Review | The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

After shooting her husband dead with no explanation, famous artist Alicia has remained silent for six years. She is admitted to a secure forensic institution where no one has been able to get her to speak. Theo Faber is a psychotherapist intrigued by Alicia’s case and decides to treat her. But is his relentless attempt to get her to communicate just an altruistic move or is there something he is looking for?

I wanted to help start her up again – help Alicia tell her story, to heal and get well. I wanted to fix her.

The Silent Patient has been majorly hyped and I could see why, it’s a well-crafted thriller and I finished it in one sitting. The book has a familiar patient-therapist setup and while it’s slow to take off, the engaging writing made it easy for me to get into the story. Soon, between Theo’s troubled past and Alicia’s diary entries I was hooked. I wanted to know more about Alicia and why she refuses to speak after committing a murder. I liked the elements of Greek mythology woven into her story, it provides something different than the usual fare in this genre.

This would have been a 5-star read if not for the predictable twist. I’ve read books that employed the same plot device so unfortunately, I saw it coming. I also wish the ending is stronger because to me the conflict was left unresolved. But even with the predictability it was still a pleasure watching the pieces slot into place.

Overall, The Silent Patient is a commendable debut and if you love psychological thrillers definitely give this one a go!

About the author: Alex Michaelides

Photo by Alice Achterhof