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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

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Celadon Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018

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

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by Alex Michaelides

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SEEN & HEARD

Our Verdict

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

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

BOOK TO SCREEN

A CONSPIRACY OF BONES

by Kathy Reichs ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2020

Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan.

A week after the night she chases but fails to catch a mysterious trespasser outside her town house, some unknown party texts Tempe four images of a corpse that looks as if it’s been chewed by wild hogs, because it has been. Showboat Medical Examiner Margot Heavner makes it clear that, breaking with her department’s earlier practice ( The Bone Collection , 2016, etc.), she has no intention of calling in Tempe as a consultant and promptly identifies the faceless body herself as that of a young Asian man. Nettled by several errors in Heavner’s analysis, and even more by her willingness to share the gory details at a press conference, Tempe launches her own investigation, which is not so much off the books as against the books. Heavner isn’t exactly mollified when Tempe, aided by retired police detective Skinny Slidell and a host of experts, puts a name to the dead man. But the hints of other crimes Tempe’s identification uncovers, particularly crimes against children, spur her on to redouble her efforts despite the new M.E.’s splenetic outbursts. Before he died, it seems, Felix Vodyanov was linked to a passenger ferry that sank in 1994, an even earlier U.S. government project to research biological agents that could control human behavior, the hinky spiritual retreat Sparkling Waters, the dark web site DeepUnder, and the disappearances of at least four schoolchildren, two of whom have also turned up dead. And why on earth was Vodyanov carrying Tempe’s own contact information? The mounting evidence of ever more and ever worse skulduggery will pull Tempe deeper and deeper down what even she sees as a rabbit hole before she confronts a ringleader implicated in “Drugs. Fraud. Breaking and entering. Arson. Kidnapping. How does attempted murder sound?”

Pub Date: March 17, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9821-3888-2

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020

GENERAL MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | SUSPENSE | THRILLER | DETECTIVES & PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS | SUSPENSE | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER

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by Kathy Reichs

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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.

• Evocative Writing Style: The writing style depicts emotions, causing a deep connection with the story.
• Gripping Psychological Thriller: The unexpected turn of events increases the psychological tension of the readers.
• Exploration of Mental Themes: The novel portrays trauma, mental health, and the depths of the human psyche.
• Predictability: Some readers anticipated the plot twist, reducing the suspense.
• Restricted Exploration of Secondary Characters: The poor exploration of the actions and thoughts of the secondary characters limited their contribution to the story.
• Slow Pacing: The buildup of the plot may feel sluggish, and some readers lose interest before the pace picks up.

Bottom Line

"The Silent Patient" expertly combines suspense with mental struggles analysis. Despite some predictable elements, the plot dives into human psychology, creating a compelling read that educates the audience.

Rating [book_review_rating]

Continue down for the complete review to The Silent Patient

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. 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.

Psychiatric Silence

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.”

Central to “The Silent Patient” is the theme of trauma and its impact on victims. The book reveals that silence is a reaction to unresolved trauma and pain, using the character of Alicia. Using the characters of Gabriel and Kathy, the theme of trust is highlighted. They cheat, shattering the confidence and self-esteem of their partners. Theo Faber’s obsession with uncovering the truth reveals trust as a fragile and dangerous concept.

Mental illness is another theme in the book. The story explains the stigmatization that accompanies mental health issues. Art is used as a form of expression. While Alicia Berenson keeps mute, she shares her thoughts and experiences using paintings.

The writing style explains the emotional and psychological depth of the characters. The structure shifts from Alicia’s diary notes to Theo’s investigation and thoughts, increasing the suspense.

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. “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.

Layers of Mystery

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, revealed 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.

Thriller’s Modern Classic

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, the novel takes surprising turns, showing the extent of human resilience.

One major strength of the book is Alex’s writing style. He expertly describes the emotions and thoughts of the characters. By creating an emotional connection with words, the author makes the readers feel despair, joy, and tension. The thoughts of Alicia and Theo provide an insight into their motivations and fears. Alicia’s diary entries eventually reveal why she killed her husband and Theo’s contribution to the murder.

Another strength of the book is the storyline. As “The Silent Patient” nears the climax, the narrative presents revelations that challenge the assumptions and thoughts of the readers. The unexpected twists draw readers into the mystery, creating a fascinating read.

Additionally, the novel addresses themes related to mental health. These themes highlight the impact of guilt and trauma. The analysis of the way repressed trauma can shape reality makes the story more intriguing. The focus on psychological themes transforms the novel from a typical thriller to a thought-provoking narrative of the delicate nature of the human psyche.

“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.

Underwhelming Experience

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 of “The Silent Patient” 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.

Another criticism is the poor exploration of secondary characters. The book centers on the protagonist, Theo, and Alicia, the silent patient, leaving the secondary characters unexplored. These characters contribute to the plot yet are deprived of backstory, restricting their impact.

Additionally, the slow pace at the start of the book may create a sense of impatience. For readers who prefer a faster-paced plot, the gradual unfolding of the narrative can affect their overall enjoyment of the novel. Some readers may lose interest after the first few pages.

Lastly, 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. Professional critics have also argued against the book’s lack of depth and inability to elicit authentic emotions from readers.

Varied Reactions

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.

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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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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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?

A Not So Silent Review: A Review of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Updated: Mar 9, 2022

Once upon a midnight dreary, I sat down and read murder mysteries all March long.

Hello, Book Nerds! Welcome back to Reading Has Ruined My Life or welcome if you are new. As always, my name is Hannah and I am your captain on this journey into my bookcases.

It is the second week of Murder Mystery March. I hope you all enjoyed last week’s review cause I had a lot fun writing it. Today’s review is gonna be a good one! It was actually chosen by all of you. If you follow RHRML on Twitter, @RHRMLBlog if you haven’t yet, then you may remember when I posted a poll all the way back in January. The poll simply said, “pick a book.” I gave four options to choose from: The Tudor Secret by C.W. Gortner, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, The Lost Village by Camilla Sten, and finally, Mortmain Hall by Martin Edwards. Winning by a landslide, with an impressive 60 percent of the votes, is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.

Honestly, I didn’t get why everyone wanted me to read this book in the beginning. I was not surprised that it won given this is a pretty popular novel, but I didn’t get it. I found the main character insufferable and I hated having to read from his point of view, and then the twist happened and I understood. All the puzzle pieces fell into place. So let’s crack into it.

As always, a spoiler alert is in order. I also need to issue a content and trigger warning. This book deals with multiple instances of abuse; specifically abusive parents. There are also many instances of suicide, suicide attempts, and self-harm along with discussions on these topics. The Silent Patient also involves a lot of gaslighting and even some stalking. These are all very prevalent topics to the plot so continue on at your own discretion.

Alicia Berenson’s life is picture perfect. She has her dream job, a decent work-life balance, and an attractive husband who adores her. No one could have guessed what was about to transpire. On a normal summer night, Alicia snaps and shoots her husband Gabriel five times. After that, she never speaks again.

Charged and convicted of the crime, Alicia is sent to a psychiatric hospital known as the Grove. Despite the employees’ best efforts, no one can get her to utter a single word. Enter Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist obsessed with Alicia’s story. The Grove is failing financially and is expected to close within the year, but Theo still takes a job there in order to gain access to Alicia.

He wants to help. He wants to be the one who gets Alicia to speak after all these years. He does everything he can to build her trust. He also digs deeper into the crime the world believes Alicia committed. As he investigates, he discovers secrets and clues long left buried and forgotten about. With this new evidence, Alicia’s case doesn’t seem as cut and dry as it was originally made out to be. Could this silent patient actually be innocent?

Now, I’m assuming everyone can guess what I want to talk about first. It’s Theo. Theo, for lack of a better word, is trash. I don’t mean he is a poorly written character, I think this novel as a whole is extremely well written, but Theo is a shitty person; he’s purposely written that way. He did not go into psychology to help others. His only want in the world is the fame that will come with making Alicia speak again.

The paperback version of this book is 323 pages long, and I had to suffer reading from this character’s point of view nearly the entire way. Listen, I get that Alex Michaelides wrote Theo to be insufferable, but at the same time, he’s our point of view character and should be likable to some extent. I wanted every bad thing possible to befall Theo before I was even halfway through.

Alicia is a lot better. She’s an enigma. Readers don’t get to see much from her point of view, there are a few journal entries throughout that are written by her, but everything readers learn about her come from other characters; mainly Theo. Readers’ perception of Alicia is always skewed. To me, that’s this novel strength. The Silent Patient is solely about Alicia, but readers never know the true her. Even after 323 pages, she’s still an enigma.

Alicia is one of the few parts of the story I really enjoyed. I found this novel to be slow. It is a slow burn of a read, but at times it’s a little too slow. Most of the action happens in the last fourth of the novel. Maybe even less. Everything goes from zero to a hundred real quick. Now listen, the twist that occurs is really good. Truthfully, I was blindsided by it. I think the twist is set up well; it’s the other part of the novel that I full-heartedly enjoyed by the way. With that being said, part of it is hard to process.

This novel is set up a little oddly. Outside of the journal entries, the timeline is linear. Until the twist occurs and then readers find out part of the story is set in the past, and I'm not talking about the journal entries. Once a reader process the twist, the book is basically over.

The zero to a hundred pacing does not work for me. It does not work in this instance. The pacing at the start of the novel is great, but the end feels extremely rushed. It feels like the author went, “oh shit! I need to finish this tonight!”

But can a twist really save a book? I understand why this book got popular in the first place; I can see that pretty clearly. And like I said, I think Alex Michaelides did an amazing job with the writing, but at the end of the day, Alicia and the twist are really the only things this book has going for it in my opinion. And, an insufferable main character makes for a long read. I think that’s something avid readers can agree with. The Silent Patient was simply not the book for me.

And on that note, I shall bid you all adieu. I hope you’re all enjoying Murder Mystery March and I shall see you next week with another murder mystery.

Until then, stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, and read some good books for me.

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I thought the pace of the book was even, with a gradual crescendo. I tried to figure the twist, but missed. As for the "poor" character of Theo; this fits the story. It is not an uplifting book. People are flawed. This book was a great read.

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Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides My rating: 5 of 5 stars On the front cover of my most recent read, a review reads, “The perfect thriller.” After reading it, I am inclined to agree. Based off of the past reviews I’ve shared here alone, anyone who reads this blog most likely can tell that thrillers are my favorite genre. The Silent Patient follows a psychotherapist who became fascinated by an artist named Alicia. Alicia murders her husband one day, seemingly out of the blue, and then never speaks a word again. Her silence is what draws Theo (and many others) to be fascinated by the case. Why wouldn’t she speak in her defense? Did she truly murder her husband that night with no apparent motive? If not, why would she not even try to defend herself in court? Theo thinks he can find all these things out, and ultimately fix her. What do I look for in a thriller, and which of these aspects did The Silent Patient Satisfy? I’m glad you asked. 🙂 First off, I don’t want to guess the ending. I want to be guessing at the ending throughout the duration of the book. The Silent Patient handled this excellently. From early in the book there were multiple people who acted suspicious. In other words, Michaelides didn’t wait to introduce the bad guy until late on in order to keep us from guessing. Even better, I was still unsure of which suspicious character was responsible (or if any of them were) until very close to the end. Secondly, I crave a plot that dives into the psychology and motivations of characters. I want to feel unsure of who’s morality can be depended on, and who has gone too far. When I tell you Michaelides nailed this- he nailed it. Theo Faber is a flawed and unreliable narrator. His obsession with solving the mystery of Alicia Berenson borders on unhealthy. He defies doctors’ orders, breaks patient confidentiality as a therapist, and intertwines his own life with his patient/psychological muse far too deeply. I enjoyed this thoroughly. I rooted for Theo, yes, but I also felt the ways with which he justified his fascination with Alicia’s case were inappropriate. At times, I even doubted his true motives. In a slightly unrelated note about Theo, I think having a therapist as the narrator also helped, as much of the character analysis was done for us. Parallel plotlines ran throughout the book, and they were beautiful. Theo identified himself closely with his patient, and I loved that. Events of Theo’s life echoed certain things about Alicia, and even the crime itself, and while Theo never admitted that had anything to do with his dedication, it was clear. I love a good unacknowledged metaphor, and as the individual plotlines drew to a close, they got even better. The ending is very satisfying. There isn’t too much book left after the ‘reveal,’ so we aren’t left to drown in epilogue. I would have liked to know a bit more of what happened to Alicia or Theo after the book. In fact, I would have liked to know the truth about the innocent people Theo suspected, and what happened to those who weren’t so innocent. At the end of the day, though, I think that’s a good thing. Yes, I must admit there were a few characters I did not care about. (The annoying neighbor introduced annoyingly late to share one bit of groundbreaking information and cease being relevant immediately after to name one.) However, the vast majority of characters were mildly interesting at the least, and multiple of them were very captivating.

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Madeline Morris

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My name is Madeline, and I’m a reader and a writer. On this platform I will be sharing my analyses and observations on what I read in addition to some reviews.

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The Literary Vault

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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. 

A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives Before He Dies. The Man Who Never Reads Lives Only One.

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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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