Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for providing me with an eARC of The Quiet Tenant in exchange for my honest review!

When I first found this on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn in by its unnerving cover. Then I was further intrigued by the narrative's conceit being that it takes place from the POVs of a few different women who all exist in the world of Aidan Thomas, an outwardly benevolent father and widower who secretly leads a double life as a serial killer and kidnapper. One of those women, Rachel (though it's made clear early on that this probably isn't her real name), is someone who he's kept locked away for the past five years. And as it turns out, this whole book was such an enthralling experience, one that's full of deep psychological tension. Don't expect it to be paced like your typical thriller, though. It was much more slow-burn than that as it pulled me into Rachel's head, showing me the endurance she has to summon up against Aidan and the patience she's using to wait for just the right moment to finally escape his awful grasp. The decision to give her a second-person POV is fitting as well, making me feel like she's doing her best to distance herself from her nightmarish situation.

The POVs we get from Cecilia, Aidan's 13-year-old daughter, and Emily, a restaurant owner who falls for Aidan's charm, are compelling, too, as a reflection of real-life people who've personally known serial killers and saw them as innocent, even kind human beings before learning about the monster underneath the surface. I do think Emily's perspective could get pretty frustrating, though. There were quite a few points where she was written to do some implausible and baffling actions, and they took me out of the book whenever they popped up. If the character writing for Emily had been polished up, this book would have been even better.

I appreciate that author Clémence Michallon made the choice to avoid giving Aidan his own POV. It's become a popular storytelling device, giving murderers their own central viewpoint in the narrative. I myself am a huge fan of You (both the books and the Netflix series), which hinges on that trope precisely. But as much as it can be a good way to tell a story if handled properly, it's also nice to remind us that not all of these stories have to be told by the killers, that they deserve to have a spotlight shining on their victims. And that's what we get in The Quiet Tenant. It prioritizes Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily having their stories told. We even get a sprinkling of brief chapters from the POVs of women whom Aidan has previously murdered, which was a grimly suitable touch.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Quiet Tenant 4.25 out of 5 stars, which I'll then round down to 4 stars for NetGalley and Goodreads. This is one of the more memorable books I've read in some time, and I'm eager to see what Michallon will pen next.

can not stop thinking about how believable/realistic this debut was and I read it a few weeks ago.

What sets this book apart from other serial killer thrillers was the second-person narrative used to tell the story of the woman held hostage. Chills ran through me as I read what "you" did and thought. She could have been any of us and this narrative further emphasized this.

As the book advances, past victims share their last moments alive before their murder. Their stories will haunt you. The serial killer grows bolder and turns out to be an “everyday” family man who is loved by his community.

If you love psychological thrillers, read this one. Trust me. It was easily my favorite read of last month. Thank you to @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you so much Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this e-ARC in trade for a fair review. This is my first book I’ve read by this author and I absolutely loved it. It grips you right away and is fast paced. I like how the chapters go between the different characters point of view and how it all ties together.

Aidan is an interesting character and compartmentalizes a lot…as most kidnappers & serial killers do. Rachel is a strong fighter who has survived in a shed for 5 years and has to play along as the quiet tenant. Aidan’s 13-year old daughter knows Rachel as the nice, but weird tenant. She has no idea Rachel is tied to a radiator every night, that she’s a victim, or what a monster her father truly is. Emily has a total crush on Aidan and knows him as the sweet widower that she can’t stop thinking about. It’s amazing to see how all these story lines come together in the end.

Absolutely loved this book, can’t wait for more books by this author to come.

This was a supremely interesting novel from the point of view of the women in the life of a seemingly beloved community member who happens to be a serial killer. His current victim, his love interest, and his daughter. I really enjoyed that the focus was on them instead of him. I had to read this in one sitting because it was so gripping and intense, and I never really knew what was going to happen next. I haven't really read a thriller quite like this one, definitely recommend! I also appreciated that the SA mentioned in the book was a fade to black rather than super graphic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the e-arc of this debut novel.

#TheQuietTenant #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Clémence Michallon and Knopf Publishing Group for my eARC! Publishes June 20 2023!

P U L S E P O U N D I N G ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is like a long version of a Criminal Minds episode to me? I absolutely loved it. I won’t watch Criminal Minds or shows alike at night or when my husband is gone. Ironically, he was gone on a bachelor trip this weekend and this book was the perfect “night cap” after work each night! It was so thrilling.

The narratives, told between Rachel, Cece and Emily, are in tandem to one another, revolving around their relationship with Aidan Thomas. Aidan is a beloved member in the community who is grieving his wife’s death. Aidan is a sad, sad little man. He does so much to these women. This book is creepy, realistic and truly just so sad.

I enjoyed that the characters were limited. It really allowed the author to put a tremendous amount of development on the characters and plot without all the other bullshit. Personally, I find many thrillers / murder-mysteries to have way too many characters to try and throw the reader. Of course the ending was predictable to me, she gets away safe and sound. I guess if you had more characters there could have maybe been more of a twist?
I loved it just the way it was! I would without a doubt recommend this book and author. The chapters were short and easy reads that kept you on the edge of your seat. From one narrative ending the chapter as she knocks on the door, straight to a different narrative picking up the scene of the door opening at the beginning of the next chapter, I truly did not want to put this book down!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Clemence Michallon and Knopf Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Quiet Tenant, to be published 20 June 2023. This suspenseful novel was written in a metaphoric prose in second person with alternating POVs. It was a tightly structured novel of tension and purpose. A serial killer tells his tale through his victims, a bar waitress and his daughter. The result is powerful and disturbing. 4/5 stars. #NetGalley. #ClemenceMichallon. #KnopfPublishing

This is one of those books that draws you in right away. I had a hard time putting it down! I found myself thinking about the strength and resilience of people, but also how we can think we know someone and yet not know them at all. I enjoyed the way the story was told, through various perspectives. I want a sequel! I need questions answered of what happens to the characters in the story. How well do they put their lives back together? Do some connections remain?
#TheQuietTenant #Netgalley

There are so many different things to say about this one! I was captivated by the characters and was devastated and proud and so many different emotions flew through as I read this. The writing style wasn’t like anything I have ever read before. It was truly unique and because of this, at first, I really wasn’t sure. But after finishing it, I can really tell why the author went this direction. It was a great read that felt so real. There are so triggers, though, so check those first but I do recommend giving this book a shot.

I'm not a huge fan of books written in second person, but this one really worked for me. With short chapters narrated from multiple perspectives, the pacing is just right. This is amazing to me, considering this is the author's first book written in English.

In the Quiet Tenant, we hear from Rachel- the woman who has been held captive for 5 years, Cecelia, the kidnapper/serial killer's 13 year old daughter, and Emily, the bartender/restaurant owner that is quickly becoming obsessed with Aiden, the dad/serial killer. We also hear from several of the women that Aiden has killed.

This thriller is unputdownable and kept me turning the pages long into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could tell that this author was trying to do something different with the serial killer genre! The story gave me literal anxiety which is the sign of a good thriller. I couldn’t put it down. I found the plot a little improbable, particularly for the times May could have escaped. But I also realize that added to the Stockholm Syndrome aspect of the story and kept me hooked and stressed!

I definitely get the buzz this one is getting. Very dark and twisted but kept me on my toes and kept me very engaged. Highly recommend.

Terrifying thriller about a women who was abducted and held captive for years. Aiden is a pillar of the community, the town all know him and feel sympathy for him as he tries to raise his teenage daughter alone after the death of his wife. What the town doesn’t know is Aiden is an extremely dangerous serial killer who has held a woman captive for years. Rachel, who has been captive for years in a backyard shed, is now so brainwashed she is terrified to even entertain the possibility of escape. When Aiden has to move and can no longer hold Rachel in the shed, she sees her only chance of escaping and saving her own life. This thriller is scary and extremely fast paced.

The Quiet Tenant is a slow burn read that still managed to pull me in so completely that I kept thinking “just one more chapter” but didn’t stop until I reached the end.

This is the story of a serial killer told through the perspectives of women in his life - including his 13 year old daughter and the woman he’s been holding captive for five years.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy!

First book I’ve read by this author. I struggled at first with the point of view. I felt it was scattered and odd. But once I got into the book I realized we were almost inside the main characters head. So the author wrote more along the lines of how the main character thought. Which was actually really great and unique. I really enjoyed this new story line that stands out from all the other thrillers out there. Feels very true crime instead of standard thriller. You will have a happy ending and all the ends tied up nicely. There are moments of anxiety while being nervous for the main character. The book is a page turner for sure. You follow a timeline with short chapters that make you want to keep going.

WOW. When I picked this one up, I went in totally blind. However, I read it almost entire in one sitting. A lot of the action takes place in the last 10% of the book but I couldn't put it down. It kept me engrossed from start to finish. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone!

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting that the book was written by 3 important women in the life of a serial killer and how they each perceived him. I would have liked to see more into Aidan’s motives behind the killings - how did it all start? what was his pattern? why did he keep Rachel alive? I was left with a lot of questions but was glued to this book until I was finished.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller. This is one of the rare books that I really did not want to read at night because it started to freak me out. The way Michallon builds the tension throughout the novel was great. This has pretty short chapters, which is big catnip for me. I also thought the use of second-person narration when we were in Rachel's perspective was really powerful. This is a must read if you are a thriller reader!

** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Frighteningly fabulous, Kept me glued to the pages and up well past my bedtime. Thank you netgalley & publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon
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Aidan Thomas is a hard working family man. Everyone in town loves him. But what they don’t know is that he has a woman he keeps in a shed on his property.
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This book was CRAZY.
The POVs are from the woman in the shed, a thirteen year old girl and a bartender/restaurant owner in town. I really liked the POVs chosen. They all have their own ideas and views about Aidan, and it was fascinating to see him from so many different perspectives.
This was a slow burn suspense. I was desperate for the woman in the shed to get away so I was on edge the entire second half of the book.
I felt like there was one tiny possible plot hole that made me think there was a crazy twist coming that wound up not happening.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I thought this one was done really well.

The opening paragraph of this book is narrated by a woman who has been held captive in a shed for five years, subsistently fed, sexually assaulted repeatedly. She describes the serial killer who holds her—a respected, well-liked husband and father—while filling in readers about the rules to which she is bound. The ones she has learned to obey to avoid being one of those who don’t survive the experience. The rest of the book will be narrated in rotation from the POV of this woman, a bar owner who has a crush on the killer, the killer’s daughter, and the various women he kills. Overall, the author does a fine job for her genre in terms of plotting and the choice of various POVs. The pacing facilitates the psychology of this brand of terror and torture—tedium and dread. Fem-jep is unfortunately baked into the thriller genre. For me, the repeated sexual assault and starvation passed a bar into barbarism and cruelty; this isn’t something I want to read.

This book is scheduled for release on June 20, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for allowing me to read this eARC.