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WOW! This is the best book I have read so far in 2023. Suspense, drama,, and murder. My favorite kind of thriller! The book is written in second person for a large portion of the book which is so unique! It made me feel like I was experiencing the horrors in this book. Not only is it primary in second person, but it flows from first, to second to third person flawlessly. Those readers that enjoyed "Room" will definitely enjoy this book.

I am shocked this is a debut thriller from Clemence Michallon, I cannot wait to see what she brings us next!

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Oh, this book was sinister as all hell.

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf Publishing Group, and the author Clémence Michallon for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This entire book is a trigger warning so please go in prepared.
I won't lie, it's some of the same things you've seen on the news, woman is kidnapped, locked in a shed by a psychotic man, woman loses sense of self.
We've seen these, so I think the familiarity of the narrative kept my interest.
Rachel has been locked in a shed for 5 years when her jailer-nice man charmer-Aidan, tells her they have to move because his wife died and now he's a single dad ( just cry me a river bro).
The move gave Rachel some freedom, but she is still as trapped as before.
But Rachel has a plan to escape and soon starts pushing the boundaries of her prison.
This book was so frustrating for me to read, especially when you read from Rachel's perspective and have to listen to her logic and reasoning.
This is a true psychological thriller with some intense scenes.
You really do get a feeling of dread, you feel the anxiety and nail-biting pressure of the world the author creates.
You won't forget this one guys, a solid read for sure.

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Thank you Knopf and Net Galley or letting me read this ARC for an honest review.

Wow, ok. First thoughts are, it was hard to put the book down. I started this on Thursday and basically read it all through the night and to finish off this Saturday morning. It had this addicting cadence to it that made you just want to keep reading. It wasn't because it was extremely suspenseful or mysterious, but moreso because being inside of the mind of someone experiencing captivity for so long was engrossing. I didn't agree with a lot of her decisions, in fact I became angry at quite a few but found myself being able to put myself in her shoes and know that sometimes in these situations you don't do what you think you will because of fear. It provided all the different aspects and POVs that you normally don't get in this kind of book. Very extremely well written. I am excited for this book to be on the shelves for everyone else to read!

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Aiden Thomas is what you would consider a hard working family man and is loved in his community. He has a beutiful daughter who is his light of his life and loves and leads what would be considered a great life. But he has had the face the death of his wife and now has to move. But wait there is more. He is a serial killer and kindnapper and has a girl in his shed. After the death of his wife he is forced to move and decides to take his victim with him. Through multiple lies and being sneaky he is able to have his victim move in with him and his daughter. He forces her to join in on dinners and she gets some time in the open house. But little does he know she has a plan and things are not always what they seem.

This book was a on the edge of your seat thrill! I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives and it was fairly easy to follow. I was able to keep up with the story line and get the different perspectives of the story. It switches back and forth so that we can get a full picture of what is actually going on. I truly enjoyed this novel and I couldn't put it it down! There is something about the unwilling victim planning her escape that made me questioning everything. I would highly suggest this book!

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This book kept me hooked from the first page. I wanted to read the whole thing at once, but I also wanted it to be slow because of how much I was enjoying it. I loved the shift of points of view and the details. I really felt like I was in the room with the woman and the daughter. I grew to love and adore the daughter and what she added to the story. The ending was perfect. It wasn’t rushed, and it ended in a way that I would’ve never guessed would’ve been the right way to end it. Overall, great book!

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Aidan is a hard-working family man who is beloved by everyone in town. What they don’t know, is that he’s a kidnapper and a serial killer. He has kept Rachel imprisoned in a shed in his backyard for five years. When his wife dies and he is forced to move with his 13 year old daughter to a new house, he is forced to bring Rachel with him and pretend she’s a houseguest in their new home. The book is narrated by Rachel, his daughter Cecilia, and Emily (a local restaurant owner who develops a crush on Aiden).

This book hooked me right from the beginning and I quickly devoured the first two thirds. The way that Aiden treated Rachel was so disturbing and her fear kept me on the edge of my seat. The book lost a little bit of momentum for me in the last third. I started getting frustrated with Rachel when she had a few too many opportunities to escape that she didn’t jump on. I also think the book could’ve been wrapped up more quickly than it did and it dragged a little at the end. This probably would’ve been a 5 star read for me if it just moved a little quicker at the end. Overall, this was a fast-paced, intense read that I really enjoyed!

Book: The Quiet Tenant
Author: Clémence Michallon
Genre: Psychological thriller
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like: Behind Closed Doors

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The Quiet Tenant is a very good psychological suspense read.

Aiden Thomas is a well thought of man in his town; he's hard-working, friendly, and always willing to help others out. He's also a serial killer, but of course no one knows that! This book has a good story line, good pacing, and strong, complex, and nuanced characters. I love that the story is told by the women in his life - his 13-year-old daughter, his girlfriend, the women he's murdered, and the one he has kept alive.

I felt the book also was longer than necessary, but when I read the author's notes at the end of the book and realized that not only was this the author's debut novel but that she wrote it in English, a language not her own, I was amazed! Kudos to you Clemence!! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

This is definitely an author I want to watch! I look forward to reading her next book.

My thanks to Knopf for allowing me to read a DRC of the book via NetGalley. Publication is to occur 6/20/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are given freely.

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Aidan Thomas is a widower, a devoted father, and beloved by the members of his small town. He’s also a serial killer and has had a woman locked in his shed for years. This is the story of Aidan Thomas, as told by the woman he’s being holding captive, the women he’s killed, and his current girlfriend.

This book was dark. But it was really good, and different from any other thriller I’ve ever read.

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The Quiet Tenant, by Clémence Michallon is a psychological thriller that is receiving a lot of attention as the must read thriller of the summer, and the hype is well deserved. Rachel was kidnapped 5 years ago and locked in a shed by Aiden: grieving widower, doting father, beloved helpful neighbor to those that know him. Only Rachel, and his dead victims, know his true nature: cold blooded, evil, calculating, serial killer. As much as Rachel wants to fight back and try to escape, Rachel has to follow the rules to stay alive.

The Quiet Tenant is a fast paced page turner for fans of the You, series, by Caroline Kepnes, and the Dexter series, by Jeff Lindsey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This was a great debut. Tense, creepy, believable. The exact things you want from a thriller!
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

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Wow. This book was downright chilling, frustrating, and complex. There's a moment about halfway through when one of the characters makes a choice that made my jaw drop and my heart hurt. The last ten percent of the book made me cry. That said, I absolutely loved the rollercoaster this took me on. I know, and I fear that there are far too many Aidan's out there that have spun these tangled webs and live double lives, so many captive women who have had to keep quiet when they're internally screaming, and then the people who just have no idea about any of it. It's an excruciating reality. It might take a bit for me to digest it all but this was so fast-paced, unnerving and so damn well written. I can't wait for what @clemencemichallon will write next. This is a thriller, but trust, there's a lot of horror here. Thank you Netgalley and Knopf for this egalley! 5/5.

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Thank you to Knopf, the author, & NetGalley for the ARC. It took me a while to adapt to the second person perspective, which is yourself, but once I did it was an easy read. I would have liked a little more backstory on the serial killer/captor. There was no clear answer to the killer's motives or why he decided to hold one captive. One character, Emily, she really irked me. She is a very questionable character who has to be a bit insane herself to do some of the things she does... Is this a suspenseful thriller? No. Yes, there is a serial killer, a woman captive, and a man planning his next victim, but it seemed very light compared to most thrillers. I see so many reviews calling this "twisty" and I really question whether they actually read the book or not. If they have, was this their first give into the genre?! There weren't any twists. The story played out as expected. Although it was interesting at times, and I did find it enjoyable at times... Overall, it was underwhelming, and I wasn't satisfied with the ending. There were questions left unanswered. Cecilia, his daughter, mentions something that never really comes to light. So much detail throughout the book and then the ending was rushed with little context. This book had so much potential. The author has so much potential.
I did learn after reading this that English is not Clemence Michallon's first language, that's impressive.

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A thrilling book that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Full of twists and turns and shocks. Brilliant!’

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Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This was so good! I loved reading from the different perspectives and getting to see everything play out from inside the house and outside of it.

I liked the writing style and really enjoyed “Rachels” chapters. I also liked that Emily seemed pretty normal then leans a little more toward unhinged before coming back. She really had me questioning how everything was going to play out in the end. I loved this!

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this. This was such an exciting thriller that I couldn't put down! I loved the fact that it was narrated mostly by the kidnapped girl, the girlfriend and the daughter of Aiden. Aiden was beloved by the whole town who had no idea that he had an evil side of him! Well done!

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Wowza! This book was excellent!
Aidan Thomas is a good man. He loves his community and they love him back. He’s always there ready to help out anyone in need and he is an amazing father. At least that’s what he wants everyone to think. Aidan is carrying a big, terrible secret and no one knows what this terrifying, manipulative man is capable of.

I always, always enjoy books when the chapters alternate points of views. Going between the girl in the shed (Rachel), his daughter (Cecilia) and his girlfriend (Emily), the reader gets to truly learn about the monster that Aidan Thomas is. I just feel like you’re able to know so much more about the story when you can hear it from multiple perspectives and I especially appreciated it in this particular novel.
This book was thrilling, suspenseful and intense. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!

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WOW, WOW, WOW. What did I just read? THE QUIET TENANT blew me away. Some reviewers did not like the second person perspective, but I found it worked very well in this story. I was completely invested in Rachel’s story and her will to survive being held captive by a serial killer. My favorite chapters were the ones told from the serial killer’s victims and at the end of each one, I had to take a moment to catch my breath. Those chapters were gut wrenching and haunting and I cannot remember the last time a book made me feel like this one did. My only minor complaint is I would have liked more background on the serial killer. What happened in his past that made him become a serial killer.

This story is dark, heart breaking, and overall, beautifully written. I cannot believe this is the author’s debut novel. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time and have no problem giving it the 5 stars it deserves.

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Thank you netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this slow paced mentally insight read about a serial killer from the viewpoint of his victims and daughter.

The pacing was done well, except for the ending. I do wish they had finished with this point of view or a female officer interviewing him to pull out his viewpoint.

That being said, I really enjoyed this read

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Thrillers aren’t usually my go to book; the premise has to be extremely promising. So right off the bat, this summary hooked me, and the book did not disappoint! I was unable to put it down. It was intense and had my heart beating faster. With each chapter, it duh in deeper and deeper. This is a book I’d recommend to thriller loves any time!

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Thank you to NetGalley, Clemence Michallon & Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an arc of The Quiet Tenant in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

I’m a thriller/suspense junkie and when I see something is “One of the Most Anticipated Novels of 2023,” I immediately want to read it, plus a good book friend of my highly recommended it, so I definitely was glad to snag an arc from NetGalley.

I am usually pretty good an putting a book synopsis into my own words, but sometimes, I can’t do the synopsis justice in my own words and that is the case with this novel. So, I’m going to quote the official synopsis (not written by me) and then will give my review below.

“Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate town where he lives: he's the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he's been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him: he's a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there's a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed fearing for her life.

When Aidan's wife dies, he and his 13-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a "family friend" who needs a place to stay. After five years of captivity, Aidan is betting on Rachel being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia's orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan's secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan's crimes on the women in his life-and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.”

I was intrigued, not by the multiple POV, but that we get Aidan’s story told through the women in his life, Rachel, Cecilia and Emily. To me, that was a unique way to tell the story and I was on board!

I do feel like there is not going to be any middle ground with this novel. You’re either going to love it or you’re going absolutely hate it. This book was incredibly intense, captivating, extremely complex and psychological. I just don’t feel like with all of those things, that anyone can say “It was just ok” or “I liked it but didn’t love it.” In my mind and from my take on it, you love it or you hate it. Period.

What did I think? I am happy to say that I am Team Loved It! It gets really tiresome reading the same thing over and over again with a lot of thriller/suspense novels, so I love it when I can read something that is not only different in the storyline, but different in the writing style as well. This book hooked me. Yes, it was intense and disturbing and I will be thinking about it for a long time to come, but isn’t that what you want out of a novel? I have read almost 90 books so far this year and there are probably only a handful that I actually remember and, of course, those were the ones that I absolutely loved and stuck with me. You don’t want something that you’re going to forget as soon as you read the last word.

If you want something unique and different, definitely give The Quiet Tenant a shot. I can’t guarantee what side of the line you will fall on, but it is worth a read.

5/5 Stars from me.

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