The Quiet Tenant - Clémence Michallon
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
She read
The name he gives her is Rachel. She has been held captive and abused by a serial killer for five years in this story that is mostly told from the POV of his victims. Before “Rachel” and after taking her, he has killed. Aidan Thomas is a quiet, beloved lineman/handyman; he helps people out all the time. His wife has recently died and he is left to take care of his daughter, Cecilia. A forced move results in “Rachel” having to meet and spend time with Cecilia even while she is still a captive. Emily is a local restaurant owner who develops a strong crush on Aidan. Will she spoil Aidan’s secret? Chapters are also from the POV of Cecilia and Emily.
I have a policy that I will not DNF a novel, no matter how much I want to. I will stick with it to the end in the hopes of finding some redeeming quality and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. Although the last roughly quarter of the novel picked up for me, I found most of it unpleasant. The author presents the serial killer and the main victim from a unique perspective and the reader learns more about the inner workings of Rachel’s mind and her adaptation to the situation than the psyche of a serial killer. I found humanizing this monster very disturbing.
While this was an uncomfortable read for me, there are many who will find it compelling. And I do credit it with its unique perspective.
Thanks to #netgalley and #knopf for the ARC.
**
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