The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Book Review

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Title: The Silent Patient (you can Buy on Amazon here)

Author: Alex Michaelides

Published: 5th February 2019

Publisher: Celadon Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense,

Pages: 336

Format: E-Book

Rating: ***** (5/5 Stars)

About: 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….

Review: Whoa… this book, the ending, I can’t even form words about it.

This is the second book of my work’s bookclub and although we are not working in the office at the moment (due to Covid-19), I feel pretty confident that the ones who have read it have loved it, particularly the ending (there are still a few who are catching up).

As a side note, I love that something as simple as a book is helping me to keep in contact with people at work, even though we’re all staying safe at home and can’t see each other (I first read this book at the end of March, and I’m only just writing this review now).

When I first started this book, I do have to admit that it had quite a slow start.

Part One was quite hard to read, not because anything major happened, but because it was just setting the book up I guess.

I know it was needed, and I’m not sure how it would have been done any differently though either.

Once Part Two started though, things got interesting.

I could not put it down.

I sacrificed my sleep for this book! But it was so worth it. I think I went to bed at about 3 in the morning (I normally go to bed at half ten at the latest) and I just lay there thinking – wow, absolutely amazing.

The ending is crazy.

I just thought that Theo (the main character) wanted to help her (Alicia – the silent patient), like he saw something that reminded him of himself. But I was wrong, sorry for the spoiler.

I also loved that Kathy (Theo’s wife) had her comeuppance (I won’t spoil what happened, but I don’t like her). When I was reading the book, I was worried that she wouldn’t, but the ending was so much better than I expected!

The author finished this book so perfectly and I loved how it all knitted together at the end.

I really don’t want to say anything else as I don’t want to ruin this book for you.

Even if you sat here thinking about all different possibilities for how this book will end, you won’t be able to guess it.

Just go and read it, get past Part One and enjoy – you’ll be so pleased you did.

An absolutely great read!