🔥5⭐️ thriller alert!! And dare I say… favorite thriller of the year?🔥

Author: @clemencemichallon
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 320
Published: June 2023
Rating: 5⭐️

So good I made my sister read it too (she binged it in one sitting)🙌

- One of those books where I couldn’t wait to pick up the book and keep reading!! Perfect when you need a quick paced read!
- I love a plot involving someone being held captive. Idk why, but these stories usually keep you on the edge of your seat, have a strong MC to root for, and have an action packed ending. This one did not disappoint!
- I enjoyed the multiple points of view! Some characters you do not understand who they are until later, and it built suspense in the story.
- Small town serial killer crime
- 📖Read if you enjoy: Room or Don’t Look For Me

Swipe to read the synopsis. Highly recommend this one!

I’ve read a lot of thrillers, and I’ve read a lot of serial killer books, but I have never read ANYTHING like this.

The story has three narrators- 1- a girl who was kidnapped over 5 years ago and has been kept in a shed, 2- the kidnapper’s (who is also a serial killer) daughter, who is reeling from the recent death of her mom, 3- a local restaurant owner with a massive crush on the slightly older widower (aka the killer.) Through them the story is told, and it is done so damn well. Each character is going through the “same” events, but has a totally unique experience compared to the others.

I saw a few reviews mention that this book shouldn’t qualify as a thriller and I beg to differ! The tension in this was HIGH throughout, especially the last quarter when everything is starting to simultaneously unravel and fall into place.

Another negative thing I’ve seen in some of the reviews was frustration with how each character acted, which I also disagree with. I feel like Michallon thought very clearly and carefully about the psyche and headspace of each of her characters in order to direct the characters’ actions, especially the kidnapped “Rachel.” I’ve done some studies on trauma response and victims of long-term abuse, and I think she nailed the perfect blend of hesitation, fear, inner strength, and calculation that was “Rachel.” And I really loved seeing each character arc growing and adapting in order for the events of the finale to unfold the way they did. I loved it.

Michallon is a first time novelist and her native language is French, and I would have never known either of those things based off the quality of the story. I will be keeping an eye out for her future works.

I got an uncorrected ARC from NetGalley on this and I’m so thankful I did!

A complex and multilayered novel that kept me turning pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it as I loved the storytelling and the solid plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Rachel (not her real name but the only one her kidnapper allows her) has been held captive in a shed for five years. She knows she is lucky to be alive because she is not his first or even his last victim but, for some reason, the one he chose to keep. She also knows he is married with a daughter. When his wife dies, in order to save herself, Rachel convinces him to take her with them. She will live in their new home supposedly as a tenant, eat some meals with him and his daughter Cecilia but, otherwise, she is kept in her room, handcuffed to the radiator. She has only one objective - to survive - and has learned how to appease him, to make him believe she can be trusted, but always looking for an opportunity to escape.

Cecelia is thirteen and she and her father seem very close but she seems to have no friends or much of a life outside the house. He drives her to school, picks her up after and has restrictions on phone and tv time. At first she resents Rachel’s presence but, after watching her with her dad and realizing they aren’t a couple, a friendship starts to develop. Can Rachel turn her into an ally or will her developing fondness for the girl be her undoing?

Emily has fallen for a man who stops in for a drink at her restaurant a couple of times a week. He is everything she wants - well-respected in town, quiet but popular, always willing to help a neighbour in need. But he is married with a young daughter. Then his wife dies and slowly a relationship develops. However, he wants their affair to remain private and she is not to come to his house.

Alfred Hitchcock once said ‘there is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it’ and Clemence Michallon uses this rule to great effect in her psychological thriller, The Quiet Tenant. There is little real action on the page until near the end but the tension created by the interaction between the characters kept the story moving and the pages flipping at breakneck speed. The story is told from the different points of view of Rachel, Cecilia, Emily and even from some of the other victims. It is well-written, compelling and different from most serial killer tales I have read. Michallon is a French author and this is her first English novel. I really hope it’s not her last.

I received and arc of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review

Dark, twisted and a little to disturbed for my taste. I did finish but I'm pretty sure I'm going to have nightmares about this story. Maybe that's what it's supposed to accomplish?

Would recommend for fans of…
🏚 Criminal Minds
🏚 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
🏚 Mindhunter

Every so often I read a thriller that completely blows me away with both impeccable plotting and a compelling emotional through line, and The Quiet Tenant is the latest book to do that.

The Quiet Tenant is the story of a serial predator, Aidan, told through the POV of the women in his life – his victims, his daughter, and his new romantic partner. The book focuses primarily on the perspective of one woman he’s kept captive for several years and the chapters narrated by her are written in the second person, adding a chilling “this could happen to anyone” element to the story.

What this novel lacks in mystery (you know from the outset what Aidan has done), it makes up for in suspense, leaving you constantly on the edge wondering if the main character will find freedom or if someone else will become an unwilling victim. The multiple POVs really added to the story and tried explore the question we all have (“How could they not know?”) when we see stories like this one on the news.

The chapters are short and bounce from character to character, making for a very fast-paced read, and while I know it won’t be for everyone, I wholeheartedly recommend this to all of my fellow mystery, thriller, and suspense fans.

Through three perspectives (his captive, daughter, and girlfriend), we see a psychopath’s ability to manipulate and control those around him.

Chapters from the captive’s perspective are told in second person POV, effectively emphasizing her point of view. She is disassociating. The imprisonment and abuse aren’t happening to her (me) but to someone else outside herself (you). (Jennifer Egan also does this exceptionally well in one chapter of THE CANDY HOUSE, “Lulu The Spy - 2023.”)

This literary thriller (is that a thing now?) was exceptionally well done. It’s not explicitly dark, but still deeply disturbing without being gratuitous. “He did what he came to do.” The author’s restraint makes the book approachable without losing the terror. Think of a horror film where you never see the monster, and all the gore happens off-camera. You’re more frightened because of what the director holds back.

It’s a book that haunted me while reading and for days after. Wonderfully well done, and boggling to think that it was written in English - not the author’s primary language. I can’t wait for her author chat hosted by @kellyhook.readsbooks and @beachesbooksnbubbles.

Thanks, NetGalley and AA Knopf, for the DRC.

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

Published: June 20, 2023
Knopf
Pages: 304
Genre: Serial Killers
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Clémence Michallon was born and raised near Paris. She studied journalism at City University of London, received a master's in Journalism from Columbia University, and has written for The Independent since 2018. She moved to New York City in 2014 and became a U.S. citizen in 2022. She now divides her time between New York and Rhinebeck with her husband and their dog, Claudine. She has been a fan of crime novels ever since she started stealing her mother’s mass-market paperbacks as a teen. The Quiet Tenant is her debut thriller.

“We gravitate toward the bodies that keep us alive.

She exists in the dark, wholly dependent upon him. He provided food, shelter, everything. He took her, and now he hides her away, his personal plaything. She has created a list, a lot to survive, and so far, it’s worked. Until he tells her, he has to move.

Holy hell. First, for a debut novel, this was beyond brilliant. Beautifully written, boldly terrifying, and all too human. The way emotion is captured in these pages is stunning.

The way this novel was written will draw readers in immediately. It’s terrifying, addicting, and the stuff of nightmares.

I love how Clémence created these characters. Aiden gave me Israel Keyes vibes; not sure if that was intentional or if I’ve just consumed too much true crime.

Every second of this book will make your heart race. The intensity is so well choreographed and executed. Not since reading Gone Girl has a book gripped me so dramatically.

Bravo, Clémence. You have taken your passion, talent, and interest in true crime and created something so devious, so dangerous, and so damn good it almost feels wrong.

I am a fan of this incredible human, and I look forward to her next book!

The Quiet Tenant is about “Rachel” who has been kidnapped and being held in a shed when her captor Aiden Thomas tells her they are moving. The story unfolds as we hear Rachel’s side of the story as well as Cecelia, his daughter, and Emily, who is infatuated with Aiden.

I really enjoyed the story. I read half of it in one sitting which is odd for me. I definitely got Room vibes. I felt like I was pulled into the story and couldn’t wait to see how it would unfold.
Rating 4.5 stars pub date June 20th

WOW! This book was propulsive, inventive, bone-chilling, heart-pounding and so well-written. I think that if the reader goes in expecting a full on thriller, they may be let down. In my opinion, this is more literary fiction with a thriller element to it.

This reminded me of a mix between Room by Emma Donoghue and Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka - but what I really appreciated here - which held me back from giving Kukafka's novel 5 stars - is that we ONLY get the points of view of the women impacted by the serial killer - we do not get his point of view.

I saw a review from Jordy's Book Club that cracked me up where he compared it to Gilmore Girls if Luke was a serial killer and that is actually a great description of the way Aidan has created a normal life for himself in a small town - only with a woman hidden in his house.

The multiple points of view were very effective for me: the main narrator Rachel, who is held captive by the serial killer, Aidan - Emily, who has feelings for Aidan not realizing who he really is - his daughter Cecilia - and the short chapters from the other women who were his victims. This really worked for me and the point of view of Rachel as second person really made ME as the reader feel like I was the one held captive and trying to figure out how to survive right along with her. I thought it was inventive and impactful for me as the reader - but I have seen reviews where that didn't work for other readers.

I could not put this book down and will absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and author, for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The beginning of this book was something I have never seen. The main narrator is Rachel and I am shocked to read what she is going through. Meanwhile, another narrator, Emily, lets us know how smitten she is with her friend, Aidan. Both lives will connect in unexpected ways. Spectacular story.

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a very long time. Highly recommend! Serial killer as told through the lens of his victims and daughter. It’s a race to learn weather his current victim can escape. So good! Reminded me a bit of Notes on an Execution. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced readers copy.

I love thrillers told from multiple POV and this one did not disappoint. I really enjoyed that the perspectives were women and I thought it was particularly interesting that one of the perspectives was the serial killer's daughter. It is a very twisty story with unexpected turns - you will definitely be surprised as you read!

This is a real creeper of a story, as you hear from the "tenant" who is kept locked up and from the other women who weren't so "lucky" as to be kept alive! He was loved by all who knew him (or thought they did), a widower taking care of his daughter. A good man, always there to help. But the tenant knew what he really was, and did what she had to do to stay alive. A fascinating look at a serial killer and the woman he decided to keep for a while. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my arc of The Quiet Tenant.

If you need a book to pull you out of a reading rut- I highly suggest this one! So appreciate the authors voice of characters. Refreshing. And dark! Thank you for the early copy and SO glad I finally picked it up.

I could not stop reading this book! It pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let you go. A woman is kept captive and learns how to survive - until she has to be moved and bides her time for her escape. At times, it is hard to read about the captivity, and disturbing to see the views of the other victims. But I liked that we never went into his mind - just those of the women. Recommended!

Such dark and interesting look at a serial killer through the eyes of his victims and his daughter.
The second person point of view was rough and I struggled to get through it. But it was a still a good read and I’m excited to read more from the author!

Thank you Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Rule number two of staying alive in the shed: he’s always right, and you’re always sorry.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for this arc!

This book had me at the edge of my seat! Tense read about a serial killer who keeps one of his victims alive in his shed for 5 years. We get different POVs, one being the woman in the shed, the victim as he killed, his daughter, and Emily who is obsessed with him. I devoured this book. It’s a creepy, dark and chilling page turner that will put you on a wild ride.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a an interesting thriller told in multiple points of view. It was definitely more on the slow burn side and has more of a psychological aspect than action packed thriller.

This follows the charismatic Aiden Thomas, and upstanding member of the community from the perspectives of the women in his life. Everyone likes him, he goes to work, and he takes care of his daughter as he has recently lost his wife to illness. What people don't know is that a monster lurks inside the neat and kind exterior that is Aiden Thomas. Most of the book is told from "Rachel's" perspective, she is the quiet tenant for whom the book is named and we get to know her throughout the book. We also get chapters form Aiden's daughter Cecelia and Emily the local bartender who Aiden is sort of courting.

This book book was disturbing for sure and had many uncomfortable moments. While it isn't super suspenseful or action packed, it does provide a creep factor and make you feel icky. I don't want to spoil anything but this was constructed in an interesting way as you knew who the "bad guy" was the entire time. The suspense moments come into play as the story unfolds regarding Rachel and her survival and how she navigates her situation to stay alive and if she is ever going to escape her captivity. You also are always waiting for something terrible to happen.

If you are looking for domestic thriller that is more psychological and isn't graphically violent or gory this is a good one to check out. There are off page references to SA and violence, and other traumatic events, but they aren't described in detail.

Every now and then, a book that appears to be “just” a thriller turns out to be far more - and this is exactly such a book.
The setup feels vaguely familiar (thank you, Emma Donaghue): we meet a woman - we are placed directly into the mind of a woman - who has been kept in a shed for five years, in the darkest, dullest, most horrific of conditions. She is brave; determined to hang on to what is true about herself, even as her universe shrinks to four dark walls. But villains are no more one-dimensional than heroines, and the man who put her there - Aiden - is a grieving widower with a preteen daughter (Cecilia) and a favorite bartender (Emily). Cecilia and Emily have their own perspective on Aiden. The “woman in the shed” becomes the “woman in the house” when Aiden moves Cecilia to a new location, and she is smart enough to know that the change means a chance to escape. But when she gets to know Cecilia, and learns about Emily, the calculus changes: it is no longer only herself who must be saved.
This novel was that rare combination of a page-turn and a literary delight. The characters were nuanced, and I loved that this story was told exclusively through the voices of the women Aiden sought - unsuccessfully - to silence. This was a four-and-a-half star read for me rather than five stars, solely because I found the ending lacked the same gravity and carefulness that the rest of the story offered.