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. They seem to have no problem sharing what they know about her but why hasn't anyone been to visit 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? hmmmm

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?

This is a very clever tale which grabbed my attention right away. I was intrigued to learn what was going on. I had several theories and assumptions. Some were close and some were way off base - as in a mile off base. Of course, there is that shocking reveal - I did not see that coming - AT ALL. It really was the perfect "OMG, what did I just read?" moment followed by an "Aha!" moment.

This book was a page turner for me. I kept turning the pages to learn how the book was going to unfold. The ending felt a little bit rushed and I wanted to just a tad bit more. Overall, a very enjoyable read even thought one character really annoyed me.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Silent Patient begins with a rush, like a bullet train, with Alicia Berenson murdering her husband and never saying another word, not even in her defense. The story is narrated by Theo Faber, a psychotherapist who is fascinated by her and her art. He sought a job at the hospital for the criminally insane where she had been sent. He is shocked by her over-drugged state and works hard to connect with her.

In order to reach her, Theo begins investigating her life, talking to relatives, her agent, and even her brother-in-law whose brother she murdered. He finds a lot of people with mixed motives and who may not have Alicia’s best interests at heart. But then, who does? Does Theo?

Why is he so obsessed with this one patient over all others? Is it just her art or the challenge of her silence? One thing about Theo, everyone else has written Alicia off as a hopeless case and he keeps fighting for her.

The Silent Patient begins so strongly that I was surprised to find myself feeling tired of the story about mid-way to two-thirds of the way. Perhaps it was this feeling on not really liking Theo despite his care and concern for Alicia. He seemed so judgmental and to have so little regard for other patients and his colleague. I tired of his voice.

We hear from Alicia, too, in her diary which is where we eventually learn the truth, though how she was able to write it under the circumstances baffles me. Some will find the end surprising and others will, like me, think it a foregone conclusion in this post-Gone-Girl world.

The Silent Patient will be released on February 5th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Silent Patient at Celadon Press | at Macmillan
First Three Chapters Excerpt
Alex Michaelides on Twitter

What a twist! I love when a book surprises me with the ending and this book definitely did that! I loved the short chapters it made reading for just 5 more minutes easy to do. This book captured my attention early on and did not let it go. Highly recommended. Thanks to Celadon Books and Netgalley for ARC. I will be watching for more from this author. 4.5 stars

I’ve seen The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides mentioned over and over again. I was lucky to get a sneak peek and started it last night. Yes, it’s very good and once you start reading, you don’t want to stop. I read for a solid two hours and only put the book down because I needed to get some sleep.

There are so many ways a story can be told. This one is told from the point of view of a psychotherapist who takes a job at a hospital for the sole purpose of treating a woman who shot her husband in the face then proceeded to not utter a single word for years. Why did she shoot him? What was going on in their marriage? Why is she silent now?

Theo is determined to find the answers.

Here’s the official synopsis:

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.



I can’t wait to continue reading. Its every bit as good as I hoped it would be with a real sense of suspense.

This psychological thriller kept me guessing until the very end- and then it twisted the truth some more.

I can usually figure out the perpetrators of a mystery by the time I’m halfway through a book, but this one caught me completely off guard. I love it. Alex Michaelides did a fantastic job at misdirecting the reader and making you think you had it figured out until the last moment. Having said that, the part after the twist felt a bit rushed. Otherwise it’s a wonderful story.

This is a deliciously dark and twisted psychological thriller. Theo Faber is a psychotherapist, and he has been a little obsessed with Alicia Berenson since she killed her husband six years ago. Obsessed enough that he has taken a job at the institution where she is housed. Alicia hasn't spoken since the crime occurred, but she did create a painting titled Alcestis--a character in an ancient Greek myth. Once Theo gets the job, he manages to start meeting with Alicia, and, well, everything sort of devolves from there. Between the sections narrated by Theo, we read Alicia's diary entries in the days leading up to her husband's murder. I was captivated by the story and all the twists and turns it took, as Theo became further inappropriately entwined with Alicia. He tells us right away that he became a psychotherapist because he was fucked up, and, well, he is not wrong. If you like fucked up characters and devious twists, I highly recommend this one!

Holy smokes did this book take me for a ride. How does one review this w/o giving any spoilers away??? I loved the premise of being truly silent as you sit in a mental hospital, when you assume the patient can speak if he/she wanted too. The characters were odd and quirky so nothing seemed unreasonable. Highly recommend for anyone that likes TWISTS and turns in the fiction.

What a fantastic debut by Alex Michaelides!! With an incredible premise this book starts on the slower side, but builds so quickly it is absolutely unputdownable! Alicia is in a mental hospital (The Grove) after allegedly shooting her husband five times in the face. What happened in their cozy kitchen that night? No one knows as Alicia has not spoken a word since that fateful night. Six years later, Theo Faber, a Psychotherapist, transfers to The Grove with the hope of being the one to unlock her silence. The story takes off from there and with a shocking twist doesn’t let up until the very last word! A total stunner, one you won’t want to miss!

I enjoyed this quick, fast-paced novel. The book was paced well, and I definitely wanted to keep reading to find out what happened in the end. I personally have grown a little tired of all the books with a big reveal at the end, and I'm not sure how well the twist worked in this one. Overall, a satisfactory read. I would not recommend it as a personal favorite, but in a professional capacity I would recommend this to patrons who are looking for a new griplit read.

The Silent Patient gripped me from the first page. Initially, I thought this would be a standard thriller setting up the scenario of looking at a spousal murder. Instead, this is an in-depth study of the psychotherapist who is, ostensibly, looking at the the patient. Well written, and moving, this is a thoughtful psychological study of one mans exploration into his own psyche. Not to be missed!

This was an intense psychological thriller with great character development, and fast paced plot and unexpected ending. Highly recommended!

Pub date: Feb 5, 2019
A fast- paced thriller about a woman who is in a mental hospital for killing her husband and her psychotherapist who tries to help her. I won't say anymore about this, but it's a good thriller with twists I didn't see coming and plenty of red herrings.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley and a physical copy from Bookishfirst for an honest review.

This was an interesting mystery that kept you invested. However, I wasn't blown away as all the hype would lead you to believe. The ending wasn't bad by any means, it just didn't really shock me. Also, this was more of a mystery than any thriller I would classify as I didn't find a lot of thrilling things happening.

An excellent psychological thriller with which to start the new year. It lives up to all of its hype.. Character and plot merge to give the reader an exciting roller coaster ride with a surprise twist at the end. Thoroughly enjoyable if that's the right word to describe this whirlwind of a read. It's a winner.

Finally, a worthy thriller that is well-plotted, with intriguing characters, thoughtful twists, and an ending that is not tied perfectly with a bow. Dr. Theo Graber is the narrator, a psychotherapist newly arrived to the Grove, a small institution for the criminally insane. Drawn to the hospital by the newspaper stories of famous artist Alicia Berenson who murdered her husband, Theo believes he is the one who can finally get Alicia to talk after a silence of six years. Interspersed between the story line of his work with Alicia and the other members of the staff is Theo's story of his own personal hitory, his cheating wife, and disintegrating marriage. If you are looking for a well-written page turner, this is it - impressive debut.

Promising to be the debut novel of the season, I decided to make this my first read of 2019!

I am glad I did not wait any longer...

Alicia Berenson was a famous painter, married to an in-demand fashion photographer, living what appears to be a life that others would envy...till she kills her husband by shooting him in the face, five times, and never speaks another word.

Her only assertion about what happened is her self portrait, Alcestis, named after the tragic heroine of the Greek tragedy by Euripides. Her painting is of her naked body, fresh scars on her wrist, a blank expression on her face and a paintbrush in her hands, dripping red paint...or is it blood?

Determined to get her to talk is Theo Fabre, a criminal psychotherapist. He begins a quest for the truth, not unlike what a detective might do, but is he the right Doctor for this patient?

Excerpt: Alicia was standing by the wall, being restrained by Yuri and another nurse. But no physical restraint was necessary. She was totally calm, perfectly still, like a statue. her expression reminded me sharply of the painting-the Alcestis. Blank. Expressionless. Empty. She stared straight at me. For the first time, I felt afraid.

Told from Theo’s perspective and through Alicia’s diary entries, I still did not know where this book was going with only 10% left to read.

I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING! And, I was NOT disappointed. I have no hesitation in recommending this to readers who love a good psychological thriller.

Pre-Order NOW! This book will be released on Feb. 5, 2019.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Celadon books, and Alex Michaelides for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review! Posted to Goodreads now, and Amazon on publication date.

A great psychological thriller to start off the new year! The Silent Patient has been getting a lot of buzz leading up to it's release and now I know why. It is an excellent debut novel that I couldn't put down. It's twists and turns will keep you up all night!

A great psychological thriller. It is a mix of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and a little Joker and Harley Quinn. Murder, Tabloid news star, amnesia, doctors patient power dynamics are all done very well. As always with these books there is a “twist ending.” This ending is executed better than most in its genre. I would recommend for public library reading groups especially those interested in psychological thrillers. The publisher has really been pushing this book. It is included in the monthly subscription service book of the month and lots of ARC have been available. This could be a runaway head if it finds its audience.

I couldn't put this down once I got past the first few chapters, its well written and pretty good.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance read