This book really had me turning pages to find out what was happening. It was quite disturbing and even more so written in second person. That took a bit of an adjustment to get used to. I found the ending a bit underwhelming and quick. Would have liked so more info on the daughter. Kept alluding to her secrets and trauma and did not delve into it especially at the end of the book.

The Quiet Tenant is a debut thriller by Clémence Michallon and it is a hit. When I started this novel, I immediately had to know how it was going to end. I dreaded having to stop reading it when I needed to go to work and it kept me up late at night. I was entrapped in the story of the Quiet Tenant. I was not disappointed when I quickly reached the end.
The story centers around three woman who are involved in a serial killer's life, the captive, the daughter, and the admirer. It is told from the point of view if each of these, with it mainly centering on the life of the captive. The plot is fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. The only negative I saw was that there were a few details that didn't make sense, like the captive never having to pee or the daughter never talking or spending time with friends. I also questioned why the wife never knew about the shed because I'm a wife and I'd want to know about every inch of my property. However, despite that I found the story to be worth the read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

4.5
What a great, immersive thriller! Immersive because one of the POV's is written in second person and YOU are that person. YOU are the person that is locked up and held captive. It was so personal because the book was talking to YOU. Such an interesting way to read!

Let's back up. What do you need to know about if you want to read this book? Well, that cover is a good leader into the plot. You were kidnapped and have been held captive for years at the behest of a man who visits you and keeps you handcuffed at all times. There's a lot that goes through your head as your will slowly declines. Opportunities to change your fate arise, but the mind is a tricky thing. You allow them to pass....will you ever escape?

But there's more to the story. There are other points of view. Some of them are other women who met your captor and are no longer, you are the lucky one....?

While this plot is sinister, evil, and heartbreaking, the topic itself is handled well. I was never scared, never grossed out, bad things happened but in a very closed door way. You know what's happening, but it's handled in a sensitive way.

Why not a full 5 stars? There were a few plot holes or incomplete ideas that weren't fully formed. Some points of unbelievability. But all in all, a great read! A very bingey debut by French author Clemence Michallon I look forward to what she offers us next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the advance e-copy of this book.

I loved this page turner!! I can't even find the smallest thing to nit pick about. Okay, I can, I wanted to have more of an epilogue, maybe a sequel??

I don't want to give anything away, but this story is told by multiple viewpoints, present day as well as from various times in the past. Make sure you read the headers for each new chapter so you know who is talking.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel. I enjoyed it very much.

*Thank you to @NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the advanced ecopy of this book. Publication date 6/20/23 *

WOW! I don't want to risk spoiling a thing, but I could not put this book down. An interesting POV, using second person, made the narrative very compelling. It was also interesting to find out that this is Clemence Michallon's first book in English (as opposed to her native French. As with all Mystery/Thrillers, this may contain triggers for some people so please do your research before reading.

4.5 stars (due to the difficult subject matter)

Incredible narrative from the point of view of a kidnapped woman that has been held in a limbo existence for 5 years. Her captor is a man above reproach in his community, who saves his brutal side for her. She is not his first victim, nor his last. The story is actually the narrative of all the women he has victimized, although no-one else's suffering has lasted as long as Rachel/May. He assigns her a new identity and takes her with him when his wife dies and he moves with his daughter to a new home in a small town, Her situation is precarious, always a step away from death in one direction and escape in the other. Her strength and methods of coping are inspirational. She is a character that sticks with you as she finds a way to persevere through everything thrown at her. This is a gripping tale that seizes you and holds you captive til the end ... see what I did there?

This book was just ok. I don’t know what all the hype is about because it’s just your average thriller. Would recommend but not outstanding.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely
tore through this one - it’s brilliant -
couldn’t put it down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I write haiku reviews on Instagram but am happy to provide more feedback!

I really enjoyed this book. Although the story line was a bit drawn out and the ending was rushed. Overall I liked and would recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this. After a few books putting me in a slump this one kept me on edge.

There are some unnecessary parts, but that seems to happen in almost all thrillers.

For the author's first time writing a book in English I think she did rather well!

First off, thank you to @netgalley for providing me this ARC and I’m voluntarily leaving my review!

Alrighty, so for this one I’m going with 3 stars. The premise of this sounded super intriguing; about a serial killer narrated by those closest to him which included his 13-year old daughter, his girlfriend, and the one victim who he has spared. Aidan Thomas seems like a great father, and everyone in town seems to love him, but he has a dark secret that he’s been keeping from everyone; he’s a kidnapper and serial killer. This book is supposed to talk about the psychological impact of these crimes against women that he’s committed and the bonds these women shared. I enjoyed the book, but I was expecting a lot more with this and I felt like I had many unanswered questions. The ending also felt super rushed to me and there’s a lot of things that I would have wanted some further explanation on. Overall, not a bad read, I was just a little disappointed

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, and he 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 that Rachel is too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. However, Rachel forms 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.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent. It is so well written that it is amazing it is a first novel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to this amazing new author who I hope continues writing.

This book was an enjoyable read. It was filled with a good portion of mystery and suspense. This is a book that I would recommend to those who enjoy a fun read.

In this psychological thriller, readers follow three women who are close to a serial killer. The first- the woman called Rachel, who has been held captive for the last five years. Next- Emily, restaurant owner infatuated with recent widower Aiden. And finally- Cecelia, Aiden's thirteen year old daughter.

What I loved about this was how different each point of view was. For Emily, an outsider to the world of Aiden, we see her infatuation that started as a child. As readers, we know who Aiden is, and it's heartbreaking to see how his community is oblivious. When it switches to his daughter's perspective, readers get a closer look at two grieving people. Cecelia can tell there is something wrong, but figures it has to do with her mother's death.

And Rachel. Her chapters are the ones that connect readers to the story. It's told in second person, making it feel as if it is happening to the reader as well as to Rachel. Her trauma comes across so well, bringing her world and self to life.

Ultimately, this was a captivating thriller where I didn't know how it would end. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me shedding a few tears at the end.

The Quiet Tenant kind of left me speechless. It’s about a serial killer, his family, and the woman he’s holding hostage. Told between the viewpoints of the hostage, his daughter, and a local woman in town, it’s a very unique concept of a book and I couldn’t put it down. It definitely comes with a whole bunch of trigger warnings and could be difficult to read at times, but it kept me intrigued and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended!

Thanks to NetGalley & Knopf, Pantheon, Vinatge, and Anchor for the ARC!

Aiden Thomas is a father, a husband, and a beloved member of his community. His wife unfortunately passes away due to cancer which leaves Aiden to care for his daughter Cecelia alone. The community organizes fundraisers to help support them through this difficult time and the judge even rents his house to them when they’re forced to leave their home. He’s been hiding a woman he had intended to kill in his shed for five years and nobody suspects a thing. When they move, he brings her along, explains to his daughter that she’s a friend of a friend that needs a place to stay. Every night he handcuffs her to the bed and all day to the radiator in her bedroom. She knows he’s killed other women after her and she knows he’s going to kill again, but after years of physical and psychological abuse when she sees her first opportunity to escape she doesn’t take it. She starts spending more time with his daughter but she knows just her words aren’t enough to convince her that her father is a monster. She needs to get out alive but she also wants to make sure Cecelia makes it out too.

This book had me HOOKED. The suspense was absolutely top notch and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. it’s really hard to say much more without giving anything away but i think the one thing i would’ve loved at the end of the book is to get at least one chapter from Aiden explaining why he did what he did. I also thought it was really creative to have “Rachel’s” voice being in second person, i don’t really see that too often. The story was super descriptive and even though i wanted to scream at her to just freaking run out of there I can understand after so many years of knowing there was no way out your initial fight or flight instinct takes some time to come back. If you’re looking for a twisty thriller, this isn’t that but it is definitely packed full of suspense!

Thank you netgalley and knopf publishing for the ARC!

Enjoyable writing with an intriguing plot. A few plausibility and character issues but overall a good read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61897971

Let’s start off with the positive aspects about this book first. The cover is captivating (I loved it), I liked the title of this book, and the book description/synopsis was brilliant. I could not wait to read this book! A book about a serial killer, a trapped woman, and a daughter who has no idea what’s going on. Count me in!

However… this was not the expected thriller/suspense novel that I thought I would be reading. ‘The Quiet Tenant’ read more like a women’s filled drama, with one good looking man at the center of all the drama. There was no mystery or suspense in this book whatsoever.

We have alternating chapters throughout this story, all told in the voices of “The girl in the shed”, Emily, and Cecilia. The girl in the shed has been held captive for five years, and is transported to live in the house with our serial killer and his daughter. Now, I know I would not know what I would do if I was in her shoes, but I kept thinking she should move quicker than what she does. Cecilia is the 13 year old daughter of the serial killer, and honestly there’s not much that goes on with her. Emily- now this is where the eye-rolls came in. Emily thought she was the serial killer’s girlfriend, so she basically decided to stalk him. She was a bit creepy in my opinion. I feel she made some strange decisions as a woman (things I would never think to do). And then we have our handsome blue-eyed serial killer, Aiden.

Even after having just finished this book, I’m still left with more questions than answers. Since we had this big “character study” on Aiden and his women, I still don’t have any answers on why he killed the women that he did. I guess we are given little clues on his controlling behavior, but it was a very underwhelming conclusion.

If you are a fan of women’s fiction/drama, and not expecting a mystery/thriller (as this book is labeled), then you might enjoy this book more than I did. (2.5 stars rounded up)

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, NetGalley, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date: June 20, 2023.

I just finished The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon. Excellent, excellent novel. Had everything I look for in a book. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint, the voice, of one of three women/girl. The killer's 13 year old daughter, the woman he has held captive for 5 years, and the local restauranteur/bartender who he is trying to romance. The character of Aidan Thomas is a man loved by everyone in his town. A recent widower who has the reputation of. being there whenever someone needs help. Charismatic and handsome. Loving father. Certainly not someone who could kidnap, murder and rape. But he is. I never believe in giving too much away about a book that I love so I will stop now. Though there is so much more to write about. Great book. Read it.

Thank you to the author, Knopf and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and offer an honest review.

This one was super dark. In a world filled with daily reports of crime and violence in my corner of Connecticut, I am ready for a cozy mystery spree.

The "invisible monster among us" trope is handled well, and I felt sorry for his victims. The different points of view were effective at building tension. But I was never drawn into the drama to cheer on his current "tenant" and her efforts to end her lease.

3 stars for potential to go straight to Netflix screenplay.