Looking after and tending to the needs of my tenants is what gives me purpose. Every day I go out of my way to watch over them and keep them safe. They are more than just paying guests, they are my neighbours and I will do whatever it takes to ensure they're happy. But when one of them is found dead in their apartment, everything I thought I knew is thrown into chaos. I always thought that danger only lived in the outside world,, it's why I haven't stepped a foot outside this building in five years. But I'm quickly realising that there is more for me to fear inside these walls.

This story has a unique plot. Eve has agoraphobia. She's the landlord who likes to spy on all of her tenants. In her opinion, the tenants are just one big happy family. But then one of her tenants is found dead, Eve feels she is losing her mind.

I quite enjoyed this book. The story is told from Eve's perspective. At times, I found her a little creepy. . We get twists, it's well-written, the characters are a mixed bunch. the pace is steady..

Published 18th August 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley .#BoldwoodBooks andthe author #MAHunter for my ARC of #TheTenants in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good one. At first I felt like there was a lot of random going on but everything came together in the final chapters. It’s always satisfying when a thriller wraps up all the loose ends, and this one definitely delivers on that front.

Highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers looking for a solid, engaging story.

No the best book ive ever read,but entertaining.
I wasnt particularly a fan of any of the characters,the MC wasa bit annoying at times, specially with her peculiarities. The plot felt a little choppy, but I enjoyed the twists. It read fast, good for a vacation or long ride.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review.

I just finished The Tenants by M.A. Hunter, and it’s a tense, claustrophobic thriller that had me second-guessing everything.

The story is told from the perspective of a reclusive building manager who hasn’t stepped outside in five years. Her life revolves around caring for her tenants watching over them, protecting them, and keeping the building running smoothly. But when one of them is found dead in their flat, everything begins to unravel. Secrets surface, paranoia spreads, and the narrator is forced to confront the building’s dark history… and her own.

What I loved:

🏢 The setting is brilliantly claustrophobic. The entire story takes place inside one building, and the sense of confinement adds so much tension.

🧠 The narrator is fascinating—deeply flawed, obsessive, and unreliable. I was constantly questioning what was real and what was distorted by her perspective.

🔍 The mystery unfolds slowly but deliberately. There’s a creeping dread that builds with each chapter, and the final twists genuinely surprised me.

🕵️‍♀️ The tenants themselves are well-drawn, each with their own secrets and motives. The dynamic between them felt real and unsettling.

This is a psychological thriller that thrives on atmosphere, character, and slow-burning suspense.

If you enjoy dark, character-driven mysteries with a locked-room feel and a narrator you’re never quite sure you trust, The Tenants is a gripping read.

there is a lot to unpack with Eve. the owner of said building after she inherited it from her dad. and boy i was happy to go along for the ride to try do just that.
this is a clever, tight and well told story. one with all those elements that make it a thriller with added emotional and thinking points to it. that adds layers to both plot and characters and so nothing is either really clear cut or without blurred lines.
Eve has agoraphobia. so her days are happily spent making sure her tenants are all ok, get what they need, looking out for them as she likes to call it. she thinks its exactly as it all should be. that is until one of the her tenants turns up dead. and things aren't adding up.
is Eve spiralling? or is there something more sinister going on here?
has Eve been protecting the wrong things? and what is going on behind the closed door of her tenants, are they not on her side?
are we meant to think as Eve as unreliable or is this a red herring and judgement on all our parts. but then the writing seems to be showing her unravelling. doesn't it? and so we go onwards being led only where Hunter wants to take us as he unravels the plot, the pace, the story. and i was happy to be led there in this woven and smart plot.
you feel the tension. you feel the atmosphere. its all heightened and getting tighter.
a book that captured me from beginning right until the end.

Eve goes out of the way to look after the tenants of her building. It’s almost as if she anticipates everything that’s going on in their lives, ready to jump in with just the fix.

Then one of them is found dead.

This is a really twisty story of unravelling secrets. One of those books that tells you that there’s secrets being hidden but won’t tell you right until the end.

I enjoyed it, and did find the plot twist surprising, but I also found Eve to be a little bit much (which could be the intention) at times. I will say, I didn’t quite expect the last chapter though 👀

Eve is a landlord with an interest in keeping her tenants happy. The problem? She goes too far, spying on tenants behind the walls to understand their needs and problems. When one tenant ends up dead, she finds herself spiraling and a person of interest.

This was a good thriller with good twists! It certainly made me glad I don’t rent an apartment in an old building. A quick, easy read for anyone looking for a good book with an unreliable narrator.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

3 stars

I like the short chapters, It did feel a bit drawn out though. Also I thought it was going to focus more on the tenants, but it was mostly about the manager/landlady. It was an average read, nothing too standoutish about it for me.

Eve suffers from agoraphobia and never leaves the building she owns- so instead she watches her tenants and tries to make life easier for them by meddling. At first it seems to keep her occupied, until she walks into a situation where one of them ends up dead. The twists and turns that unfold afterward kept me constantly on edge. This is a brilliant psychological thriller!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one was a real page-turner—so much so that I found myself racing through the chapters like a kid on a sugar high!

A dedicated landlord, Eve, cares for her tenants, viewing them as neighbors rather than just guests. However, when one tenant is found dead in the building, Eve's sense of safety is shattered. Previously believing danger was only outside, she discovers unsettling truths about her building's history and the secrets of its tenants. With police inquiries intensifying and tenants holding secret meetings, Eve must uncover the truth to protect everyone, even at the risk of her stability.

The protagonist, Eve, grapples with anxiety and agoraphobia, instantly drawing you into her world. You can’t help but empathize with her plight, yet you’re also itching to uncover the secrets lurking in her life. As we delve deeper into Eve’s story, alongside her adorable furry sidekick, a sense of suspicion creeps in regarding everyone around her. The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Seriously, unless you’re a mind reader, you won’t see most of the surprises coming! And when you think you’ve pieced everything together, the ending leaves you hanging—what will Eve do next? The choice is yours!

If you relish tales filled with lies, deceit, and a treasure trove of subtle hints that only reveal their significance at the end, this book is your next obsession. It’s a smooth read that kept me perched on the edge of my seat, and I devoured it in a single day. Don’t let this book slip through your fingers—grab it and get ready for a wild ride!

Thank you, Boldwood Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Interesting book, with good characters. Everyone had their flaws. Storyline was a little frustrating and the ending left too many questions.

Clever writing with a plot line you thought you knew the outcome!

More twists and turns than an helter-skelter. Do you really want to be a landlady of a HMO after reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

This was an enjoyable read for the most part! I liked the fact that it had short chapters, a fairly easy to follow storyline, and it kept me gripped throughout - I couldn’t put it down!

At times it did feel like there were a lot of characters being mentioned, who I had no idea about or how they related to the main story. It wasn’t too confusing though. There were a couple of twists that took me by surprise too which I enjoyed!😯

Whilst the ending felt like it lacked a little for me, it definitely feels open for a sequel! So I’m intrigued to see what the author writes next.

Overall this wasn’t a bad read, and I’ll be checking out other books by this author in the future! A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by M.A. Hunter and he did not disappoint!

The story follows Eve, who owns and manages an apartment building that she inherited from her dad. She is super conscientious and goes out of her way to tend to all of her tenants needs. She’s also extremely agoraphobic so never leaves the building. When one of her tenants dies she works to figure out what really happened as the suspected suicide just doesn’t sit right. All this while living with the memories of tragedy that happened in her past.

This is a well crafted mystery with lots of twists that I didn’t see coming. While the entire book is set in the building she manages the pace is fast and I kept wanting to read to find out what really happened present day and way back when.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

The Tenants benefit from Landlord Eve who will do anything to keep them happy. Eve was attacked a few years ago and she has become agoraphobic, after a tenant is killed she investigates the building she inherited and finds secrets she doesn’t need.

While I enjoyed Eve’s character, none of the other character had any substance to them and it seems a bit strange that the amount of detail given to Eve, wasn’t even considered to be shared out.

A really great premise which was let down by no character study.

M A Hunter does an amazing job in writing this book and how this used the psychological thriller going through this book. I was invested in what was happening and how the characters were used during this. I enjoyed the idea of this psychological thriller and how it was told in this book. The overall feel was everything that I wanted and was invested in how the storyline was told in a suspenseful way.

The Tenants written by M. A. Hunter is the great thriller book. I’m absolutely inspired by the emotional intensity and psychological depth of this thriller. Hunter doesn’t just craft suspense—he builds a world where fear, isolation, and resilience collide in unforgettable ways. Every page pulses with tension, but beneath it all is a powerful message: even in the darkest corners, truth and courage can shine through. This book reminds us that the walls we build, no matter literal or emotional can either protect or imprison us. And sometimes, breaking them down is the only way to truly live. If you love thrillers that challenge your thinking and stir your soul, this one’s a must-read. Highly recommend.

Woah!! This author has yet again written an absolutely brilliant psychological thriller that just keeps you on your toes! Twists and turns that kept me totally engaged also had me rethinking what I thought the outcome was going to be. Eve is the landlady of a set of flats in the house that she inherited from her late father. What the residents don’t realise is that she keeps a very very close eye on them all. Brilliantly described characters along with a cracking storyline I’d highly recommend this. I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give too much away!! Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

I struggled a bit with the writing style of this book and found our main character to be extrememly creepy. It does; however, highlight the toll that past trauma and uncared for/untreated mental health can have.

ARC review
Publication date 18 August 2025.

"The Tenants" by M A Hunter is a psychological thriller.

I received an e-ARC from Boldwood Books (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The story from this book is told from Eve's perspective.
She lives in a building that she inherited from her father.
Also, she is afraid to go outside, after she was attacked a few years ago.

After one of the tenants is found dead, she starts investigating the past of the building and some strange things start to happen to her.

The pace of the story is fast and I was interested in finding out more about what is going on.
Eve is not a lovely character and also an unreliable narrator. The fact that she also drinks a lot makes her think that she does things after passing out.

There are some twists in the story and the ending was unexpected.

Overall this is an interesting read and the tense atmosphere kept me engaged with the story.