The Quiet Tenant is an incredibly unique and dark read that will leave you second guessing every interaction you have in your everyday life. This book shares the story of a serial killer, but instead of focusing on his thoughts and inner dialogue, it focuses on the point of view of the women in his life.

I thought this was a really creative way to approach the serial killer trope and it made the story even more dark and ominous. Told from several POVs, it primarily focuses on Emily, the woman who appears to be a love interest of the killer, his teenage daughter Cecilia, and then a woman who’s been held captive by the killer for the past five years. Reading each of their view points and how they interact with Aidan, the serial killer, creates this narrative of someone living a double life.

This was a truly fantastic read and I loved how the author used the different characters to move the story forward. This really builds to the very end and I didn’t want to put it down into I flipped the final page.

4 ⭐️. This one pulls you in quick. Definitely a different writing style than I’m used to, but I enjoyed it. There was no wild twist but I did enjoy the story. Throughout the entire book I kept finding myself thinking, JUST GET OUT, GO!

I have a hard time with disturbing thrillers but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. This book is fantastically written with the three women’s perspectives. Genius! I can really appreciate the power of standing together that was in this.

The Quiet Tenant is an interesting look at what it is like to be a victim and survivor. "Rachel" has been controlled by Aiden for so long that she cannot even admit her real name to herself. She has forced herself to stop thinking of the family left behind when she was abducted. But now Aiden is forced into a new situation where he eventually makes mistakes, allowing Rachel to begin to hope.

I found this book reminiscent of Emma Donaghue's Room--a woman held captive for years, controlled by her captor, but finally given an opportunity at freedom. One interesting thing that Michallon has done is to provide glimpses into Aiden's other victim's personalities and final moments. Eventually Rachel gets glimpses of them too.

This book does a great job of showing why people in abusive situations don't always leave, or wait to leave. It also shows the dual nature of the narcissist's personality--for most of the people he knows, he is charming and kind. But behind closed doors, he is monstrous.

The Quiet Tenant is well planned and well written. The characters are, for the most part, interesting and believable.

Rachel is the sole survivor of a local serial killer and has been held captive by him for the last five years. When he is forced to move, he decides to bring Rachel with him and moves her into his new home with his 13 year old daughter, introducing her as a troubled “family friend”. Will Rachel fight through her fear and finally figure out a way to escape or will she just become the killer’s latest victim? Told through multiple points of view including the killer’s other victims, the author keeps you on the edge of your seat and does a great job keeping up the tension without being overly graphic. Was it the most believable story…No. But I didn’t care because I couldn’t put it down.

“That must be why he didn’t do it. In the woods. He saw something in you that was more interesting than death. Pain, and your endless ability to feel it, to demonstrate it. He will entertain the possibility of you being whole again, as long as he’s the one who gets to put you back together.”

“What the stories never said: at the end of the day, if a man wants to kill you, he kills you. It’s not on you to convince him not to.” 😳

4.5 stars for this amazing debut! If you read Room back in the day, this is reminiscent of that. “Rachel” is being kept in Luke’s shed behind the house. He has a wife and daughter and is a beloved member of their community, yet he is harboring this dark secret. Has he killed? Will he kill her? After 5 years of being abused, does “Rachel” remember who she was before she was stolen?

The audio, narrated by a full cast, is amazing!! This book is told from many POV and each one has a unique narrator. Genius. The chapters are short and, by the end, I was in the edge of my seat. Ahhh RUN girl, RUN! A nail biter for sure.

Thanks for the free #audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner and thank you to @aaknoft and the author for the ARC.

I always love finding a new author and I have! I super enjoy serial killer books (I know, I know)- and this one was unique in that it is written by the victim, his child and his girlfriend. So neat and a novel twist!

The Quiet Tenant will FOR SURE make my top books of 2023! I was biting my nails and nervous the WHOLE time. Clémence Michallon, bravo, fabulous debut. 👏🏼

I won’t be saying too much about this one but it’s about a serial killer. ‘Nuff said right?! Of course this male serial killer is a stand up gent so the town loooves him. This book alternates between the victims, the daughter, the new girlfriend, and the one he can’t quite seem to kill...

This story was a RIDE and I loved it. Short chapters. Suspenseful breaks. It read like the best episode of Dateline! Keith Morrison 4EVER.

Thank you to @aaknopf @netgalley for this gifted book. It came out on June 20. Highly recommend.

Although, now I will be skeptical of all strangers. Especially friendly ones. Be careful friends, or you’ll end up handcuffed in a shed. 🙅🏼‍♀️

🖤🖤🖤

I love a good thriller. I love books about serial killers. Add in your get multiple perspectives and a look at serial killers in the real world (his perspective, his daughter's, his girlfriend, and the current woman he is holding captive and didn't kill yet). If you get a chance, listen to the audiobook version, because there are different actors for all of the parts (each chapter is different). I loved that you didn't get many perspectives to start, and then you got more as the story developed. I also loved that you learned more as the story unfolded. This was such a unique take on the serial killer thriller and I adored it!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Knopf for the e copy and the physical copy!

This was an interesting book. It’s told from many different POVs and keeps you going.

Just when you think something is going to happen, it changes but in a good way. It’s true really hard not to be predictable.

I wasn't sure how I would do with a book about a serial killer and the woman who he's holding captive, but the way it was told made it a suspenseful read. Using second person point of view really lets you get into the head of the captive. This was a good read, quick, compelling, interesting, and suspenseful. The aftermath I think could've been a bit slower paced and would have been far more satisfying had it been revealed from the viewpoints of all the main characters, not the lesser character but other than that I really enjoyed this book!

The Quiet Tennant
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Clemence Michallon

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Knopf and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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.

My Thoughts: This was a very dark and disturbing psychological thriller, also a slow burn. You will either like it or you won’t, unfortunately there is no middle ground here, in my opinion, which is not a bad thing. A serial killer and his daughter has to move, with his latest captor in tow. Aiden figures he has had Rachel in captivity for so long, that she would dare say anything or escape. However, Rachel is resilient and looks to the daughter as a means to escape. Who will win?

We have four main characters. Rachel, the kidnapped survivor who has endured hell for the last five years and must act as a “tenant” when they move, very much a survivor and resilient. Next, Aiden, very manipulative and a highly dangerous serial killer who does an outstanding job at blending into the background. Aiden’s daughter, Cecilia, who is ignorant to her father’s dangerous abilities, she is very unsuspecting. Lastly, we have Emily (name twin), who is smitten over Aiden, makes questionable choices, and is absolutely controlled, and even gaslighted by Aiden. Emily is the most frustrating character and I found myself yelling at her often. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, and intriguing. The author’s storytelling was impacting, thought-provoking, suspenseful, and engaging. The author does an amazing job at slowly building the characters, interweaving the plot in twisty layers, with an intense flow and pace, and provides a conclusion that is unique and phenomenal.

My only complaint is some of the character development, you haven to suspend belief some. I highly recommend picking up the book or the audiobook. It really was a unique type of thriller.

This book. Dang this book was so good. The main male character reminded me of the BTK killer. The ending was a great finish to the story. I loved that the characters toggled between four points of view and current and past events. I will defiantly read more by this author.

I found this book to be very fresh and interesting based on its narrative style and its focus on the victims’ voices rather than the serial killers. In this book, we follow Rachel who has been kept in captivity for 5 years by a serial killer—we also get glimpses into his past victims, this current girlfriend, and daughter’s perspectives. This books says something quite poignant about what happens to women who are abused or killed and makes an important note that it can be anyone doing the abusing .

The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon

Oh how I devoured this book! The Quiet Tenant was unlike anything I've read. The author makes you feel totally on edge while reading this because what's going to happen next? Did I even breathe while reading this?! I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Clemence Michallon in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the e-arc of this book. I really enjoyed the different perspectives that we were given in this book- three different women who are part of a man's life, including the woman he has kept in a shed for several years. The story definitely kept me hooked and wanting to pick up the story- just when you think things will be solved another wrench is thrown in. The only part I wasn't sure of were certain details of the ending, which I don't want to spoil for goodreads. But I didn't think the connection between the two women needed to happen at the end. It felt awkward and too "wrapped up nicely" for the rest of the story. Overall 4.5 stars.

Wow! What a debut novel! This book sucked me in from the very first paragraph and I never looked back. It was a 24 hour read for me. It has an unconventional structure which I love in books. It’s written from a second person POV so it takes a bit to get used to that but I liked that it was different. It’s hard to say a lot about the plot/characters because I don’t want to give anything away. I felt all the feelings with this one…nervous, sad, angry, confused, hopeful. You need to just trust me and read this book when you are ready for a complex, nail biting thriller.

Read if you like:
▫️dark, complex thrillers
▫️interesting structure
▫️true crime

Man was this freaking good!!!!  When I find a gem like this I feel I get more excited than most since this genre is a hit or miss with me.

The execution of this book was so well done and felt unique compared to others I've read. It's a novel about a serial killer who has his whole town convinced he's the kindest soul. The catch is that it's told through the eyes of his victims with focus on the daughter's and current captive's POV.

The writing style is immersive and hard to turn away from. It portrays captivity and the fight to stay alive against the backdrop of the human psyche. I was hooked as Michallon shows the perspectives each character has towards the killer's different versions, from romantic interest to loving daughter to captor. As each character moves through the plot we slowly start to see the tipping point. It flows so darn well. Sometimes repetitive in the dialogue but not a hindrance. More of an emphasis on feeling.UI

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ June 20, 2023
Page Count ~ 304
Audio length ~ 10 hours 44 minutes
Narrators ~ Gilli Messer, Elena Rey, Valerie Rose Lohman, Amber Battaglia, Reba Buhr, Jess Nahikian, Aure Nash, Milly Sanders, Sara Sheckells, Yu-Li Alice Shen
POV ~ 1st, 2nd & 3rd
Featuring ~ debut, serial killer, dark, se*ual abuse

Quite the interesting chapter titles (I didn't realize there were so many different ones until I started typing them up and since I already put in all the work I figured I'd leave it for you to see, so read them if you want, or don't, I won't ever know): The woman in the shed ~ The woman in the shed, when she was still a girl ~ The woman in transit ~ The woman in the house ~ Number one ~ Number two ~ Number three ~ The woman-before the house, before the shed ~ Number four ~ The woman in danger ~ The Woman, a long time ago ~ The woman without a number ~ The woman on the move ~ The woman in the house, so very close to a girl ~ Number five ~ The woman in the house, always in the house ~ Number seven ~ The woman, descending ~ The woman under the house ~ Number eight ~ Number nine ~ The woman in the truck ~ The woman on the move ~ The woman, almost there ~ The woman, running ~ The woman at the police station ~ The woman with a name

The woman... chapters are all told in the 2nd person. This might be my first experience with this and I'm still thinking about if I liked it or not.
Emily owns the local restaurant and has her eyes on Aiden. We, the readers, are screaming at her NO, since we know what this evil man is capable of, but do you think she listens to us, nope.

We hear from Cecilia, Aiden's 13 year old daughter, which showed how controlling he is with her.

Overall, this was a pretty good debut. My pulse was pounding a few times just like the description said it would.

I was able to listen to an audio copy as well.
Narration notes:
Holy narrators batman, however I couldn't really tell the difference between most of them except for the one that did Cecilia, so if they weren't all listed I might not have ever known.

4.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for providing an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I devoured this book in 2 sittings. This book was unputdownable. I loved the tension and the eerie vibes and how well-written it was.

I was enjoying everything from the very first page till the end. I loved how the author chose to share the POVs of the women around the killer; the girl he kidnapped, his 13 years old daughter, his girlfriend, and not only that but we got POVs of those women he killed.

I loved how the chapters were short and how the sentences kept me invested and terrified of what might happen. I enjoyed the POV of Rachel, the girl he locked up in his shed, more than the other povs and i felt so sorry for her and i got so emotional because of what she is suffering.

The POV of his daughter ,Cecilia, sometimes broke me how she has no idea how her father is a monster. Emily's POV ,his girlfriend, is what made me soooo madddd because of how fool she was, and i guess that's the point. Monsters will manipulate you and get you fooled.

Overall, this was a clever premise, and an amazing well-written novel, and I will be looking forward to any book Clémence Michallon publishes cause she became one of my favorite authors now.