The Quiet Tenant

(Paperback)

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'Clemence Michallon has written a classic' James Patterson

'A brilliant, breathtaking thriller' Abigail Dean, bestselling author of Girl A

'Grips from the very first page' Rob Gold

'A heart-racing thriller' Jane Casey

Aidan Thomas is a hardworking family man respected by his local town. He's the kind of man who always has a good word for everyone. He's also a kidnapper and serial killer who has murdered eight women. And there's a ninth, a woman he calls Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed.

When Aidan's wife dies, he's forced to move and has no choice but to bring Rachel too. He knows that after five years of captivity, Rachel is too frightened of the consequences to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and a survivor. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan's secret.

Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying novel by a major talent.

Read what everyone's saying about The Quiet Tenant:

'Wow what a book...All you thriller lovers need to get this in your baskets and read it NOW!' Five star reader review

'It was beautifully written, the characters felt like real people and I loved the 'rules'. It reminded me so much of Room by Emma Donoghue' Five star reader review

'I was totally gripped' Five star reader review

'Overall, I was completely gripped by this high stakes thriller - it's a creepy and unsettling read that had me hooked' Five star reader review

'Wow, this was a completely mind-blowing read, I didn't want to put it down. There was so much tension as you waited for Rachel to get her possible moment to escape' Five star reader review

Reviews

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, Best Crime and Thrillers of the month *
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 *
An expertly paced psychological thriller...with a white-knuckle climax * 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 * Washington Post *
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, Best Books for June *
I can recommend The Quiet Tenant by Clmence Michallon. The story of a male serial killer called Aidan Thomas is told from multiple perspectives, in a way that centres the female voices of his victims. It's a pacy thriller and a sharp study of survival * The Independent, Biggest New Reads for June *
This slow-burning but gripping novel stands out in the overcrowded "women held prisoner" genre * Daily Express *
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 Clmence Michallon, queen of the psychological thriller. We'll be waiting * Shots magazine *
From the first page, you can say farewell to sleep, conversation, Netflix. This is Room meets Notes on an Execution, a brilliant, breathtaking thriller with characters you love - and love to hate. I didn't know whether to tear to the end or savour every page * Abigail Dean, bestselling author of Girl A *
Clmence Michallon has written a classic on her first try. The Quiet Tenant is a daring and completely satisfying mystery; a one-of-a-kind; a bravura feat of storytelling * James Patterson *
I was pulled in from the very first page. The plot was masterful, the many threads honed and pulled taut kept me turning pages. I loved the dynamic between the protagonist and victims, which is very truthful and powerfully told...Extraordinarily accomplished * Jane Shemilt, bestselling author of The Patient *
I am in awe of Clmence Michallon's talent. The Quiet Tenant is a heart-racing thriller but also a beautiful work about survival, sacrifice and the responsibility we bear to others...Breathtaking * Jane Casey *
Breathtakingly brilliant. I tore through it and was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. It tells us so much about how gender works in our society, about power dynamics in relationships and what can lie behind the illusion of a good husband, father and neighbour. An absorbing and addictive psychological thriller - I couldn't put it down * Edel Coffey, bestselling author of Breaking Point *
This impressive debut follows the escape plan of a woman held captive in plain sight by an outwardly respectable serial killer * Janice Hallett, Crime Reads *
Immersive from page one, thrilling, at times unbearably tense, intelligent, electrifying and moving. I loved it * Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of Run Time *
Extraordinary and utterly original... Michallon has created a modern masterpiece. I can't wait to read what she does next! * Victoria Selman, bestselling author of Truly, Darkly, Deeply *
The tension in The Quiet Tenant grips from the very first page. The novel's emotional intensity never lets go, keeping hold until the very last page...Wonderful * Rob Gold, author of Eleven Liars *
I loved this book so much. So disturbing but so beautifully written. Clemence Michallon is an author to watch out for...Truly outstanding * Khurrum Rahman, author of the Jay Qasim trilogy *
Clemence Michallon has managed to re-imagine 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 *

Clmence 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 *
Stunning. Terrifying. Impossible to put down. A remarkable achievement * Lisa Ballantyne, author of Richard and Judy bestseller The Guilty One *
The Quiet Tenant seethes with male anger and aggression and yet its beating heart is about the strength of women and our ability to survive. I was desperate to find out what happened to Rachel and all the characters because I was so invested. Beautifully written and observed * Araminta Hall *
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, New York Times bestselling author of Friends Like These *
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, bestselling author of The Cabin at the End of the World *
The Quiet Tenant is an absolutely brilliant, incredibly delicious, edge-of-your-set thriller. Imagine Jodi Picoult meets Jeffery Deaver and then watch as Clmence Michallon exceeds every one of your expectations. She's that good. The book is that good. And the ending is a killer! * Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dead Fall *
In this dazzling debut thriller from journalist Michallon, handsome Hudson Valley family man Aidan Thomas has a ghastly secret in his shed - and even worse ones hidden elsewhere...The ensuing match of wits and wills between Rachel and Aidan becomes almost excruciating in Michallon's skillful hands, and as challenging as the going can get, it's impossible to look away from. 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 *
Nightmarish, nerve-jangling, and horrifying, this one is not for the fainthearted, but it's an explosive, utterly gripping read * Booklist *
A brutal, sad, heartbreaking story focused on resilience and survival. Recommended for fans of true crime stories, Gillian Flynn, or Jessica Knoll * Library Journal *

Author Bio

Clemence Michallon was born in France. She received an MS in Journalism from Columbia University in New York, and started working as a journalist for the Independent in 2018. She has interviewed artists from Judd Apatow to Ben Platt and authors such as Rumaan Alam, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Curtis Sittenfeld. Her essays, features, and reporting have covered true-crime, celebrity culture, and literature.

She moved to New York City in 2014 and became a US citizen in 2022. She now divides her time between New York and Rhinebeck with her husband and their dog Claudine. The Quiet Tenant is her debut thriller.

You can find her on Instagram @Clemencemichallon, where she often posts about crime novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and on Twitter @Clemence_Mcl.