Wow! I went into this story blind, having read zero reviews first, and I had no idea what I was getting into. I couldn’t put it down. It’s chilling, dark, suspenseful and tense.

Rachel was abducted and kept in a shed for five years. To those on the outside, her captor, Aidan, is a likable, caring, hardworking husband and father. But Rachel knows that he’s a serial killer and can’t help but wonder why he’s keeping her alive and hidden away. He rarely feeds her, rapes her, and keeps her handcuffed to the bed.

When he needs to move into a new home, one without a shed, she convinces Aidan to take her with him. She knows otherwise she would be killed. In the new home, she has a script to stick to so the daughter will believe she’s nothing more than a tenant who is down on her luck. Rachel must play by the rules or lose her life.

The writing style is a bit stilted, but it absolutely works for this story. I loved every single page of this and highly recommend. Definitely worthy of 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Overall, my impression of this story is that it's a little confusion mixed with a lot of melodrama. Still, as I'd be likely to say about any book about a serial killer and a woman he's held captive for an almost unbelievable five years, it didn't fail to capture and hold my attention throughout. Told primarily through the perspectives of three main characters - the captured-but-not-yet-murdered victim, known as Rachel, the killer's 13-year-old daughter, Cecilia, and the woman who wants to be his girlfriend, Emily - it delves into each of their psyches amid what can only be called the worst times of their lives.

The kidnapper-killer is Aiden Thomas, who is for the most part well thought of in his community, working as a utility lineman. Clearly, he's been plying his extracurricular trade for some time - after all, we hear from Rachel the trials and tribulations of her long confinement in his shed as well as get glimpses from other victims - but when his wife dies, he seems to go off the deep end. He becomes overly protective of Cecilia; is his interest more sinister than that? Inquiring minds, including Rachel's and mine, want to know. Then, he's forced to move from the home he shared with his late wife that - exactly why that happened isn't clear to me, either. And for some inexplicable reason, he continues to keep Rachel a prisoner instead of doing away with her as he did with others- another mystery that never was fully resolved in my mind (and maybe not in his and definitely not in hers).

The plot thickens after they all move to a new house and Rachel becomes an imprisoned "tenant" in an upstairs bedroom - but who, surprisingly, is allowed to interact with Cecilia on a limited basis. As would be expected under the circumstances, Rachel begins to fight with herself - should she do as she has been doing and simply play along to stay alive or come up with an escape plan that has just as much chance (and probably more) of ending up dead as alive?

The ending, while satisfying by some measures, seemed a little perfunctory (no hints here, of course, except to say it couldn't have been that simple). I'm pretty sure many fans of psychological drama (and trauma) will enjoy this one; it's not quite my cup of tea, but at the same time, I really didn't want to put it down. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Quiet Tenant is a suspenseful story about a woman who goes by Rachel navigates being a captive in the home of her kidnapper. Always on edge she must follow certain rules and tread lightly around this man's daughter. Abuse and rape have become the normal for her and although he is a Marine she believes one day she will escape. He made a mistake allowing her to be in the home instead of the shed she has been confined in for so long. He's a father which means he has a weak spot.

Thank You #Netgalley for the opportunity to read #TheQuietTenant

Aidan Thomas is a family man, a beloved member of the town he lives in. But he has a secret: he has stalked and murdered eight women. The ninth, a woman he calls Rachel, he has kept locked in his shed for five years. When his wife passes, he is forced to move away with his daughter. Rachel begs him to take her with him - just let her live. So he comes up with an arrangement: they will act like she is renting a room in his new house. Rachel is not expecting it, but she bonds with the young girl, Cecilia. Meanwhile, Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on Aidan. She begins to suspect that Rachel is more than just a tenant.

This book is about a serial killer (Aidan), and the lives of those closest to him (Emily, his daughter Cecilia, and his victims, namely Rachel). I thought it was unique to get the perspectives of everyone except Aidan. Because when it comes down to it: his perspective, that of a monstrous serial killer, isn’t as important as the ones whose lives he upended. Also, I found it interesting to see just how he fit into the town where no one knew what he was until it was too late. It took me a little while to get used to the second-person writing style used for Rachel but I thought it was unique, almost as if showing how she had to talk herself through surviving. While the ending provided closure, I did think it ended a bit abruptly. But overall, an impressive debut from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Clemence Michallon and Knopf Publishing Group for the ARC! “The Quiet Tenant” releases June 20th.

This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

I enjoyed this book! I liked all the alternate perspectives, between Emily, Cecilia, and "Rachel". I will say that Emily's action were a bit obsessive and not really believable, in my opinion. Great debut novel and I will definitely look for more books from this author! Thank you @netgalley for another opportunity to read this ARC

It's unfair to say you wanted "more" from a book when you can't articulate what "more" means or how that would look. But I wanted more from this story of trauma, survival, reclaiming one's power, and most terrifyingly, the invisible power one exerts over generally sensible people simply by presenting a handsome, "good" and "normal" face to the world. At first blush, this was a riveting read. Multiple narrators: all of the women close to Aidan, a charming family man/pillar of the community/twisted serial killer--his captive "Rachel," a woman he has kidnapped and inexplicably kept alive in a shed for the last five years; Cecelia, his teenage daughter who seemingly adores him; his new girlfriend Emily who obsesses about him constantly, and the myriad voices from beyond the grave of all women he has murdered. Strangely, we don't hear the voice of his dead wife, which is a shame because I would have loved to have heard her POV. Early in the story, the setting shifts as Rachels goes from being chained up in a shed to being locked in a room in a new house, more-or-less in plain sight; Aidan has explained to his daughter that they have a tenant living with him. I found myself really rooting for "Rachel," who has endured so much and is doing what she can to survive, to make it out of a hopeless situation alive and intact. (Along these lines, there is much in the way of sexual violence that is only hinted at in these pages, for which I was grateful. I found absolutely nothing gratuitous about any of it.) It's hinted that Cecelia has secrets of her own, but that is maddeningly something that is never explored. And we don't get much internal life, if any, from Aidan, so we have no idea what is driving these violent urges; we never learn the "why" of it. And on one hand, that's fine--that's often how it is in real life, too. We may never know what causes humans to act like monsters. But I feel these things--the dead wife's POV, the daughter's secrets, the killer's motives, and backstory (even just a hint at something!)--might be the missing elements that would have made this story stronger and more impactful for me.

The Quiet Tenant

By Cle`mence Michallon
Reviewed by Jessica Colleran

I would like to start out this review by thanking NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this book. The official release date of this title is June 20, 2023. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read a book that hasn't been on bookshelves yet! This is also the debut novel for author, Cle`mence Michallon. This title has been on my to-read list for quite a while as the description sounded very intriguing to me. A man well-known and loved by his community is actually a serial killer and keeps one of his victims in the shed behind his house. The story itself was interesting, but the style of writing left much to be desired. Most of the book was written in second person and I, personally, was just not a fan of that at all.

Summary

Aidan Thomas is an average small-town man living with his daughter Cecelia and recently lost his wife to illness. He is a respected member of the community and is always willing to lend a helping hand. Aidan is, however, hiding a huge secret right in his backyard. While this man may be a "normal" member of his community by day, at night he becomes a vicious serial killer and has been keeping one of his victims in the shed behind his house for the past five years. Rachel (as he has named her) is starting to forget what her life was like outside of the shed. It's been five years of the same routine day in and day out: she is chained to the wall, Aidan comes to give her one meal a day after his daughter falls asleep, and then proceeds to have sex with her. She must always do exactly what he says, not speak unless spoken to, and be the perfect "victim" so that she can live to see another day. Since Aidan's wife has recently passed away, he is forced to move with his daughter and somehow Rachel convinces him that he must take her with him. He finally agrees, and for the first time in five years, Rachel is allowed to live inside and have more than one meal a day. She is still handcuffed to the radiator in her room, and only gets to come out for meals, but compared to how she has been living, this seems like a dream come true. The story continues with Rachel trying to figure out a way to escape while a local woman named, Emily, is slowly starting to fall in love with Aidan. Little does she know the monster that she is falling for wants her to be his next victim.

What I Liked/Didn't Like

The storyline for this book had good potential. There were elements that kept me guessing, and I consistently wondered if Rachel would ever figure out a way to escape. However, the style of writing every chapter that was from Rachel's perspective in second person made reading this book extremely frustrating. I understand that the author was trying to give the reader the experience of living through Rachel's eyes, but I felt writing in this style was not the way to achieve that. I also got a bit frustrated at all the opportunities that Rachel had to escape and chose not to. I did like the chapters that were from Emily's perspective because they were not written in second person, and it gave the reader a glimpse into how charming Aidan could be when he wasn't being a serial killer behind closed doors. The story did have some build, and the last few chapters tied everything together nicely for the reader which I appreciated.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐

I must admit that I had higher hopes for this book until I read it. I still loved the storyline, but the style of writing is what I could not handle in this book. From my limited research, it's not common at all for a fictional novel to be written in second person. Typically, this style of writing is saved for instruction manuals, self-help books, and business writing. I just felt that this made for a choppy story and made me want to get through the sections told from Rachel's perspective quickly because the writing style was so frustrating during those chapters. If it weren't for writing the majority of the book this way, I would have given a much higher rating. Maybe some readers will think the way this story was told to be unique, but for me I just felt like I was left wanting more from a debut crime novel.

https://bookboundventures.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-quiet-tenant-by-clemence-michallon.html?m=1

Fantastically written and thrilling concept. Written from various perspectives of a serial killer and how they affect other peoples loves. I loved it.

This is a serial killer thriller told from the point of view of his victims.

• Rachel: She has been chained up in his shed for 5+ years.
• Aidan: Recent widower. Everyone in this small town loves him. He has everyone fooled.
• Cecilia: Aidan’s 13 year old daughter.

This was a roller coaster of a story! I could not put it down!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.
Excellent thriller by a French author that will hopefully write another American book.
It’s a bit different from other thrillers in my opinion since it seemed more like what we have read about in real news. Hard to put down and captivating throughout. Definitely recommend!

Thank you @netgalley and @aaknopf for this advance copy. This upcoming thriller is the definition of a page turner. The short chapters are narrated alternately by a woman held captive, the daughter of her captor, and the captor’s girlfriend. I am keeping the synopsis minimal to avoid spoilers. I will say that the subject matter was difficult, but it was not overly graphic or gory. Packed with heart pounding suspense, you won’t be able to put it down!

told in a matter of fact style that works to build the suspense the realism of this haunting story. three woman, the one with no name other than the one he has forced on her in captivity, his daughter and the woman who has a crush, a new relationship with this handsome man, not aware he is a serial killer. also the stories of some of the women he has killed before. disturbing but very absorbing. Wish there was more follow up on Cecelia's story and how she coped

This book grabbed me from the start, I especially got immersed in the story of "Rachel" the name her captor forced upon her. It alternates chapters with his daughter, a young teenager and the woman who has a crush, hopes to have a relationship with this man who is so handsome, seems so sweet and caring. All masking a serial killer. chilling, disturbing and ultimately hopeful. So well written

A loving father. A grieving widower finding new love. A monster. What do these men have in common?

The first narrator in The Quiet Tenant is a woman initially identified only as “the woman in the shed”. She has been taken and kept prisoner for the last five years by a stranger, a man who assaults her and terrorizes her, wielding complete power over her. She has learned what she needs to do, what she needs to say, in order to stay alive.. And she keeps alive the hope that somehow, some day, she will find a way to escape. She becomes “the woman in the house” and finally “Rachel”, but we won’t learn her real name till the end of the story.

Then we meet Emily, a quiet and lonely young woman who bartends at the small town restaurant that her parents opened and ran, until they both died unexpectedly and Emily was left with no option but to take over. The highlight of her week is when Aidan Thomas, a handsome and introspective widower, stops by her bar twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for a Cherry Coke. As she juggles the never ending responsibilities of a small business owner, temperamental staff, and customers who can be hard to satisfy, these regular interactions with Aidan are the best part of her day. In time, she acts on her growing feelings towards Aidan, and a relationship slowly develops.

Next, we meet a woman, a prostitute we know only as “number one”. She describes how she was killed by a young college student who had hired her, how his nervousness made her think that she is his first kill….but that she suspects she won’t be his last.

The narration trades off between Rachel and Emily, with another brief chapter (this time from “number two”), before we hear from Cecilia. Cecilia is the 13 year old daughter of Aidan Thomas. Her mother died not long ago from cancer, and Aidan is raising her as best he can. Money is tight, although the community has come together to raise some funds for them. Aidan is the guy who can always be relied upon to help them out in ways large and small. Jumpstart a dead battery, fix a leaky roof, etc….if needed, he quietly shows up and fixes the problem. He is devoted to Cecilia, and well-liked by the people in town.

The lives of Rachel, Emily and Cecilia are beginning to intersect. The terrorized captive who clings to whatever coping and survival skills she possesses to stay alive is plotting a way to escape, and Cecilia may be the exact person she needs to make it happen. Emily’s attempts to find someone to love and value her may be risking more than her heart…she may be putting herself in the crosshairs of a serial killer. They are (in some cases unknowingly) forming bonds with one another that will set in motion a desperate flight to freedom.

The Quiet Tenant is a thriller, pitting a woman exuding amazing inner strength against a sadistic monster who wants to exert complete control over her. How and why did he choose her? What is the trauma in her background that led to her capture? Will she find a way to escape, or will she become “number nine”? It also is a novel about how the crimes of one man impact the lives of the women in his life. How can they not recognize the monster in their midst? Would you or I be able to do it? And finally, can the ties that women form with one another be strong enough to save them from the danger around them? Once I picked this novel up, I read it straight through till the end. The characters are well-defined, flawed yet sympathetic, even the killer himself in some ways. I could not help but think about (in fact, Rachel herself mentions) women captives in real life who have escaped from sadistic captors and been celebrated as heroes, like the three women in Cleveland who escaped back in 2013. And of serial killers like Dennis Rader, the serial killer known as BTK. The Quiet Tenant is reminiscent as well of Room by Emma Donoghue, where we saw the life that a woman held captive was able to create for herself and her child against all odds. Fans of that novel will certainly be drawn into this story as well. Readers of Mary Kubrick, Chevy Stevens and Jodi Picoult may also find it to their liking, as will those who have followed the true stories of young women like Elizabeth Smart and Jaycee Dugard. This is a fascinating debut novel, all the more special because it comes from an author for whom English is not her native language. Brava, Ms Michallon! I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for sharing an advanced reader’s copy with me.

Enjoyed this story and read it in less than 24 hours. I kept trying to guess where this was going. There were a couple of scenes where I was holding my breath. I was excited to get to the end, but found the end a little underwhelming with some unanswered questions.

.Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Knopf, NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Quiet Tenant is a book which readers won't keep quiet about. Anyone who reads this book will shout to the world this is an instant classic. It is. It really is. Clémence Michallon has crafted a fresh take on the serial killer novel. It is deftly plotted and a welcomed addition to the genre. The use of different narrators is sheer genius and gives the book powerful poignancy. It's a splendid example of a book you won't be able to put down once you start. I look forward to embracing the next book by Michallon. Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, Anchor, and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #TheQuietTenant #NetGalley

I enjoyed this slow burn thriller and found the perspective and construction very unique in this genre.

That being said, novels that revolve around kidnapping where a lot of time and plot is devoted to the experience of being “taken” aren’t my favorite as I find them a bit slower and hard to continue to describe these scenarios in any novel way. I do think this is my favorite read of this sub-type of thriller, and I found the slow wait/ progression to be impressive in how it mirrored the main characters waiting for her escape plan.

Overall, a great debut!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the copy of The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon. This is probably a love it or hate it book. Well, I'm on the love it team and I was mesmerized by the writing and the story. This is a new take on the serial killer story. We never actually ‘see’ the killings, but we do see the victims’ POV, even though I’m not sure that was necessary.
The POV in the second person was a bold (and divisive) choice that was hard to relate to but showed just how detached Rachel was from her situation. Cecilia was a great character and her self absorption was typical of a teen girl, and it was sad that she didn’t seem to have any friends or participate in any activities.
Emily was an odd character and I never warmed up to her or her story because she seemed so needy, and was her ‘relationship’ with Aiden a real relationship?
I was disappointed with the ending because it focused on Emily and Rachel instead of Cecilia and Rachel because Cecilia was by far a more compelling character and had more invested in what happened than Emily did. In general the ending was NBD anyway and was kind of an anticlimax. If you’re looking for twists, this might not be for you. If you’re looking for a tense, suspenseful read, this book fits the bill. What a stunning debut novel!

The Quiet Tenant is the best thriller I've read in recent memory. The POV characters were perfect and the writing was solid. Michallon introduced some freshness into a genre that can sometimes feel stale. I will absolutely read more from this author,

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Quiet Tenant.

When I read the premise, I thought, "OMG, I have to request this now. Or last year. I need to read this."

Sadly, The Quiet Tenant didn't meet my expectations, and I think it had more to do with the characters than the premise.

Told through the POV of three women; the survivor, the daughter, and the stalker girlfriend, the readers are given insight into the serial killer murderer and rapist, father, and widow.

First, Rachel's POV is told through the second person, which is so annoying and distracting. For a few paragraphs, it was okay, but as you kept reading, it got irritating. Thankfully, the chapters are short.

I guess the author chose second person POV to remind us that Rachel is a captive and her captivity has almost dehumanized her, which is why she views her current circumstances in this way.

It would have been easier (and just as powerful if Rachel's POV was first person or third person).

Second, Cecile, the daughter's POV, is superfluous. Take her out of the narrative and we lose nothing, plot wise.

She's mourning her mother, with no sibs to turn to for solace or help, she's Daddy's little girl, her only friend is her dad, which in this case is creepier than usual.

What's even more annoying is that Cecile's voice disappears at the end of the novel.

Where is she? In foster care? With her grandparents? How does she feel after her father, the man she idolized, is outed as a serial rapist and murderer?

Denying her a voice to speak out at the end of the novel undermines her place in the narrative.

Third, Emily is, in some ways, just as disturbed as Aidan is.

Her POV is split into two halves; talking about her dad, how wonderful he was, but spent so much time at the restaurant he built up and talking about how hot Aidan is, how perfect he is, stalking him, wondering about him, where is he, what's he doing, why isn't he returning her texts?

Emily obviously has daddy issues and Aidan is her substitute since her daddy died.

The author's mentions Emily was 13 when he first meets him when he's at the restaurant with his wife years ago.

Why is she so obsessed with him from the get go? Because he said something nice to her?

Emily has serious issues (her antics creeped me out nearly as much as Aidan's) and being attracted to a serial murderer and rapist is the least of them.

And let's talk about that corny ending: Emily and May hugging?

I get they have a bond no one can ever understand or ever want but I'd be a little wary to be near a woman who was attracted and stalking a pervert.

This was a great premise, though I wished some of the good guys were less creepy than the bad guy.