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NATIONAL BEST SELLER - A NEW YORK TIMES BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR - GMA BUZZ PICK - "A bravura feat of storytelling...daring and completely satisfying." --James Patterson, #1 best-selling author A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM: HIS 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HIS GIRLFRIEND--AND THE ONE VICTIM HE HAS SPARED "Intelligent and suspenseful." --Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World "All...of the expected suspense and psychological tension, but offering a story about women--the ones who didn't know the evil that lurked within, the ones who tried to placate or fight but still perished, the ones who might actually survive. Haunting but never prurient...truly unforgettable." -- Alafair Burke, author of The Wife 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 death: 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.Review Quotes
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - GMA BUZZ PICK - A LibraryReads #1 Pick
One of The Washington Post's Notable Summer Books 2023
One of Vogue's Best Books of 2023
One of Goodreads's Most Anticipated Books of 2023
One of New York Post's Best Summer Books
One of CrimeReads' Most Anticipated Books of 2023
One of Apple's Best Books of the Month - June 2023 "An expertly paced psychological thriller . . . with a white-knuckle climax." --The New York Times Book Review "A gripping psychological suspense novel . . . Michallon's riveting tale shows a killer through the eyes of the women in his life." --The Washington Post "Clémence Michallon has written a classic on her first try. The Quiet Tenant is a daring and completely satisfying . . . bravura feat of storytelling . . . Who in her right mind would attempt a novel utilizing the first, second, and third-person? And then have the skill to actually pull it off." --James Patterson, #1 best-selling author "Dark and juicy . . . like Emma Donohue's Room, the novel takes this creepy and claustrophobic premise and spins a paradoxically expansive plot from it, told from the perspective of his victim, his daughter, and a local restaurant owner." --Vogue
"A nail-biting terror of a read, slowly revealing how Rachel, already a little bit broken, ended up where she did . . . And then following as her courage incrementally ratchets up, as brainwashed and terrified, she starts to eye, and then discard, her opportunities to escape. I finished it at very high speed, heart pounding, absolutely loving it." --Observer (UK Praise)
"In a small American town, single dad Aidan is regarded as a good guy, but he is hiding a secret--he is a serial killer and kidnapper, and is holding a woman captive in his shed. A chilling depiction of evil." --Best Magazine (UK Praise)
"Cleverly constructed, well written and harrowing in the extreme from the very first page, this is an unforgettable debut. If this is a first novel, what's the next going to be like? I dread to think literally. Congratulations to Clémence Michallon, queen of the psychological thriller. We'll be waiting." --Shots Magazine (UK Praise)
"I can recommend The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon. The story of a male serial killer called Aidan Thomas is told from multiple perspectives, in a way that centers the female voices of his victims. It's a pacy thriller and a sharp study of survival." --The Independent (UK Praise) "The Quiet Tenant is a fascinating inversion of the serial killer thriller, a story that challenges some of the genre's most prevalent and pervasive tropes through the eyes of the powerful women involved. In the process--with razor-sharp plotting and hypnotic prose--Michallon has created an unforgettable novel." --Alex Segura, author of Secret Identity "The Quiet Tenant is a humane thriller, one that doesn't shy from asking the most difficult questions of its characters and its readers, and dares, ultimately, hopeful answers. Intelligent and suspenseful, I couldn't stop turning the pages." --Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World "The Quiet Tenant is an absolutely brilliant, incredibly delicious, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Imagine Jodi Picoult meets Jeffery Deaver and then watch as Clémence Michallon exceeds every one of your expectations. She's that good. The book is that good. And the ending is a killer!" --Brad Thor, author of Dead Fall "Clémence Michallon's The Quiet Tenant is a spell-binding Trojan horse of a novel, bracing and beguiling. A dangerous man and his unforgivable crimes are its seeming center but, in Michallon's nimble hands, the novel soon reveals itself to be a story of female strength, cunning, depth, and power." --Megan Abbott, author of You Will Know Me "Clémence Michallon has managed to reimagine the serial killer novel, delivering all (and frankly, more) of the expected suspense and psychological tension, but offering a story about women--the ones who didn't know the evil that lurked within, the ones who tried to placate or fight but still perished, the ones who might actually survive. Haunting but never prurient, The Quiet Tenant is truly unforgettable. Read it." -- Alafair Burke, author of The Wife "Expertly structured and luminously rendered, The Quiet Tenant is told from the perspectives of several different women bound, both wittingly and unwittingly, to a single, terrifyingly familiar predator. A mystery that is at once riveting and heartrending, The Quiet Tenant is a sharply insightful look at what it means to live and love as a woman in this harrowing world. It is truly extraordinary." -- Kimberly McCreight, author of Reconstructing Amelia
"A dazzling debut thriller . . . This is a smart, female-focused inversion of the serial killer thriller perfect for readers who otherwise wouldn't give the genre a second look." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "While a widowed man falls for a bartender, the woman he's held hostage for years plots her escape in this fast-paced thriller . . . A twisted premise that raises unexpected moral questions." --Kirkus Reviews "A brutal, sad, heartbreaking story focused on resilience and survival. Recommended for fans of true crime stories, Gillian Flynn, or Jessica Knoll." --Library Journal
"Nightmarish, nerve-jangling, and horrifying, this one is not for the fainthearted, but it's an explosive, utterly gripping read." --Booklist
About the Author
CLÉMENCE MICHALLON was born and raised near Paris. She studied journalism at City University of London, received a master's in Journalism from Columbia University, and has written for The Independent since 2018. Her essays and features have covered true-crime, celebrity culture, and literature. She moved to New York City in 2014 and recently became a US citizen. She now divides her time between New York City and Rhinebeck, NY.Dimensions (Overall): 8 Inches (H) x 5.19 Inches (W) x .63 Inches (D)
Weight: .54
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Sub-Genre: Thrillers
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Number of Pages: 320
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Author: Clémence Michallon
Theme: Psychological
Language: English
Street Date: May 7, 2024
TCIN: 90988210
UPC: 9780593467862
Item Number (DPCI): 059-04-5243
Origin: Made in the USA
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.63 inches length x 5.19 inches width x 8 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.54 pounds
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3.9 out of 5 stars with 62 ratings
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4.4 out of 5 stars with 8 reviews
83% would recommend
6 recommendations
Ending re-do needed
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
- 9 months ago, Verified purchaser
It was a good read, but as you move towards the end, it was too wordy. The ending was a disappointment because it felt rushed and didn't match all her hard work.
Wanted to love it, but didnt
2 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
ks924 - 10 months ago, Verified purchaser
Saw so many reviews raving about this one. Promising to keep me on the edge of my seat, but instead just had me fighting to just not finish it. Going to be completely blunt & honest…it was extremely slow, I got bored, there was too much switching between too many POV’s every couple pages, 0 attachment to any character, I didn’t like the writing style & how it was told in first/second & third person (found myself having to reread a lot of sentences over just to make sure I understood who was speaking about who, & all in all I just couldn’t get into it. To be fair, it did start to pick up a little towards the end, but then it was done. There were 0 twists. I’d say it was more of a drama than a thriller.
A compulsive Read
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Read A Book With McCall - 2 years ago
I quite literally could not put this book down. It was so incredibly well paced and provoking. I loved that it was told from multiple POVs and the POVs chosen were perfect. I don’t want to go in to too much detail because I feel it would spoil some things. All I can say is, if you are a thriller lover this one is for you. Gripping, dark, sinister, and completely binge able. It reads in the 3rd person narrative, similar to Emma Donoghue’s Room. I thought this book was brilliant and can’t recommend enough. Thank you @2reador2write for putting this one on my radar.😉 Thank you to @netgalley and @aaknopf for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. • Congratulations @clemencemichallon wishing you all the success on your new release. This book is available June 20th. Add it to your TBR.
Dark and Creepy in a good way
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
SuPo - 2 years ago
Aiden Thomas is a husband, father, and well-liked member of his community. What no one knows though is that he also has his secret, one of which is in the shed of his home. Aiden is a serial killer, killing 8 women and keeping another, ‘Rachel’, tied up in a shed for the last 5 years. When Aiden’s wife dies, he and his daughter are forced to move and his arrangement with his prisoner must change. He is forced to introduce ‘Rachel’ to his daughter as a family friend in need of shelter, assuming that handcuffs and the emotional and mental abuse ‘Rachel’ has received over the last 5 years will keep her obedient. But ‘Rachel’ is stronger than he gives her credit for. While his attention is diverted by a new relationship, she becomes determined to save herself and the other women in Aiden’s life from him. This book rides the line between thriller and regular fiction. While the plot is definitely dark, it doesn’t have the same kind of suspense and twists that a regular thriller has. Starting this book, you know right away what’s happening and have a good idea of how things will end, and while you are drawn to see what happens next, it’s not the normal buildup of suspense that a thriller would normally give you, However, with that said, there still is a draw to see what happens. The premise is fascinating and disturbing. “The Woman”/aka “Rachel” is the primary narrator of this story and the reader gets to see not only how she copes in her current situation, but also snippets of who she used to be before her abduction. Cecelia, Aiden’s daughter, is innocent and naïve in her thinking, someone who doesn’t see anything off because of her blind trust in adults. Emily, the new relationship, is almost comical in her crazy girlfriend thinking that just makes you shake your head. Dispersed between these three voices are the voices of the 8 women killed. Each help define who Aiden is since we never hear directly from him. I also think the writing style here is excellent in helping the reader feel like she’s in each woman’s mind. Short sentences for “Rachel” when she is locked up matches her lack of mental stimulus staying in one room for 5 years. When she gets a look outside, her thoughts expend. Cecelia is written with a juvenile touch, while Emily obsessively over thinks things. I was waiting for a big twist, and at least for me, that never really happened. That would be the biggest criticism for this novel, but even without it, the book kept me hooked throughout, and is one of the better thrillers I’ve read in awhile. **A big thank you to Knopf Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book**
I couldn't put it down
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
carvanz - 2 years ago
This book gripped me from its first pages. I was completely taken in by the characters and constantly uncertain where things were going. I absolutely could not put it down! Written from a variety of points of views, I quickly learned to pay attention to each chapter title as it informed me from whose perspective that chapter was going to be from. And that’s when I wondered just what the heck I had gotten myself into. As a true crime buff, I was eating this up as quickly as I could. And I could not put it down! This held no huge twists or turns and no great surprises, although there were a few small ones. While I am usually looking for that jolt of excitement with a twist, I did not need it here as this story kept me on tether hooks through the whole thing. My adrenaline was spiked through the majority of this book and I could not put it down! Overall, this book was one I won’t soon forget and in case I failed to mention it, I could not put it down!
Thought-provoking, Masterly Written, Creepy Thriller
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Aqueenofcrime - 2 years ago
Are you looking for a dark, haunting book to keep you up tonight? A novel that feels like you're binge watching a creepy live version of a true crime storyfrom the POV of the victims? A book written so well it's hard to believe that it's the author's English language debut? Then I've got your book right here. The Quiet Tenant is Clémence Michallon's deeply unsettling, slow burn thriller focusing on an abducted woman and the two women connected to her. Rachel was abducted by Aidan five years earlier and since then she's been kept prisoner in a small shed. When Aidan tells her that they're moving, she's not exactly sure what that means for her. At first she thinks living in the house with Aidan and his daughter Cecilia will be good, maybe it'll even be what saves her, but soon she realizes that nothing has really changed. Desperate and running out of time, Rachel must come up with a plan to outsmart Aidan and escape. In all honesty, I had a hard time getting into this one, until I figured out why. The book is told through the POVs of teenage Cecilia; restaurant owner, Emily; and the woman abducted, known simply as 'the woman' or 'Rachel', which isn't her name. Over the course of novel we learn her backstory, what happened, and how she came to be where she is. The woman's chapter's, which are the majority of the book, are written in second person. What I realized was, that by not using the woman's actual name, Clémence Michallon reduces her to a statistic. She becomes just another nameless abducted woman, a person that's easy to ignore, like it is in real life. Only when she is called Rachel are we able to empathize and see ourselves in her. Only then does she actually become a person and only then is it easier to connect with her as a character. The reviews for The Quiet Tenant seem to be all over the map: some love it, others think it's okay, and still others can't even finish it. Due to the brutal subject matter and the way it is depicted, The Quiet Tenant is not going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a thought-provoking thriller fraught with suspense and intrigue, you won't want to miss this one. I loved it and have already ordered a copy for my own library. Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor, Clémence Michallon, and Netgalley for an advance digital copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and given voluntarily. 5 Stars Highly Recommended for fans of: True Crime, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense, Mysteries, General Fiction, Women's Fiction