Very slow burn. One pOV is told in the second person which is distracting and odd until you get used to it. Liked that the main character was well fleshed out and you saw the inside of his mind throughout. Overall a solid book that lived up to the hype.

I liked this book. The plot and story was intriguing. The characters were well wrote. I liked the way it was wrote. Hard to put down. Slow burn and the anticipation killed me. It was disturbing in the way a book like this should be. Revolves around 4 main characters and loved the multi pov.

The "thriller" is an interesting genre.

At my most cynical, I see it as a weird human fascination with other people's tragedy. And, as we see in our modern marketing, I think some of that that rings true. The thriller is often treated simply as "entertainment" ... a quick shot of literary adrenaline.

In the world of a thriller aficionado, though, there is something left lacking in grasping at the genre for the sake of a quick thrill. For me, the superior thriller has a depth to it that goes beyond the pure heart-escalating drama. A superior thriller builds slowly, in the compacting of tension, the artistic illustration of human complexity. In the nuance of the dialogue, in the layered arc of conflict. At its most compassionate, the thriller is an interesting and moving analysis of our messy human condition.

Clémence Michallon is no stranger to this masterful combination of elements in her debut thriller. Not only are the captivating pages of "The Quiet Tenant" teeming with riveting plot, but they are also woven together with perfectly complex and interesting characters. Characters I'm still thinking about today.

"The Quiet Tenant" was absolutely mesmerizing with every turn of the page, and I whole-heartedly recommend this captivating quick read to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre.

Huge thank you to Knopf Publishing for my beautiful gifted finished copy!

▪️REVIEW▪️

The Quiet Tenant ~ Clemence Michallon

🙏🏼 Thank you @aaknopf and @clemencemichallon for an eARC and physical copy of this stellar thriller.

The women that orbit a serial killer tells their story…

Aidan Thomas is a well-respected man about town but the shed behind his house holds an unfathomable secret. Rachel is being held prisoner there awaiting her fate - the eight women before her, also kidnapped and eventually murdered.

A move brings Rachel into the house where she comes in contact with Aidan’s daughter, Cecilia and new love interest, Emily - and a potential way to fight back and escape.

This book! Let me tell you - my expectations were non-existent with this one as I received both an eARC and physical copy from Knopf. But as reviews started coming in, I caved and boy, do I love being proven wrong! This was undoubtedly one of the best books that I have read this year - and not for the reasons those who know me might think.

I am a horror movie, serial killer documentary, true crime watcher/researcher but what captivated me more here was the power given to the women instead of to the killer. The entire book is told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily - we never hear from or about Thomas unless it’s through their eyes. The focus is not on the depravity of his crimes but instead on the determination and survival of his latest victim.

Totally blown away from the storytelling - this was a tour de force that I couldn’t put down yet didn’t want to end. As this is her debut, Michallon is officially one to watch for me and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next. In the meantime, if you haven’t read this - you must!

The Quiet Tenant
By: Clémence Michallon
Publish Date: June 20, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and the author Clémence Michallon, for the advanced copy of The Quiet Tenant.
I enjoyed this psychological, suspenseful read! From the first chapter you are engrossed in the story! Each chapter is told from the viewpoints of women: Rachel(May)-the victim who is kept alive, Ceclia-the kidnappers daughter, Emily-the kidnappers love interest, and the victims who were murdered. The viewpoints are written so well. The suspense is kept high and we are left wondering from chapter to chapter what will happen next?!
I found it so interesting that while the kidnapper is a male, the story is told from the womens perspective the entire time. To see how each life is interwoven into the other, without them even knowing each other is very powerful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will absolutely recommend it to others!

Oh my goodness, I loved this book so, so much! Written from the perspective of the person being held captive, his daughter, and someone he is starting to date, this story is about a serial killer...but it's not about him from a personal perspective. Instead, we learn how he kidnaps "Rachel," keeps her in a shed on his property where his wife and daughter also live, and after his wife dies, how he is forced to move and take "Rachel" with him. We also learn about Aidan Thomas, the man a small town just adores. He's always there to help, he's kind, he's sweet...and no one knows he kills women. We hear from his daughter, Cecelia, who is very close to her father, but also isn't quite sure if he can be trusted. And then we meet Emily, the bartender who Aidan has started showing interest in.

This story was beautifully written, and I loved that it came from the perspective of the females in Aidan's life and not from him. We get to see and feel the emotions that these women fell and the way each of them interprets his actions and attitude. Creepy, realistic, and propulsive, this book took off from the very first sentence and kept me in its grip until the very last page. As someone who loves True Crime, this was the perfect novel! I absolutely cannot wait to read more from Clemence Michallon!

Wow. This was fun. Multiple POVs tell the story of “Rachel” and Aidan. Rachel has been held captive for years. After Aidan’s wife dies and he has to move with his daughter, he decides to move Rachel with them. This was a fast paced, thrilling read. The only thing I felt was missed was a last chapter in Cecilia’s view. I needed to know how she felt!

I enjoyed the premise of this book, and I think this would be a great read for a "gentle reader" of thriller books. I dabble in horror and I think I was looking for something a little edgier when it comes to a serial killer and his victim. However, the characters were well-rounded and I was cheering for everyone against this evil man.

The Quiet Tenant is definitely one of the darkest thrillers I've ever read. Throughout the entire book I had goosebumps and felt queasy. One of the main characters has been held captive in a shed for 5 years by a man. By a man that mentally, physically, and sexually abuses her. The kicker is that he has/had a wife, a child, and is a man that the whole town adores. So even if this woman ever does escape who is going to believe her?

Throughout this book we have three perspectives. The woman in the shed, the daughter of the man, and the bartender of a bar that the man frequently goes to. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat the entire book. Having all wildly different perspectives was crazy. We see this horrible man from the eyes of his daughter, an outsider, and the woman that he kidnapped.

While this was a 5 star book for 80%, it went down within the last 50 pages. I was waiting for some wild chaotic ending or at least an ending with a bang. Sadly, it was very anticlimactic and I definitely wanted more. I couldn't believed as softly as it did. If this would have had a bigger ending or at least some justice, this would have easily been a favorite of the year for me

Loved this book! In several ways I was reminded of Room, by Emma Donoghue, but Michelin creates a riveting story all her own, I was with the woman trapped by her kidnapper; she is clever, brave and worthy of all my sympathy. I could not stop reading, which is said about so many American thrillers, but this French author brought fresh talent to a new rather typical skill.

I’ve been excited to read this debut novel since I saw @crimebythebook rave about it! And it’s definitely a unique story. It’s a slow burning thriller with exquisite writing.

Aidan is wonderful family man who just lost his wife. He lives with his daughter and volunteers his time around town. But is he as seems? He has a dark past that no one knows about- except the woman locked in his shed. He has done this before… 8 times. But Rachel is the only survivor.

This book is told in three POVs: Rachel, the woman in the house, Cecilia, and Emily. Rachel’s POV is hard to read sometimes because it’s just so awful she’s unable to release herself. It’s very vivid and it’s incredible how adjusted she is despite being locked up for over 5 years. Cecelia is Aidan’s daughter, who doesn’t suspect anything and still grieving the loss of her mother. She’s a bit of a loner and enjoys spending time on her own. Emily is the owner of the local bar and restaurant and she looks forward to when Aidan stops in. They begin a flirtation that turns to more when they both volunteer at a town fun run 5K.

I loved how nosy Emily became after needing to know more about Aidan. He was slowly revealing a little bit about himself, but she dug to find more info. I enjoyed this book, but it moved so slowly. I wished the pace was a little faster and I think this would be a 5 star read. The writing is fantastic as is the building of the story. I would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you so much to @aaknopf for my gifted copy. The Quiet Tenant is out now.

This was a 5 star book for me. The description I saw that it was “if Luke from Gilmore girls was a serial killer”, and that hooked me immediately. It was extremely well written and intriguing, highly recommend.

I didn't like how we never really got any depth. He's a bad man, they are victims, bad things happen blah blah. It seemed very flat and like the only goal was to shock and appall. It was gross.

I didn't notice this was Clémence Michallon's debut and found out when I started looking for other books by them immediately after finishing this title. This is a suspenseful story with multiple viewpoints, which made it very difficult to put down.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Y’all going to need to STOP - DROP - and ROLL
Because this book is on fire 🔥
This debut novel is a pulse pounding certifiable BARNBURNER
It’s a psychological thriller about a serial killer….

Do you know what … never mind, doesn’t matter what it’s about I’m telling you it’s a barnburner. I didn’t know what it was about. I just found the cover interesting.
So don’t read anything about it just dive in you’ll figure it out real quick. There’s no question about what’s going on in this book. you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. 

The Quiet Tenant ~ Clemence Michallon

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

"𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕚𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤, 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕧𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝔻𝕊 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕤. 𝕊𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕚𝕡𝕤 ... 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕: 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪, 𝕚𝕗 𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕙𝕖 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕠."

I went into this book with some pretty high expectations because the synopsis sounded like something I would absolutely love, and I was not disappointed in the slightest! This book immediately hooks you with a POV from 'The woman in the shed' and doesn't let you go until the book is finished. There were so many POVs, but the way in which they were written was incredibly genius and never confusing. (You will see exactly what I mean by this when you read the book.) They all lent themselves perfectly to the overall message of the book and oftentimes made me feel a very eerie sense of dread. The pacing was also perfect and it truly felt like I reading a true crime novel at times.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

I really enjoyed this book - a lot of suspense and well written too? I'll take it. I would definitely read other works by this author.

This book is definitely not for the faint of heart if abuse/kidnapping triggers you beware. This story is a heartbreaking tale of trying to survive. It’s sad and scary at the same time. People who lead normal lives, have families, jobs, well known and loved in the community can also have serial and secret lives. How can you keep that a secret and separate? Read on to find out. This is a reminder that sometimes the worst monsters are loved the most. This book definitely had me in all my feelings. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you for giving me access to this eARC.

Adrian is a local guy that the whole town knows. He helps his neighbors; he has a wonderful family and a steady job. He also has a secret- he is a serial killer. Told from the POV of his victims both dead & alive, this was a different take on a serial killer book.

The Quiet Tenant is a propulsive and heart pounding read. I would be lying if I said I slept easily the night I finished this book. Focused on the victims rather than the details of the crime offered a unique perspective. The author's ability to create the small town atmosphere while simultaneously building a feeling of dread really clinched this for me. I spent the last 20% of this book with my heart racing and palms sweating. This book would be great for fans of Gone Girl, I Let You Go, and The Girl on the Train.

Trigger warnings include: kidnapping, murder, captivity, sexual assault, cancer (off page), death of a parent (off page), drink being roofied.

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a “good” neighbor in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s always willing to help anyone. Aidan goes to a bar almost every night after work. He gets a cherry coke as he doesn’t drink. He kidnaps the bartender and chains her in the shed behind his home. He gives her a new name telling her that she is Rachel. Rachel soon learns the ritual of what to do when he comes to the shed each night. She always ends up telling him thank you at the end. Rachel is determined to not lose her identity though Aiden is doing his best to get her to forget. When his wife dies, he and his 13 year old daughter must move as the wife’s parents are selling the house. When he goes to the shed, Rach finds out that he and his daughter will be moving out. She knows that means the end of her life unless she can convince him that she will be useful in the home. He decides to try it. He makes up a story to his daughter about Rachel which the daughter believes. Will she be able to escape? The community likes Aiden so much they are raising money for him by having a 5k race. Meanwhile Emily raises a hot cocoa to get to know Aiden better. When Rachel meets the two other women in Aiden’s life, she hopes they will help her escape but will they?

This is a novel about a serial killer. It is told by the three women in the novel. The reader gets to see how they each see him. It is a suspenseful psychological thriller. I “liked” how Rachel does everything to survive so she can escape this monster. It is unforgettable.