Firstly thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This is a well written, gripping, psycholgical thriller.
The author clearly has knowledge regarding mental health/psychology.
However I found the characters to all be rather narcissistic. Maybe they are supposed to be that way, needless to say none of them have my sympathy!!

Overall I was gripped by the storyline and the way the story is written is very clever and I would recommend to psychological thriller fans.

Am intriguing book about a lady who allegedly killed her husband who is receiving treatment and a therapist so seems intent on helping her. Compelling and addictive. Thank you

There’s been a spurt of psychological thrillers coming out in recent months, and it’s super hard to keep track of them all- especially which ones are worth the read. With that in mind, I was recommended The Silent Patient by one of my lovely blogging friends, so I set to with a fair amount of excitement.
What I got back was gripping stuff: the kind of book that glues you to the page, desperate to figure out what’s really going on, and what the truth really is. Who’s lying? And who really is the silent patient in question, Alicia Berenson?
The story itself is a kind a murder mystery, tied up with a psychological thriller. But the question isn’t who murdered Gabriel Berenson, Alicia’s husband. It’s why. Because Alicia, a talented painter, murdered Gabriel and then refused to speak another word from that moment on. Flash forward a few years, and a young therapist, Theo Faber, makes it his mission to get her to talk… which involves diving into her past and bringing up some dark secrets.
Right from the off, the story is grippingly put together. We get shots of Theo’s point of view, interspersed with, as it goes on, Alicia’s own words from her diary, recounting the days up to the time of the murder. One thing I also appreciated was that Theo’s own life is fleshed out properly. So often when the story is focused on somebody who isn’t the narrator, the narrator’s own life recedes into the background. Not here: we get to excavate the ins and outs of Theo’s own life, especially his marriage to the beautiful and capricious Kathy.
As a result, The Silent Patient becomes more than a murder mystery: it becomes the story of two damaged people, one of whom is trying to exorcise his demons by finding out about the other. I won’t lie: some of the scenes made me feel uncomfortable, especially when we really get into the ins and outs of the therapy that permeates the book, because you start to psychoanalyse both Theo and Alicia as a result, and because some of their interactions with the other people at the clinic really are disturbing.
But the end result is gripping., perhaps because the book rattles along at lightning speed. We get twists, turns, revelations and new information that constantly sheds new light on the characters’ motivations. Friends become enemies, and enemies become friends. And the twist at the end really is something- though I won’t say any more about that.
So: forget the other thrillers clogging the shelves of your local bookstore. The Silent Patient is where it’s at, and boy does it deliver.

Happily married to fashion photographer Gabriel, successful painter, Alicia Berenson, appears to have it all. So what could've driven her to shoot her husband in the face five times, then clam up and refuse to speak?

Having been convicted of Gabriel's murder, Alicia is now incarcerated at The Grove, a high-security psychiatric hospital. Enter psychotherapist Theo Faber, who is desperate to work with Alicia to see if he can break through her wall of silence and get her talking. But is he the right doctor for the job?

The story is largely narrated by Theo who sets out, much like a detective might, to interview Alicia's nearest and dearest, both in an attempt to gain some insight into his patient and find a way to connect with her, but also to find out what really happened the day Gabriel died. And it works. She remains mute, but slowly but surely Alicia begins to trust Theo.

Then she hands him her diary...

The premise for this character-driven psychological thriller is incredibly simple, yet despite this Alex Michaelides has delivered a well-written, highly entertaining, and suspenseful story, the conclusion of which utterly blew me away; for when all is slowly revealed over the final 10% or so, you come to realise how cleverly-plotted the story actually is and how the author's managed to completely blindside you. Bravo, Mr. Michaelides!

If I can offer any advice it'd be a) make sure you add this one to your 2019 'to read' list and b) don't read too many reviews before opening the cover. This is definitely one of those books where the less you know going in, the better.

The mind is a curious thing. Who is actually more guilty? Who really needs help? A disturbing and deceptive tale. An excellent read that I recommend wholeheartedly.

I read this book in a day, I couldnt put it down. The chapters alternate between Alicia’s diary and Theo’s perspective.

I thought the book was well written and I really liked the characters.

The ending was amazing, I gasped and never saw it coming.

Highly recommend , 5/5

Good twisty book with an unexpected (to me turn). Written from a number of different viewpoints, but different from the wealth of other titles out there using this method. Recommended.

There has been a lot of hype regarding Alex Michaelides’ debut novel and, in many ways, it lives up to this. I enjoyed the story of Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, newly appointed to The Grove; his fascination and dedication to helping Alicia, a patient, who’s silent. Theo is a therapist who is prepared to do anything to get Alicia talking, where others have long since spgiven up.

The story is told from Theo’s perspective and is interspersed with extracts Fromm Alicia’s diary. It’s not only about the unit and its patients but also focuses on Theo’s private life and what went before.

In many ways, this is an intriguing story - one of many of a similar ilk. However, it is also cliched and formulaic - particularly the way chapters end and the ludicrous things that Theo evidently gets away with. Anyone who knows anything about mental health and health care will know that any misdeamours are taken extremely seriously and, in the real world, I don’t think Theo would have been at The Grove for long.

It’s a good read but somewhat clunky in places. Without ruining the ending, there is a clever, if not implausible twist, but that’s up to the reader to think about.

5☆ Unputdownable! Wow!!

Wow oh wow! Simply brilliant. I was so deeply enthralled from the very start I devoured it in one night!

Alicia a famous artist was quiet clearly troubled right from the start.
But what I wasn't expecting was for her to murder her husband after she tied him up, then tried to kill herself!

It was from that moment on Alicia became mute.
Not a single word was muttered from her lips. Not even to plea guilty at her trial.

Theo is a criminal forensic psychotherapist and he is fascinated with Alicia.
He makes it his mission to get her to talk.
But it might be easier said than done, as she is in an institution aka 'The Grove and heavily drugged up.

But that's ok, as Theo has come up with a plan. An opening has come up at Alicia's institute so he applies and gets the job.
He is determined to be the one to Fix Her, unlock her secrets and get her to open up.

The silent patient is narrated by Alicia's Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber. Which I simply adored!
He is a fantastic, endearing and complex character with an addictive personality, I was drawn to him hanging on his every word.

Alicia is so intriguing and fascinating, i was hooked by her story and past, I just wanted to know what made her tick that day and kill her loving husband.

The writing style is addictive, gripping, fluid,
deliciously intense and addictive.
It's perfectly dark in all the right places making for a riveting and compulsive read.
The Characters and Complex and desperately flawed.
The story is skillfully plotted and the characters and the engrossing storyline kept me on the edge of my seat

The Silent Patient is a dark deliciously twisty psychological thriller, with a killer of an ending, full of suspense, intense and endearing characters, a gripping, seamless and mesmerising plot that simply sums up as Unputdownable!
Definitely a must read for 2019!

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours and Orion books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I was really keen to get my hands on a copy of this book and I have to say that it is definitely going to be a contender for my favourite books in 2019 - I loved it from cover to cover!

The story is very well developed, it has a great plot line and it is clear that the author has done research and has knowledge on the topic. The characters are very well developed and I really enjoyed getting to know them as the book progressed. I thought that the ending was great and I really didn’t see the final twist coming.

Definitely five stars from me for this one, it is a very enjoyable story, well written and it is most certainly a page turner that is hard to put down – very, very highly recommended and for me it really does live up to the hype!

Alicia Berenson is found covered in blood, whilst her husband is bound to a chair. Throughout the investigation, subsequent court trial and hospitalisation, she never said a word. Theo Faber is a Forensic Psychotherapist and having a fascination with the case, thinks he can cure her.
Whilst titles like “most anticipated” “you won’t want to miss it” don’t hold much sway with me after reading the blurb it really piqued my interest.
The majority of the story is written from Theo’s POV following him step by step. Scattered throughout were extracts from Alicia journal, which put a different spin on the story and helped explain her state of mind.
The beginning of the story grabbed me and I started to read at pace as I wanted to find out more about Alicia, but as the story was revolved around Theo, I found my mind begin to wander as I found him an egotistical character, which I despised straight away. All he wanted to do was make a name for himself and I was not interested in his life. However, I am glad I persevered as the last quarter of the book made up for all the slow pace. The twist at the end was a good one and whilst I had an inkling, it was good to read how it was pulled off.
Whilst I have no knowledge of working in a mental health organisation, I found it a bit unbelievable what went on in The Grove and felt that some of the violent scenes were added for filler.
Saying that I did read it pretty quickly and I love reading psychological thrillers, but it just did not grab me as other books have.

Fantastic! I really enjoyed this book and the twist well-what can I say. Brilliant. It deserves all the hype. Recommended 5 well deserved stars. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Those of you that follow my reviews will know that I love a Psychological thriller, for me there is nothing better than a book that will keep you reading and guessing until the very end. And this book is certainly one of those.

So first of all I actually listened to the audio version of this…..OMG what an audio it is. We follow a story that is told by two different characters Alicia and Theo which are told by two different narrators, who I might add have done a brilliant job of portraying them.

The whole idea of me listening to this was for some background noise at work….. What I didn’t expect was to end up listening to the whole story in a day! The more I listened the more I wanted to know. I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in the story. And Boy is this a story.

Imagine shooting someone five times then never speaking again. This is what happens to Alicia. The story alternates between her ( well her diary entries) and Theo, her psychotherapist. Who is obsessed with her crime and finding out what happened.

You and me both Theo….

The Silent Patient is full of OMG moments which actually made me gasp.It is one hell of an addictive read full of twists and turns and jam packed with mystery and suspense….it is soooooo good. Oh and did I mention it is the authors debut novel?! Crikey I cannot wait to see what is in store for us in the next novel. Read it for yourself to find out what I mean.

I cannot recommend it enough giving it all the stars.

Wow what a fantastic book. I love the way the book leads you in one direction then bam you are headed in a totally different direction.

This is easily my top book I have read so far this year. A real belter.

Artist Alicia Berenson has shot her beloved husband in the head 5 times because he came home late one evening. Since then she has not uttered a single word. She has been imprisoned in a secure mental facility where her only form of communication has been through her paintings. Psychotherapist, Theo Faber has taken an obsessive interest in Alicia, so much so that he has quit his job and moved half way across the country to treat her but to what end? To absolve her? To understand her? To save her?

There has been a phenomenal amount of hype surrounding this book and well deserved too. This is a smart and addictive thriller which drew me in and kept me hooked from the first chapter. The story is primarily narrated from Theo’s perspective and this, interspersed with individual diary entries from Alicia herself, help the story to unfold and reveal just why she is The Silent Patient.

The insane twist at the end left me gobsmacked and wondering just how Alex Michaelidis created such a convincing and captivating tale for his debut. I think one of the draws of this book is how Michaelidis has managed to write so many words about a person who has no words. This psychological thriller rendered me unsociable and was completely consuming - I devoured it in just two sittings.

Many thanks to Orion and Netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of this novel to read in return for an honest review. The Silent Patient came out in hardcover on 07 February 2019.

MrsCookesBooks

This book is one of a very few number where I can honestly say ....... well, I didn’t see that coming !!

It all begins when artist, Alicia, is discovered next to her husband, who has been shot in the face several times. They were seen to have the perfect relationship but all the evidence points to Alicia killing her lovin husband but is all as it seems ?

We next come across Alicia in a psychiatric facility, The Grove, where she has been silent since the murder. A criminal psychotherapist, Theo, begins working at The Grove and is determined to treat Alicia and try and get to the truth of what happened. His journey to get to the truth makes him visit some of his own troubles but will he finally get to the truth and at what cost ?

This is a great twisty psychological thriller that you won’t be able to put down. This truely is a book that will keep you guessing at the motivations of the people involved !!

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Bloody hell!!! Wow!! Amazing!! Brilliant!! OMG!!! Gob-smackingly good!!! 

I read a lot of books, a lot of thrillers, and a LOT of psychological thrillers. You get a bit jaded, and a bit blasé about plotlines, twists that you think you see staring you in the face, and surprises that don’t come as too much of a shock. But then, every once in a while, a cracker of a book comes along and shakes you out of your bubble of indifference … and THIS is the book!



Believe the hype, believe every single hyperbolic description you’ve heard because this is going to be one of THE books of 2019!! Clear your diary before you sit down to read The Silent Patient because you will not want any interruptions until you’ve read the very last word! Wait … don’t get up off that comfortable couch and think life can resume as normal!! You’ll need time to recover!!

Ok, I’ll shut up with the carrying on now and tell you about the actual book now …

Successful artist Alicia Berenson adores her husband Gabriel, until the day that she’s found holding a gun, standing next to his body, after he’s been brutally shot in the face numerous times. It’s obviously a crime of passion; an open and shut case, except that Alicia won’t say a word about it. To anyone. Not that day, and not for the 6 years that follow. Not one, single word.

She’s written off as catatonic and locked up in a mental institution called The Grove in the unassuming suburb of Edgware – where many of my relatives currently reside (in the suburb, not the mental institution, although …).

The Grove has problems of its own, the biggest cloud on its horizon being some decisions that need to be made about its possible imminent closure! Nevertheless, there’s a vacancy for a psychotherapist on their team and along comes Theo Faber who cleverly disguises his existing obsession with the once famous, now infamous Alicia Berenson and who – to be very honest – could just as easily be admitted as a patient, so numerous are his psychological foibles. Being the skilled therapist that he is though, he knows exactly how to disguise his eccentricities and even manages to grit his teeth enough to work with a colleague with who he shares previous history, and animosity.

Convincing his superiors that he is most definitely the only individual who will be able to bring Alicia’s vocal chords out of hiding, he sets about his task in what can only be described as ‘extremely unprofessional methods’. Numerous times, he’s referred to by the many people he hassles for information on Alicia’s history as ‘more of a detective than a doctor’ and this certainly seems to be the case. He is undeterred in his determination to find out as much as possible about her life, her childhood, her marriage, her relationships … absolutely everything!

Told from Theo’s often deeply pained perspective, and interspersed with Alicia’s diary entries that give us some insight into the mind of a woman who everyone has written off as a crazed killer. Interestingly, this diary was written quite some time before and then in the weeks leading up to Gabriel’s murder.

And throughout this journey of Theo’s, as he uncovers Alicia’s story, the reader unearths the depths of Theo’s soul and what exactly it is that makes him tick.

This is perfectly paced. The principal characters have just enough edge for you to continually question whether you like them, are scared of them, feel sorry for them, or downright despise them. The peripheral players are sufficiently shady for you to wonder what they’re up to most of the time, and whether they’re going to have some devastating impact that you’re not going see coming until it suddenly goes ‘Kaboom!’ in your face … or maybe not?!

5 thrilling stars to you Alex Michaelides on your stunning debut! I cannot wait to see how you top this! (I also cannot wait to see a film version, so I hope that’s in the pipeline!)

This story is told from the perspectives of both Theo (the psychotherapist) and Alicia (the patient/artist) and has intriguing flashbacks to fill in the back story. The characters were well-developed, as was the detailed plot. I was keen to read it and discover the hidden links. Although it was an enjoyable read I wasn’t blown away so a 4 star recommendation from me.

Wow!!! What a fantastic read. I absolutely loved this book, it was a great psychological thriller. Every time I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I really wanted to find out about what happened between Alicia and her husband.

I thought the book was so well written and the pacing was spot on for me. Machaelides got the balance of having just the right amount of action and suspense to keep you wanting more.

I loved the characters, they were interesting and I didn’t know who trust. I really liked how we get to learn about Alicia through the diary extracts that are included as well as learning about Theo as the plot unfolds.

The shocking twist at the end of the book was brilliant wasn’t expecting that at all, I still can’t believe how wrong I was.

A fantastic debut novel by Alex Michaelides, which I recommend to every to read if you haven’t already. Can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers Orion for my eARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a story about Alicia who is found by her husband's dead body but refuses to speak and literally remains silent. Six years later she is still in a hospital called the grove and along comes a physiologist called Theo who is fascinated by her and determined to make her talk and find out what happened the night her husband died. The story gets told in two parts his side and a diary version by her. Although I guessed the end I really did enjoy this book. A really good read.