurant owner who falls madly in love with Aidan (bordering on stalker); Cecelia, Aidan's 13 year old daughter; and "Rachel", the woman he has been holding hostage for 5 years. We also get snippets of 9 different women that Aidan has had contact with throughout his adult life.

I wanted to like this debut novel so much. I thought the premise was intriguing. The story never really got super exciting. I was kind of bored and frustrated and hoped that the ending would be better. And it was a little bit, but not what it could have been. I really disliked Rachel's chapters which were written in the 2nd person point of view. Overall the writing was choppy and the characters were not very interesting to me. I felt like Rachel had so many opportunities to get away, but always talked herself into staying captive. It was infuriating to me! And Emily was blinded by Aidan's handsomeness and was acting like a crazy stalker - breaking into his house on multiple occasions - even meeting Rachel, but Rachel says nothing. I would have loved to have heard more from Cecelia, but felt like her character was sadly underdeveloped.

Overall, I might be in the minority with this review. I know a lot of people enjoyed it and if you're reading this, you might enjoy it as well. It just fell flat for me.

I really enjoyed the unique perspective this book gave. The premise is of a serial killer who kidnaps, tortures, and murders women in a locked shed behind the home he shares with his wife and unsuspecting daughter. For some reason, he allows one of his victims to stay alive and trapped in the horrible cycle of abuse and isolation. When the killer's wife passes away, he must leave the home, taking his daughter and his captive victim to a new home. The story is told from alternating viewpoints of the daughter, the kidnapped woman, and a new female who begins to fall into the web that the killer is setting. I love the changes in perspectives from each narrator, and thought the pacing was perfect. While the suspense builds slowly at the beginning, the ending will keep readers on the edge of their seat. Highly recommend for non-sensitive thriller readers!

This story of women involved in kidnapping, rape, a d murder by a serial killer, the guy next door, was deeply unsettling. I gained insight into the trauma this causes the victims.

The Quiet Tenant
Clémence Michallon
Genre: Thriller
Pace: Medium/Fast

Holy crap was I sweating bullets the entire time I was reading this. THIS FREAKING PLOT was so unique. I mean seriously a book about a serial killing women napper but told by the three main women in his life. His daughter, his girlfriend, and his hostage who he has decided to spare. SIGN ME THE EFF UP

Although the POVS being told in second person pulled me away every now and then it did not deter my overall enjoyment. I loved getting into the mind of these three female characters, and seeing how they eventually connect with each other in the end

OMG the emotions I had towards the human evil within these pages. You know that moment when you just want to reach through the pages and throat punch somebody?!? That's exactly how I felt. Arghh his actions had me so heated

BUT THAT ENDING WAS EVERYTHING. I don't want to say to much because spoilers but dangggg

I was so excited to read this one as I was seeing other ARC reviews being posted on social media. The premise was there, but it just felt like something was missing for me and I started losing interest.

Overall, a fast-paced book that will hold your interest. There were some areas where I was left questioning. I really disliked Emily's character - she was a little obsessed and stalker-ish herself. It gave me similar vibes to Joe and Love on the show You. I nearly expected her to be okay with him having a kidnapped girl in his house just as long as he still liked her too. I had some questions in the end - namely about what happened with Cecilia.

I loved this!
I was hooked straight away and the book didn't let go.
The premise of 'people who are kept hostage for years' has fascinated me for a long time, and this book executed it wonderfully.
The three perspectives held my interest throughout, and I think this worked much better than a single POV would have.
A brilliant read.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. For simplicity I'm just going to list what I liked and what I did not.

What I liked:
- Great plot idea!
- Originality for the ending!
- It feels well researched. I think to understand how someone who has been held in captivity for years where death is a never ending daily possibility would take some serious investigation.
- The edge of my seat tension I felt when the "woman in the..." would do risky things and I was afraid she would get caught 😳
- That the French author decided to write this book in English - pretty remarkable.

What I struggled with:
- The use of the word you for narration purposes. I get that (maybe) the point was to emphasize that this captive woman had been under his control for so long that she no longer thought of herself as a person. However, when she refers to herself as "you" and there are multiple narrators, it disrupts the flow of the story in my opinion.
- The reader also never really understands what drives Aidan to do the things he does.
- The lack of character depth - I never really felt like I got a good handle on who the 3 women are.

This book started off pretty slow but once I got to about the 70% mark I couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC of this book to read and review.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

The first half of this book was really slow for me but interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. I didn't find this book to be very thrilling or suspenseful until the very end. I chose the book because of the cover and the synopsis grabbed me but it honestly did not live up to my expectations. Thank you Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for my review.