In The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon we are introduced to Aidan Thomas. He’s a widower, a father, and a well-respected member of the community in small town America. But there’s something nobody knows. He’s holding a woman, known as Rachel, captive in his shed and he’s a serial killer.
What is the story about?
After the death of his wife, Aidan’s in-laws sell the house and he’s forced to make a dramatic change. He moves his prisoner in with him and his daughter, Cecilia, and passes Rachel off as a friend in need.
Cold-blooded psychopath, Aidan still has the power to turn heads and local restaurant owner, Emily, is drawn in by his good looks, fake charm and helpful manner. The stage is set.
A book club review
This was the third read in our local book club and certainly sparked plenty of debate amongst the group. The Quiet Tenant is an ambitious undertaking. Michallon allows the reader inside Rachel’s head as she fights for her very survival. We hear from the young daughter, Cecilia who’s struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother and from infatuated Emily.
But we also hear first-hand accounts from Aidan’s victims. We get to hear from them beyond the grave. How they realised too late their peril and were powerless to stop their own deaths.
The tension slowly builds
Rachel treads a careful tightrope that has lasted five years. Every comment, every action is done to keep her alive – in the hopes she can grab that one moment to escape. And as the story progresses we discover past events in her life she can draw upon.
However, the feedback from the group highlighted a number of issues. For some, the writing style was difficult to engage with. It was viewed as staccato and impersonal. Although, it was acknowledged, the story was gripping once you got past that.
When it came to the plot, there was one glaring flaw. Why would Aidan bring Rachel into his home? Why would someone so calculating take such a risk of introducing his prisoner to his daughter and have them all living under one roof? Wouldn’t he just kill her? Some argued after five years Aidan believed Rachel was so brainwashed he could easily manipulate her, that Rachel had subtly bonded with her captor. And as a much-loved father he could control his quiet and compliant daughter’s questions. But for some, the concept was too far-fetched.
There were other parts that were also deemed too unbelievable. Once the protagonist moved to the house there were a number of opportunities to get help and/or escape yet these were not taken. It made one reader wonder if Rachel had an element of Stockholm Syndrome. For those who continued reading, they did enjoy the taut, psychological novel that hurtles towards a dramatic climax.
The final verdict
Overall, The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon is a disturbing and hard-hitting read. It shows how easily a monster can lurk in our midst for so long without anybody suspecting a thing. And the ending? It leaves plenty of questions as it isn’t nicely tied off.