Interesting book, with good characters. Everyone had their flaws. Storyline was a little frustrating and the ending left too many questions.

Clever writing with a plot line you thought you knew the outcome!

More twists and turns than an helter-skelter. Do you really want to be a landlady of a HMO after reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

This was an enjoyable read for the most part! I liked the fact that it had short chapters, a fairly easy to follow storyline, and it kept me gripped throughout - I couldn’t put it down!

At times it did feel like there were a lot of characters being mentioned, who I had no idea about or how they related to the main story. It wasn’t too confusing though. There were a couple of twists that took me by surprise too which I enjoyed!😯

Whilst the ending felt like it lacked a little for me, it definitely feels open for a sequel! So I’m intrigued to see what the author writes next.

Overall this wasn’t a bad read, and I’ll be checking out other books by this author in the future! A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by M.A. Hunter and he did not disappoint!

The story follows Eve, who owns and manages an apartment building that she inherited from her dad. She is super conscientious and goes out of her way to tend to all of her tenants needs. She’s also extremely agoraphobic so never leaves the building. When one of her tenants dies she works to figure out what really happened as the suspected suicide just doesn’t sit right. All this while living with the memories of tragedy that happened in her past.

This is a well crafted mystery with lots of twists that I didn’t see coming. While the entire book is set in the building she manages the pace is fast and I kept wanting to read to find out what really happened present day and way back when.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

The Tenants benefit from Landlord Eve who will do anything to keep them happy. Eve was attacked a few years ago and she has become agoraphobic, after a tenant is killed she investigates the building she inherited and finds secrets she doesn’t need.

While I enjoyed Eve’s character, none of the other character had any substance to them and it seems a bit strange that the amount of detail given to Eve, wasn’t even considered to be shared out.

A really great premise which was let down by no character study.

M A Hunter does an amazing job in writing this book and how this used the psychological thriller going through this book. I was invested in what was happening and how the characters were used during this. I enjoyed the idea of this psychological thriller and how it was told in this book. The overall feel was everything that I wanted and was invested in how the storyline was told in a suspenseful way.

The Tenants written by M. A. Hunter is the great thriller book. I’m absolutely inspired by the emotional intensity and psychological depth of this thriller. Hunter doesn’t just craft suspense—he builds a world where fear, isolation, and resilience collide in unforgettable ways. Every page pulses with tension, but beneath it all is a powerful message: even in the darkest corners, truth and courage can shine through. This book reminds us that the walls we build, no matter literal or emotional can either protect or imprison us. And sometimes, breaking them down is the only way to truly live. If you love thrillers that challenge your thinking and stir your soul, this one’s a must-read. Highly recommend.

Woah!! This author has yet again written an absolutely brilliant psychological thriller that just keeps you on your toes! Twists and turns that kept me totally engaged also had me rethinking what I thought the outcome was going to be. Eve is the landlady of a set of flats in the house that she inherited from her late father. What the residents don’t realise is that she keeps a very very close eye on them all. Brilliantly described characters along with a cracking storyline I’d highly recommend this. I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give too much away!! Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

I struggled a bit with the writing style of this book and found our main character to be extrememly creepy. It does; however, highlight the toll that past trauma and uncared for/untreated mental health can have.

ARC review
Publication date 18 August 2025.

"The Tenants" by M A Hunter is a psychological thriller.

I received an e-ARC from Boldwood Books (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The story from this book is told from Eve's perspective.
She lives in a building that she inherited from her father.
Also, she is afraid to go outside, after she was attacked a few years ago.

After one of the tenants is found dead, she starts investigating the past of the building and some strange things start to happen to her.

The pace of the story is fast and I was interested in finding out more about what is going on.
Eve is not a lovely character and also an unreliable narrator. The fact that she also drinks a lot makes her think that she does things after passing out.

There are some twists in the story and the ending was unexpected.

Overall this is an interesting read and the tense atmosphere kept me engaged with the story.

This was a tangled web of a story! I enjoyed the character development through the main character, Eve’s eyes. Eve inherited an apartment building from her father when he passed and after a traumatic assault, she has become an agoraphobic who is a little too intent on keeping her tenants happy even though her heart really is in the right place.

One of her tenants is found dead and trying to unravel this mystery leads all the way back to a story in Eve’s past. I enjoyed trying to figure out who is responsible as Eve’s character took me through all the possibilities from what she knows about the rest of her tenants and their connections to each other. My only critique was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and the journey that it took me on.

Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The title of this book should be "The Landlady". It felt like the story revolved mostly around the main character who was, in fact, the landlady. Although the book had a good ending for the most part, the story was so drawn out. This one didn't hit the mark for me.

This book was a quick read, but it didn’t have much depth in the characters. I’m not sure why some of them were even included, maybe to throw you off. Overall, it was a decent-paced thriller with a familiar plot. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!

The Tenants is a psychological thriller centered on Eve, the landlord of a building she inherited from her father five years ago. I’ve discovered that I really enjoy locked-room style books, and in my opinion, this one definitely fits into that category.

Overall, I give this a solid 4 stars. I was entertained right from the beginning, and my thoughts about Eve swung the gamut. I thought she was creepy. I felt sorry for her. I rooted for her. I rolled my eyes at her logic at times. But, it all fit together as a believable character, and I was invested in the outcome and wanted to keep reading.

There were a couple of small issues I had, and as a big animal person, I really want to know if the cat made it (I didn’t knock a star for this, lol). Great book and a very quick read.

First, thank you Netgalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC!

So, M.A. Hunter is one of my auto-buy writers at this point. I'm usually not even reading the blurb anymore, feeling confident I will enjoy the book no matter what.

In this book, we do meet Eve. Eve has never left the building her flat is part of in five years. But she sees the other tenants as her friends. Feels responsible for them. Does wartch over them. It could all be fine and dandy. But then, one of her tenants is found dead in their flat...

There is not much to say, it is a great book as always! I sort of liked Eve, and the story was holding my attention enough that I did read the book in almost one sitting. Very much recommended!

✨Book Review✨
📖 The Tenants
✍️ M.A Hunter
📅 Publication: August 12, 2025

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Looking after the tenants gave Eve a sense of purpose. Every day, she went out of her way to protect them, to make sure their needs were met. They weren’t just paying guests; they were her neighbors, her community. And she would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
But when one of them is found dead in their apartment, the world Eve has carefully built begins to crumble. She always believed danger lived outside, which is why she hadn’t stepped beyond the building’s walls in five years. Now, she’s beginning to realize that the real threat may be much closer to home.
Eve inherited the building from her father, unaware of its troubling history. And she’s always believed that digging up the past only leads to trouble. But with the police asking questions about her, about the tenants and secret meetings happening behind closed doors, Eve is left with no choice. If she wants to protect those who remain, she’ll have to uncover the truth… even if it means risking everything.
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
The Tenants follows Eve, a reclusive landlady battling agoraphobia and a troubled past. She watches her tenants through hidden passages, not out of malice, but a deep desire to protect them. Eve isn’t the most likable character, but she’s fascinating, and her unreliable perspective adds to the tension.
Someone is clearly toying with her, but it’s hard to tell who or why. The mystery is layered and well-paced, keeping me guessing throughout. I was never quite sure who to trust, which made the twists land even harder. The ending was especially satisfying because I hadn’t put all the pieces together. Overall, it was a good read, a smart, gripping thriller that held my attention from start to finish..
Thank You @Netgalley and @boldwoodbooks for allowing me to review this book.

Eve gave me the creeps! Eve is the owner of a rambling old building that used to be a hotel and was redeveloped into flats. Her father owned it, and when he died, she became the new owner. She lives in the top flat, which is fine; since she suffers from agoraphobia, she never goes out. Eve thinks of her tenants as friends, but during the story we discover that the opposite is not exactly the case.
Eve spies on her tenants, although she likes to call it ‘keeping an eye out for their welfare.’ So when one of them is found dead, she cannot help but try and find out what happened.
Somehow the story is fast-paced and slow at the same time. There are no really unexpected twists, which made me think it is not a bad story, but it could have done a bit more some more editing.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced digital review copy of The Tenants by M. A. Hunter being published August 18, 2025. I loved this story with flawed landlord, Eve, who has created her own perfect world within the building she inherited. The threads of what happened at boarding school, the assault she endured 5 years ago and the death of a tenant in her building are masterfully woven together to create a suspenseful novel. It was compelling and captivating. I can’t sing its praises enough. Well done!

Daisy J. Hung’s biography, I Am Not a Tourist: Conversations on Being British Chinese, narrated by Katie Leung, is an insightful and thorough account of her experiences growing up Chinese and being regularly mistaken for a tourist due to the assumption that she speaks Mandarin. The focus of the book was predominantly on England and Wales
An excellently researched and genuinely insightful look into the British Chinese experience. She provides a lot of statistics and quotes; at times, I felt like I was listening to a thesis statement.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★

Eve is a devoted landlady who genuinely cares for her tenants, seeing them as an extension of her own family. She's eager to ensure they have everything they need, sometimes to the point of overstepping boundaries, though she’d never admit it. One morning, she discovers one of her tenants dead, a tragedy that shakes her to her core.

Following a brutal late-night attack, Eve developed agoraphobia, a debilitating fear of leaving her home. Although she longs for social interaction, she’s physically unable to leave her apartment, convinced that the outside world is too dangerous. Her tenant’s death forces her to confront the risks of remaining in her so-called “safe” space. Combined with her compulsion to care for her tenants, the situation places immense pressure on her. As the police investigation unfolds, the building’s dark history comes to light, along with long-buried secrets that threaten the life of another tenant…

WOW. I love a good Christie-style locked-room mystery, but The Tenants exceeded my expectations! This was my second book by M.A. Hunter, and while I anticipated some bombshell twists, I was not prepared for any of them.

Eve’s character was particularly compelling. I had never heard of agoraphobia before, and this book opened my eyes to how deeply it can affect someone’s life. Her tragic backstory adds emotional weight and realism to her character. Her coping mechanisms made her both likable and deeply flawed.

The locked-room setting, combined with the building’s eerie history, created a tense, atmospheric buildup to an explosive story. The characters were well-developed, each concealing secrets and hidden motives, with plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end.

If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, a cast full of intrigue, and a building with a haunted past, The Tenants is a must-read! Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and M.A. Hunter for a copy. All opinions are my own.