Author Freida McFadden (The Housemaid; The Boyfriend) is no stranger to shocking thrills and suspenseful twists. Blake Porter, however, is. When he is suddenly fired from his position as v-p of marketing, he struggles to pay the mortgage for his and his fiancée's new brownstone. Out of options, Blake and Krista look for a tenant to rent their extra room and alleviate some of their money troubles. Blake almost gives up after a handful of horrible prospects and is content to offer the room to Whitney, a seemingly normal and admittedly beautiful woman.
Blake thinks everything is going great--until it isn't. He can't figure out what is causing fruit flies to infest the kitchen, he breaks out in an awful rash, and he is kept awake at night by loud, unexplained noises. Blake becomes convinced that Whitney is to blame; stress from his upended work life and the increasingly disturbing occurrences at home heightens tensions between Blake and Whitney and puts his relationship with Krista at risk.
Among the growing list of things Blake can't explain is: Why? By the time he begins to put the pieces together, he fears that he may be too late. Playing with themes of secrets and lies, McFadden creates a thrilling story of revenge and employs a male narrator--a rarity in her oeuvre. Blake's perspective is enthralling and makes readers wonder what really turned his perfect relationship, job, and house into his worst nightmare. Full of surprises at every turn, The Tenant questions whether anyone can truly be trusted. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer