By: Taylor Clark

Frieda McFadden, bestselling author of titles such as The Housemaid series, Never Lie, and The Boyfriend, writes another bone-chilling thriller with ease. With movie rights having been acquired by Amazon, MGM, and United Artists following major publication success, The Tenant explores the power of identity, psychological destruction, and the mysteries of the past through the perspective of a desolate man. For fans of Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell, and Shari Lapena, McFadden’s tale of secrets, vulnerability, and ego proves that the simple act of opening one’s door might be the most consequential mistake of all. 

With no suitable job prospects and increasingly tense relations at home, Blake Porter’s thoughts continue to circle back to one particularly resentful question.  “Is it such an awful thing to want retribution against people who have wronged you?” After losing his job as Vice President of a marketing firm, the former sophisticate has grown desperate. A gorgeous brownstone property, shared with his equally gorgeous fiancée, Krista Marshall, requires a hefty mortgage payment that is still unaccounted for, despite searching for work. Blake feels guilty for the sudden inability to provide, and begins to exercise obsessively as a form of escapism, pushing a worried Krista even further away as a result. With their hands tied, the couple decides to rent out their spare room to alleviate the mounting financial burden. 

When the pair decides to house Whitney Cross, she almost seems too good to be true. She’s pretty, easygoing, and largely keeps to herself, but Blake can’t ignore the growing suspicions he feels toward her. Ever since the young, twenty-something blonde-haired woman moved into the house, the kitchen has a persistent and untraceable odor, maggots and fruit flies in the produce, food has vanished, and toiletries have been used without permission. Tensions rise, as Blake’s paranoia has convinced him that Whitney is subtly inflicting psychological abuses to ruin his livelihood, while Krista believes no such thing. As Blake digs deeper into Whitney’s background, he uncovers a truth so shocking and ghastly that he wishes they’d never opened their home to this complete stranger. 

Frieda McFadden is a master at crafting narratives for scrappy, indiscernible characters. She portrays the protagonist as a man riddled with fear, paranoia, and instability. As an unreliable narrator, the reader is taken on an emotional rollercoaster along with Blake, from his short-lived glory to his long-standing demise. The plot is quick, intense, and full of mystique, urging the reader to satiate their curiosity by continuing the novel. The Tenant is an exhilarating tale of appearance versus reality, as well as the fragility of one’s self. 

Unlike some of McFadden’s past storylines that felt predictable, I was utterly breathless when I learned the astonishing twist. While the characters can be senseless and lack dimension, the drive to discover the villain outweighs scrutiny for their insipidity. If you’re in search of a fiery, ardent thriller to liven up your cold afternoon, I recommend stepping into the chaotic, skeptical mind of Blake Porter as he navigates the complexities of unemployment, engagement, resentment, and the danger of placing trust in the wrong hands.

Taylor Clark (English, 2027) is a contributing Entertainment editor for the Tri-Lite, eager to contribute appealing and invigorating content for the school community at large. In addition to this review, Taylor has written as a Sports editor and hopes to cover many more subjects during the 2026 spring semester.

Sources:

D’Alessandro, Anthony. “Amazon MGM Studios’ UA, Scott Stuber Acquire Freida McFadden’s “The Tenant.”” Deadline, 27 June 2025, deadline.com/2025/06/amazon-mgm-studios-freida-mcfadden-the-tenant-scott-stuber-1236444552/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

IndieBookView. “How to Write a Great Book Review.” Independent Book Review, 16 Jan. 2023, independentbookreview.com/2023/01/16/how-to-write-a-great-book-review/. 

Mackenzie. “Book Review: The Tenant | Freida McFadden – the PhDiva Reads Books.” The PhDiva Reads Books –, 22 June 2025, phdiva.blog/2025/06/22/book-review-the-tenant-freida-mcfadden/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

McFadden, Freida. The Tenant. Poisoned Pen Press, 2025. 
Quinn, Elara. “Review — “the Tenant” by Freida McFadden: A Deliciously Chaotic Thriller.” Medium, 7 June 2025, medium.com/@elaraquinn/book-review-the-talent-by-freida-mcfadden-d515725ab1f4.  Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.