Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York 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 Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-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. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, 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 nervous to pick up The Quiet Tenant because I thought it might be too disturbing for me, and I tend to get disturbed pretty easily. But with so many readers raving about it, I decided to take the chance. I am glad I did, because while it was disturbing at times, it was nowhere near as frightening as I expected. I was able to handle it without a problem, and it did not even give me nightmares.

The story follows a woman who has been kidnapped and held captive, and it is told through multiple points of view. I especially liked how unique this approach felt, with perspectives from the serial killer, his thirteen-year-old daughter, the hostage herself, and even a possible next victim. I listened to the audiobook and thought the multiple narrators made it even more immersive. Each character had a distinct voice, which made it easy to follow and gave extra depth to the experience.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. I kept rooting for the women, especially the one being held captive, and I was desperate to see how everything would end. It was a quick read for me because I could not stop listening, even late at night. I read this book in just a few days.

This is the kind of thriller that works best when you go in knowing as little as possible. The way the story gradually peels back the layers of these characters builds so much tension and creates an eerie, unsettling atmosphere. It is haunting and chilling in all the right ways, and I really enjoyed it.

This was my first book by Clémence Michallon, and I am definitely curious to read more from her. The Quiet Tenant is dark, sinister, and psychologically complex, and I think readers will either find it too much or be completely enthralled. I was in the latter group and definitely recommend it.