The Tenant

Author Freida McFadden returns with another tension laden thriller leaving readers scrambling to figure out who can be trusted once again. All the author’s signature wicked plot twists are here up to and including the final last chapter shocker readers have come to expect. Fasten down the hatches before diving into The Tenant. You won’t be able to stop until the final page is read.

Blake Porter is a man on top of the world. He has it all – the perfect fiancé, a lovely brownstone in a desirable neighborhood and a lucrative job in marketing he loves. He’s a man on the move upward to better things . . . until he’s suddenly fired from his job with accusations of selling trade secrets to the competition. He’s stunned and devastated that his boss won’t listen to his protests of innocence. Blake knows he’s innocent of the accusations, but he’s forced to pack his things and get out. Before long, his savings run out, debt mounts, and he’s in danger of losing their home. When his fiancé suggests they take in a tenant, he’s hesitant but being between a rock and a hard place, he caves and agrees. After a line of misfit applicants, Whitney strolls into their lives with cash in hand, appearing to be the answer to their prayers. However, over the next few weeks, Blake’s unease escalates as weird, disturbing things begin happening, testing his patience and shooting his stress level through the roof. Even his neighbors are acting differently towards him. What’s happening to him? His fiancé doesn’t notice anything wrong and is becoming close friends with Whitney. As events escalate, Blake realizes he made a fatal mistake allowing Whitney to move in. Who is this woman and why is she trying to destroy him? Or could it be his own guilty secret haunting him at night? 

Author Freida McFadden’s The Tenant is an intriguing, taut thriller that touches on subjects of revenge, privilege, betrayal and dark secrets that come back to haunt you. As always, her characterizations are vivid and realistic. As in most of her books, emotional stress, paranoia and a fear of the unknown play a role in a character’s unraveling. McFadden excels at keeping characters and readers on their toes, guessing and searching for answers to an intricately woven puzzle until the very end. The pace intensifies with the increasing downward spiral of Blake’s psyche. I enjoyed the point of view of a well-crafted, male main character perfectly portrayed by Blake as a man clueless as to why his world is crashing down around him. 

The Tenant is one of the only books by this author that I’ve figured out before the final reveal. Maybe it’s because I’ve read everything McFadden’s written and have learned to read the clues a little better, but I saw the climax coming early on. However, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment as I burned through pages to see what else would happen and how it would play out. While this isn’t my favorite offering from this talented author, it’s still a masterpiece in deception and betrayal. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and thrillers.