“Remember, Love that doesn’t include Honesty

doesn’t deserve to be called love.”

A gruesome murder, a woman held captive in her
own mind, and a therapist determined to unlock
her secrets. THE SILENT PATIENT is a maze-like
exploration of the psyches of both a woman
convicted of murdering her husband and the
therapist determined to treat her.
Rather than investigating a crime, THE SILENT
PATIENT investigates the mind of a criminal - and
what a gripping investigation it is. THE SILENT
PATIENT is immersive and hypnotic—the kind of
confidently drawn suspense story that doesn’t
need big, flashy twists to keep you hooked… but
that delivers an exceptional twist or two anyway.
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly 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. 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. Charged and convicted of
the crime, She has been admitted to a psychiatric
hospital known as the Grove, a forensic unit in
North London. She has been charged with
murdering her husband, Gabriel, after he returns
home late one evening. Alicia was found at the
scene of the crime with the gun, the blood, the
body, and her wrists slit.
After shooting Gabriel, Alicia has never spoken
again.

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 ?
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cut and dry as it was originally made out to be.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 ?
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
accepted a job at the Grove in the hopes of
working with Alicia, he has waited a long time
for this opportunity. He is obsessed with
learning her motive. 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.... Theo
finds himself drawn to Alicia’s story,
determined to treat her and help her Find her
Voice Again.
He knows he can get her to talk.
Others have tried – others have failed.
Will he be successful ?
“I became resolved to stop at nothing until
Alicia became my patient. There was no time to
waste : Alicia was lost. She was missing. And I
intended to find her.”

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.
Told from Theo’s perspective, the story at first
seems merely timeline of a therapist’s attempts to
bring a patient back to reality. Theo is ambitious,
of course, and helping Alicia speak again would
definitely be a coup to his career, but as the story
progresses, it’s obvious there’s another reason
behind his determination.
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 ?
For a character who is determined to unveil the
secrets of his patient, Theo is, himself, quite
hidden from the reader ; Michaelides adds yet
another layer of mystery here, keeping readers
hooked on the gradual unveiling of Theo’s secrets
even as Alicia’s secrets are also coming into the
light.
And when the secrets at the heart of this novel are
guaranteed to make your jaw hit the floor.
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.

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.
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
accepted a job at the Grove in the hopes of
working with Alicia, he has waited a long time
for this opportunity. He is obsessed with
learning her motive. 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.... Theo
finds himself drawn to Alicia’s story,
determined to treat her and help her Find her
Voice Again.
He knows he can get her to talk.
Others have tried – others have failed.
Will he be successful ?
“I became resolved to stop at nothing until
Alicia became my patient. There was no time to
waste : Alicia was lost. She was missing. And I
intended to find her.”

What begins as a mere mystery transforms into

a thriller delving into the psyches of patient and
therapist.
In a final climactic chapter, it is shockingly
shown how alike their shared experiences are.
The final reveal of THE SILENT PATIENT is
worth the price of the book alone ; it was the
most shocking and intelligently plotted reveal
I’ve read in ages, and I’m a picky reader when it
comes to reveals. And, the best part : even if
you somehow do guess the final reveal of THE
SILENT PATIENT, this book is so much more
than just “twisty”—the twist is just the cherry
on top of a book that is riveting in its own right.
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.

THE SILENT PATIENT is an outstanding debut

crime novel that forges its own path, delivering
intelligent character study and masterful
plotting, all wrapped up in hypnotic writing
from which you won’t want to tear yourself
away.
“I didn't kill Gabriel. Gabriel killed me.
All I did was pull the trigger.”
The Silent Patient dramatically proves no man
is an island and whatever happens in one
person’s life may in turn affect another, for
better or worse.
“You know, Theo, 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.”