Bravo to Clemence Michallon for this sensational debut! A perfect choice for true crime lovers. The middle part drug just slightly for me, but I was quite pleased as Michallon tied everything up in a nice bow at the conclusion. Keep the lights on when you curl up with this thrilling mystery.

I could not put this down! I agree with the reviewer below who compared the book to "Notes on an Execution." It had a similarly troubling, compelling, bleak (but in a good way) tone.

Don’t hate me for hating this.

The Quiet Tenant, with the victim’s perspective told in second person, reminded me a bit of Don’t Forget the Girl, a book I enjoyed significantly more. Like that one, it seems to be written in the vein of Notes on an Execution, with a focus on the women affected by the serial killer.

Don’t Forget the Girl and Notes on an Execution were powerful reads. They didn’t make women look small or weak. They humanized them. They reminded us that the stories that matter are the stories of those whose lives were shattered, not the story of the one who broke them like glass. I suspect the author was aiming for this in The Quiet Tenant, but I did not find any of it effective.

Firstly, can we talk about Emily? It’s not that her fixation with Aidan is impossible to swallow, but she is ultimately presented as shallow and, at times, downright creepy. Are we supposed to believe she is the perfect match for our killer? Was that the point of it all? Either way, it robs from what should dignify the female gender.

Secondly, I’m sure we all know that no killer would do what Aidan did. He would not have taken the risks he took with “Rachel,” and it’s impossible to believe no one - especially Cecelia - would have questioned anything. Plus, Cecelia was a teen so I did not buy the undying loyalty to her father

I found that most of the characters’ choices were beyond implausible. Although I did understand the fear driving some of “Rachel’s” own choices, there were other times the author overcomplicated the possibility of escape just to add tension to the narrative. Like everything else I’ve already ranted about, this annoyed me.

To top it all off, this was fairly boring. It never turned into the exhilarating, twisty ride I’d anticipated. In fact, there were almost no twists at all, and the only startling reveal was just as illogical as many of the other aspects of this story.

I know I recently wrote in another review that most books ask us to suspend disbelief. Knowing this did make me try to accept all of the absurdities I was forced to choke on, but The Quiet Tenant stretched my limits too far.

I see a plethora of glowing reviews for The Quiet Tenant and, while I’ll admit they baffle me, it’s clear that many other readers saw something in this that I did not. I’m glad it managed to make a better impression on them.

I am immensely grateful to Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aiden is a father. He’s easy on the eyes. His community looks up to him. The only problem? Aiden is also a serial killer. And he’s had a girl imprisoned in his shed for the last five years. Now forced to move, Aiden makes the decision to move his prisoner into the new home he shares with his teenage daughter.

This book is told from the POV of “Rachel” (the prisoner), Cecelia (the daughter), and Emily (the girl with a crush on Aiden). Their worlds collide to create a suspenseful, eerie story that hooks you from the start.

Overall I enjoyed this debut and I would definitely read another book by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Wow! Clémence Michallon really knows how to build suspense. Many times, while reading this book I found myself on the edge of my seat, yelling at “Rachel”. There was some really lovely imagery throughout the novel that had me rereading certain scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and have already started recommending it to library patrons. Not your typical suspense/thriller/horror novel.

The Quiet Tenant is a propulsive story told from the voices of three women, “the girl in the shed,” Emily, and Cecilia. This novel is slow in revealing its clues and details, and I think that’s why some don’t like it. It’s a novel that asks what you would do if you were her?

What a great, suspenseful book! I loved this one through and through. Captivating plot, characters you root for, and a cunning villain. Loved it!

Her name is Rachel. Except it isn’t. She has been forced to assume the name and identity of a person she isn’t for the last 5 years as she has been held prisoner in a shed. She doesn’t understand why he hasn’t killed her. She knows he has killed before. She also knows he will do it again. She will do whatever it takes to stay alive. There are rules. She just must follow them.

This was super different than most other serial killer books. Told from the perspectives of the girl kept in the shed, the killer, the other victims, the potential victim/girlfriend and the killers daughter…it is a wild ride. I appreciated each of the perspectives and they were all woven together very well. I am left with some unanswered questions, but overall this was a solid read!

A slow-paced thriller. I have to say, I usually like my thrillers to be a bit tenser and faster but this was a nice change of pace for me.

I really liked this book. I listened to the audiobook and I was hooked from the beginning. I think I held my breath for the entire ending. I don't remember ever reading a book that had me biting my nails before.

This book wasn't that great. I kept waiting for a twist, or something big to happen, but it just never did. It wasn't awful, just a bit slow for my taste.

Thank you @AAKnopf for the free book! #aaknopfpartner
Ok, I am usually not interested in serial killer books but The Quiet Tenant was fantastic! This one is different. It’s told from the victim’s point of view, the one who is still alive. Rachel has been held prisoner inside a shed for 5 years. Her captor, Aiden, has a teenage daughter and is a beloved member of the community. No one suspects him, not even his new girlfriend.

I think the reason I liked this one is because it reads like a literary fiction novel. We know he’s a bad guy who does bad things but we don’t get graphic details. It’s more suspenseful than scary. It doesn’t have the shock factor of a thriller, reads more like psychological suspense. We really get into the head of this woman who has been locked away from everything for years, and what that does to a person. And her desire to survive.

I really enjoyed this one, couldn’t put it down.

We are following 3 different character perspectives of women who all know a serial killer. His daughter, a woman falling in love with him, and the woman he didn't kill. With these three perspectives, we are able to see how serial killers can live seemingly "normal" lives and how charming and manipulative they are.

I was very excited about the description of this book. Seeing things through three different lenses could really expand on the psychological terror of a serial killer. During the first 1/4 of the book, I kept that excited feeling, but as the book went on, I lost it. The first thing that I wasn't able to connect with was the 2nd person perspectives. It just didn't add anything to the story for me. I also did not enjoy the clipped style of writing. It's hard for me to get invested when I'm reading something that has short, simple sentences.

I did enjoy some of the reflective moments the woman he did not kill had through the book, but I wasn't expecting that this would be something that would seem to be the main focus. I expected creepy, unsettling, and scary. It felt like it dragged sometimes. I felt like I was reading it to get to the good part, but never got there. It had moments that made me want to turn pages, but overall, I felt it fell flat for what I expected.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for allowing me to read and review this novel.

what a fantastic debut from Michallon! she fully immerses you in the mind of a kidnapped woman who has been held captive for 5 years - it can be a difficult read but I was so enthralled all the way through. if you were thrilled by the opening chapter of Local Woman Missing, or enjoyed the concept of Girl A but were ultimately bored by it; The Quiet Tenant might just be up your alley.

I’m not sure what it was but I just did not like this book. The characters didn’t seem fleshed out. Most gripping at the end but too little too late.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

The Quiet Tenant will leave you wondering if you ever really know people in your community..Aidan Thomas is a respected husband and father living in a small town in New York State. When Aidan's wife gets cancer and dies, his life and that of his daughter changes forever. Aidan's new problem is the woman he's held captive in the shed in his backyard for the past 5 years as his in-laws want him and his daughter to move out of the house they own. They've never liked Aidan and want their house back now that their daughter is dead.

Aidan finds a new house to rent and leaves the old one behind. He decides to take his captive, Rachel, to the new house and introduce her as a friend who needs help. Aidan's daughter, Cecilia, doesn't really understand why this woman lives in their house but she comes to accept it. Aidan keeps Rachel handcuffed to the radiator during the day while he's at work and Cecilia is at school. He allows her to come down for dinner with strict instructions. Since Rachel has lived in a shed for 5 years this is a luxury that she wasn't sure she'd experience again. She's used to going to the bathroom in a bucket, bathing from a soapy bucket, and eating whatever leftovers Aidan could bring her without anyone noticing.

Rachel isn't Aidan's only victim. She's the lucky one that he didn't kill. Aidan has dark secrets that no one would ever guess. He's been following women, photographing them, and eventually killing them. Aidan keeps the photos and mementos in boxes in the basement. The basement door is always locked so that no one can see his treasures. Aidan stops by a local restaurant/bar a couple of times a week. He's attracted to the bartender, Emily, and she is attracted to him. They kiss one night and then start texting one another daily. Rachel and Cecilia notice how attentive Aidan has become to his phone while they're watching tv and movies after dinner. Rachel likes him distracted and hopes he will make a mistake that will allow her to escape.

Will Rachel ever escape and return to her real life and real name? Will Aidan finally be caught and brought to justice? What will happen to Cecilia? Will Emily figure out what Aidan really is? The Quiet Tenant is a book that will have you yelling at Rachel to run and escape multiple times. I rate The Quiet Tenant 4 stars as it's a very suspenseful read. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Knopf for an advanced copy of The Quiet Tenant in exchange for a fair review.

This book was reminiscent of “Room” with a kidnapped victim who was being depicted while in captivity. I found it interesting although a little slow at times. This was a smart mystery, that was quite likeable. 3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up.

I loved this book. "Pulse-pounding thriller", is an accurate description. It reminded me of the movie, "Room". "The Quiet Tenant" is a creepy book that will stay with you long after you read it. It was very creatively written and told through the alternating perspective of the women Aiden was involved with. I highly recommend it if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
I received thisI loved this book. "Pulse-pounding thriller", is an accurate description. It reminded me of the movie, "Room". "The Quiet Tenant" is a creepy book that will stay with you long after you read it. It was very creatively written and told through the alternating perspective of the women Aiden was involved with. I highly recommend it if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
I received this galley from Net Galley. galley from Net Galley.

Get ready for the thrill of the year. Concise prose, nail biting plot, page turning chapters. Trust me when I say you won’t be able to put down this examination of a serial killer and the women in his life.

Aidan Thomas looks like the typical family man on the outside. He’s a recent widow with a teenage daughter, beloved in his town, but he’s harboring some deep secrets, one of which is a very quiet tenant.

It was timely that I read this one as they announced the arrest of the Gilgo beach murderer nearby where I live. They’ve been on the hunt for this serial killer for over ten years and finally made an arrest. To know he was a married man with a daughter was just as creepy as this book.

I very much enjoyed reading this debut novel. It kept me guessing. I loved reading it from the different women’s perspectives.

At first, I thought it was going to be a lot like the book “Room”. However, that thought didn’t last long.

This book was fast paced and things changed quickly. I found it fascinating to see how Aiden was perceived differently by the different people in his life.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about serial killers and women who have perseverance and strength.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for providing me an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.