silent patient book review

The Silent Patient

Alex michaelides.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 5, 2019

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As you will see, it’s an incredible story—of that there is no doubt. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.

But let us not forget that while Alicia Berenson may be a murderer, she was also an artist.

“Please don’t let’s get dramatic.”

“Perhaps I’m imagining it. But I’m sensing something … Keep an eye on it. Any aggression or competitiveness interferes with the work. You two need to work with each other, not against each other. ” “ But remember, with greater feeling comes greater danger. ”

“Her silence was like a mirror—reflecting yourself back at you.” ~“ Now I saw the truth. [She] hadn’t saved me— she wasn’t capable of saving anyone. She was no heroine to be admired —just a frightened, fucked-up girl, a cheating liar. This whole mythology of us that I had built up […] now collapsed in seconds—like a house of cards in a gust of wind.” ~“How was this possible? Had she been acting the whole time? Had she ever loved me? ” ~“Why did she do it? How could she?”

“She was a statue; a Greek goddess come to life in my hands.” ~ “He looked like a Greek statue” ~ “the actress playing Alcestis looked like a Greek statue” ~ “my fate was already decided—like in a Greek tragedy” ~ “Casting herself as a tragic heroine”.

“Her white dress glowed ghostlike in the torchlight” ~ “I remember so much white everywhere: […] the white of her eyes, her teeth, her skin. I’d never known that skin could be so luminous, so translucent ; ivory white with occasional blue veins visible just beneath the surface, like threads of color in white marble. She was a statue.” ~ “strands of long red hair falling across bony shoulders, blue veins beneath the translucent skin”.

Read more reviews on my blog

“...we often mistake love for fireworks - for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It's boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm - and constant.”

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The Silent Patient

By alex michaelides.

'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides is a mesmerizing psychological thriller with enough trickery leads that leave the reader in awe of the author's talent.

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

‘The Silent Patient’ holds the reader’s attention with its strong concepts of mystery and obsession. Alex Michaelides expertly violates predictability by producing a suspenseful story and characters that match. As the layers of the narrative disentangle, the plot takes unexpected turns, challenging the presumptions of readers.

Although the award-winning book pleased many, some have argued that the conclusion was known from the early part of the book. Others have criticized it for having underdeveloped characters, affecting the story’s depth and relatability.

Alicia Berenson is introduced at the beginning of ‘ The Silent Patient .’ Thought to have an enviable life, she surprises the public by shooting her husband in the face multiple times and becoming mute. When admitted to a psychiatric facility, she is named the “silent patient.”

Soon, a psychotherapist, Theo Faber, picks interest in her case. His interest metamorphoses into obsession as he unrelentingly strives to decode the truth behind her silence by involving her in therapy sessions and investigating her past.

The plot excellently creates the narrative of ‘ The silent patient ‘ by merging Alicia’s current activities at The Grove with Theo’s struggles to get her to communicate. Her diary notes provide a glimpse into her troubled mind. The reader is left with questions as Alicia confesses that she adored her husband and feared losing him. The author cleverly distributes hints throughout the book, leaving the reader doubting the initial murder suspect. As more details come to light, Michaelides’ storytelling keeps readers enthralled.

‘The Silent Patient’ climax is an exciting revelation that discloses the entangled knot of manipulation and deception. Successfully, the author challenges perceptions of love, sanity, and truth.

This psychological thriller entices readers who enjoy gripping tales. Lovers of ‘The Girl on the Train’ by Paula Hawkins and ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn will be delighted by Michaelides’ ability to keep them speculating until the concluding pages.

The Characters

The central characters of ‘The Silent Patient’ assist with Michaelides’ aim to educate the audience on mental health struggles. Alicia Berenson, the formal “silent patient,” is a painter confined to a mental institution after she brutally kills her husband and goes mute.

Using Alicia’s refusal to speak, Michaelides adds to the story’s mystery. Her thoughts are, however, exposed in her diary. There, she gradually exposes events leading to her husband’s murder. Alicia’s character plays a vital role, compelling readers to understand the reason for her silence.

Fascinated by Alicia’s works of art, her muteness, and the murder case, Theo Faber is determined to break her silence to discover the truth. His persistent pursuit of the truth significantly contributes to the story’s development. As the principal narrator, Theo’s analysis and personal struggles add depth to his character.

By employing different narrators and interlacing their perspectives, Michaelides creates a collage of false accounts that intensify the suspense and add layers of complications to the plot.

Critique of The Silent Patient

Strengths of the novel.

Published in 2019, ‘The Silent Patient’ is a remarkable debut novel that garnered global praise and left its mark on the world of literature. The book explores the inner workings of the human mind and delves into trauma, guilt, silence, and the restoring power of therapy. As Alicia’s therapist, Theo Faber, probes her history and the novel takes surprising turns as the extent of the human mind’s resilience is analyzed.

‘The Silent Patient’ achieved exceptional success, enthralling readers worldwide. Its multilayered storyline, carefully crafted characters, and suspense amassed acceptance from the public. The novel’s expert development and its review of complex psychological themes have strengthened its position as a modern classic in the thriller genre.

‘The Silent Patient’ also impacted the literary world by motivating a new wave of psychological thrillers. The book’s success emphasized the passion of readers for intriguing narratives that confront their perceptions and biases.

Weaknesses of the Novel

Although quite a popularly accepted literary piece, it contains several areas for improvement that have interfered with readers’ utmost enjoyment of the reading experience.

One of the crucial weaknesses lies in the plot. The story of Alicia Berenson, who gets constrained to The Grove based on murder and mental struggle, is slowly revealed with little originality. Many readers have thought the repetitive therapy sessions predictable and unnecessary. The continual movement from Alicia’s past (using her diary entries) to her present disrupted the flow of the story. Although this narrative style aims to build suspense, it becomes an obstacle, leading to an incoherent reading experience.

Professional critics have also argued against the book’s lack of depth and inability to elicit authentic emotions from readers. The secondary characters are shallow, and their actions are mostly inconsistent.

Finally, the book fails to deliver a gratifying conclusion. While aiming for a shocking revelation, it produces a rushed ending that leaves readers with unanswered questions and a sense of disappointment.

The Conclusion

At the end of ‘The Silent Patient,’ the author’s captivating style intrigues the reader. Yet, some readers may have been disappointed by the resolution, as the book took turns that challenged their assumptions at the story’s beginning.

Regardless of its potential dissatisfaction, the book is well-known for its creative use of suspense and its skillful depiction of complex characters.

How does the author’s writing style impact the book?

In ‘The Silent Patient,’ Michaelides employs a double-threaded narrative style, shifting between current events and the protagonist’s diary notes, which amplifies the mystery and engrosses the reader. The writing is precise yet evocative, creating an atmosphere of suspense and unease.

Explain the character development of Alicia Berenson in ‘The Silent Patient.’

‘The Silent Patient’ primarily focuses on the character development of Alicia. Illustrated initially as a veiled enigma, Alicia slowly reveals her complex psyche through her silence and art. In the dance of unfolding events, labyrinths of mental distress are exposed, displaying her vulnerability and hidden depths. Through therapy and introspection, Alicia confronts her past and reclaims control of her life.

What negative feedback did ‘The Silent Patient’ encounter from the audience?

One common negative feedback was concerning the narrative tempo. Many readers said the plot unfolded too slowly, leading to a lack of engagement. Also, a few readers expressed displeasure with the predictability of the story’s conclusion.

Is ‘The Silent Patient’ a book to read?

Yes, it is. Creatively combining elements of detailed narration and mystery, the author weaves together the perspectives of characters, forming a sense of compelling uncertainty that keeps the reader entranced.

The Silent Patient: Alex Michaelides' Psychological Thriller

Book Title: The Silent Patient

Book Description: 'The Silent Patient' is an absorbing psychological thriller with clever twists that takes the reader on a mysterious journey into the profundities of a disturbed psyche. The author creates a haunting atmosphere using the silence and mystery of the central character, Alicia Berenson.

Book Author: Alex Michaelides

Book Edition: Celadon Books edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Celadon Books

Date published: February 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1250301703

Number Of Pages: 336

• Writing Style

‘The Silent Patient’ is an absorbing psychological thriller with clever twists that takes the reader on a mysterious journey into the profundities of a disturbed psyche. The author creates a haunting atmosphere using the silence and mystery of the central character, Alicia Berenson.

• Evocative writing style
• Gripping psychological thriller
• Exploration of mental themes
• Predictability
• Restricted exploration of secondary characters
• Slow pacing

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Fave Ehimwenma is a proficient writer, researcher, and content creator whose love for art and books drives her passion for literature analysis.

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Author: Alex Michaelides

Publisher: Orion

Genre: Psychological thriller

First Publication:  2019

Language:  English

Major Characters:  Alicia Berenson, Theo Faber, Gabriel Barenson

Setting Place:  London, England

Theme: The Dangers of Unresolved or Improperly Treated Mental Illness, A failing system caused by Doctor biases

Narration: First Person from Theo and Alicia’s point of view

Book Summary: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer; she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face; and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander; a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him…

At first, I wasn’t sure that I would like this book; The Silent Patient seemed, for all intents and purposes, like just another generic psychological thriller books . In many ways it was, but in other ways, it stood out because of its excellent characters and the depth of the story and its themes. Looking beyond the façade of a picture-perfect married couple to see the dysfunction beneath the veil of modern life, The Silent Patient calls into question the horrific events which left one dead and another living a mute existence in a mental hospital.

“Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.”

Alicia Berenson is a famous painter who has been admitted to the Grove, a forensic unit in North London. She has been charged with murdering her husband, Graham, who is a fashion photographer, after he returns home late one evening. After shooting Graham, Alicia has never spoken again.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who accepted a job at the Grove in the hopes of working with Alicia. He is obsessed with learning her motive. He knows he can get her to talk. Others have tried – others have failed. Will he be successful?

Although Alicia does not speak, the reader gets a glimpse into her life through Theo’s discussions with those in her life. Well, more to the point, we get their impressions of her, things they know about her and their own assumptions about her. The reader gets to learn even more about Alicia through her diary entries. Finally, Alicia “speaks” via the written word. But what could have led her to shoot her husband? Will she ever speak? Why isn’t she speaking now? Is it by choice? Is it due to trauma?

“There’s so much pain everywhere, and we just close our eyes to it. The truth is we’re all scared. We’re terrified of each other.”

We have sections mostly from Theo’s point of view as he tries to get Alicia to talk and then snippets from Alicia’s journal. This helps up piece together pieces of the puzzle from the past along with Theo talking to Alicia’s friends and family — almost like a detective. Interesting to learn that these actions aren’t recommended for psychotherapists, you are meant to just treat the patient.

Theo is also an interesting character. Most of the novel is told through him. The reader also gets a glimpse into his life, his thoughts and the inner workings of his mind. I was curious as to why he was so obsessed with learning her motive. Why is he so driven to learn the truth? Is he a fan or her artwork? Will learning the truth advance his career?

There are many secondary characters that add depth to the story. Some pop up briefly, several have recurring roles & others lurk in the background. Each brings something to the table, even in their absence. But make no mistake…this is the Alicia & Theo Show.

“Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes, and not promise the impossible?”

Alicia is an enigma from the start. In the present, she is a shadow of her previous self. But through her thoughts & memories, we begin to put flesh on her bones as we learn about her childhood & subsequent relationship with Gabriel. Friends & colleagues chime in with their observations & put a slightly different slant on her perfect life. Whatever your impression of her, one thing is clear…her voice may be lost but there is absolutely nothing wrong with her mind.

It’s up to Theo to carry the conversation during their regular sessions. And initially he’s more than up for the task. It’s not just about the satisfaction of helping a damaged soul. He’s well aware his colleagues have tried & failed to reach Alicia. If he can get her to speak, it would mean validation of his abilities & a huge feather in his cap. As time goes by, we watch as he becomes obsessed with cracking his famous patient & desperation leads to questionable judgement on his part. You begin to wonder if its a quest for professional glory or a classic case of hubris.

“You know, one of the hardest things to admit is that we weren’t loved when we needed it most. It’s a terrible feeling, the pain of not being loved.”

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a dark book, but a compelling mystery and powerful look at psychotherapy and the connection between a patient and a doctor. In spite of the strict bounds of ethics, it’s a strangely deep connection which takes somebody’s life into account; and as Theo tries to fit the scattered puzzle pieces of Alicia’s life together, what he finds is totally unexpected. In spite of being vaguely far-fetched and over-dramatic at times, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides mostly carries a genuine, honest and realistic feature which makes it all-the-more gripping and engaging.

From the opening pages I knew that I would read to the final page because I had to understand why Gabriel was snuffed in such convincing fashion. It’s one of those books where it’s best to go in blind. Although this is a first novel, the author has written screen plays & it definitely shows in the expert pacing & story telling. I can easily imagine this as a film. I had my suspicions about Gabriel’s death but the motive is only revealed near the end. And what an end it is. There’s something really satisfying about a character getting what they so karmically deserve.

Buy Now: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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How a Failed Screenwriting Career Forged a Best-Selling Author

Before he wrote “The Silent Patient,” Alex Michaelides tried and tried again to make movies.

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By Elisabeth Egan

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“I don’t know why I’m writing this” happens to be the first line of Alex Michaelides’s debut thriller, “The Silent Patient,” which is now in its 46th week on the trade paperback best-seller list. This statement appears in a character’s diary, but one can imagine it crossing the author’s mind after his screenwriting ambitions fizzled.

“It was a pretty checkered career, to be polite,” Michaelides said in a phone interview. “I made three films and they went from bad to worse.”

He declined to name the movies (they are listed on IMDb ), but explained that “one was so bad it didn’t get released,” another went straight to DVD and the third had a brief run in theaters.

“I was at a party in Los Angeles and I was talking to somebody and it turned out he’d actually seen a film that I’d made,” said Michaelides, who grew up in Cyprus and now lives in London. “He went, ‘Wow, having seen that film, I didn’t expect you to be so interesting.’ It was at that moment when I thought, ‘I’m going to give up writing films. I’ll finally write that novel that I’ve been putting off for 25 years.’”

With Agatha Christie as his inspiration, Michaelides got to work on “The Silent Patient.” He approached the project casually, so as not to feel undue pressure (“It was just this stack of pages I carried around”). He quit drinking while he was writing the first draft, and meditated three times a day for 30 minutes. “If you go to bed sober and you’ve meditated and you’re thinking about the book, it permeates your dreams,” he explained. “You stay in the river, so to speak, for weeks at a time.”

Four years later, a month after his 40th birthday, Michaelides sold the book. Not only has it been a stalwart across hardcover, paperback and audio best-seller lists, “The Silent Patient” has inspired a slew of #BookTok videos with 14 million viewers. A movie is in the works. The sale of the film rights provided a nice full-circle moment for Michaelides, who is now grateful for the “edge of desperation” that pushed him into the book-writing arena in the first place. “I’d spent a lifetime trying to meet these producers,” he said. “When the film rights went to auction, a few of them who will remain nameless, who I had been desperately trying to meet for years, got hold of my cellphone number and were calling me at 11 o’clock at night and were trying to persuade me to sign with them.”

Elisabeth Egan is an editor at the Book Review and the author of “A Window Opens.”

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The Silent Patient (Review, Book Summary & Spoilers)

By alex michaelides.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, a twisty psychological thriller.

In The Silent Patient , Alicia Berenson is a well-known painter who murdered her husband six years ago and hasn't spoken a word since. He was found bound to a chair with gunshot wounds to his face, and she was convicted soon thereafter.

Theo Faber is a psychotherapist who hopes to treat Alicia and uncover the mystery behind her motives for killing her husband. As they sit in silence, the main clue he has is a painting she completed. She titled it Alcestis , named after a heroine in Greek mythology who sacrifices her life to save her husband.

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

Part I introduces Alicia, a painter. Her husband was found tied up and shot dead. She has not spoken a word since, though she produced one last painting (entitled "Alcestis"). Alicia was found guilty and sent to a mental facility. Six years later, Theo takes her case over from another doctor, Christian. Theo learns about Alicia's prior trauma, stemming from her mother suicide attempt with a young Alicia in the car.

In Part II , Theo tries to treat Alicia by reducing her meds, allowing her to paint and talking to outside sources to learn more. (Theo finds out Alicia had once been assaulted by her brother in law, Max. And Jean owns the gallery Alicia's art was in, but she had been planning on switching galleries.) Alicia and her neighbor had also noticed a man (Alicia had suspected Max or Jean) hanging outside her house in the time prior to Gabriel's death. Theo also learns that "Alcestis" is the story of a Greek goddess who was sent to Hades (death) in the place of her husband. She was later saved, but never spoke again. Meanwhile, Theo discovers his wife Kathy is cheating on him.

In Part III , Theo follows Kathy and sees that her lover is also married. Theo also learns that Christian (Alicia's doctor before Theo) had actually treated her even before Gabriel's death. Christian didn't tell anyone because it had been an unlicensed practice. This leads Theo to learn more about Alicia's prior trauma (after her mother's suicide, Alicia father wished Alicia had died instead). When Theo brings this up to Alicia, she finally begins to speak. Alicia tells him about the night of Gabriel's death. She says that man showed up, tied them up and shot Gabriel. Before he can follow up, the next day Alicia is found in a coma. Theo sees that she was injected by morphine, tells the others about Christian and Christian is arrested.

In Part IV , Theo goes to the house of Kathy's lover. It's Gabriel, and his wife Alicia is there, too. (This is the big reveal of the book. In other words, all the sections about Kathy, her cheating, and her lover were in the past . Theo is the mysterious man Alicia had seen hanging around the house and who showed up the night of Gabriel's death).

In Part V , we learn the real story from Alicia's diary. Theo went to Gabriel's house to show what a dirtbag Gabriel was. Theo tied Gabriel and Alicia up, exposed him as a cheater, and told Gabriel to choose which one of them he should kill. Gabriel chose Alicia, but instead Theo simply untied Alicia, and left. Then, Alicia shot Gabriel.

From Alicia's diary, we learn that Theo is the one who gave her the morphine. Theo knew from her story that she must have recognized him (she told an inaccurate story to test him). The night of Gabriel's death, Theo hadn't known about her traumatic history of feeling uncared for, and didn't know his stunt would result in her killing Gabriel. Later, Theo had taken for her case to genuinely try to treat her (he felt guilty about his involvement), but when Theo realized she recognized him, he had to kill her. The book ends with the police having found her diary and showing up at Theo's house (to ask him about it and presumably to arrest him).

For more detail, see the full Section-by-Section Summary .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Book Review

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides shows you exactly what type of book it’s aiming to be from the very first sentence: “Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband.” No messing around here.

For people who like their thrillers-slash-mysteries to have twisty plots and straight-forward writing, this recent release is one to look at (but with some big caveats, so keep reading). Since its February 2019 release, it’s been climbing all over the bestseller charts and is being developed into a movie by heavy-hitters Annapurna and Plan B.

The Good Stuff

Let’s start with the good stuff. The premise of this book is fantastic. I was engaged right away. The ending is surprising, even if you guess the twist (I didn’t, but some might), and the way the crucial scene of the book plays out is well done. I was skeptical of whether the book would come together, and I pleasantly surprised that it ultimately does.

For most thrillers, I think, the ending is the make-it-or-break it aspect of the story, and this one is pretty solid. Michaelides’s debut novel is an easy, accessible and entertaining read, and it will undoubtedly make for a thrilling movie if and when that is released.

Overall, the story keeps your interest and is well-paced. It reads pretty much the way a thriller should read, with plenty of twists and intriguing bits of information doled out at a steady clip.

Some Criticisms

So, the flaws in this book are numerous, but they’re also pretty standard for the genre. The characterizations of characters are sort of silly or cartoonish (the motherly female doctor! the arrogant doctor who gets in the way! and so on). Michaelides throws in so many red herrings and false starts that the book begins to have an unintentionally campy feel. (Without giving anything away, when we find out why Theo gets knocked out, I actually rolled my eyes.)

As for the writing, it’s passable, but leaves a bit to be desired. It serves to move from one plot point to the next (sometimes rather clumsily), and that’s about it. And while I liked the ending, a lot of the minor plot “twists” are pretty uninspired — there’s a lot of “he said, she said” in the mushy middle of the book that more closely resembles a jumbled mess than an entertaining mystery. Most of those red herrings are left unresolved.

Finally, despite the steadily moving pace of the book, it takes a while to get into the meat of the book. There’s a range of characters to be introduced and decent chunk of background information to go over before the action starts to happen. As a result, it relies frequently on one of my least-favorite literary/mystery “tricks” to try to sustain the reader’s interest as it doles out background information — it throws out ominous-sounding narration to reassure you that things will get interesting later (I didn’t know then that it was doomed, I would later realize my mistake, etcetera and etcetera). Not a big deal, but I wish people wouldn’t do this.

Read it or Skip it?

The Silent Patient is a thriller that nails the ending, and for that reason alone I’m inclined to forgive a lot of its imperfections. I was perplexed by the main mystery in this book and felt that gratifying “oh man, I should have guessed this!” feeling when it was revealed. For me, this goes a long way.

As a fan of thrillers, I’m fairly forgiving of books in this genre that aren’t perfect. I found this book mildly entertaining, and I think there’s lots of people who will enjoy reading it, especially if you love smartly laid out plots.

That said, my main thought is that it will be much better as a movie. (And I wouldn’t be surprised if the potential to sell movie rights is why the publisher picked it up in the first place.) The basic frame of a really good plot is there, it just needs some retooling and a little more nuance. Given the fantastic reputation of the studios developing it, anyone who is not a fan of a genre should probably just watch to movie when it comes out.

That said, if you do like psychological thrillers and are not nit-picky about your books, this is a quick and fun read overall. If you liked The Wife Between Us , for example, you might like this book. Check out the Silent Patient on Amazon .

P.S. Listen to my discussion of this book on the Most Read Books podcast, Ep. 1 The Silent Crawdads & the Six .

The Silent Patient, Explained!

Spoilers and Explanation start here! Don’t read beyond this point if you haven’t read the book! Keep reading if you’ve read the book, but have questions!

Where can I find a full plot summary of The Silent Patient?

For the full summary of The Silent Patient, see the Detailed Plot Summary

Help! I’m confused. What’s the main plot twist in The Silent Patient?

Okay, this is the quick and dirty version. A detailed summary of the book is available over here .

The Silent Patient is told with two intertwined timelines . The first is before the murder where Theo falls in love but gets cheated on. Theo then tracks down the “other man” (Gabriel), who turns out to be married to Alicia. Theo (wearing a ski mask on his head) ties them up, outs Gabriel as a cheater, and gets Gabriel to show what a jerk he is. (Theo asks Gabriel which one of the two of them — Gabriel or Alicia — he should shoot, and Gabriel chooses Alicia). Theo doesn’t actually shoot anybody, but Alicia is horrified enough by Gabriel’s answer that she shoots Gabriel.

The second timeline is what happens afterwards. Theo gets the job as Alicia therapist because he genuinely feels bad about what happened with her. However, Theo eventually figures out that Alicia does, in fact, recognize him as the masked man. He ends up killing her to protect himself, but not before she writes the truth in her diary. The book ends with the police coming to question him about the diary.

The big twist is when you realize that they are two different timelines (one before the murder, the other after) being told at once, and Theo was the “masked man” that prompted the murder (though Alicia is the one who actually did it).

What happens at the end of The Silent Patient

At the end of The Silent Patient, Theo goes to confront the guy that Kathy has been cheating on him with and we find out that it’s Gabriel. Gabriel’s wife is Alicia Berenson.

In other words, the entire book has been told jumping back and forth in time. The parts involving Kathy are all in the past. The entire book is happening because Kathy cheated on him (with Gabriel) and then it resulted in Theo showing up at Gabriel and Alicia’s house.

Theo tied up Gabriel and Alicia to scare them and to expose Gabriel as the slimeball he is. He forces Gabriel to admit that he’d be willing to let Alicia get shot to save himself. What Theo did not foresee was that Alicia would go ahead and shoot Gabriel.

The way that it plays out in present day is that after many months of therapy, Alicia finally talks. When she speaks, she tells Theo what happened on the night of Gabriel’s death — but she changes the story slightly to test his response.

However, from that story, Theo realizes that Alicia does recognize him as the masked intruder who tied them up. As a result, he injects her with something to force her to overdose, and it puts her in a coma.

Unbeknownst to Theo, before Alicia blacks out from the drugs, she wrote down her story and revealed Theo as the masked intruder. Jean (Alicia’s friend/gallery owner) ends up finding it and turning it into the police. The book ends with the police inspector showing up to confront Theo about Alicia’s admission.

What was Theo’s motivation in The Silent Patient?

Why did Theo want to treat Alicia? Theo initially genuinely wants to help Alicia. He didn’t think she would recognize him, and a part of him felt guilty about triggering the chain of events which landed her in the asylum.

Why did Theo kill Alicia? He had been wearing a mask when he tied them up and didn’t think Alicia would recognize him. He didn’t think Alicia would shoot Gabriel, because he didn’t know her past mental instability. When he planned out the scene revealing Gabriel to be a cheater, he genuinely just wanted to out him. Later, Theo realizes that Alicia is stuck in an asylum and not coping, so he feels bad that he started all this and goes there to help her. However, when he realizes that she has figured out who he is, he has to kill her.

How did Theo end up with the gun?

So, I’m not sure this is fully explained in the book (someone feel free to correct me if I’m wrong).

Basically, Theo shows up to the house with a knife, but ends up with Alicia/Gabriel’s gun. (In her diary, Alicia mentions that they have a gun, and she moves it into their cupboard at one point.) It’s not clear how exactly he knows where it is or how to find it.

I figured that Theo had seen the gun while stalking them. After threatening Alicia with the knife and tying her up, Theo probably went and found it. Alternatively, perhaps Theo saw Alicia go hide it while he was stalking them.

I don’t think there’s a clear answer here, but that’s what I figured probably happened.

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Thanks for the detailed review. I was thinking about reading it, even so, I haven’t decided yet! It seems that there are plenty of thrillers which are ‘technically’ passable, or even good, but not brilliant, and the red herrings, small and big twists are surprising, but often expected. It’s not easy for an author to write a ‘different’ thriller. I started reading Only Daughter recently, and I was really intrigued at first, but it’s quickly (25% in) becoming one of those thrillers in which every single character is suddenly getting a little crazy and very nasty… I’m not sure what will happen now, but I’m worried that the expectation at the beginning might just fizzle out…

Thanks for your thoughts! Honestly, if you don’t mind thrillers that are sort of imperfect (like you know they could be better) and are able to just enjoy the things that they do well, I think you might enjoy the Silent Patient. :) I still enjoyed it, so I think it just depends what type of reader you are!

Thanks, I know what you mean.

I think you sort of recommended The Wife Between Us. I’m going to go with that one. This reminds me of the last US election — the lesser of two evils. This is a very good review.

haha hope you like it if you get a chance to read it — there are a LOT of twists in that one so watch out!

Nicely done review.

Thanks Martie! :)

Thanks for the lovely review! I have been very hesitant about picking up this one even as a potential read but now I kinda have an idea what to expect with this one. I might pick it up just to see how the good bits play out.

thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it — it’s not a perfect book but it is a fun thriller I think! happy reading!

hmm it may have some things wrong with it but it still sounds interesting to me, I love thrillers and psychological thrillers! thanks for the review!

Happy reading! :) Thanks for dropping by!

It is frustrating when we’re duped into thinking it gets better, the build up of suspense has to match the revelation. Although, how much does the fact that there are so many thrillers that we become desensitised to the shocking reveal? I’m excited to see how it’ll play out on screen, and I think I’ll skip the book, so I can be fresh with suspense when I watch the film. Great review!

Hi Sophia, thank you! I’m hopeful the movie will be really good and gone girl-esque, though it might take a while for it to come out. I totally agree though, there’s so many great twists and endings that people are so used to at this point, writers/screenwriters are going to have a harder and harder time trying to surprise people. Thanks for dropping by!

This book is so hyped. If you said it would be better as movie, then I hope it will be filmed, because I’d like to see it rather then read it.

haha yeah, I think that’s probably the way to go for this one. thanks for reading the review and leaving your thoughts! :)

Great review. I appreciate your thoughts and will probably wait for the movie. My reading time is so limited. Thanks.

Thanks Rosie! If the movie ends up getting made, I bet it’ll be really good. Thanks for dropping by!

I guessed the ending but I still thought the book was great. Fantastic thorough review!

Thank you Krista, much appreciated!

Hi there, when I reached the twist, my immediate thought was omg, this is exactly like The Wife Between Us, but I liked this one better. I guessed the plot of The Wife Between Us but this book was a slap on my face lol . I totally agree with all your “not so great part” of this book. This book definitely could have been better 😀.

I felt so stupid for not guessing the ending after I’d already read The Wife Between Us! But I think that’s why I was impressed by the basic plot of this book, I think he did a good job of making things come together in a surprising way that’s well set-up…even if some of the other aspects of the book weren’t perfect. Thanks for reading!

Loved your review because it’s so thoughtful and intelligent. The “mushy middle” description made me smile–I’m a writer and the middle of a book is a b***h to write.

Thank you, Emma! Haha, I can believe that. I wanted to make the point that even despite whatever flaws, I still enjoyed the book. And it’s being doing really well sales-wise, so even an imperfect book can be enjoyable and sell well :)

Thanks! This was our book club selection and reading it will refresh parts i’ve forgotten before the meeting!

that’s good to hear! thanks for letting me know it was useful to you, I appreciate it!

Great review! Recently the title caught my eye. I hesitated to purchase the book as one has only so much time to read in any given day. I think your review managed to change my mind though. Thanks! :-)

That’s great to hear, thank you! And thanks for letting me know! Happy reading :)

Thanks for the review! I actually just picked up Little Fires Everywhere yesterday, so now I’m even more excited to get started. :)

Great review. It’s on my tbr list, but I may read a preview before I invest time in this one.

I still confused. It was said theo was wearing a mask when he tied alicia and gabriel. but later, alicia said in her last entry, that after theo pulled the trigger alicia noticed she’s still alive and “theo was still there-pointing the gun to the ceiling. he smiled. he put his finger to his lips, telling me to keep quiet” and then “he kissed me ever so gently”. does that means theo eventually showed off his face? or is it too dark for alicia to see…

I guess with some ski masks you can still see part of the person’s face? Yeah it’s a bit confusing…

I was a huge fan of this book. i am not much a reader and this book had my nose shoved in it for three days straight so i could finish it. Some parts of the book felt like they hit home to as well..It is great book for reminders as married couples, people battle depression or battling inner issues. I will be looking for more books by this author!! LOVED LOVED LOVED!!

I agree with a lot of what you say, but I am getting tired of reading books with a twist for twist sake. So much of what makes a good twist is the idea that most of everything that came before it could be interpreted differently when viewed after the twist. Everything with the art gallery owner / friend makes so little sense in retrospect.

Why did the detectives not see the chairs when they came? Did Alicia move them? And if so why?

What about the snow at the end? How the police man/investigator was reading him the entry from the diary, and then in the next paragraph is him feeling the snow on his hands. I know throughout the story people are like oh it’s going to snow tonight and it never did. Did the built-up snow represent his secret but now it’s finally coming down and is revealed?

Hi Kylie — I went and checked the book, it looks like when the officer is reading to him, he’s next to a window and opens it in order to reach out for a snowflake. Earlier in the book he talks about how he associates snow with “grasping at happiness” and how snow wipes everything clean, so I think it’s a way of saying that there’s some sense of relief at his secret being found out? Maybe it’s hinting that now that he’s caught, he’ll be able to get the psychiatric help he needs as well? I think it’s meant to be ambiguous, but seems to hint at a vaguely positive ending. That’s my take, anyway!

Thankyou for a marvellous review. I read this after finishing the book, coz as rightly pointed, there r several flaws that leave question marks… Your explanation of the symbolism with snow in the end of the story was a good closure for me as I was left craving for some sort of final confession/regret from Theo in the end. Thankyou again for helping me let go!

Hi! I am wondering about Theo’s reaction to being caught. It is relief? What is the significance of the snowflakes?

Why does Theo need to kill Alicia? If he never went to work there, she never would have had the chance to identify him.

Hi Cc08, Theo goes because he feels badly about what happened and genuinely wanted to help her. He didn’t realize she would recognize him. Cheers!

It was really interesting to find out why Alicia was not saying a word even if she was called as murderer. The best part was the final reveal of the mystery.

Hello there, I do appreciate this option now a days. That we can do this. I do really like this book. I heard the audiobook on a roadtrip and loved it. Maybe because I couldn’t read it through like a book I missed this but I am confused when Allecia had the chance to hide the book in the painting. The audiobook made it seem she was in her own room. Seperate from her art gallery and it seemed she was dying quite quickly as she was writing these events. I am just curious. Did I miss something?

Thank you for the detailed review. I had just finished reading ‘The Silent Patient’ and was a bit confused so I was looking for some answers. I had actually thought the main character had DID (newer name for Multiple Personality Disorder) and all the people in the story were Alters (parts of the same person!); I thought the main person (or host) was Alicia. In other words, each time there was a traumatic event in her life an alter would be “born” and that’s how they all came to be …But then I thought Theo was the main character (or the host). I put off these inconsistencies as it just “appeared” that way depending which Alter was out at the time. So am very thankful for your in debt review!

glad to hear it was helpful! :)

How does theo knw where alicia keeps her fun or if she has one.. when he comes as a masked intrudee

What do you think about the weather. In the present story (treating alicia) its winter. And the murder was in the hot summer. But when he talk about kathy ( should be in the summer) it says she had coat and gloves.

hmmm very perceptive — I’ll need to go back and check it out but my initial thought is that the stuff with Kathy happens over a period of time so perhaps the coat+gloves stuff is the previous winter?

I’m glancing through this rather quickly and will look more closely at it. My reason for coming here is to understand the plot. I admit I’m pretty ADD and I could have missed something. I’m a little lost on the plot?

I felt like it was an odd twist. I felt like this affair was going on the whole time he was treating her. Then he followed the guy and wanted to kill him. Then he was going to help this woman that was getting cheated on…. but all this happened before he was treating her?

What did I miss?

Hi, I’ve updated the post to answer your question!

Why does Theo act surprised and tell the hospital that he suspects someone tried to kill Alicia?

he’s trying to frame the other doctor

At the end of the book, when he opens the window to put his hand out to catch a snowflake, and then put it on his tongue. It then says he stretches out again to catch some more…to me that suggested he had thrown himself out of the window in a suicide bid. Is that an accurate interpretation? It would follow the lines of Alicia’s attempt after she shot Gabriel…for both characters (Theo and Alicia) to meet a similar end seems apt.

Hey Abigail — I commmented about this previously, but I definitely think it’s open to interpretations. Here’s my previous thoughts about it:

When the officer is reading to him, he’s next to a window and opens it in order to reach out for a snowflake. Earlier in the book he talks about how he associates snow with “grasping at happiness” and how snow wipes everything clean, so I think it’s a way of saying that there’s some sense of relief at his secret being found out? Maybe it’s hinting that now that he’s caught, he’ll be able to get the psychiatric help he needs as well? I think it’s meant to be ambiguous, but seems to hint at a vaguely positive ending. That’s my take, anyway!

So at last when the inspector arrives at Theo’s place and reads Alicia’s diary for him as Theo is sitting beside his window catching snowflakes , ‘he smiles’ is what it ends with . So then Theo is caught by the police for injecting Alicia and putting her into coma?? Pls explain.♥️

What happened to KATHY?

What happenns with the inspector, did he arrest Theo

Thanks for this review! I’ve had this nagging question since reading this book that I can’t seem to come to a conclusion about: Why would Alicia give Theo her journal? In essence, she was giving away the only evidence she had. He could have destroyed it at any point, and she would be left with nothing. What do you think?

I’m a bit confused. The role of forensic psychotherapist doesn’t exist in the UK. Whay has no one picked up on thos fatal flaw. We are Forensic Psychologists.

Oh that’s interesting. I’m U.S.-based (and don’t really know anything about the field) but based on some other “facts” presented in the book, it’s pretty clear he wasn’t trying to be all that accurate on the medical side of things unfortunately :(

how did Thoe got to know where was the gun?why did he brought the knife he only wanted to confront her?

Because he is a psychopath

Why did Alicia kill her husband

When I saw the author is a screenwriter all I could think of was that he wrote the book to be easily adapted into a marketable movie. It was a page turner that I read really fast which is good since I’m busy and don’t have tons of time to read. The mushy timeline was kind of suspicious but I just assumed I missed something that explained it. I didn’t figure out the ending but the red herrings were obvious. Love this genre so it was worth reading but not as good as many others of its type.

I loved reading through your review. Having read the book myself, I agree to your critique. I have a question, why did Alicia paint her and Theo running out of the burning hospital? What does it signify?

I don’t get the ending, was Theo arrested when the police find out the diary and what does that line mean when Theo said in the last “and I went to catch another one” did he jump out of the window? Suicide? Or was he simply arrested?

What lesson do we get from silent patient book?

Does theo also kill the agent in the end, and end up silent at a facility? Since he mentions him watching outside of the window..

ooo I never considered that idea, but I kinda like that theory haha

What happened to theo in the end? Did inspector Allen suspect him?

Great review! Just finished this book and enjoyed it but I confess I’m here for an explanation of the ending!! I got a little confused and partially understood the twist but was left with an itch I couldn’t scratch. I’m fine now after reading your review and spoilers – thanks!

so glad to be able to help! and thanks for dropping by! :)

what happened with Cathy ..Theo’s wife within these 6 years.?

Awesome! I have read the novel. Just googled it to see how people are reacting to it. For me, I found it wonderful. I especially love the twist at the end. This book is highly recommended. Everyone must read it.

You say that Theo had to kill Alicia because he realized she recognized him as the man who entered her house wearing a mask. So what? He’s in no danger of being exposed. She is not a threat to him, and the police aren’t going to believe what a crazy woman says. Why would Theo kill Alicia?

That’s the way it’s explained in the book, but you can decide if you find that explanation satisfactory or not

I simply loved The Silent Patient!. I also was so absorbed with the plot and narration that I didn’t see the end coming and yes,it literally blew me off! I have a website too and I am also writing a review of The Silent Patient. I really loved your way of writing and yet to fully visit your blog which I am sure would be amazing!. Keep blogging! Joel

So Did gabriel ever loved Alicia?

Why did Theo spend so much time talking to Jean-Felix, Paul, Max ect to try and solve the crime if he already knew what happened?

Because Theo knew that Alicia didn’t kill Gabriel just because she came to know that he had affair. The emotions Alicia had when she shot her husband were originated with events of the distant past , with abuse and mistreatment at a young age. So , Theo wanted to find out how her childhood had shaped her. Which he eventually found out(about her father saying Alicia would have died instead of her mother.He had killed Alicia , just like what happened with Alcestis). Gabriel was the second man to condemn Alicia to death, which was more than what she could bear—which is why she killed Gabriel.

I enjoyed your review a great deal. That said, it seems that what you believe to be the less successful parts of the book, and the emphasis you put on them, have scared people away from what, on the whole is a very good read.

What happened when police confront theo??

I doubt why did alicia spoke, like what forced her to do so?.. After so many years of silence what urged he??

Why did Theo tell everyone that Alicia didn’t overdose herself, instead murder was attempted on her?

Nice review! It helped clear up a lot of things after reading it. But I’m still left with a question(a quite dumb one, i feel), did Theo at the beginning of the book, knew everything from the start like what he did to Alicia, Gabriel, and all those things? Sorry, I just finished the book a while ago my brain is still in kind of a mush

This might be an irrelevant question, but I thought I’d ask in case you have any thoughts.

Why exactly was Alicia unable or unwilling to speak after what happened?

I understood the literary purposes for Alicia’s silence- namely: (1) to parallel the novel’s heroine & events with those of the play Alcestis, and (2) its purpose as a plot device to heighten the mystery and compel Theo to seek Alicia out

But considering Alicia’s silence strictly within the confines of the novel’s universe, I don’t understand it. I don’t think she refused to speak as a sort of performance-art-like tribute to Alcestis. I feel like there may be some 3rd (psycholigical?) reason that I’m not grasping.

Basically, do you have any ideas as to why did Alicia’s trauma manifested itself as muteness?

I just need to understand one small thing, why did Theo drug Alicia at the end, he had not been the killer, he never knew Alicia would kill Gabriel, why did he try to silence Alicia? Alicia killed Gabriel, he just informed Alicia of the infidelity.

What happened to Theo? Was he arrested after the inspector read the last entry of Alicia’s diary?

Does the ending indicate that theo had been arrested?

Why did Alicia give Theo her diary if she knew who he was?

I finished reading the book, but wondering how Theo knew that Alicia knew it was him. I know she was testing him by falsifying the story, however, what if she was just lying to lie. Why would her telling a false story make it obvious to Theo that she knew him? It’s seems slightly far fetched that he realized she knew it was him just because she created a fake story. Am I missing something?

Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Article contributed by Rosie Smith

What really happened that night in this idyllic household? A famous artist and top fashion photographer appear to have it all… However a sudden horrific shooting of Gabriel, Alice’s boyfriend, leaves Alice taking a vow of silence lasting six years. With no words to defend herself, Alice is convicted of the crime and sent to a forensic mental health unit. But did she do it?

Enter Theo Faber the psychotherapist, Alice’s last hope, he digs to uncover the truth and help Alice to talk again. Historically this is the part where we, as the readers, say ‘but all is not as it seems…’ Except nothing at all is what it seems. From the onset, there are mysteries that envelop your mind which will wonder if you can truly trust your senses. With the reader let in on little initially, suspense and curiosity builds immediately. I devoured page after page desperate to know each characters’ story, contribution ,and ultimately not just ‘who dunnit?’, but ‘why?’

The story is told from the point of view of the character Theo Faber, the flawed and therefore realistic, psychotherapist assigned to Alice. It seems that the Michaelides has really done his research with regards to psychology and therapy and employs actual psychological theories and real-life therapeutic techniques making for a realistic depiction of a mental health inpatient setting. He also provides commentary on the prevalent issues of overmedication and lack of funding and the effects of cuts on the patients. It was refreshing to read about an ‘asylum’ setting that wasn’t in the traditional gothic, horror house style but discussed more current and modern ‘scary’ issues.

As the story progresses, Faber’s feelings towards patient Alice begin to border on obsessive with him delving into her personal life, talking to her family and friends, and seeking out her paintings, leading the reader to begin having doubts about whether to trust Faber’s perspective. Simultaneously we begin to feel sorry for Faber when the reader is able to peer through the window into Faber’s somewhat difficult personal life and relationships. This tightrope walk keeps the reader engaged and turning pages rapidly. As this unravelled, revealing little slivers of clues, I began to work out the big twist everyone was shouting about and actually felt a little disappointed that the book was ultimately unable to shock me, and other avid crime/thriller readers may feel the same.

Michaelides uses Greek mythology within the novel, posing The Silent Patient as a modern day, metaphoric retelling of the tragedy Alcestis; whereby Alcestis sacrifices herself for her husband and is brought back to life by Hercules but is silent forevermore, just as Alice is. This adds another dimension to the story, setting it apart from other current psychological thrillers. Alice paints a picture entitled Alcestis and this coupled with her diary excerpts regarding her past and other paintings give Alice a voice throughout the book despite her verbal silence inviting the reader to listen to Alice and piece together her side of the story through drawing parallels to the Greek tragedy.

Overall, I would give this book 8/10 due to Michaelides fabulous ability to marry traditional psychological thriller together with Greek mythology while also examining modern day issues around abuse, mental health, the flawed professional and funding cuts. The movement between diary excerpts and ordinary prose is flawless as is Michaelides outstanding ability to play with suspense, perspective and time. The only reason this novel has not earned it’s 10/10 is due to my working out of the ‘big twist’ before the end, but then maybe that says more about how much crime/thriller writing I read, rather then the ability of the writer.

The Silent Patient is available from Amazon , Book Depository , and other good book retailers.

Will you be watching The Silent Patient ? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

#ReadWithPride: Just Happy To Be Here by Naomi Kanakia

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him…

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One comment.

Nice review Rosie. I recently finished the book. Unlike you though, I wasn’t able to predict the twist. I give it an 8/10 too. My review here: https://www.starvind.com/bookreviews/the-silent-patient/

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Book Review: The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides

May 19, 2024

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was actually the first book that ignited my love for thrillers. This book is amazingly well-written with its well-rehearsed plot combined and the intricate characters. It is a compelling read with its intense twist that I never saw coming. 

The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller revolving around the silence of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter with a seemingly perfect life. Her life is turned upside down when she is found standing over her husband, Gabriel’s bloodied dead body holding a gun. Ever since then her mouth hasn’t summoned any words, she hasn’t spoken for years. She was entered into a psychological facility, and here came Theo Faber. A psychologist with a certain fascination with Alicia’s case. As Theo dives deeper into this mystifying case, a web of lies and deceit starts to unroll.

I really liked how Michaelides wrote the character Alicia Berenson. She was always entangled in mysterious connections and her mysterious silence captivated me from the beginning, compelling me to uncover the reason behind it. As I delved more into Theo’s background in the book his story seemed to perfectly align with Alicia and her vow of not speaking. It was really interesting to see his struggle with Alicia and her psychological problems. 

The plot was fabulously written, and I was highly engrossed throughout every chapter. Each word was written meticulously, leading up to the unimaginable twist that left me pondering. The writing style of Michaelides is very sharp and witty, hitting every point in a tone that sends the message very clearly. The themes of betrayal, lies, deceit, and relationships were intricately woven, creating the perfect blend for a thrilling novel. 

“We’re all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.” ~ Alex Michaelides, The Silent Patient

The twist was obviously my favorite part of the novel as I wouldn’t have seen it from a mile away. It was something completely out of the ordinary that I would have never guessed. I loved how Michaelides made sure to leave very vague hints just barley pointing to what the ending would be. Almost like a puzzle, or a labyrinth the reader has to find their way out of. 

One thing I did not particularly enjoy about the book was the side story of Theo and his significant other Kathy. Their ending was the missing piece of the puzzle that I would have really liked to know about. 

Overall, The Silent Patient is the perfect novel for a rainy, thundering day. It’s the perfect concoction of twists and turns that will have you clenching the book and holding your breath every page flip. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers as it will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat. 

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The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Book Review

It’s been a couple of weeks since I read the last pages of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I try to review books once I’m done with them and place them back on the bookshelf, life got in the way and this ended up living in the draft folder for a lot longer than I imagined. I flew into the clean pages only knowing the premise of the story as my sister began reading it first. She couldn’t stop raving about a psychotherapist who scattered the pages with the ‘deepest’ quotes. After all the hype with which she sold the book to me, I finally gave in. Then I went ahead and ordered my own in paperback.

One thing I absolutely loved instantly was how quickly the book sets you inside the world of the narrator. There was not much dancing around with words before telling the story. No, none of that. It felt almost like someone had sat you down to recap what happened the previous season on a crazy show you’d only heard of before the new one started, and you were there to witness the rest play out before you.

The Silent Patient: Book Summary

On a hot summer August night, police are called to the Berenson family home after a neighbour heard gunshots. There they discover the body of fashion photographer Gabriel Berenson bound to a chair, a gun on the floor, and his painter wife Alicia Berenson sat next to the fireplace with a haunting look on her face. The scene was bloody and obscene, and the beginning of many unanswered questions.

Alicia Berenson will not speak. She did not utter even half a sentence – not a sigh of a word or a whisper drowned out by all the noise.

From her time in police custody to trial and sentencing to a psychiatric ward unit she was later placed in named The Grove, her lips made no sound even after six years. Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist and narrator of the majority of the book takes a job at The Grove. He is intent on doing what no one else could do before; get Alicia to speak.

All of this you will learn in the very first few pages of the book and once you get through those, the search for the truth begins. What happened that night? Did Alicia really kill her husband? Whether she did or didn’t why resort to silence afterwards? What was she trying to say or convey by being quiet?

I will stop here because frankly there is not much else I can say without giving away too much. Also, I don’t want to run the risk of spoiling any part of the book or ruining the ‘great twist’ the book cover makes you aware is in store from every angle. The Silent Patient relies heavily on the curiosity of the reader to push forward closer to the truth . Whether you’ll be satisfied with the truth you find is a completely different story…

Like I stated earlier, The Silent Patient took no time to put things into perspective for the reader and as a rather impatient person that fact alone was a guarantee I would stick around past the first few pages. I may be impatient as heck, but I’m certainly a curious cat.

Whilst Alicia kept her lips sealed and impenetrable giving nothing away like the look on her face, Theo feels a lot closer to the reader given that he guides us through the story. It is through him we get to know all the other characters in the book like the staff at the ward and the people that knew Alicia before that summer night. He didn’t come off as nerdy as you may imagine someone in his profession to be. Rather, his narration was relatable and often hilarious too. As Theo takes on a rather investigative role to uncover what occurred at that terrible crime scene all those years ago, we also get to gradually learn about his life and the childhood trauma that still affects him even as an adult.

To be honest, there’s not much I didn’t like about The Silent Patient. It was quite engaging, easy to read and at times thought-provoking too. When I finished reading the book, I admit I scrolled through the web to find out what others think about the insane twist and how it ends. There is a very mixed bag of opinions floating out there which caught me off guard. I mean, of course, whether you enjoy a book or not is entirely subjective. However, as someone who is not most familiar with the thriller genre or comparing it to the best of its kind, I personally enjoyed it very much. I also finished reading it pretty quickly too.

Reading The Silent Patient was like falling into a rabbit hole where the deeper down you went, the more questions you had. It’s safe to assume you can read the book in one big sitting or a short period. As I got closer and closer to the end, I did feel as though the plot was beginning to drag a little, but right about then the answers started to pop up one by one. Eventually, my inquisitive urge to know it all kept me going. Lastly, there are some characters in the book that I think could be fleshed out more deeply. Or others I believed could serve a bigger purpose in the story but didn’t.

Overall, for me whatever shortcomings this book has was completely overshadowed by its insane plot twist. I remember reading those words as my mind registered what I was seeing while getting full-body chills. I freaked out by the end and couldn’t stop talking and ranting about it for a few days after to anyone who would listen. It’s a hard book to review without giving it all away so if you’re looking for your next read, consider this one. You are in for one heck of a ride…

Your restless romantic roamer

Have you read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides? How would you rate the book?

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

By weston ochse.

The Silent Patient

Alex michaelides.

February 5, 2019

Alex Michaelides’ debut psychological thriller, The Silent Patient,  tracks one woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive…

Doctor, heal thyself, seems to be the overarching theme of this new, incredibly sly psychological thriller. The narrative is presented from the point of view of an emotionally fragile protagonist, psychotherapist Theo Faber. Not having a bold, tough, savvy protagonist is a fresh take. The protagonist’s fumbling choices and sometimes wretched attempts to play the part of detective is what makes this novel work best. You see, he’s mesmerized by the Silent Patient. He’s been mesmerized long before they actually meet as doctor and patient. In fact, it’s rather easy to tell that he’s totally obsessed with her.

The Silent Patient is Alicia Berenson. Wife of famed photographer, Gabriel Berenson, she’s an artist in her own right, able to fill galleries with her hyper-realistic art. She loves her husband more than anything else, but then one evening shots are heard and the police arrive and find her standing over his body with a smoking gun, his arms and legs wired to a chair. From that moment on, she refuses to speak. During the trial, she paints a fascinating work which shows her standing naked before her easel, looking back at the those who would observe the painting with haunted eyes. The work is labeled Alcestis . At her trial, they find her less than competent and instead of prison, she goes to The Grove, which is a secure psychiatric hospital.

See More: Alex Michaelides on Writing the Perfect Thriller

Theo sees all of it and is fascinated by the case. When he gets his chance, he transfers to The Grove and soon finds himself face-to-face with Alicia, trying desperately to get her to talk.

In a January 2018 article in The Bookseller , Alex Michaelides stated:

During my English degree, I became obsessed with the Ancient Greek myth of Alcestis and the haunting, cryptic tragedy by Euripides, where a woman is brought back to life and refuses to speak. This image of a silent woman haunted me for years, until I did a post-graduate course in psychotherapy in London. Working part-time at a secure psychiatric unit for two years, I saw how the world of psychotherapy might be the perfect modern setting to re-imagine this story and explore its themes of death, guilt and silence.

Michaelides experience working at a secure psychiatric wing shines in his fiction. I never once disbelieved the setting or the actions of Theo Faber. In fact, never having read something set in such a gruesome place, I was excited to turn the pages, noticing the riotous texture of this unique setting.

Faber, himself, reminds me of a noir detective, as he attempts to ferret out answers from the various clues he discovers. From getting hit over the head with a bat, to meeting ne’re-do-wells in a trashy pub, he’s constantly trying to figure out what really happened and present them to Alicia in the hopes that she might speak.

At the core of everything is Euripides’ play titled Alcestis . Briefly, Admetus is the husband of Alcestis. He pissed off Apollo. Apollo gave him a choice. Either die or find someone to take his place. Admetus doesn’t want to die and in the end, convinces his wife, Alcestis, to take his place.

Read an excerpt from  The Silent Patient !

Alicia’s not speaking, she’s painting—so much of the plot revolves around this idea. The fun comes just when you think you’ve figured it out as the author’s sly plot building comes to light.

The Silent Patient is Alex Michaelides first novel, but he’s not new at the writing game. Graduating with an MA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, he also penned the films The Devil You Know , starring Rosamund Pike, and co-wrote The Brits are Coming , starring Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Parker Posey, and Sofia Vergara.

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I would love this book. It sounds really good!

Amazing post! I am a book lover and I love to reading many story book thats why I am very glad to see this awesome book “The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides” Its true that Alex Michaelides is an excellent writer, I have read his another book before, So I would like read these book. Actually I am a expert writer and academic tutor. Currently I am working as a most popular writing agency EduZaurus . Generally here we are providing all kind of educational related writing in our world wide clients. I have completed my graduate three years ago and Now my passion is build my career in this writing sector. I am also very interested to writing story book.

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Alicia Never Spoke Again After Killing Her Husband: The Silent Patient Book Review

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It is always a great feeling to see any author’s debut novel becoming extremely popular and highly appreciated by the readers. Alex Michaelides is one of the recent writers I can recall whose first published book became the New York Times Bestseller.

Alex’s novel, The Silent Patient, is a murder mystery thriller with psychological aspects. The book is loved by many, but there are some readers who find the book overrated. I have already read the novel, and today, I will give my review of The Silent Patient.

I will also provide an overview of the book so you can understand the plot before diving into the review. So, if you want to read this book or are looking for a book recommendation, then check out this article.

So, without further ado, let’s start with the book review, shall we?

Table of Contents

Overview of The Silent Patient

Alicia Berenson is a famous painter married to a fashion photographer named Gabriel Berenson. She is now at a mental institution, living her days identified as a murderer with psychological issues.

Six years ago, Alicia was convicted as a killer who shot her own husband. A neighbor heard gunshots and called the police immediately. When the police arrived, they saw Gabriel’s face had been shot five times, and blood dripping from Alicias’ wrists. Since then, it’s been six years, and Alicia never spoke again, not even a word. She was placed in a mental institution called Grove.

The only clue to the whole case was a self-portrait Alicia created, known as Alcestis , which is related to Greek mythology. Apart from the murder story of the famous painter, her silence created more buzz among people, a mystery unsolved for years.

In the present day, Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, was deeply interested in Alicia’s case for a long time and was looking for the opportunity to work with her. Theo grabbed the offer when the vacancy arrived and started his sessions with Alicia. He is determined to get her to talk, and this leads to a lot more unusual behavior and mysteries throughout the story.

Three POVs are included in the book:

• Narration of Theo and Alicia’s sessions and investigations
• Alicia’s journal entries in her diary
• The narration of Theo’s wife’s infidelity and how he stalks her

Later, the three POVs are merged, which turns into an unexpected twist that readers might not have figured.

My Review of The Silent Patient

When it comes to reading thrillers and murder mysteries, it usually gets easy to predict the ending, but there are some books where the reader cannot depict the conclusion until it is revealed. The Silent Patient is one such book whose ending was difficult to decode, and that made the book very interesting.

My experience while reading the book was great, and I personally liked the writing style of the author. The author has done an incredible job of making the novel gripping and keeping the suspense intact until the very end.

Alex Michaelides’ idea of including psychological aspects and using the theme of silence kept the mystery part going. However, a few readers felt the story was not properly penned, and the twist was a cliche. There are also complaints that the story lacks some major elements that must have been included, such as there is no POV of Alicia Berenson apart from her journal entries.

In my view, the story was well written, with the involvement of each character as needed. Alicia and Theo’s back story was emotional and heart-wrenching to read, and how their traumas still buried inside led them to choose some wrong paths.

The author has also included a reference to Greek mythology , Alcestis, which is an essential element of the story.

According to me, one of the best parts was the writing style and the unexpected twist. I believe when a story is intriguing enough and satisfies the mystery aspect, a few other small mistakes can be overlooked. I was hooked from the beginning, and there was no disappointment after I finished reading the book.

I will recommend everyone to read this amazing book. It’s fine if you do not like the plot and other things, but I’m sure you will love the ending twist and will also appreciate the writing.

It is necessary to understand the overall idea behind the story to fully grasp the underlying meaning the author is trying to explore. A few major themes are included in the book, which I will discuss below so one can comprehend better.

Empathy is one of the central themes of the story. As psychotherapists, it is required to feel the client’s pain and fully empathize with them to understand the patient’s mindset. The involvement of therapists and the demonstration of empathy is thoroughly put in the book.

2. Childhood Trauma

The trauma induced in an individual’s brain is a result of a tragic incident in their life. In the story, childhood trauma is another important theme discussed. It shows how the effects of trauma can lead to impulsive and dangerous decisions. Here, there is a depiction of a dilemma between right and wrong due to the past trauma involved in the characters’ lives.

The writer has incorporated a major theme of silence. One of the main protagonists, Alicia, has become silent after killing her husband, and nobody is able to decipher this silence. The power of silence is shown as a means of protection as well as guilt.

4. Deception

The novel also has aspects of deception, including many characters. There are many manipulative and deceptive occurrences throughout the story. The writer tries to convey how these elements affect the other person’s life.

5. Copism Through Art

The value of art is an essential factor in the story. Art is considered as a safe place and a coping mechanism for many. Alicia’s love for art and her way of coping and expressing herself with her paintings are incredibly narrated in the story.

6. Guilt 

Readers will see the emotion of guilt and how it leads individuals to choose risky paths, leading to their own damage. The two main protagonists of the book are seen experiencing guilt due to their actions and how they eventually find themselves again throughout the story.

Overall, The Silent Patient is a good thriller and murder mystery novel by Alex Michaelides. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and will definitely recommend it to everyone who loves reading this genre.

The writing style of this book is amazing, and the main reason why the twist was so unexpected and amazed the readers.

Have you read this book? Are you familiar with the author? Let me know your views in the comment section. I will be more than happy to read them!

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, A Psychological Thriller

“An unforgettable—and Hollywood-bound—new thriller… A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy.” Entertainment Weekly

Shot her husband in the head 5 times. Repeatedly. No remorse exhibited later, whatsoever. The Silent Patient is the New York Times and Sunday Times #1 bestseller, a psychological-thriller novel that revolves around the story of a famous painter ‘Alicia Berenson’ who is married to the most eligible bachelor, Gabriel. A seemingly perfect marriage ended in a horrific evening. Enters the second main character, ‘Theo Faber’, a psychotherapist who is obsessed with solving the bizarre mystery that Alicia holds within. Will it be a crime of passion, revenge, or vengeance? Read this marvellous piece to find out!

Table of Contents

Look forward to:, more on the plot:, a bonus point:, criticism: (spoilers), should you read it, the silent patient ending: (spoilers), the silent patient quotes (spoilers), the silent patient reviews.

This suspenseful best-seller will have you hooked from the first page as you read back and forth from multiple timelines, building up to the plot-breaker. Was I expecting the end? Absolutely NOT! But was I impressed? that would be a solid YES. If you are an avid reader of mystery and psychology-related novels like me, then this it’s a must-read for you.

Alex, in his debut novel, has completely outdone himself as a wordsmith by showcasing excellent use of vocabulary, tone, and overall setting up the atmosphere for a wonderful read. The intricate way with which he juggles through the different timelines of both characters whilst maintaining the secrecy of the identities is truly amazing.

It is needful to acknowledge the fact that Alex, despite the novel including various psychological references, has opted to use clear and understandable language. His writing does not include various difficult jargon that takes half your time googling the meaning. Furthermore, his ability to build and maintain suspense with perfection till the very end is truly remarkable. Even when the reader believes to have dissected the plot, let me assure you, that is not the case! After ending this novel, you will most definitely be wanting more of Alex’s content.

I didn’t even come close to uncovering the final twist because the storyline has the reader utterly confused as to which character should one be pointing fingers at. On one hand, there is Barbie (Alicia’s neighbour) who was the first to report the crime and spent her time nagging about a stranger peeking through the windows. Was the stranger Gabriel’s brother Max who had an ulterior motive, must he be related to the case? Or was it Jean-Felix (Alicia’s former boss) and may I add former-jealous boss, who finally sought the last resort?

Everyone has a motive, but have they actually committed the crime? Was it really Alicia, the ‘ever devoted wife’, who laid the final blow? The plot twists will have your insides curling up with curiosity as you dive further and deeper into the story. Alex has done a marvellous job in bringing such a story to his readers which uplifts the bar for many writers out there, especially those that are into writing mystery novels.

A very unique reference to Greek Mythology has been mentioned in ‘The Silent Patient’, which coincides with the story of Alicia and her childhood. Alex mentioned in an interview that growing up in Cyprus with a Greek father provided him with immense exposure to Greek mythology and history. Hence, this paved the way for inspiration from the story of  ‘Alcestis’  who was a Greek princess that was sacrificed to save her husband but upon her resurrection, she never spoke a word.

Similar to the story of Alicia who resorted to absolute silence for several years after committing a heinous crime against her husband. Alicia too saw her husband as Admetus, adored him, and even placed him as a model for her paintings. So now the question remains, ‘why? What drove her to this insanity, or may I say who?

As it comes with every great novel, there has to be some positive criticism we can do along with the praise. Alex has inexplicably done a great job for his debut novel but there are definitely some areas for improvement. The characters in the story were somewhat common or predictable as you may call it. A jealous lover who has all fingers pointed at him, however, of course, the protagonist cannot be as simple as that. Or a perfectly portrayed husband who deeply cares for his unstable wife but obviously he has a negative side to him.

‘The silent patient’ is not a literary extract however it is great for those looking for a story that is packed with suspense, mystery and a major plot twist at the end! It is a light read that you can finish within a day or two and kudos to Alex for putting such effort and thought into his first-ever novel. Unlike many debuts, this one provided a different story and setup that readers would find massively interesting.

How does the silent patient end?

Theo goes home and mentions to Kathy that Alicia overdosed. She has no reaction. Inspector Allen shows up and talks to Theo. He mentions that Jean-Felix took Alicia’s new work and that her diary was wedged inside it.

“…we often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

“Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

“Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes, and not promise the impossible?” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

Barnes and Noble

'The Silent Patient' is a must-read, psycho-thriller which lives up to the hype! Dive into the world of mystery and suspense with a commendable narration by Alex.

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Word of Mouth

Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the silent patient.

Everything that you may have been hearing about THE SILENT PATIENT is true. Author Alex Michaelides is best known for his screenwriting work, but the basis for his well-deserved fame is about to change irrevocably. His remarkably surefooted debut novel is the type of read that makes and marks a literary career for all time.

Michaelides has stated elsewhere that THE SILENT PATIENT was inspired in part by his prior part-time employment in a secure psychiatric unit. Although undoubtedly a psychological thriller, there is a strong mystery at the heart of it that begins beating at the very start of the book. Alicia Berenson is a well-known painter who, for reasons known only to herself, kills her husband, Gabriel --- himself a famous photographer --- while he is tied to a chair. Alicia does not offer one word of explanation regarding her reason for doing so or for anything else. She maintains her silence during her arrest, trial and institutionalization in the Grove, a facility for the criminally impaired. What the reader learns gradually about Alicia’s internal workings throughout most of the book is set forth in the diary that she started prior to the murder.

"Michaelides’ experience as a screenwriter is on exhibit here as he combines mood, characterization, plot and flat-out surprises to create a novel that never missteps and keeps its trump card hidden to the closing pages of the story..."

A psychotherapist named Theo Faber is obsessed with her case --- although he does not admit this, at least initially --- and accepts a position at the Grove simply to try to uncover her motive for the crime. It’s a descending career move, as funding for the Grove is rumored to be on the chopping block, but Theo does not care. He wants to unlock the secret that is Alicia and sets out, steadfastly and patiently, to do so. He slowly makes progress of a sort, but at some cost, even seeking out people who were personally acquainted with Alicia before the murder (a treatment no-no) in an attempt to get a handle on what occurred that fateful night and why Alicia has not spoken since.

Theo has personal and professional problems of his own, which he lays out in the first person narrative and alternates with excerpts from Alicia’s diary. Both viewpoints, which ping-pong between the book’s present and past, ultimately reveal the truth of what went down and why. For some, the knowledge comes too late, even if justice or something like it is eventually served.

THE SILENT PATIENT is a stunning work by any standard, made more so by its status as a debut. Michaelides’ experience as a screenwriter is on exhibit here as he combines mood, characterization, plot and flat-out surprises to create a novel that never missteps and keeps its trump card hidden to the closing pages of the story, like a fist in a dark room that you don’t see coming until it’s far too late to dodge it. Read THE SILENT PATIENT immediately. This is the book that everyone will be talking about for the next several months.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub on February 8, 2019

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

• Publication Date: May 4, 2021
• Genres: Fiction , Psychological Suspense , Psychological Thriller , Suspense , Thriller
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Celadon Books
• ISBN-10: 125030170X
• ISBN-13: 9781250301703

Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I picked up The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides simply because I’d heard very good things about it. I read it during its big hype and I’m very glad that I did. There wasn’t a moment during reading it where I wasn’t utterly fascinated with what was going to happen next.

The Silent Patient is one of those novels where you’re kind of just reading along and then all of a sudden it clicks as to what the purpose of the novel is and you’re utterly drawn in. It does also help that I read this during lockdown last year during a wonderful summer.

The Silent Patient follows the story of Alicia Berenson and Theo Faber. Alicia was a famous painter married to an in-demand photographer, seemingly with the perfect life. However, one day she savagely kills him and goes into a long silence, speaking to no one about the event and eventually winding up in a special home. Theo Faber then comes in fascinated by her story, as a criminal psychotherapist, and begins his attempts to get any sort of story out of her.

It’s quite fascinating to read Theo Faber’s attempts to make Alicia talk and as the story develops, the small drip-fed surprises and mini cliffhangers we’re given as a reward for persisting. Without any spoilers, there’s a cracking plot twist within this book that I didn’t see coming. I like to think I’m usually quite good at guessing plot twists that might be coming up but I specifically remember sitting in my garden and going “woah” out loud when this one hit. So look forward to that!

Overall though, the actual story happening is a little less than riveting. A lot of the book is anticipation and build up so I can’t give it a five star for the plot.

Characters – 4/5

Though not particularly fascinating, the characters in this book were well developed. Michaelides clearly had an idea in his head of the plot and how he wants to characters to fit into it. There are supporting characters who add to the story who are well woven in and some of these have quite large personalities which fit the setting Alicia and Theo find themselves in.

The deep dive into the psyche of Alicia is quite an interesting journey and definitely adds another layer to the book rather than keeping it as a simple mystery tale. I also have a lot of time for the fact that Theo isn’t a detective solving a case. The author clearly wanted him to have a deeper motive to find out the real truths and this is his love for the human psyche and why Alicia has gone silent.

Summary – 4/5

I often decide my book ratings based on how I’d recommend a book to someone. Three-star is a “meh, it was OK but don’t rush to read it.” A four-star review is usually “ooh yes, I’d recommend that.” And a five-star review is “definitely read it, put it to the top of your list.” The Silent Patient falls into “ooh yes, I’d recommend that.” It’s got a great twist that I think people should experience and the actual premise of someone who remains silent for so long and why is very interesting.

My reason for marking it down one is that there’s a slight lack of actual plot movement in between the cliffhangers and I didn’t fall in love with any of the characters. Though, I’d recommend this book to anybody who loves a good crime book or an intriguing thriller .

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The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Book Review

Warning – possible spoilers! (Tiny ones, though, and I’ll try to avoid even those; I swear I’ll give my best not to ruin it for you… :-))

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Book Details

TITLE  – The Silent Patient

AUTHOR – Alex Michaelides

GENRE – thriller , mystery , suspense

YEAR PUBLISHED – 2019

PAGE COUNT – 325

MY RATING – 5 of 5

RATED ON GOODREADS – 4.18 of 5

What It Is About

I looked at the painting. Once again, I tried to read it; and again I failed. There was something about the picture that defied interpretation – or else it had some kind of meaning that I had yet to comprehend. But what?

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller novel about a famous artist named Alicia Berenson who murders her husband, Gabriel, and then stops speaking.

Alicia seemed to have the perfect life, married to a successful fashion photographer, and residing in a magnificent home in one of London’s most sought-after locations. But, one evening when her husband Gabriel returns home late from a photoshoot, Alicia shoots him in the face five times, then falls into complete silence.

The story is narrated by a psychotherapist Theo Faber who becomes obsessed with uncovering the reason why Alicia murdered her husband and what led to her subsequent silence. He takes a job at the mental institution where Alicia is being held, hoping to get her to speak and reveal the truth about the night of the murder.

But, Theo’s unrelenting desire to coax Alicia into speaking and unravel the enigma of the tragedy leads him down a twisted path all the way to the truth that is almost too shocking to comprehend.

Themes and vibes:

• a psychological mystery thriller
• it sucked me in from the first page
• psychotherapist investigates
• a mystery influenced by a Greek tragedy
• well-written, unputdownable novel
• 2 POVs (the therapist as the main narrator, plus Alicia’s diary entries)

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – My Review

Once you name something, it stops you seeing all of it, or why it matters. […] I’ve never been that comfortable with words – I always think in pictures, express myself with images – so I’d never have started writing this, if it weren’t for Gabriel.

I was just recently complaining how every new book I pick up seems like the same thing I read at least five times before, and… well, here’s something that felt refreshingly new. I’m so glad I finally decided to give The Silent Patient a chance. I’ve been avoiding it for quite some time because my first encounter with this author’s work wasn’t exactly the greatest.

Alex Michaelides is the author of The Maidens , a dark academia mystery I read a couple of Octobers ago and didn’t like. But ever since then, you guys kept telling me that his debut, The Silent Patient, was actually a real gem and that I would enjoy it way more.

And, well, you convinced me. I gave it a chance.

It was the only explanation that made any sense: why else tie the man you loved to a chair, and shoot him in the face at close range? And then express no remorse, give no explanation, not even speak? She must be mad.

The Silent Patient was the Goodreads Choice Award’s Winner for Best Mystery & Thriller in 2019 , and it was also nominated for Best Debut Novel the same year. It has 1.5+ million ratings on Goodreads with the average score of 4.18, which is pretty impressive. And now I know why people liked it so much.

But I feel obligated to start this review by saying the book wasn’t perfect. All the bad reviews it got – I completely get them. The Silent Patient had its flaws. I just don’t want for someone to look at the five stars I gave it and expect perfection, because you are going to get disappointed.

But, if you are just looking for some fun time with one of the more original thrillers I’ve ever read. If you’d rather have exciting plot and unique characters than a hundred percent plausibility. If you, like me, are willing to overlook a few glaring details that weren’t quite adding up and rather focus on the excitement and intrigue and drama this book has to offer… Well then my friend, you are in for a spin.

I may understand the bad reviews, but there’s a reason I gave it five stars.

I can’t bear the thought of him worrying about me. I don’t ever want to cause him any distress or make him unhappy or cause him pain. I love Gabriel so much. He is without doubt the love of my life.

Right out of the gate, I loved the writing style. It felt effortless. Genuine. Real . Alicia’s personality started to come out of the pages even before we practically knew anything about her.

Alicia is an artist who seemingly had it all, but we learn early on her mental state was not the greatest. I’m talking about her diary entries from before the murder which clearly paint a troubled, possibly unstable woman.

And in the present day chapters, it is quite clear that s**t had hit the fan, as six years prior, around the time she wrote that diary, Alicia has shot her husband five times in the face and then fell completely silent. The only statement she ever gave about the murder was a painting she made short after, that made a connection between Alicia and a Greek tragedy character called Alcestis.

And I don’t know about you, but that’s how a great premise looks like in my world. Of course – of course I had to know all about it. That bloody horror scene at the beginning raised so many questions. Even if it meant not sleeping all night, I just wanted to know . It was such a compulsive read.

No. I won’t write about that. This is going to be a joyful record of ideas and images that inspire me artistically, things that make a creative impact on me. I’m only going to write positive, happy, normal thoughts. No crazy thoughts allowed.

The story is mainly told from the perspective of Theo Faber, a brilliant criminal psychotherapist who has been obsessed with the Alicia Berenson’s case for a long time. He’s finally gotten a chance to work with her and he is convinced he can make her talk and finally get to the bottom of her motives behind the murder.

And I gotta say – from very early into the book, I started to completely understand Theo’s fascination with Alicia, because I also needed to know why. Why did she murder her husband? Why in such a cold, theatrical manner? What does her painting mean? And why – WHY isn’t she speaking?

From the prologue, Michaelides made me keep trying to pick on clues. Question everything, trying to make it work in my head. But I couldn’t really make sense of anything. There were so many directions the story could go in and here’s the best part – most of them were good!

At the time, I remember thinking that while everyone was talking, writing, arguing about Alicia, at the heart of this frantic, noisy activity there was a void – a silence. A sphinx.

So, the beginning was pretty explosive, and after it came the middle that was dragging a bit, but not necessarily in a bad way. The things slowed down somewhat, but the story stayed twisted, and dark, and attention-grabbing.

All the way to the ending which – I really liked! That doesn’t happen to me often with thrillers. But this one got me.

Again – there were a few small inconsistencies and details along the way that might as well have been cut out because they weren’t even all that important, just made me roll my eyes every now and then. But I wouldn’t say they affected the story in any larger way. I didn’t mind them all that much and they barely took out any enjoyment for me.

Because this was such a great read! Juicy and fun! Dramatic, gripping and unputdownable! I wish I could read it again for the first time. Despite having a trope I hate, The Silent Patient managed to get onto the list of my favorite thrillers .

But that’s what Alicia did for you. Her silence was like a mirror – reflecting yourself back at you. And it was often an ugly sight.

Alex Michaelides is such a skillful writer, his narration was a huge part of why I loved this book. I don’t know what happened with The Maidens. I’m not trying to be a witch, but honestly it’s like the two books weren’t written by the same author.

The Silent Patient was Alex Michaelides’ debut novel, and what a way to enter the scene! I’d sure be happy to check out more of his work whenever he published something new.

And btw – is that movie ever going to come out? Cause I’d love to see what they make out of it.

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(2) comments.

What happens to alicia does she stay in a coma or did I miss something?

You know, I’ve read this book a while ago, but I don’t remember her being in a coma? But, I’m trying to keep my posts as spoiler-free as possible anyway, so. Send me a private message and I’ll answer you there 🙂

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• Updated on March 22, 2024

The Silent Patient Book Review (2024)

Table of Contents

The Silent Patient was published back in 2019 as Alex Michaelides ’s debut book, making its own place in the market. It became a 2019 New New York Times Bestseller and 2019 Sunday Times Bestseller . Not only did it win Goodreads Choice Awards: for the Best Mystery Thriller , but also sold 6.5 million copies worldwide in 50 countries. That’s why The Silent Patient Book Review is a must-read for book enthusiasts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Michaelides was born in 1977 in Nicosia,Cyprus. He holds an M. A in English literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an MA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute.

He is well-known in the writing community for his works that revolve around psychology, mythology, mystery and crime. Alex was honored with the Man of the Year and International Cypriot awards at the 22nd Bank of Cyprus Man of the Year Awards 2023 ceremony.

Alex Michaelides has left a lasting impact in the psychological thriller book market, and copies of his works still continue to top the lists even today.

He keeps his readers updated on below socials:

BOOK RATINGS

Silent Patient has always made to the top when it comes to rating lists.

1. Goodreads (4.2/5)

2. Barnes & Noble (4.5/5)

3. Amazon.com (4.4/5)

4. Google Play (4.6/5)

The main theme in the Silent Patient book revolves around Psychology , Greek mythology , thriller and crime . Throughout the storyline, the theme intertwines with concepts such as childhood trauma , therapy , tragedy (including suicide & murder ), mental and physical abuse , mental illness , psychological horror, deception, empathy and personal boundaries.

Additionally, the book sheds light on psychological struggles related to Borderline Personality disorder , OCD, Dementia, Schizophrenia, and more.

MAIN CHARACTERS

1. Theo Faber (The forensic psychoanalyst)

2. Alicia Berenson ( Famous Painter)

3. Kathy ( Theo’s wife; works in theater)

4. Gabriel (Alicia’s husband; Fashion Photographer)

5. Lydia Rose (Alicia’s Aunt)

6. Paul Rose (Alicia’s Cousin)

7. Christen West (Primary Therapist)

8. Stephanie Clarke (Groove’s Manager)

9. Lazarus Diomedes (Clinical Manager)

10. Barbie Hellmann (Alicia’s Neighbor)

11. Max Berenson (Alicia’s Lawyer and Gabriel’s adopted older brother)

12. Jean-Felix Martin (Alicia’s gallerist)

13. Vernon Rose (Alicia’s Father)

14. Ruth (Theo’s childhood therapist)

15. Yuri (Head Nurse at The Groove)

16. Chief Inspector Steven Allen (Detective)

PLOT SUMMARY

The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller with Theo Faber as the main narrator and protagonist(1), c omplemented by epistolary portions fron Protagonist(2) Alicia ‘s diary. The story has been told in 69 chapters.

[A novel told through a series of letters or diary entries is known as an epistolary novel]

The story begins with Alicia, a renowned painter who lives with her husband Gabriel, a prominent fashion photographer, in a well established posh neighbourhood.

The couple lives quiet a luxurious life. Both of them have succeeded in their careers. Alicia paints for a prestigious gallery which exhibits her work with a boujee essence. The gallerist, Jean Felix Martin is her old childhood friend who also looks after her paintings. Gabriel on the other side, has recently completed his project with the magazine Vogue and has already begun working on a brand new project.

Their tranquil life takes a dark turn when their neighbor reports gunshot sounds from Alicia’s house. The detectives rush over and witness a gruesome sight.

Upon entering, they saw Gabriel roped to a chair with his hands and feet tied and Alicia standing beside him, looking over the front yard with her wrists slit open. As they got closer, they figured out that Gabriel had been shot five times in the face so much so that he was unrecognizable. The weapon of assault was a handgun with Alicia’s fingerprints all over it.

The investigation continues over a period of 2 years but Alicia had become silent since the night of murder. In the end, with all the evidences against her she was charged with murder of her husband and sent to a mental institution as she was diagnosed unstable and suicidal.

Six years later, Theo Faber, a psychoanalyst working in some mental institution learns that Alicia Barrenson is being transferred to The Groove, a new psychiatric facility. He believes that Alicia has a story and might be innocent all along. So he transfers to The Groove to see for himself if he can help her to speak.

The Groove, operates under clinical director, Lazarus Diomedes who is intrigued to find Theo interested in working for the facility as the unit is heading towards closure with ongoing sponsorship crisis. He warns Theo that is could be the end of his career. Nonetheless, Theo is able to get the job without any further adieu .

Theo chooses Alicia as his first patient and finds that The Groove has kept her on high dosage of drugs. He could not believe, the Alicia he was used to seeing on TV is the same one present before her. He insists that the unit should lower the dosage so that Alicia is able to respond and converse. His colleagues inform him that Alicia has attempted multiple suicides since transfer and it can be dangerous not only for her but for other patients and doctors at the Institution.

After a long struggle, Theo is able to convince Alicia’s doctors to lower the dosage of her medications. But even after lowering her meds, Alicia shows no response. She did not talk. She did not paint. As her consciousness slowly returns, she attempts to slit her wrists again.

But Theo is convinced that Alicia is actually trying to express herself through her fits. So he decides to investigate her family and friends to know more about her childhood and upbringing. Upon diving deep, he learns that Alicia has attempted suicide in the past and has taken therapy as well. Delving into her past, he uncovers horrific bone chilling secrets about Alicia’s past.

Not only was Alicia abused in her childhood by her Father and Aunt but she has faced a horrendous fate since then. He could relate to her on a personal level as he himself was a victim of physical and mental abuse and has struggled throughout his life with the rememnats of trauma living within him. Even after continuous therapy for years, he is still haunted by the echoes of his own past. He expressed it in the book as:

“Unexpected emotions will never die. They are buried alive, and will come forth later, in uglier ways”

At The Groove, Theo’s colleagues are convinced that he has fallen for Alicia, a common occurrence when dealing with the patients on such an intricate level. However, Theo denies all the allegations believing that Alicia’s mental struggle mirrors his own.

As time went on, Theo discovered that Alicia had painted a nude self-portrait titled ‘ALCESTIS’, her only communication following Gabriel’s murder. He also learns that his wife Kathy personally knew Alicia’s husband Gabriel. Along the way, Theo uncovers buried secrets about the day of murder, including the presence of a stalker who intruded Alicia’s home on the day Gabriel died. All these revelations were hidden in Alicia’s diary, which Alicia gave him in his second last session with her before somebody tried to murder her with a medication overdose.

Each session brings Alicia and Theo close to each other, yet further from the truth. Theo realized that it wasn’t he who chose Alicia, but rather it was her who remembered him and chose him inn the end because Theo and Alicia shared a common past.

In the end of the book, Theo says:

“As I listen I look up to the white clouds drift past. Finally, they had opened- it had started to snow – snowflakes were falling outside. I opened the window and reached out my hand. I caught a snowflake . I watched it disappear, vanish from my finger tips. I smiled And I went to catch another one ”

ALCESTIS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Alcestis, in Greek mythology was the beautiful daughter of Pelias, the king of Iolcos.

When Apollo learned that Admetus had not long to live, he persuaded the Fates, the goddesses who determine human destiny, to prolong his life. The Fates imposed the condition that someone else must die in Admetus’s stead, and Alcestis, a loyal wife, consented to do. The warrior Hercules rescued Alcestis by wrestling with death at her grave.

MORE BOOKS BY ALEX MICHAELIDES

1. The Madens 2. The Fury

Silent Patient, is all in all, a meticulously written psychological thriller with unexpected turns that a reader cannot guess coming. We can argue that the title Silent Patient might be a little deceiving, until you read the book itself. Once you pick it up, it’ll glue itself to you till you turn the last page.

It’s an awesome choice for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, murder mysteries, asylum cases, and mind work!

SIMILAR BOOKS

1. The Assistant (by: S. K. Tremayne)

2. 99 Red Balloons (by: Elisabeth Carpenter)

3. The Therapist (by: B. A. Paris)

4. Stranger (by: C. L. Taylor)

5. Local Woman Missing (by: Mary KubiIf you liked thisa)

If you liked The Silent Patient Book Review, You can also checkout our other blog posts like Shatter Me Series and Outlander Series .

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THIS IS WHY WE LIED

by Karin Slaughter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 20, 2024

One character nails it: This is “an Agatha Christie locked-room mystery with a VC Andrews twist.”

Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton honeymoon at a family lodge that includes breathtaking landscapes, varied guests, troubled family dynamics, and murder.

McAlpine Family Lodge manager Mercy McAlpine has been an outcast within her family ever since Dave McAlpine, an orphan whom her parents adopted, got her pregnant at 15. To her enduring shame, her relatives, from her aunt Delilah to her own brother, Christopher, took Dave to their hearts even as they squeezed her out, snatching baby Jon from her to be raised mostly by Delilah. Sixteen years later, when her father, Cecil, plans to sell the lodge whose operation Mercy’s poured herself into, she’s had enough, and evidently so have they. Hours after she announces her intention to ruin the lives of any family members who vote with Cecil to sell the place to Max Brouwer and Sydney Flynn for $12 million, Will finds her fatally stabbed near Lake McAlpine, and she dies in his arms. The half-dozen other guests are icing on the cake, since every one of Mercy’s relatives had a powerful motive to kill her. The honeymoon isn’t exactly over, but Will tells Sara he’d be committed to investigating even if Chuck, the fellow guest who tormented Will in the orphanage where they both grew up, weren’t on hand as Christopher’s lecherous best friend. The high-octane story inevitably lags when Faith Mitchell, Will’s partner in the GBI, arrives to question the suspects, but the shattering climax reveals that the McAlpine family is even more dysfunctional than you imagined.

Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024

ISBN: 9780063336728

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 10, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024

MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | SUSPENSE | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE

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BOOK REVIEW

by Karin Slaughter

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

by Max Brooks ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.

Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.

Pub Date: June 16, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

GENERAL SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SCIENCE FICTION

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by Max Brooks

More About This Book

BOOK TO SCREEN

IndieBound Bestseller

THE SILENT PATIENT

by Alex Michaelides ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2019

Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.

A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.

"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7

Publisher: Celadon Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018

GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SUSPENSE | THRILLER | SUSPENSE | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

More by Alex Michaelides

by Alex Michaelides

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