Well written psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to read more. Well written with loved the plot, characters and building to the nail biting ending.

The Quiet Tenant is a psychological thriller about a serial killer narrated by those closest to him: His 13 year old daughter, his girlfriend- and the one victim he spared... This is the book description for the novel. It is indeed the story of Aidan Thomas, the seemingly hard-working family man. And the girl he kidnapped 5 years ago and kept as his secret slave while his daughter and wife lived in the house on the same property. When his wife dies, he is forced to move from his home and decides to take his slave/kidnapped woman, "Rachel," with him as a tenant in his new house. I tried to suspend belief here, but it just did not work for me! The daughter doesn't see Rachel as odd after FIVE years of captivity. Rachel doesn't immediately seek her way out of the home they 'share.'

This is a man that kidnaps and murders women. He has kept Rachel in a shed in his backyard for 5 years!!?? Then he introduces her to his daughter?? The writing was not bad, but the plot was killing me. This is my favorite genre; my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I love a good kidnapping thriller, and this just was not feasible. I've read the story a million times, but this didn't have the tension it needed, and I kept rolling my eyes. I didn't feel the thrill. However, it has countless good reviews on goodreads, so it's worth a look. 2 stars.

BRILLIANT. So cleverly written and such a unique perspective. Perfect for fans of Criminal Minds. A quick, compelling read.

I’ve seen so many posts about this thriller, so I was super eager to check it out for myself.

Quick premise: The main character “Rachel” has been held captive in a shed for five years. When she finds out that her captor Aiden has to move and senses that this means he will finally kill her, she suggests an alternative: Rachel will come live in the new house with him and his daughter, as his “tenant.” No one will know the horrible truth about why she is in his home, and she can work to stay alive.

I really loved the way this book was written. There are many alternating viewpoints, all from women who have some role in Aiden’s life and crimes. The story alternates between past and present, slowly laying out the history behind Rachel’s captivity and the present day. I thought the pacing was perfect and it kept me engaged throughout the book.

I have read some reviews that felt there was a lack of “thriller” vibes, but I disagree. This is slow burn psychological thrills and chills, perfect if you’re looking for something to help usher you into spooky season.

Thank you @aaknopf and @netgalley for the digital review copy. The Quiet Tenant is out now!

Good story - enjoyed the different POV narrative. Especially Rachel's chapter title updating her status/concerns.
The ending had me in massive suspense - my breathing became quite erratic while inhaling the last few chapters. Great plot and writing skills.
Slow build - took away some of the suspense for me.

I had REALLY high hopes for this one after reading the description and starting the first half of the book. I really enjoyed this for the most part but found the ending to be a bit lackluster in comparison to the rest of the book. It just felt a bit too convenient and lazy. I thought the characters could have been developed a bit more but otherwise really enjoyed them. I thought each of them was intriguing in their own ways and was really entertained watching the relationship between the daughter and the "cousin." I wish that was expanded on a bit too. This had some dark themes but still found a way to keep it pretty light. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller, I highly recommend The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon.
The quiet tenant is the story of a woman who is kept by a serial killer for five years, even while he continues to kill others. As his life changes, she convinces him to take her with him during a move.

The story is told from the point of view of the woman in captivity, the killer’s daughter, and his next victim. The chapters were short, meaning things moved so quickly. I had a hard time putting this one down and I’m still thinking about it, days later. I found myself tensed up, reading the chapters from the point of view from the woman in captivity. This book was incredibly well written. I'd highly recommend it to fans of suspense, it withheld the gore and cheap thrills that many thrillers of today rely on.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Quiet Tenant is a captivating nail biter that kept me riveted throughout. Aiden is a nice guy, recently widowed with a 13 year old daughter. The people in his community like him. He is responsible, friendly, and even helpful. But, he also has been holding "Rachel" captive in his shed for five years, and he is a serial killer? There are no stereotypes here. There is no time for much of anything except Rachel's survival. Michallon delivers tension throughout from a slow burn to frantic page turning intensity. The story is narrated by Rachel, his captive, Emily, bartender and Aidan's love interest and his daughter, Cecilia. Three voices incredibly articulating their real-time emotional and psychological experience. Hope rides like a roller coaster for Rachel, whose bravery and rules of survival are painfully heartbreaking. The Quiet Tenant may be my favorite book of the year. This is a book that will stay with me. I am giving The Quiet Tenant an easy five stars and placing it on my Extraordinary Reads.

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon is a dark tale of psychological suspense about Aiden, a widowed serial killer told from the perspectives of his 13-year-old daughter, his potential love interest (next victim?), and the one victim "Rachel" he has not killed, but rather has kept captive for the past five years, first in a shed then, after a move, alternately handcuffed to a radiator and a bed frame in a guest bedroom. The heart of this story and most of the suspense comes from the victim's viewpoint, which is told in the second person making the sense of suffocating dread even more effective.

Rachel has discovered, via trial and error, rules for survival that she adapts over time and through differing circumstances, learning which behaviors will trigger the wrath of her captor and which will ensure her continued survival in precarious circumstances. Aiden exerts unwavering control over his captive, forcing her to suppress her own identity and memories, lest she give in to despair. Even when there is a glimmer of hope of escape, Rachel fears to make the attempt for fear that it is a trap, destined to trick her into giving Aiden an excuse to finally kill her.

The story and the suspense kicks into a high gear once Aiden moves Rachel from the backyard shed of his old home (through a subtle manipulation by Rachel based upon her years-long psychological study of her captor's motivations) into the guest bedroom of his new home, describing her as a down-on-her-luck room renter to his oblivious daughter, and when Aiden's new love interest becomes curious about what is going on in Aiden's home.

The Quiet Tenant is a well-written study of a victim enduring unspeakable treatment for years yet keeping a glimmer of hope alive enough to attempt a final act of bravery that will either doom her to a quick death or grant her freedom at last. While the story is psychologically disturbing, you won't be overwhelmed by gore or violence. But it will keep you breathless through the final pages.

I didn’t mind the start of this one but I couldn’t get into it after about 25% through. Characters were good, slow delivery though. Just needed a bit more to draw me further in.

I really enjoyed this book. "Rachel" has been kidnapped and held for 5 years in a shed by Aidan Thomas. Aidan is well-loved by everyone, he is always helping out and good and kind. But he is a serial killer, and for some reason, has spared Rachel for now.
After his wife dies, he and his 13 year old daughter, Cecilia, are forced to move. Rachel convinces him to let her come along. Aidan agrees, believing she is under his control. He tells Cecilia that Rachel is a friend in need, and keeps Rachel handcuffed most of the time in the bedroom. When Aiden gets involved with Emily, a local restaurant owner, Rachel fears for herself, Cecilia and Emily. Rachel knows she must fight to save herself.
This is a tense thriller, where you hear from each of the 8 women that Aidan has killed. You root for "Rachel". Terrifying to read how easily people trick you.
Great thriller.

I was interested in the concept of this book from the start. I liked that some of the chapters were told from the point of view of the victims of the serial killers as well as his daughter. I was most interested in her viewpoint and the view of his captive. I wasn't expecting the ending - I definitely thought it was being set up to be the opposite of what happened, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did - but it ended up feeling a bit unresolved. After moving a bit slow leading up to the end (the viewpoint of the bar owner always ended up in chapters that felt much longer to me), it felt like there was a quick burst of action, a bit of resolution, and then the book was over.

Ohhh what a creepy and intense read this was! So eerie and weird. But in the best way. I devoured this as quick as I could. Loved the writing style, it was perfection. Will definitely be recommending to patrons!!

I'm late to the review party here but this deserves all the plaudits it's been receiving - every viewpoint works, everything makes emotional sense, and it's so tense at the end that I had to put it down and walk around for a minute. I'll be recommending it everywhere.

A true psych thriller in every sense of the phrase, The Quiet Tenant took off from the very beginning and continued on a steep uphill path, right up to the conclusion. A great read and an author to WATCH!

Thank you for sending me a copy of The Quiet Tenant. This by far was a very interesting story and how it was told in a different POV. Usually im used to 1st POV type books but this one was different. Pretty sure its as 2nd POV by using "You" as the POV standpoint. Anyways. This book was definitely interesting and I was definitely curious about the woman who was taken by Aidan. You are captured by her story and the other characters involved. This is a book where you need to find out what is going to happen, especially the woman who is held captive by Aidan and if she will escape or not. Will she find help?
I will say this book could of had more action and more excitement to make the story better but still overall it was a page turner for sure.

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC - Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor/Knopf Doubleday Public Catalog!

Is it true you can never truly know someone? That’s the case with Aidan Thomas, who is seen by his small town as a hard-working widow raising his 13-year-old daughter, Cecilia. However, the story begins with “the woman in the shed” where the reader learns Aidan has kept the woman he named Rachel captive for five years. To complicate his life even more, Aidan’s in-laws sell the home where he and his wife lived, so Aidan and his daughter move. Aidan has to keep Rachel from escaping and takes her with him. He tells Cecilia that Rachel is a friend who needs a place to stay for a while. Aidan keeps Rachel in an upstairs bedroom handcuffed to a radiator when she isn’t downstairs with him and Cecilia. Aidan frequents the local bar where he meets a bartender named Emily. Emily and Aidan start seeing each other, and Emily finds it strange that another woman lives at Aidan’s house, so she starts snooping. Events lead up to some ludicrous situations, but overall, I enjoyed the book and that it was told from the three different females’ points of view.

✨THE QUIET TENANT REVIEW

4⭐️

This book hooks from the start! You’re pulled into the “world” of “Rachel” who has been held captive for 5 years. She’s been locked in the shed of a well liked man, Aiden, in a small town. You see the sad story unfold from multiple pov’s.

This book kept me on toes and had me turning the pages fast! Not only we’re there hard parts to read, but also so many frustrating parts! I was screaming at “Rachel” soooo many times! I wanted her to do something, but she would do the complete opposite!!

Overall, it was a gripping story and very well written! I think a lot of people will like this book!

When I picked up this book, I had no expectations of it getting me out of a reading slump. In fact, I intended to read it as a way to quickly fall sleep. I ended up staying up till the early morning to finish it in one go. It was that good! The next night I decided to reread it with more intention and I found all the tiny bits that I had missed on my first time around. The second read was just as satisfying.

There are the books meant to thrill you and bring you to the edge of your seats. Those are fun but also leave you emotionally distant from the events that took place. Not bad. It did what it needed to do but you’re not invested in the characters either. In fact, you probably ended up hating all of them. You know the books. Then there are those taken from true crime headlines that you think “ this can happen to anybody.” And in fact, history has shown us that it has happened time and time again otherwise, we wouldn’t have true crime podcasts. I admit that I may have read The Quiet Tenant at a time where I was more sensitive to the cruelty of humanity-I had just dig deep into the Amanda Barry, Gina Dejesus, and Michelle Knight case. And so The Quiet Tenant gave me chills and stayed with me for awhile.

It has taken some time for me to write this review. While normally I don’t care how others feel about books, I was "eh" by some of the reviews. Some showed disdain toward the protagonist. “Why didn’t she leave?” “If it was me, I would never”. Calm down. God bless you for never having been in this situation. I wouldn't know what I would have done if I was abducted. I sure hope my fight AND flight response would kick in but maybe my freeze and appease would have been stronger. Who knows. Some positive reviews even pointed out that she must have had Stockholm Syndrome. Research will inform you what Stockholm syndrome really is ( based on a bank robbery in Stockholm). Failure to leave a threatening situation and learning to appease your captor is not Stockholm Syndrome. That’s survival. After years of abuse, rape, and torture you learn to appease. You wouldn’t call the “ girl in a box” case Stockholm syndrome, would you?

Some reviews felt it was overwritten, too waxing of poetry, pointing out to a particular passage in the book in which the protagonist steps out of the shed after 5 years of captivity. So what she noticed dew on the grass? Why wouldn’t she notice something that she hasn’t experienced in years? I totally get that some people don’t like the writing style. I understand. Truly. At first, I disliked the way the author chose to write the perspectives until it clicked for me as to why she did it. So trust me, I get it. That said, I have also read lots of first hand victims experiences and with each one of them there are vivid memories they latched onto. Call it a heighten state of awareness, call it flashback memory, or even just reminding yourself that you’re alive. Whatever you want to call it, there are reasons why our brain latch onto certain memories. So if you’ve been kidnapped, held captive for years, SA repeatedly and made to piss in a can you can talk about the grass under your feet all you want.

And quit saying it’s women’s fiction cause it’s slow. Have you not read Peter Hellers’ The River?!?

Also, beware the “ pillar of the community” type. Bad news.

Obviously, trigger warnings abound. It’s an uncomfortable read. I couldn’t stop thinking about actual cases.

It’s worth a few minutes to read the author’s acknowledgements at the end. Brava to writing her first English book (she’s French). Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sharing this book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was incredible. I LOVED the different perspectives this book was written in. The suspense of this book was INSANE. This was such a fantastic thriller. I devoured this in a day. I highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐