A review by theboundless_bookworm
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Before reading this book, consider this friendly caution: skip the blurb if you prefer to be kept in the dark. It's a good thing I always go blind into my reads; otherwise, I would have read it for the details rather than the thrill. 

"The Quiet Tenant" opens with the chapter titled "The Woman in the Shed," immediately introducing the reader to an unnamed woman in captivity. I was drawn in hook, line, and sinker, no matter how many times I've read psychological thrillers about serial killers. I knew this book would mess up my brain as my emotions catapulted into a whirlwind of anger, fear, repulsion, and empathy. I've already lost count of how many times I ended up floored by the mental exercise this book gave me. 

I also loved the way the author renames the chapters with descriptive phrases, such as "The Woman in Transit," "Number One," The Woman in the House." This unconventional approach adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, giving the readers contextual cues as they begin a chapter. The alternating chapters can be confusing, though it gets better once you've gotten used to the author's narrative structure. 

The author's writing style is introspective, and her straightforward language relieves the book of boredom. It didn't escape me that the author has employed a dual writing style. She weaved between choppy and disjointed prose and immersive and sensory writing that sometimes feels overwrought. Specific chapters end with a gripping cliffhanger, whereas others conclude with subtle foreshadowing. The author also tends to write in the future tense, giving the impression that scenes are yet to happen, adding a layer of expectation and disbelief.

As with many novels of the same narrative plot, this book's core is a deep dive into the psychology of manipulation, power dynamics, and vulnerability. I'm often left with fearful thoughts because the narrative is grounded in realism. However, I would have preferred the author to include the antagonist's point of view. While it's great that every character's POV helped build the killer's personality sketch, diving into his stream of consciousness would have added more complexity to his character. His motivations and the reason for keeping the woman in the shed alive were largely unscrutinized, leaving me with more questions than answers. 

Emily's and Cecilia's chapters were a conundrum. It's hard to tell what their roles in the story were. Their POVs could be a mix of misdirection, narrative/spatial manipulation, and the unreliable narrator, and yet I failed to establish a connection with these characters. 

On the other hand, it's hard not to gravitate towards the protagonist. She is one of the best-written mystery-genre characters I've had the stressful pleasure of reading. Her chapters were darkly intriguing, and glimpses of her backstory were enough to establish an "unreliable narrator." There were moments of reversals of expectations wherein the victim tried to assert dominance, yet there were hints of early stages of Stockholm syndrome, too. I wasn't kidding when I mentioned this book is a mind game.

This slow-burn, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller boasts an alarming examination of the human psyche. Apart from the suspense, the narrative reveals a compelling truth - a serial killer is not exempt from making mistakes. No matter how precise his M.O. is, he is not immune to missteps. The killer may expose himself once he faces no alternative course of action when his primary weakness is on the line. Interestingly, the finale was anticlimactic during my initial read, causing me to reread the final chapters for this review. As soon as I revisited the last pages, I realized it delivered a more authentic ending. If you love a challenge, this book proves to be a tricky opponent.