The tenant : do we really know who we have in our home? Another thriller by Freida McFadden. (ENG/ESP)

Good evening, fellow blog readers. I’m back to review another thriller by the talented Freida McFadden. This time, the protagonist isn't a woman but a man—Mr. Blake. He is attractive and successful, with a fiancée, Krista, whom he loves madly and wants to marry as soon as possible. His life seems idyllic, especially after landing a major promotion, but just as he is enjoying his well-earned success, his world falls apart. His boss fires him for allegedly violating company policy, giving him no chance to explain himself. Blake is saddled with a mortgage on a beautiful home and numerous expenses, yet now he finds himself unemployed and with a tarnished professional reputation. Krista continues to support him, but life is hard; the bills are piling up, and Blake cannot find a new job. Reluctantly, the couple decides to rent out a spare room. The first few applicants are bizarre, terrible characters—including a psychic who appears deeply disturbed and has a dark vision regarding Krista, telling her that Blake will kill her. Krista is shaken, especially since Blake’s personality has begun to change since losing his job; he is hurt by the accusation but redoubles his efforts to find work and be a good partner. Then, finally, Whitney applies for the room: a young, very pretty woman who seems kind and respectable. Blake feels a bit awkward at the thought of having an attractive woman in the house, but he reminds himself that he loves Krista—and, above all, that they need the money.

Buenas noches, estimados lectores del blog. Vuelvo para reseñar otro thriller de la talentosa Freida McFadden. Esta vez, el protagonista no es una mujer, sino un hombre: el señor Blake. Es atractivo y exitoso, y tiene una prometida, Krista, a quien ama profundamente y con la que desea casarse cuanto antes. Su vida parece idílica, sobre todo tras conseguir un importante ascenso, pero justo cuando disfruta de su merecido éxito, su mundo se desmorona. Su jefe lo despide por una supuesta infracción de las normas de la empresa, sin darle siquiera la oportunidad de explicarse. Blake carga con la hipoteca de una hermosa casa y numerosos gastos, pero ahora se encuentra desempleado y con la reputación profesional manchada. Krista sigue apoyándolo, pero la situación es difícil: las facturas se acumulan y Blake no logra encontrar un nuevo empleo. A regañadientes, la pareja decide alquilar una habitación libre. Los primeros candidatos son personajes extraños y detestables; entre ellos figura una vidente que parece profundamente perturbada y tiene una visión siniestra sobre Krista: le asegura que Blake la matará. Krista queda muy afectada, sobre todo porque la personalidad de Blake ha empezado a cambiar desde que perdió el trabajo; aunque la acusación le duele, él redobla sus esfuerzos por encontrar empleo y ser una buena pareja. Finalmente, Whitney se interesa por la habitación: es una mujer joven y muy guapa que parece amable y respetable. Blake se siente algo incómodo ante la idea de tener a una mujer atractiva en casa, pero se recuerda a sí mismo que ama a Krista y, sobre todo, que necesitan el dinero.

And so, life with Whitney begins. Krista seems to adore her and befriend her. Blake, however, begins to harbor resentment toward her due to a series of petty domestic grievances: his cereal and food disappearing, a strange stench in the kitchen (and he hates bad smells), nighttime noises keeping him awake, and a mysterious rash—he is allergic to certain detergents. Blake seems to be losing his mind; he gets no sleep, while Whitney appears to relish seeing him exhausted and on edge. His rash worsens by the day, forcing him to scratch constantly, and the kitchen odor becomes unbearable; he and Whitney begin playing spiteful tricks on each other, unable to stand one another. He finds a new job far beneath his talents, but things go poorly there as well; meanwhile, Krista begins to suspect he is losing his grip on reality and becoming paranoid about their housemate, who acts sweet and kind toward her. The harassment escalates; it seems the new housemate wants to make Blake’s life miserable and drive a wedge between him and Krista, aiming to make him appear insane—and indeed, he is close to the breaking point. He starts looking for ways to get her out of the house and retaliates against her antics with petty acts of revenge. With the situation at home and work becoming untenable, Krista begins to distance herself from him. Exasperated, Blake begins compulsively researching the woman living in their home—what will he discover about his unsettling new housemate? This author never disappoints; her books are always packed with suspense, surprises, and plot twists, making for a gripping read.

First and others pictures edited by my phone translation with deepl.