Finally! A Freida McFadden book with a female lead I can actually get behind. I often find myself rolling my eyes at her female characters—they’re usually way too naive or just frustrating—but not this time.
This protagonist was a refreshing change, and it made the whole story more enjoyable. The twists weren’t earth-shattering, but a few still surprised me and kept the pace moving. I flew through it in a day.
Overall, a solid psychological thriller. It’s a strong 3-star read, but I’m giving it an extra half-star just for the improvement in character development. Keep these types of characters coming, Freida!

Blake Porter’s life takes a nosedive when he’s suddenly laid off, and things only spiral from there. Struggling to stay afloat, he’s forced to rent a room in the home he shares with his fiancée. Enter Whitney, the new tenant… and the beginning of Blake’s unraveling. From eating all his groceries to using the wrong laundry detergent (hello, hives), Whitney quickly becomes a nightmare guest. But that’s just the surface. Soon, her presence starts to chip away at Blake’s relationship, his peace, and eventually, his grip on reality. I won’t say more—you need to experience this one for yourself. Just buckle up… you’re in for one wild ride.

This isn’t just an awkward roommate situation, it’s a slow-burning nightmare that spirals into chaos. The Tenant is a brilliant blend of psychological tension, secrets that won’t stay hidden, and the creeping realization that someone might not be who they claim to be.

I devoured this book. Freida McFadden has outdone herself. This one is by far my favorite yet. She wastes zero time on fluff; every page is packed with suspense, every chapter ends with a hook, and just when you think you’ve figured it out? Nope. She flips everything.

My heart rate was through the roof. I was suspicious of everyone, changing theories every few pages, and that final twist? Jaw. On. The. Floor.

Short chapters made this an unputdownable binge. Tense, juicy, brilliantly paced, a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read. If you’re into domestic thrillers with smart writing, big reveals, and villains you never see coming, The Tenant is your next obsession.

Thank you so much to @poisonedpenpress and @_mandychahal_ for the advance copy of The Tenant by @fmcfaddenautho

Just finished the advanced reader copy of The Tenant that I won. Thank you Mandy Chahal and Freida McFadden! Wowzer! What a great read! I really liked having a male narrator’s voice interchanging with the female. The story is about Blake and his fiancée Krista. They decide to take in a tenant to help pay their bills after Blake loses his VP position at a big firm. They accept Whitney as their room mate. Once she moves in, unexpected things start happening to Blake. Is Whitney the cause of this? The Tenant is a wild ride! Enjoy!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I find myself always trying to guess the big twist in her books, and while I found myself pretty close to guessing correctly, I still enjoyed the ride!

The Tenant by Freida McFadden delivers the kind of fast-paced psychological suspense that fans of her work have come to expect. It’s a bingeable thriller with just enough tension to keep the pages turning—but it also falls into some frustratingly predictable patterns.

The story follows Blake Porter, a man whose life crumbles after losing his high-powered job. Desperate to stay afloat, he rents out a room in his brownstone to the seemingly perfect Whitney. But from the moment she moves in, things start going downhill—mysterious smells, creepy noises, and a growing sense that someone knows more about Blake than they should.

While the premise is intriguing and the pacing never drags, much of the plot unfolds in a way that feels overly familiar. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly obvious where things are headed, robbing the final act of the punch it might have delivered.

A bigger letdown is how the female characters—particularly Whitney—are portrayed. McFadden often writes women with a sharp edge, but here it veers into a tired trope: the "unhinged" woman as a source of chaos and danger. This recurring depiction can feel reductive, and in this case, it detracts from what could have been a more layered and impactful narrative.

That said, The Tenant is undeniably entertaining. McFadden knows how to keep readers hooked, even if the twists are a little too easy to see coming. If you’re in the mood for a quick, eerie domestic thriller and don’t mind some cliché character dynamics, this one will do the trick.

Recommended for: fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy tension and don’t mind sacrificing some originality for a solid, quick read.

This was a fast paced, binge able read that keeps you on your toes! True to Freida’s style it has you looking for the twist from the very beginning. This ride will make you feel like you’re losing your mind right along with the main character. The twist for me was not super shocking but definitely made the second half interesting in its revealing details which Freida is so good at tying those ends together right down to the end! Overall enjoyable read. Thank you @poisonedpenpress for the advanced copy!

I was so excited to get this early read. It was not difficult to stay up reading The Tenant.

Blake Porter was promoted to VP of his company while being engaged to the love of his life and living in his dream brownstone in Manhattan. That is until it all goes downhill when he is unexpectedly fired from his job. He denies the accusations against him but circumstances don’t go in his favour and he and his fiance have to take in a tenant to make ends meet. But is it worth it when Whitney seems to have it out for Blake? And why does she have it out for Blake?

This was a change-up reading from the male perspective for the most of the book and I liked it. Blake’s mental state deteriorates through the book and adds to the tension and guessing about what’s actually going on. Things are never as they seem in a Freida book and this one surprises you right up until the last page. There are themes of betrayal and revenge. Do you believe in people getting what they deserve?

Beware: the cookie cravings are strong in this one.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this Early read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When you life looks like everything is falling into place and then it all comes crumbling down and you have no idea why!

You lost your dream job but are trying to keep your dream girl and so you decide to rent out a room…..

The Tenant seems to be amazing from the start but things go south very quickly!

This book is a fast paced read, with many twists and turns! I could not put it down!!!

✨ My 1st ARC ✨

Happy Release Day to The Tenant by Frieda McFadden 🎉

Wow what a book!! Right off the bat I was hooked. The twist and turns keep you sucked in, I never wanted to put it down. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After Blake loses his job, him and his fiancée Krista become desperate for money. He didn’t know what he was getting himself into when Whitney became his tenant. Strange things keep happening around the house and to Blake he can’t tell what’s real and what he’s imagining. He is losing his mind and desperately wants answers. Little did he know those answers were going to throw his world even more upside down. What will he do with this information? Will he confront Krista & Whitney to get to the bottom of this? 🥀🩶🩸🫣

Thank you Frieda McFadden & Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me an ARC copy of The Tenant❤️‍🔥

Loved this book so much!! Freida is so talented! I love the way Freida is always able to give the same energy no matter which story she is spinning. I love trying to guess who is really a victim. Such a great book!

Holy moly this book!!! I flew through it in about 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down. I can’t even tell you how on the edge of my seat I was while reading this. I had no idea how it was going to turn out and it made me not trust anyone in the book!! Frieda did it again with the suspense and me questioning my own sanity while reading this!!! It gave me slight PTSD with the roommate situation since I’ve unfortunately had the worst case of roommates in NYC!! It hit very close to reality for a while there ha! Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes her books, as it was very well done!! I received an arc copy of this book for an honest review.

I couldn’t figure out if I was losing it or if the main character was — and honestly, I loved every second of it. This book had twists coming at me from every direction. Just when I thought I cracked the case… nope! Plot twist. I literally sat there more than once like, what is even happening right now? Freida pulled it off again. She’s the queen of messing with my head, and I’m here for it!

Fast-paced with unexpected twist! If you did not have the opportunity to receive an ARC of The Tenant, you’re in for a treat on release day. Honestly, I rate this book 4/5 stars. The plot was engaging, the ending is CRAZY. I did not expect it! Thank you Freida McFadden and publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Freida McFadden does it again. This books was amazing! I loved all the characters and the way the story unfolded and was explained. If you love Frieda, grab it! If you don't know her work, grab it, you will not be sorry.

I’m fully on the Freida train having read all of her books. I rewlly enjoyed this one even though for the first time I predicted the twist - I didn’t let this put me off as always the end twist got me. I really enjoyed the male perspective for this one as I feel a lot of the books are female perspectives so was really good getting a different main character perspective.

Freida McFadden has done it again—The Tenant is another jaw-dropping masterpiece that will leave you questioning everything until the final page. From the very first chapter, the suspense hooks you in, and the tension only tightens with every turn. McFadden masterfully crafts a chilling atmosphere that’s equal parts psychological and domestic thriller, keeping readers on edge as secrets unravel layer by layer.

The plot twists are relentless. Just when you think you’ve figured something out, McFadden pulls the rug out from under you—and then does it again. The characters are complex and mysterious, and you’ll find yourself second-guessing every single one of them. The pacing is pitch-perfect, and the chapters are so addictive that putting the book down feels impossible.

If you're a fan of The Housemaid or Never Lie, this one will not disappoint. The Tenant is the kind of book that keeps you reading way past your bedtime and leaves your mind racing long after it’s over. Another brilliant, twisted ride from the queen of psychological thrillers. Bravo, Freida!

This book kept me on my toes. Just when I thought they were going to follow a certain storyline, it went the other way. Freida hit it out of the park with the twists once again!

Oh my goodness- my first FREIDA MCFADDEN ARC?! I am SWOON!!! As someone who has read all of her thriller books, I was over the moon excited to be chosen to red The Tenant!!

This book was a wild ride!! Classic Freida McFadden with twists I didn’t see coming. I really appreciated that the story was told from a male point of view; it added a unique layer I don’t always get in her other books. I honestly hope that she writes more from other perspectives, this was SO much fun! The writing kept me fully engaged, and I flew through it trying to piece everything together.

If I had one small critique, it’s that the ending felt just a bit too quick for me. I would’ve loved a little more time with the resolution, but that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the overall experience. (It was like WOAH, bam bam bam!! NO WAY!!! Still incredibly exciting!) It’s a fun, fast-paced read I’d absolutely recommend to anyone who loves a fantastic psychological twist...or two, or three!

Thank you for the advance reader copy of this gem, I cannot wait to purchase it and display it on my shelf!!

This was my first ever Frieda book and WOW why the heck did it take me so long! I totally understand the hype now and why so many people love her work. Her writing is SO ADDICTIVE (like Krista's cookies)

All the characters are relatable and feel so real to the point where it doesn't feel like a fictional story. Blake is charming and charismatic while Krista is sweet and caring. The dynamic between this couple so easily likable. When things start to happen you can feel the frustration between these two and not knowing how to cordinate the new normal when Blake looses his job and eventually his mind. Then Whitney comes in and you can't quite figure her out, is she really doing these awful things or is Blake imagining it all?

Also THAT TWIST 🤯 My jaw was on the floor and didn't expect it AT ALL.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, and I cannot compare this book with any of her other work, but this needs to be on everyone's TBR!

I originally picked up this book for an easy read that I knew I would be able to finish quickly. The Tenant reads much like McFadden's other books. I found it to be an interesting storyline, something that seemed very original. However, you could also tell that writing from the male's perspective was new. I felt like this book had a lot of repetition, that was honestly annoying and made it difficult to get through the book. While I am not a huge fan of McFadden, I do enjoy her titles for a more relaxing read compared to my typical picks. However, the more I read of her's, the more frustrated I become with how she chooses to end her stories. This one was no different. By the time I got to the end of the story, I was very frustrated with how she chose to end the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For more reviews and discussions, listen to my podcast The Honest Book Reviewers with Nate and Emma.

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