Gripping, unpredictable, engaging and completely impossible to put down.
Just some of the ways I’d describe this book. I have loved how it has been written and have been completely caught up in the pages. I have loved the characters and the way this is written. Definitely a book I’ll be recommending.

This is a twisted sorry about manipulation. It could be seen as a love story or could be looked act as a thriller. It has many twists and turns and has alot of unlikeable characters. thought this was a gripping read and would recommend

It took me a while to get used to the way the author had written this book. However, when I got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The twists and turns and the amazing ending was not what I expected. The main character Rachel falling in love with a "Patient" seemed to be the main story, however the story going on behind the scenes was quite well hidden until the end of the book. Which is why Nathan went from being an understanding husband to the bad guy.
Definitely worth persevering with this story as it certainly gets better and better

Our story starts with Dr Rachel Goodchild being interviewed by police and starting to look back over the past few months and what has brought her to this situation. The ominous tone is immediately set, bringing a feeling of anxiety and unease throughout the book.

Rachel lives in Salisbury with her husband Nathan, in a marriage which seems to be leaving them both feeling unfulfilled. Rachel’s relationship with her daughter Lizzie is strained and suffering. Then she meets a new patient, the compelling Luc Lefevre, and things begin to change as she becomes absorbed into his intriguing life and family.

The story has a wonderful pace – just right to keep me turning the pages and feeling unsettled, desperate to know what is going to happen next.

The twists towards the end were fabulously satisfying – not completely wild and incredible like with a lot of books of this genre, but just the perfect blend of unpredictable and fitting for the story.

An excellent thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Rachel is a perimenopausal GP with a complacent husband, Nathan, and a disaffected twentysomething daughter, Lizzie. At work the practice manager, Carol, seems to be always on her back, and her patients are mostly routine, with two exceptions: Liam, a young man who killed himself and Brian, a lonely introvert. Rachel feels guilty because she believes she misdiagnosed the seriousness of Liam’s depression, whereas she feels increasingly exasperated by Brian, who keeps turning up with no real cause and is possibly displaying iatrophilia.
One evening, about to go home to a boring evening with Nathan she agrees to see a walk-in patient, a Frenchman new to the area, whose symptoms remind her of Liam’s. Instead of the usual ten minutes she devotes an hour to him and feels she has resolved his crisis. Meanwhile she becomes concerned with the possibility that Brian is now stalking her and following her during her evening runs.
She and Nathan live in the Salisbury Cathedral Close and are invited to a house-warming party by new neighbours, the occupants of the North Canonry, a young American woman, Ophelia, her brother, her son, and her husband, Luc – the French patient. A flirtation begins, which becomes an affair when Rachel agrees to meet Luc while she is at a conference in Paris. This effectively creates a ménage à six with disastrous consequences; and not just for the six.
Murders, mayhem, infidelities and intrigues. Accusations and arrests. Madness and mystery. The use of language is often very good, even lyrical in its descriptions of places, and the characters are mostly convincing. In some ways this is a very straightforward tale, each event arrives in a predictable way. And yet for the most part they were not really predictable, rather that feeling arises from post facto realisation of the “Well, of course, that would happen”. The epilogue, describing sometimes messy and perhaps surprising outcomes, ties off all the threads.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Could become a decent lifetime or hallmark movie but not so much an astounding book. The story is crafted well enough but lacks originality. The pre menopausal doctor falling for a patient and all the sudden becoming embroiled in an international intrigue is a bit far fetched but readable nonetheless. It is a “filler” read in between 2 books you really want to read. Not very memorable.

This excellent thriller enters into taboo territory as Rachel, a GP, becomes involved with a patient. Her home life had been difficult of late, with her husband not exactly supportive and her daughter very frosty toward her - and these factors are probably why she strayed down a path that she had never taken before. This uncharted territory with her patient leads to a roller-coaster of emotions and a very unpredictable twist in the proceedings. The story is at times heart-wrenching and has plenty of twists and turns, so is well worth a read. Many thanks to Harper Fiction and Netgalley for my read.

I really enjoyed this novel, my first of Jane Shemilt’s. A bit of a slow burner but definitely worth sticking with! Lots of twists and turns and I did guess some of the ending but it still gripped me!

I read the synopsis/blurb and was excited when Netgalley granted me access to THE PATIENT. But, I couldn't connect to the storyline from the blurb. The story started, slow, really slow and I nearly gave up. I was also confused about the timeline and characters. Most of the characters were unlikeable. The chapters give lots of descriptions, which started to bore me but as the book progresses, I should have taken time with the descriptions, entirely my fault! I struggled on and then got into the book, but it was a slow reading progress. Maybe the book is not for me or I was not in the correct frame of mind.

I give a 3 star rating.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

An enjoyable read from Jane Shemilt. I found the structure of the book a bit unsettling to start with and wasn’t sure what to make of it. The story is gradually revealed chapter by chapter. The attraction between Luc and Rachel is palpable when they meet. I found many of the characters quite detestable - Rachel’s husband being one. I found the book to be a real page turner and it was refreshing to not guess many of the twists and turns as they were revealed.

My first Jane Shemilt book, I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Patient but it certainly delivered!

The story focuses on Dr Rachel Goodchild, a GP in picturesque Salisbury, who treats the charming and enigmatic Luc when he is facing a period of poor mental health. This starts in motion tumultuous events that will affect her work, her marriage and her life as she knows it will never be the same.

Shemilt writes beautifully, creating an empathetic character in Rachel. Overworked, underappreciated and a life lacking in colour, meeting the passionate Luc ignites a fire in her she thought she was long past aged 49.

With satisfying twists and an achingly real romance at its heart, I couldn’t put this down. Just when you think the truth has been revealed, the rug is pulled from beneath you and you’re left grasping for more.

The narrative jumps between timelines, so we meet Rachel, vulnerable on a dark path, running in fear, before jumping to the police station before seeing her normal life as it was ‘before’. This tantalising glimpse of where the story might go gripped me from thr first pages; i had to see how it ended.

Characterisation was fantastically executed, with side characters Victoria and Lizzie being as vivid as the mesmerising Luc and his vivid artwork. Rachel was flawed, imperfect, making her the most believable person to fall into this sinister trap.

A fantastic read, I will definitely read more by the fantastic Jane Shemilt. The Patient is published 28th April 2022. Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the approval!

This is a wonderful thriller with just the right amount of twists to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, without being ridiculous. We meet our protagonist, Rachel, a GP, as she meets a new patient, one suffering badly with his mental health. We follow Rachel and her family through the twists and turns, each more heart-wrenching than the last. We also meet the new family who have moved into the close, they are beautiful and wealthy, but they have secrets to hide. Watch the consequences as the families intertwine

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have enjoyed all this authors books and this was no exception. Fast paced, great storyline and would highly recommend to other readers.

Rachel is a GP, her family life is a little rocky which is probably why she crosses the boundaries and finds herself involved with a patient for the first time.
She falls headlong for Luc who is initially her patient and also a neighbour. When he invites Rachel to visit him at his house in France it seems a perfect opportunity as she has a medical conference at the same time.
They have an idyllic few days but Rachel realises that it cannot last as they both have families and they agree to call a halt.
Rachel regrets her decision but once she is home horrific events take over which seem to suggest Luc is not really who he seems.
A terrific tension filled thriller

It was only OK to be honest.
It really wasn't what I expected, it is slow at times and although it can be classified as a thriller, it seemed to talk its way out of it! It was more a drama than thriller.

The Patient is a well-written, intriguing novel where nothing is what it seems and relationships are interwoven in the most unexpected ways. The characters are well-developed and each one has an integral part to play in the novel. This is a story about what can happen when boundaries are crossed and deception becomes the norm. Highly recommended. Thanks to HarperCollins, the Author and NetGalley for the ARC.

The synopsis feels misleading. The murders felt like an afterthought. They weren't really an important part of the story. Basically pushed aside for the actually main part. Main issue is the main part was underwhelming and boring.
The way the book progressed in a direction I didn't see coming. But not in a good way. Instead I was left wondering why the book was convoluted for it to just be about what it ended up being about.
The characters annoyed me. The daughter was unlikeable. Her behaviour was just irritating. The husband was honestly pathetic and didn't deserve to basically ride off into the sunset.
The other characters just simply annoying.
The book was slowed paced. There were times I thought maybe it would lead somewhere but then things would be revealed and it just felt like the earlier things didn't mean much.
Why even bother doing the police interviews if the murders don't really matter?

This is a story with lots of twists but I found it quite slow with too much detail in places. Still worth a read though and I would recommend it

I enjoyed this book, quite pacy and involved with a few twists I didn't see coming.
It was quite unrealistic on a few occasions, and I don't believe that her husband ended up with who he did. But it was fun to read. Although the daughter was absolutely hideous and believe the whole book could have done without her.

Fans of psychological thrillers should make for Jane’s back catalogue immediately, and start with this beauty. Rachel Goodchild is a doctor and when Luc LeFevre is in need of help, neither could predict the depth of their developing relationship. After giving him her number in case he needs additional support, one moment of contact leads to an all consuming liaison. Rachel is intoxicated by Luc, choosing to put her fractured relationship with her daughter on hold. Rachel’s convinced she’s being followed which puts her on edge… and then there’s a fatality… The problem is, no one seems to believe that she is being watched and as the tension ramps up, while she is in a particular location (no spoilers), we learn more of the back story. It’s clear that everyone has a secret to keep. This is a fantastic read that’s difficult to adequately review without giving too much away, but rest assured, it will grip you.