The Quiet Tenant

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. He’s a serial killer prone to kidnapping his victims whose story emerges gradually, from multiple female narrators: Emily, a lonely bartender who befriends Aidan in hopes of a romantic fling; his 13-year-old daughter, Cecilia; and his latest, still-living victim, whom Aidan insists call herself Rachel. When Aidan and Cecilia are forced to move after Aidan’s wife dies, “Rachel” convinces Aidan he can safely take her with them (with the explanation to Cecilia that she’s a friend of a friend who needs a place to live). In the new living situation, though, Rachel gets bold, befriending Cecilia and planting seeds for her freedom, no matter how risky. 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. Agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. (June)