The Quiet Tenant, eloquently written by Clémence Michallon, is the story of Aiden Thomas, who happens to be a serial killer, kidnapper, father, and to his neighbors, and all around helpful, hurting widower. He has murdered 8 women, has kidnapped a 9th woman, who is known as "Rachel" for the majority of the story. Aiden has been keeping "Rachel" for himself, for the past 5 years, locked in a shed on his property. As the story unfolds, Aiden's wife has just passed away from cancer. This means that he, his daughter, and the poor woman, his "tenant", will have to move to a smaller home, in town. This new home, gives a bit more freedom to Rachel, and she is able to learn more about Aiden, connect with his 13 year old daughter, Cecilia, and begins making plans. We learn about Aiden through the voices of the women in his life, his victims, daughter Cecilia, "Rachel" and a restaurateur named Emily, who also has somewhat of a "relationship" with Aiden. I must say I was not expecting the ending, and feel like it wrapped up quickly near the end. I don't want to give away too much of the story so I will leave it at that. I would like to thank Clémence Michallon and Netgalley for the complimentary e-galley. I would also like to give a shout-out to Abby with Crime by the Book, I wouldn't have heard of this suspenseful serial killer thriller (so soon), if not for her post.

This book is seriously creepy. Rachel has been held prisoner in a backyard shed for five years. She knows little about her captor, but now and then she sees signs indicating that there's been another victim. He's killed those other women, but not Rachel. Not yet. Then things change. His wife has died and her parents are selling the isolated property out from under him. He'll be moving into a new house with his teenage daughter, and Rachel is to take on a new role as a family friend who has fallen upon hard times and is renting their spare room. She'll join them in the kitchen for meals -- when she isn't handcuffed to the radiator in a locked room upstairs. Her only chance to stay alive is by following his new rules.

Over the past few years, I've read several books about women kidnapped and locked away for years. This one is different. The fact that we see Aidan through his thirteen-year-old daughter's eyes and the eyes of a local bartender who has a bit of a crush on him makes him even more chilling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of three young women and the man at the center of their lives. To one he is a father, to other he is the beloved town hero who always saves the day. To the last, he is the serial killer who decided to keep her and locked her in a shed for five years, just for him. Finding he has to move, she convinces him she can be trusted to live in his house, with his daughter, and the same "arrangement" as before. He's a man who loves to be in control but now that his worlds are colliding, can he maintain it?

If you read a lot of suspense/thriller fiction then nothing here is really "new" but I found this to be a real page-turner! I even enjoyed the second person voice, which is rare for me. The sex and violence are not graphic and if you want to know what happens to the dog: <spolier>it survives (whew!)</spoiler>. As others have said, I wish there was more provided in the ending but, overall, I would definitely recommend this book for someone wanting to read a quick suspense.

I really enjoyed this - more than I thought I might based on some of the reviews out there, which just goes to prove that reviews (especially poor ones) should be taken with a grain of salt. I definitely have some problems with the actions of the main character and I wanted more from the ending. But heck this was readable and captivating and creepy and deliciously delightful to watch unfold.

This feels like a true crime novel written from the perspective of the victim. So real. So raw. So suspenseful! The familiarity of a crime show with added anxiety inducing thrill. I love a multidimensional bad guy for one, but to see a killer as a family man, inside the family and how he acts; very interesting. The dynamics are what keep you turning the pages even when the story can start to seem repetitive due to the nature of the story.

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon was everything I was expecting it would be.

Michallon weaves an intriguing story that kept me glued to my Kindle.
Thrilling and suspenseful read that I could not put down.
The author did a great job setting up an eerie atmosphere and setting.
Interesting characters. Atmospheric feels during the entire read. Which made for an awesome experience.
Mostly though, I found The Quiet Tenant to be a solid read that I would recommend to readers who enjoy spine tingling thrillers.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Knopf,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Well-written, but the plot was repetitive and rang hollow...and there are too many logistical implausibilities. I was definitely looking forward to the end.

Absolutely spellbinding. Michallon pulls you in from page one and marches deliberately, electrifyingly toward her conclusion. A deeply moving meditation on the vulnerable and forgotten in society, abusive power dynamics and psychological cycles, and the chameleon nature of the offender. This is a book that will stay with you long after the last page is read. A surefire award contender. I cannot wait for the world to read it.

Suitable for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in sociology, writing, law and criminology.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, for letting me read and review The Quiet Tenant.

I'm glad I were given a chance to read it and I did get chills, were triggered and it were also quite sad.
But overall I feel it wasn't the best book for me. It was good part wize, but not all the way through and I felt I got lost many times in the storyline. Had a hard time to follow everything, so pretty sure it wasn't the best taste of book for me.

First off, thank you so much for the privilege of reading this early copy of The Quiet Tenant in e change for an honest review. This book had me hooked from the moment I started reading and right through to the end. The writing is amazing, the story line so well formulated and the way it all had my emotions all over the place was impressive. I was shocked to read that this was Ms. Michallon’s debut. I loved this book and will absolutely be raving about and recommending it. I hope to get to read some more of Ms. Michallon’s work in the future. Phenomenal work.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, for providing me with the ARC!

First off, I finished this book in one day because I just could not put it down. I loved that "Rachel's" perspective was told in second person - it made the story feel much more personal while also adding a creepy aspect. Sometimes I have trouble keeping up with books that have multiple POVs, but this was very easy to follow and extremely immersive. The main thing that I greatly appreciated about the writing was that it managed to be disturbing and suspenseful without being super gory, like most serial killer stories.
"Rachel's" character was so likable; I feel like it's a bit rare to find thrillers where the main character is actually smart and observant. I do wish there was more of Cecilia's perspective, but I really liked how Michallon tackled the struggles of being a teenage girl and how hard/scary it is to open up about your interests. I will say that I felt least connected to Emily's character. I found that I wasn't as excited for her perspective as the other two, but I did grow to feel protective over her character through "Rachel's" perspective towards the end.
This will certainly be a book that I recommend to thriller readers in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Quiet Tenant, I loved this book!

The story is about a serial killer/father and a seemingly normal everyday guy from the perspective of the woman he kidnapped and has held captive for the last five years. The reader also will get perspectives from the serial killer's murder victims, daughter, and love interest. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down, I read it in two days. It did drag a bit toward the middle of the story, then picked up again. The ending was ok, not bad but could have been better. Overall I would recommend this book.

Hello reviews we meet again! I have been in a huge reading slump. I just can’t seem to get into anything. I finished this a couple weeks ago now. This is Clemence Michallon’s debut novel and I am so appreciative that I got chosen to be an ARC reader. I flew through this one. One day and dry eye’s later I sat there stunned on the rollercoaster this book takes you on. You know when you read thriller’s and you think wow that character is making dumb decisions or even in the movies you just know they are going to get caught by the bad guy? Rachel, the heroine is not. She’s the smartest cookie and survivor I have came across in a book yet. You root for her and just know that she is always 10 steps ahead of her captor. I loved the unique perspective off the two characters, her and his. I think my only complaint was that it could have been way longer. I really wanted to delve into the history in this book. I am blown away by this author and know this will be one people will be talking about when it releases into the wild.

I would like to thank @clemencemichallon and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and @netgalley for the opportunity to review The Quiet Tenant in exchange for an honest review.
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4.5 stars

Holy Hell! This was a stunner. What a crazy wild ride of a story. I loved every single second of it. I loved reading from the pov of the people surrounding the serial killer, all their different experiences with him. There was no bombshells but it also wasn’t necessary.

100% recommend this for any thriller enthusiasts

The heart pounding, anxiety driven thriller you've been searching for. Question is, is anyone searching for Rachel? Because she's quietly staying with her abductor in his newly rented house.

A note about this book: The author is French, who decided on writing in English, and did a smashing good job at it.

A top notch addition to the serial killer genre. THE QUIET TENANT is a recommended first purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Exceptional writing. 4 solid stars. My first book by this author, but will certainly read more. A bit of a slow burn and not a who-dun-it, but I was engaged throughout. Recommend

THIS WAS SO GOOD. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. The Quiet Tenant tells the story of a woman who is kidnapped and held captive by a serial killer. It is much more than that overall, but I cannot give any spoilers. Each chapter changes viewpoint between the victim, the serial killer’s daughter, and other characters. At first, it was a little hard to piece together the timeline and which character was part of each chapter, but it all falls into place. About 50% into the novel, it becomes super intense. It stays that way through the end. My heart was pounding so fast during many scenes and I was also cursing out loud at some of the victim’s actions!! I wish we had a follow up on Cecelia and maybe a point of view from the serial killer? Overall though, this book focuses on the victims, which also includes the serial killer’s family and friends. Sometimes when I read thrillers about serial killers they may seem far fetched, but then I remember that there are really victims that have suffered at the hands of real life monsters and it is so heart wrenching. This brought to life the feelings and thoughts of victims, which we can never truly understand if we have not lived through it. It is so easy to say, “this is what I would have done.” You just don’t know!
Five stars all the way. Definitely recommend when it releases.

Great read until the very end. Kept finding myself holding my breath while reading. Absolutely can’t wait to recommend to coworkers and friends

Wow. This book was unexpected. Both as in an unexpected pleasure, and as in I had no idea what would happen next. A very fresh take on the charming sociopath next door, seen through the eyes of all the women in his life, who all know a very different guy.

I devoured this book and can’t wait to read more by Clemence Michallon!