I was pleasantly surprised by this debut. It was engaging and empathetic and kept me guessing the whole time!

thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced copy

a fantastic thriller that kept me guessing

“He was a very nice person.”- words used to describe Ted Bundy, the charming, charismatic, handsome serial killer that raped and murdered at least 30 women in his reign of terror. The antagonist in this book is similar. Aiden just lost his wife to cancer, tugging on the town’s heartstrings. Rachel has been in the shed close to five years, but is stunned when Aiden and his daughter Cecelia move to a new home at which she is given the opportunity to be a “new tenant”, a family friend needing a place to stay. Rachel knows she is luckier than the other 7 women from before; there are rules to follow to stay alive. Cecelia misses her mother, and is looking for a friend to confide in when she is introduced to Rachel. Emily, a local bartender, is totally enchanted by Aiden, yet wonders about his tenant. I was glued to my couch reading this page-turner! Even the nicest people can hide the ugliest truth! The pacing was full of suspense, and I found myself wanting to justice throughout. Narratives of women in these abusive situations (and this one is to the extreme) are powerful; even as a woman myself, you find yourself asking why is she doing X when she should be doing Y, but we never know exactly how we will act in fight or flight mode! This book would make such an interesting movie or film, and I really look forward to reading more of this author in the future. Thanks, NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!

Aiden Thomas is the quintessential all American guy. His wife just passed away from cancer leaving him and his daughter Cecelia to pick up the pieces in his rural small town in New York. He's the perfect guy, outside of the woman that he has held captive for five years in his shed that nobody knows about. The story is told in the perspective of the woman held captive, Cecelia, and Aiden's new interest Emily. It was difficult at first to understand the second person POV, which is what all of Rachel's chapters are told in. There were also extremely short chapters dedicated to all of Aiden's other victims as well.

I have finished this book and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. This was a completely haunting story that I had a hard time reading without having nightmares. At times the reader has to suspend so much belief, but then it doesn't seem like this story is that completely unbelievable at the same time. I know this is one that I will be thinking about for a while, but I feel like a certain type of person has to read it. There are so many trigger warnings, so it is important to research those before diving in. At times I wish that we understood more of his perspective. It seemed like we spent so much time setting up the scenery that it ended quickly and I left feeling a bit dissatisfied.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

THE QUIET TENANT is a bold, gripping thriller that I found hard to put down, and I suspect this one will prey on my mind for some time. There's a haunting quality to it, an eerie, ever-growing sense of malice that surrounds and almost suffocates you with claustrophobic vibes. My advice to other readers is to go into it without reading any spoilers as I did, allowing yourself to experience it first-hand.

Aidan Thomas is a well-liked, friendly, helpful man who's admired by his friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, it's all a facade, a veneering that hides a dark and evil side. In truth, Aidan is a serial kidnapper and killer who's responsible for the death of eight women and is holding his ninth victim in a shed behind his house. Rachel was kidnapped five years ago and knows she's presumed dead. Her desire to live; however, is strong and readers will learn she's not quite as complacent and brainwashed as Aidan believes. She's learned a few things about manipulation over her years of captivity and does what's necessary to survive. When Aidan's forced to move with his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecelia to another residence, Rachel gently nudges him into deciding to take her along, introducing her as his old friend and new tenant. Rachel now has the opportunity to interact with Cecelia for brief periods of time when Aidan lets her out of her room. Cecelia adores her father, but she's Rachel's only chance at freedom. Does she dare tell Cecelia the truth, or will it be signing her own death certificate? Meantime, Aidan is courting his next victim Emily who is smitten with the handsome widower. The story that ensues is a dark, emotional, heart-pounding masterpiece.

THE QUIET TENANT is a bit unusual in structure and delivery, switching between narratives from chapter to chapter and multiple points of view. At first, it feels a bit choppy or disconnected, but as the story takes off the sharp prose and short chapters are highly effective at building tension and trepidation in characters and readers. Michallon takes time to set the scene with a steadily increasing pace driven by a malevolent tone that grows darker page by page. Points of view include Rachel, Cecelia and Emily, affording readers intimate knowledge of each woman's thoughts and views of the truth as they know it. Rachel's perspective is particularly disturbing as one might expect as she begins pushing boundaries seeking a way out of her never-ending nightmare, and the author does an outstanding job of relaying her desperation while keeping a small spark of hope alive. It's easy for readers to question her choices at times, however, no one can really know the psychological impact of being held captive for so long with the fear of death looming every single day unless you've been there. All characterizations are brilliantly rendered, multi-layered and believable. Through twists and turns, the author manipulates readers and characters towards an ending most won't see coming.

THE QUIET TENANT is a dark, gritty, highly disturbing thriller that's sure to haunt my nights for some time. Beyond being a fantastic thriller, this story speaks volumes about a woman's strength and will to live and survive the trauma and psychological aftermath of such a horrific ordeal. It's an amazing story of the feats possible when women bond together to stand as one against abuse. While THE QUIET TENANT is a somber read, I love that it's also a story of hope and survival. Highly recommended to fans of psychological thrillers and so-called "women's fiction" because this is a story showcasing the many strengths of women, both individually and together. I found THE QUIET TENANT to be an impressive debut from author Clemence Michallon.

This book didn't grip me like I was hoping it would. It kept me engaged, but I wasn't surprised or shocked at all during this read. I did find myself bored at times, but I'm glad I kept reading.

The Quiet Tenant was such a good debut, I could've sworn it came from a seasoned thriller writer. The tension was palpable from start to finish and the book opens with a bang and doesn't let up. I thought it was terrific that the plot is told from such different points of view: a man's captor, girlfriend, and daughter. You will read this book super fast because it's such a nail-biter, I was terrified over what was going to happen to all three of the central females. The climax was one of the best I read and I'd love to see this made into the movie. My only issue is that we never get any real answers about Aiden. I don't know if it's purposeful but I felt like much about him, especially his motives, was left open ended. And although too many violent scenes would probably come off as exploitative, the violence was too glossed over, especially the chapters from his victims' POVs. They didn't really seem to serve much purpose because I didn't feel any danger or menace during them. However, still a fantastic weekend read.

This book is told by several different perspectives. That alone made it interesting, however, it was not as exciting for me and did. It live up to all the hype I had read. Aiden the perfect home town guy who just lost his wife and is raising his daughter may not be all everyone thinks he is. While he is hard working and a great father, he is hiding some
Horrible secrets. One of them in his shed and then his house. Rachel was abducted by Aiden over 5 years ago and has been held captive without anyone, including Aiden’s daughter or wife, knowing. This book takes you through the captivity of Rachel and how Aiden has everyone around him fooled. I just didn’t find it to be as exciting as I had hoped. Would I recommend? Probably not, while the ending was good, that was the highlight of this one. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I am thankful as always for them! #TheQuietTenant #NetGalley

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

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This was such a wild ride, and so unlike anything else I've read.
Major trigger warnings throughout the book, of course. Rape being a big one.
This book has alternating POV's, which I really enjoyed, I only wish that there was an additional Cecelia POV after Aidan was found out. Because holy trauma, batman.
I also would have really enjoyed more from Rachel after she was rescued and returned to her family. What was that reunion like? It just seemed pretty rushed, at the end.
This was an incredibly solid debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from this author. It was definitely thrilling and had me rapidly tearing through the pages in anticipation of what happens next. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley, for my digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this one because I saw some rave reviews about it on bookstagram around when it was first released and the premise of a male serial killer integrating his long-term female captee into his home and everyday life with his daughter is definitely unique and caught my attention. It’s something up my alley based on my interests. I even bought a physical copy.

However, this book just drug on soooo slowly and I had trouble maintaining interest. I had to skip a large chunk of one chapter due to animal injury, which is a trigger for me. And oh my gosh… I learned from this book that I HATE reading books in second person. Hate. Hate. Hate.

⚠️ CW: SA, violence, captivity, kidnapping, animal injury

Thank you to Knopf, the author, and NetGalley for the digital review copy.

Flipping the pages of this book, I felt like I was reading a story out of today's headlines - woman goes missing and is captured in her kidnapper's world and under his control. I felt like this story was a little bit "Room" and a little bit "Jaycee Dugard", mixed with some of "The Face on the Milk Carton". And while we've all read books about kidnapped women, this was a bit more survivor and a little less victim. I enjoyed the fast paced nature of this story and while parts were a bit predictable, the twist of living in the same house of the kidnapper, along with his daughter, was a unique addition to this genre. After reading her debut thriller, I look forward to seeing what more this author will bring to our bookshelves.

A great debut novel. Thriller that went deeper while still keeping me on my toes. I would read more from this author in the future

Perhaps the best thriller I read this year. This isn't the newest concept, but it is perfectly executed.

This was such an amazing book!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and had a hard time putting the book down. One of the best books I’ve read this year!

ALL. THE. STARS. I loved this book. I loved the differing story lines. I loved how it was told from the victims point of view and didn't give the bad guy a voice (because he doesn't deserve one). I loved the psychology behind the victims. This was an incredible debut. I listened to the podcast "Criminal Types" and the author was a guest on one episode and it was so interesting to hear her process. Amazing book and I can't wait for more!!

5 big stars! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
I liked hearing from the 3 different women closest to Aidan and learning about him, without actually hearing from him directly. This book, while not exactly a mystery, still kept me on the edge of my seat. Seeing a serial killer from an almost "guy next door" perspective vs. him as a kidnapper vs. him as a father. Very interesting!

This was a fantastic psychological thriller and had so many moving components: a serial killer, his captor, his unsuspecting daughter, and the local restaurant owner who develops a crush on him.

Aiden Thomas appeared to be a typical family man and well respected in the community, but he’s harboring a dark secret. Not only has he murdered eight women, but he’s held a woman named Rachel captive for the last five years, which completely goes against his typical MO.

When Aiden and his daughter, Cecelia, are forced to move, he takes Rachel with him and introduces her to his daughter as a family friend. Rachel is too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape, but she quickly develops a bond with Cecelia and wants to protect her from her father.

Emily, a young woman with a crush on Aiden, is also drawn to Rachel and Cecilia, and the more she gets to know them, the closer she gets to learning Aiden’s secret. But will he get away with his despicable crimes, or will they finally break free from the lies and trauma Aiden has bestowed upon them?

This was such a well developed debut thriller, and I couldn’t put it down! These characters were so different and yet they were all connected by one common factor: Aiden. For such a terrible person, I was surprised by how his treatment of each woman varied. It was like meeting a different version of him with each encounter. And the lengths he went to in order to keep Rachel and hide her identity was surprising, but I never really understood what his end game was in that respect.

Rachel was a strong character and though she appeared to be under his constant control, the reality was that she was in survival mode. Every decision she made was quietly calculated and meant to protect not only herself, but Aiden’s daughter and even Emily. She never lost her sense of self and fought for her freedom until the very end.

Highly recommend!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for providing a copy of this book to review.*

The Quiet Tenant is an introspective look at the lives of the victims of a serial murderer. The novel is written more like a thriller but I did personally find it emotionally hard to read. That said, I think there are many readers who would love the premise of this book & I could see it being a good book club pick. Thank you for the opportunity to read it 🙂

The first novel in I don't know how long that had me reading into the night. A few implausible turns but overall, so good and memorable. My kind of thriller.

Wow! This is an absolute whirlwind of a novel. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, but didn’t want it to end. Well drawn characters, pulse-pounding suspense and expert craftsmanship combine to make this a powerful tale. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.