The Tenant by Freida McFadden

 

"Is it such an awful thing to want retribution against people who have wronged you?" - from The Tenant by Freida McFadden

Is it just me or is Freida McFadden one of the most prolific current authors on the market?  Don't believe me?  She released four books last year, has released two so far this year with at least one more scheduled.  If you love her work, four books a year is great news.  The problem is, at least in my opinion, eventually a book is going to feel phoned in or you're going to suffer with Freida Fatigue.  The Tenant feels very much phoned in.

The concept is solid and very much on brand for McFadden.  Blake and Krista need extra money after Blake loses his job and decide to rent out a room in their Manhattan brownstone.  Unfortunately, their tenant, Whitney, is not what she seems and begins turning their lives upside down.  Sounds good, right?   Well, let's talk about the biggest problem, at least for me.  Blake is an idiot.  Now, not every protagonist needs to be on par with Einstein, but Blake takes actions that are beyond stupid.  I was not just scratching my head but flat out yelling at my book over some of his decisions, particularly those that came after he began to suspect that Whitney might be just a little bit evil.    I get you have to suspend reality and embrace a little disbelief sometimes when reading but he's supposed to be an educated man who worked as a vice president so would he really let someone rent a room in his home (a Manhattan brownstone, no less) without any kind of lease or contract?  And it just goes from there. 

I won't give away any spoilers as far as The Tenant but I do have to add that the reveal was just too much dot connecting and/or impossibility and felt like a stretch (and yes, I know this is fiction).  There is the typical McFadden twist or twists, which I am always here for, that turns the story on its head and like her other books, The Tenant is a quick and easy read (I read it in a day). 

Would I recommend The Tenant?  Eh, probably not.  If you want a better Freida McFadden book, pick up Never Lie, The Housemaid, Do Not Disturb, or The Coworker.

Disclosure:  This book was purchased by me with my own funds.  My views and opinions are my own.  I was neither paid nor compensated for this review.