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How a Failed Screenwriting Career Forged a Best-Selling Author

Before he wrote “The Silent Patient,” Alex Michaelides tried and tried again to make movies.

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By Elisabeth Egan

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“I don’t know why I’m writing this” happens to be the first line of Alex Michaelides’s debut thriller, “The Silent Patient,” which is now in its 46th week on the trade paperback best-seller list. This statement appears in a character’s diary, but one can imagine it crossing the author’s mind after his screenwriting ambitions fizzled.

“It was a pretty checkered career, to be polite,” Michaelides said in a phone interview. “I made three films and they went from bad to worse.”

He declined to name the movies (they are listed on IMDb ), but explained that “one was so bad it didn’t get released,” another went straight to DVD and the third had a brief run in theaters.

“I was at a party in Los Angeles and I was talking to somebody and it turned out he’d actually seen a film that I’d made,” said Michaelides, who grew up in Cyprus and now lives in London. “He went, ‘Wow, having seen that film, I didn’t expect you to be so interesting.’ It was at that moment when I thought, ‘I’m going to give up writing films. I’ll finally write that novel that I’ve been putting off for 25 years.’”

With Agatha Christie as his inspiration, Michaelides got to work on “The Silent Patient.” He approached the project casually, so as not to feel undue pressure (“It was just this stack of pages I carried around”). He quit drinking while he was writing the first draft, and meditated three times a day for 30 minutes. “If you go to bed sober and you’ve meditated and you’re thinking about the book, it permeates your dreams,” he explained. “You stay in the river, so to speak, for weeks at a time.”

Four years later, a month after his 40th birthday, Michaelides sold the book. Not only has it been a stalwart across hardcover, paperback and audio best-seller lists, “The Silent Patient” has inspired a slew of #BookTok videos with 14 million viewers. A movie is in the works. The sale of the film rights provided a nice full-circle moment for Michaelides, who is now grateful for the “edge of desperation” that pushed him into the book-writing arena in the first place. “I’d spent a lifetime trying to meet these producers,” he said. “When the film rights went to auction, a few of them who will remain nameless, who I had been desperately trying to meet for years, got hold of my cellphone number and were calling me at 11 o’clock at night and were trying to persuade me to sign with them.”

Elisabeth Egan is an editor at the Book Review and the author of “A Window Opens.”

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Awards & Accolades

New York Times Bestseller

IndieBound Bestseller

THE SILENT PATIENT

by Alex Michaelides ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2019

Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.

A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.

"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Celadon Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018

SUSPENSE | THRILLER | SUSPENSE | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE

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BOOK REVIEW

by Alex Michaelides

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SEEN & HEARD

Our Verdict

by Max Brooks ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.

Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.

Pub Date: June 16, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7

Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

GENERAL SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SCIENCE FICTION

More by Max Brooks

by Max Brooks

BOOK TO SCREEN

A CONSPIRACY OF BONES

by Kathy Reichs ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2020

Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan.

A week after the night she chases but fails to catch a mysterious trespasser outside her town house, some unknown party texts Tempe four images of a corpse that looks as if it’s been chewed by wild hogs, because it has been. Showboat Medical Examiner Margot Heavner makes it clear that, breaking with her department’s earlier practice ( The Bone Collection , 2016, etc.), she has no intention of calling in Tempe as a consultant and promptly identifies the faceless body herself as that of a young Asian man. Nettled by several errors in Heavner’s analysis, and even more by her willingness to share the gory details at a press conference, Tempe launches her own investigation, which is not so much off the books as against the books. Heavner isn’t exactly mollified when Tempe, aided by retired police detective Skinny Slidell and a host of experts, puts a name to the dead man. But the hints of other crimes Tempe’s identification uncovers, particularly crimes against children, spur her on to redouble her efforts despite the new M.E.’s splenetic outbursts. Before he died, it seems, Felix Vodyanov was linked to a passenger ferry that sank in 1994, an even earlier U.S. government project to research biological agents that could control human behavior, the hinky spiritual retreat Sparkling Waters, the dark web site DeepUnder, and the disappearances of at least four schoolchildren, two of whom have also turned up dead. And why on earth was Vodyanov carrying Tempe’s own contact information? The mounting evidence of ever more and ever worse skulduggery will pull Tempe deeper and deeper down what even she sees as a rabbit hole before she confronts a ringleader implicated in “Drugs. Fraud. Breaking and entering. Arson. Kidnapping. How does attempted murder sound?”

Pub Date: March 17, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9821-3888-2

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020

GENERAL MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | SUSPENSE | THRILLER | DETECTIVES & PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS | SUSPENSE | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER

More by Kathy Reichs

by Kathy Reichs

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The Silent Patient (Review, Book Summary & Spoilers)

By alex michaelides.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, a twisty psychological thriller.

In The Silent Patient , Alicia Berenson is a well-known painter who murdered her husband six years ago and hasn't spoken a word since. He was found bound to a chair with gunshot wounds to his face, and she was convicted soon thereafter.

Theo Faber is a psychotherapist who hopes to treat Alicia and uncover the mystery behind her motives for killing her husband. As they sit in silence, the main clue he has is a painting she completed. She titled it Alcestis , named after a heroine in Greek mythology who sacrifices her life to save her husband.

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

Part I introduces Alicia, a painter. Her husband was found tied up and shot dead. She has not spoken a word since, though she produced one last painting (entitled "Alcestis"). Alicia was found guilty and sent to a mental facility. Six years later, Theo takes her case over from another doctor, Christian. Theo learns about Alicia's prior trauma, stemming from her mother suicide attempt with a young Alicia in the car.

In Part II , Theo tries to treat Alicia by reducing her meds, allowing her to paint and talking to outside sources to learn more. (Theo finds out Alicia had once been assaulted by her brother in law, Max. And Jean owns the gallery Alicia's art was in, but she had been planning on switching galleries.) Alicia and her neighbor had also noticed a man (Alicia had suspected Max or Jean) hanging outside her house in the time prior to Gabriel's death. Theo also learns that "Alcestis" is the story of a Greek goddess who was sent to Hades (death) in the place of her husband. She was later saved, but never spoke again. Meanwhile, Theo discovers his wife Kathy is cheating on him.

In Part III , Theo follows Kathy and sees that her lover is also married. Theo also learns that Christian (Alicia's doctor before Theo) had actually treated her even before Gabriel's death. Christian didn't tell anyone because it had been an unlicensed practice. This leads Theo to learn more about Alicia's prior trauma (after her mother's suicide, Alicia father wished Alicia had died instead). When Theo brings this up to Alicia, she finally begins to speak. Alicia tells him about the night of Gabriel's death. She says that man showed up, tied them up and shot Gabriel. Before he can follow up, the next day Alicia is found in a coma. Theo sees that she was injected by morphine, tells the others about Christian and Christian is arrested.

In Part IV , Theo goes to the house of Kathy's lover. It's Gabriel, and his wife Alicia is there, too. (This is the big reveal of the book. In other words, all the sections about Kathy, her cheating, and her lover were in the past . Theo is the mysterious man Alicia had seen hanging around the house and who showed up the night of Gabriel's death).

In Part V , we learn the real story from Alicia's diary. Theo went to Gabriel's house to show what a dirtbag Gabriel was. Theo tied Gabriel and Alicia up, exposed him as a cheater, and told Gabriel to choose which one of them he should kill. Gabriel chose Alicia, but instead Theo simply untied Alicia, and left. Then, Alicia shot Gabriel.

From Alicia's diary, we learn that Theo is the one who gave her the morphine. Theo knew from her story that she must have recognized him (she told an inaccurate story to test him). The night of Gabriel's death, Theo hadn't known about her traumatic history of feeling uncared for, and didn't know his stunt would result in her killing Gabriel. Later, Theo had taken for her case to genuinely try to treat her (he felt guilty about his involvement), but when Theo realized she recognized him, he had to kill her. The book ends with the police having found her diary and showing up at Theo's house (to ask him about it and presumably to arrest him).

For more detail, see the full Section-by-Section Summary .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Book Review

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides shows you exactly what type of book it’s aiming to be from the very first sentence: “Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband.” No messing around here.

For people who like their thrillers-slash-mysteries to have twisty plots and straight-forward writing, this recent release is one to look at (but with some big caveats, so keep reading). Since its February 2019 release, it’s been climbing all over the bestseller charts and is being developed into a movie by heavy-hitters Annapurna and Plan B.

The Good Stuff

Let’s start with the good stuff. The premise of this book is fantastic. I was engaged right away. The ending is surprising, even if you guess the twist (I didn’t, but some might), and the way the crucial scene of the book plays out is well done. I was skeptical of whether the book would come together, and I pleasantly surprised that it ultimately does.

For most thrillers, I think, the ending is the make-it-or-break it aspect of the story, and this one is pretty solid. Michaelides’s debut novel is an easy, accessible and entertaining read, and it will undoubtedly make for a thrilling movie if and when that is released.

Overall, the story keeps your interest and is well-paced. It reads pretty much the way a thriller should read, with plenty of twists and intriguing bits of information doled out at a steady clip.

Some Criticisms

So, the flaws in this book are numerous, but they’re also pretty standard for the genre. The characterizations of characters are sort of silly or cartoonish (the motherly female doctor! the arrogant doctor who gets in the way! and so on). Michaelides throws in so many red herrings and false starts that the book begins to have an unintentionally campy feel. (Without giving anything away, when we find out why Theo gets knocked out, I actually rolled my eyes.)

As for the writing, it’s passable, but leaves a bit to be desired. It serves to move from one plot point to the next (sometimes rather clumsily), and that’s about it. And while I liked the ending, a lot of the minor plot “twists” are pretty uninspired — there’s a lot of “he said, she said” in the mushy middle of the book that more closely resembles a jumbled mess than an entertaining mystery. Most of those red herrings are left unresolved.

Finally, despite the steadily moving pace of the book, it takes a while to get into the meat of the book. There’s a range of characters to be introduced and decent chunk of background information to go over before the action starts to happen. As a result, it relies frequently on one of my least-favorite literary/mystery “tricks” to try to sustain the reader’s interest as it doles out background information — it throws out ominous-sounding narration to reassure you that things will get interesting later (I didn’t know then that it was doomed, I would later realize my mistake, etcetera and etcetera). Not a big deal, but I wish people wouldn’t do this.

Read it or Skip it?

The Silent Patient is a thriller that nails the ending, and for that reason alone I’m inclined to forgive a lot of its imperfections. I was perplexed by the main mystery in this book and felt that gratifying “oh man, I should have guessed this!” feeling when it was revealed. For me, this goes a long way.

As a fan of thrillers, I’m fairly forgiving of books in this genre that aren’t perfect. I found this book mildly entertaining, and I think there’s lots of people who will enjoy reading it, especially if you love smartly laid out plots.

That said, my main thought is that it will be much better as a movie. (And I wouldn’t be surprised if the potential to sell movie rights is why the publisher picked it up in the first place.) The basic frame of a really good plot is there, it just needs some retooling and a little more nuance. Given the fantastic reputation of the studios developing it, anyone who is not a fan of a genre should probably just watch to movie when it comes out.

That said, if you do like psychological thrillers and are not nit-picky about your books, this is a quick and fun read overall. If you liked The Wife Between Us , for example, you might like this book. Check out the Silent Patient on Amazon .

P.S. Listen to my discussion of this book on the Most Read Books podcast, Ep. 1 The Silent Crawdads & the Six .

The Silent Patient, Explained!

Spoilers and Explanation start here! Don’t read beyond this point if you haven’t read the book! Keep reading if you’ve read the book, but have questions!

Where can I find a full plot summary of The Silent Patient?

For the full summary of The Silent Patient, see the Detailed Plot Summary

Help! I’m confused. What’s the main plot twist in The Silent Patient?

Okay, this is the quick and dirty version. A detailed summary of the book is available over here .

The Silent Patient is told with two intertwined timelines . The first is before the murder where Theo falls in love but gets cheated on. Theo then tracks down the “other man” (Gabriel), who turns out to be married to Alicia. Theo (wearing a ski mask on his head) ties them up, outs Gabriel as a cheater, and gets Gabriel to show what a jerk he is. (Theo asks Gabriel which one of the two of them — Gabriel or Alicia — he should shoot, and Gabriel chooses Alicia). Theo doesn’t actually shoot anybody, but Alicia is horrified enough by Gabriel’s answer that she shoots Gabriel.

The second timeline is what happens afterwards. Theo gets the job as Alicia therapist because he genuinely feels bad about what happened with her. However, Theo eventually figures out that Alicia does, in fact, recognize him as the masked man. He ends up killing her to protect himself, but not before she writes the truth in her diary. The book ends with the police coming to question him about the diary.

The big twist is when you realize that they are two different timelines (one before the murder, the other after) being told at once, and Theo was the “masked man” that prompted the murder (though Alicia is the one who actually did it).

What happens at the end of The Silent Patient

At the end of The Silent Patient, Theo goes to confront the guy that Kathy has been cheating on him with and we find out that it’s Gabriel. Gabriel’s wife is Alicia Berenson.

In other words, the entire book has been told jumping back and forth in time. The parts involving Kathy are all in the past. The entire book is happening because Kathy cheated on him (with Gabriel) and then it resulted in Theo showing up at Gabriel and Alicia’s house.

Theo tied up Gabriel and Alicia to scare them and to expose Gabriel as the slimeball he is. He forces Gabriel to admit that he’d be willing to let Alicia get shot to save himself. What Theo did not foresee was that Alicia would go ahead and shoot Gabriel.

The way that it plays out in present day is that after many months of therapy, Alicia finally talks. When she speaks, she tells Theo what happened on the night of Gabriel’s death — but she changes the story slightly to test his response.

However, from that story, Theo realizes that Alicia does recognize him as the masked intruder who tied them up. As a result, he injects her with something to force her to overdose, and it puts her in a coma.

Unbeknownst to Theo, before Alicia blacks out from the drugs, she wrote down her story and revealed Theo as the masked intruder. Jean (Alicia’s friend/gallery owner) ends up finding it and turning it into the police. The book ends with the police inspector showing up to confront Theo about Alicia’s admission.

What was Theo’s motivation in The Silent Patient?

Why did Theo want to treat Alicia? Theo initially genuinely wants to help Alicia. He didn’t think she would recognize him, and a part of him felt guilty about triggering the chain of events which landed her in the asylum.

Why did Theo kill Alicia? He had been wearing a mask when he tied them up and didn’t think Alicia would recognize him. He didn’t think Alicia would shoot Gabriel, because he didn’t know her past mental instability. When he planned out the scene revealing Gabriel to be a cheater, he genuinely just wanted to out him. Later, Theo realizes that Alicia is stuck in an asylum and not coping, so he feels bad that he started all this and goes there to help her. However, when he realizes that she has figured out who he is, he has to kill her.

How did Theo end up with the gun?

So, I’m not sure this is fully explained in the book (someone feel free to correct me if I’m wrong).

Basically, Theo shows up to the house with a knife, but ends up with Alicia/Gabriel’s gun. (In her diary, Alicia mentions that they have a gun, and she moves it into their cupboard at one point.) It’s not clear how exactly he knows where it is or how to find it.

I figured that Theo had seen the gun while stalking them. After threatening Alicia with the knife and tying her up, Theo probably went and found it. Alternatively, perhaps Theo saw Alicia go hide it while he was stalking them.

I don’t think there’s a clear answer here, but that’s what I figured probably happened.

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of The Silent Patient

Movie / TV Show Adaptation

See Everything We Know About the 'The Silent Patient' Adaptation

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90 comments

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Thanks for the detailed review. I was thinking about reading it, even so, I haven’t decided yet! It seems that there are plenty of thrillers which are ‘technically’ passable, or even good, but not brilliant, and the red herrings, small and big twists are surprising, but often expected. It’s not easy for an author to write a ‘different’ thriller. I started reading Only Daughter recently, and I was really intrigued at first, but it’s quickly (25% in) becoming one of those thrillers in which every single character is suddenly getting a little crazy and very nasty… I’m not sure what will happen now, but I’m worried that the expectation at the beginning might just fizzle out…

Thanks for your thoughts! Honestly, if you don’t mind thrillers that are sort of imperfect (like you know they could be better) and are able to just enjoy the things that they do well, I think you might enjoy the Silent Patient. :) I still enjoyed it, so I think it just depends what type of reader you are!

Thanks, I know what you mean.

I think you sort of recommended The Wife Between Us. I’m going to go with that one. This reminds me of the last US election — the lesser of two evils. This is a very good review.

haha hope you like it if you get a chance to read it — there are a LOT of twists in that one so watch out!

Nicely done review.

Thanks Martie! :)

Thanks for the lovely review! I have been very hesitant about picking up this one even as a potential read but now I kinda have an idea what to expect with this one. I might pick it up just to see how the good bits play out.

thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it — it’s not a perfect book but it is a fun thriller I think! happy reading!

hmm it may have some things wrong with it but it still sounds interesting to me, I love thrillers and psychological thrillers! thanks for the review!

Happy reading! :) Thanks for dropping by!

It is frustrating when we’re duped into thinking it gets better, the build up of suspense has to match the revelation. Although, how much does the fact that there are so many thrillers that we become desensitised to the shocking reveal? I’m excited to see how it’ll play out on screen, and I think I’ll skip the book, so I can be fresh with suspense when I watch the film. Great review!

Hi Sophia, thank you! I’m hopeful the movie will be really good and gone girl-esque, though it might take a while for it to come out. I totally agree though, there’s so many great twists and endings that people are so used to at this point, writers/screenwriters are going to have a harder and harder time trying to surprise people. Thanks for dropping by!

This book is so hyped. If you said it would be better as movie, then I hope it will be filmed, because I’d like to see it rather then read it.

haha yeah, I think that’s probably the way to go for this one. thanks for reading the review and leaving your thoughts! :)

Great review. I appreciate your thoughts and will probably wait for the movie. My reading time is so limited. Thanks.

Thanks Rosie! If the movie ends up getting made, I bet it’ll be really good. Thanks for dropping by!

I guessed the ending but I still thought the book was great. Fantastic thorough review!

Thank you Krista, much appreciated!

Hi there, when I reached the twist, my immediate thought was omg, this is exactly like The Wife Between Us, but I liked this one better. I guessed the plot of The Wife Between Us but this book was a slap on my face lol . I totally agree with all your “not so great part” of this book. This book definitely could have been better 😀.

I felt so stupid for not guessing the ending after I’d already read The Wife Between Us! But I think that’s why I was impressed by the basic plot of this book, I think he did a good job of making things come together in a surprising way that’s well set-up…even if some of the other aspects of the book weren’t perfect. Thanks for reading!

Loved your review because it’s so thoughtful and intelligent. The “mushy middle” description made me smile–I’m a writer and the middle of a book is a b***h to write.

Thank you, Emma! Haha, I can believe that. I wanted to make the point that even despite whatever flaws, I still enjoyed the book. And it’s being doing really well sales-wise, so even an imperfect book can be enjoyable and sell well :)

Thanks! This was our book club selection and reading it will refresh parts i’ve forgotten before the meeting!

that’s good to hear! thanks for letting me know it was useful to you, I appreciate it!

Great review! Recently the title caught my eye. I hesitated to purchase the book as one has only so much time to read in any given day. I think your review managed to change my mind though. Thanks! :-)

That’s great to hear, thank you! And thanks for letting me know! Happy reading :)

Thanks for the review! I actually just picked up Little Fires Everywhere yesterday, so now I’m even more excited to get started. :)

Great review. It’s on my tbr list, but I may read a preview before I invest time in this one.

I still confused. It was said theo was wearing a mask when he tied alicia and gabriel. but later, alicia said in her last entry, that after theo pulled the trigger alicia noticed she’s still alive and “theo was still there-pointing the gun to the ceiling. he smiled. he put his finger to his lips, telling me to keep quiet” and then “he kissed me ever so gently”. does that means theo eventually showed off his face? or is it too dark for alicia to see…

I guess with some ski masks you can still see part of the person’s face? Yeah it’s a bit confusing…

I was a huge fan of this book. i am not much a reader and this book had my nose shoved in it for three days straight so i could finish it. Some parts of the book felt like they hit home to as well..It is great book for reminders as married couples, people battle depression or battling inner issues. I will be looking for more books by this author!! LOVED LOVED LOVED!!

I agree with a lot of what you say, but I am getting tired of reading books with a twist for twist sake. So much of what makes a good twist is the idea that most of everything that came before it could be interpreted differently when viewed after the twist. Everything with the art gallery owner / friend makes so little sense in retrospect.

Why did the detectives not see the chairs when they came? Did Alicia move them? And if so why?

What about the snow at the end? How the police man/investigator was reading him the entry from the diary, and then in the next paragraph is him feeling the snow on his hands. I know throughout the story people are like oh it’s going to snow tonight and it never did. Did the built-up snow represent his secret but now it’s finally coming down and is revealed?

Hi Kylie — I went and checked the book, it looks like when the officer is reading to him, he’s next to a window and opens it in order to reach out for a snowflake. Earlier in the book he talks about how he associates snow with “grasping at happiness” and how snow wipes everything clean, so I think it’s a way of saying that there’s some sense of relief at his secret being found out? Maybe it’s hinting that now that he’s caught, he’ll be able to get the psychiatric help he needs as well? I think it’s meant to be ambiguous, but seems to hint at a vaguely positive ending. That’s my take, anyway!

Thankyou for a marvellous review. I read this after finishing the book, coz as rightly pointed, there r several flaws that leave question marks… Your explanation of the symbolism with snow in the end of the story was a good closure for me as I was left craving for some sort of final confession/regret from Theo in the end. Thankyou again for helping me let go!

Hi! I am wondering about Theo’s reaction to being caught. It is relief? What is the significance of the snowflakes?

Why does Theo need to kill Alicia? If he never went to work there, she never would have had the chance to identify him.

Hi Cc08, Theo goes because he feels badly about what happened and genuinely wanted to help her. He didn’t realize she would recognize him. Cheers!

It was really interesting to find out why Alicia was not saying a word even if she was called as murderer. The best part was the final reveal of the mystery.

Hello there, I do appreciate this option now a days. That we can do this. I do really like this book. I heard the audiobook on a roadtrip and loved it. Maybe because I couldn’t read it through like a book I missed this but I am confused when Allecia had the chance to hide the book in the painting. The audiobook made it seem she was in her own room. Seperate from her art gallery and it seemed she was dying quite quickly as she was writing these events. I am just curious. Did I miss something?

Thank you for the detailed review. I had just finished reading ‘The Silent Patient’ and was a bit confused so I was looking for some answers. I had actually thought the main character had DID (newer name for Multiple Personality Disorder) and all the people in the story were Alters (parts of the same person!); I thought the main person (or host) was Alicia. In other words, each time there was a traumatic event in her life an alter would be “born” and that’s how they all came to be …But then I thought Theo was the main character (or the host). I put off these inconsistencies as it just “appeared” that way depending which Alter was out at the time. So am very thankful for your in debt review!

glad to hear it was helpful! :)

How does theo knw where alicia keeps her fun or if she has one.. when he comes as a masked intrudee

What do you think about the weather. In the present story (treating alicia) its winter. And the murder was in the hot summer. But when he talk about kathy ( should be in the summer) it says she had coat and gloves.

hmmm very perceptive — I’ll need to go back and check it out but my initial thought is that the stuff with Kathy happens over a period of time so perhaps the coat+gloves stuff is the previous winter?

I’m glancing through this rather quickly and will look more closely at it. My reason for coming here is to understand the plot. I admit I’m pretty ADD and I could have missed something. I’m a little lost on the plot?

I felt like it was an odd twist. I felt like this affair was going on the whole time he was treating her. Then he followed the guy and wanted to kill him. Then he was going to help this woman that was getting cheated on…. but all this happened before he was treating her?

What did I miss?

Hi, I’ve updated the post to answer your question!

Why does Theo act surprised and tell the hospital that he suspects someone tried to kill Alicia?

he’s trying to frame the other doctor

At the end of the book, when he opens the window to put his hand out to catch a snowflake, and then put it on his tongue. It then says he stretches out again to catch some more…to me that suggested he had thrown himself out of the window in a suicide bid. Is that an accurate interpretation? It would follow the lines of Alicia’s attempt after she shot Gabriel…for both characters (Theo and Alicia) to meet a similar end seems apt.

Hey Abigail — I commmented about this previously, but I definitely think it’s open to interpretations. Here’s my previous thoughts about it:

When the officer is reading to him, he’s next to a window and opens it in order to reach out for a snowflake. Earlier in the book he talks about how he associates snow with “grasping at happiness” and how snow wipes everything clean, so I think it’s a way of saying that there’s some sense of relief at his secret being found out? Maybe it’s hinting that now that he’s caught, he’ll be able to get the psychiatric help he needs as well? I think it’s meant to be ambiguous, but seems to hint at a vaguely positive ending. That’s my take, anyway!

So at last when the inspector arrives at Theo’s place and reads Alicia’s diary for him as Theo is sitting beside his window catching snowflakes , ‘he smiles’ is what it ends with . So then Theo is caught by the police for injecting Alicia and putting her into coma?? Pls explain.♥️

What happened to KATHY?

What happenns with the inspector, did he arrest Theo

Thanks for this review! I’ve had this nagging question since reading this book that I can’t seem to come to a conclusion about: Why would Alicia give Theo her journal? In essence, she was giving away the only evidence she had. He could have destroyed it at any point, and she would be left with nothing. What do you think?

I’m a bit confused. The role of forensic psychotherapist doesn’t exist in the UK. Whay has no one picked up on thos fatal flaw. We are Forensic Psychologists.

Oh that’s interesting. I’m U.S.-based (and don’t really know anything about the field) but based on some other “facts” presented in the book, it’s pretty clear he wasn’t trying to be all that accurate on the medical side of things unfortunately :(

how did Thoe got to know where was the gun?why did he brought the knife he only wanted to confront her?

Because he is a psychopath

Why did Alicia kill her husband

When I saw the author is a screenwriter all I could think of was that he wrote the book to be easily adapted into a marketable movie. It was a page turner that I read really fast which is good since I’m busy and don’t have tons of time to read. The mushy timeline was kind of suspicious but I just assumed I missed something that explained it. I didn’t figure out the ending but the red herrings were obvious. Love this genre so it was worth reading but not as good as many others of its type.

I loved reading through your review. Having read the book myself, I agree to your critique. I have a question, why did Alicia paint her and Theo running out of the burning hospital? What does it signify?

I don’t get the ending, was Theo arrested when the police find out the diary and what does that line mean when Theo said in the last “and I went to catch another one” did he jump out of the window? Suicide? Or was he simply arrested?

What lesson do we get from silent patient book?

Does theo also kill the agent in the end, and end up silent at a facility? Since he mentions him watching outside of the window..

ooo I never considered that idea, but I kinda like that theory haha

What happened to theo in the end? Did inspector Allen suspect him?

Great review! Just finished this book and enjoyed it but I confess I’m here for an explanation of the ending!! I got a little confused and partially understood the twist but was left with an itch I couldn’t scratch. I’m fine now after reading your review and spoilers – thanks!

so glad to be able to help! and thanks for dropping by! :)

what happened with Cathy ..Theo’s wife within these 6 years.?

Awesome! I have read the novel. Just googled it to see how people are reacting to it. For me, I found it wonderful. I especially love the twist at the end. This book is highly recommended. Everyone must read it.

You say that Theo had to kill Alicia because he realized she recognized him as the man who entered her house wearing a mask. So what? He’s in no danger of being exposed. She is not a threat to him, and the police aren’t going to believe what a crazy woman says. Why would Theo kill Alicia?

That’s the way it’s explained in the book, but you can decide if you find that explanation satisfactory or not

I simply loved The Silent Patient!. I also was so absorbed with the plot and narration that I didn’t see the end coming and yes,it literally blew me off! I have a website too and I am also writing a review of The Silent Patient. I really loved your way of writing and yet to fully visit your blog which I am sure would be amazing!. Keep blogging! Joel

So Did gabriel ever loved Alicia?

Why did Theo spend so much time talking to Jean-Felix, Paul, Max ect to try and solve the crime if he already knew what happened?

Because Theo knew that Alicia didn’t kill Gabriel just because she came to know that he had affair. The emotions Alicia had when she shot her husband were originated with events of the distant past , with abuse and mistreatment at a young age. So , Theo wanted to find out how her childhood had shaped her. Which he eventually found out(about her father saying Alicia would have died instead of her mother.He had killed Alicia , just like what happened with Alcestis). Gabriel was the second man to condemn Alicia to death, which was more than what she could bear—which is why she killed Gabriel.

I enjoyed your review a great deal. That said, it seems that what you believe to be the less successful parts of the book, and the emphasis you put on them, have scared people away from what, on the whole is a very good read.

What happened when police confront theo??

I doubt why did alicia spoke, like what forced her to do so?.. After so many years of silence what urged he??

Why did Theo tell everyone that Alicia didn’t overdose herself, instead murder was attempted on her?

Nice review! It helped clear up a lot of things after reading it. But I’m still left with a question(a quite dumb one, i feel), did Theo at the beginning of the book, knew everything from the start like what he did to Alicia, Gabriel, and all those things? Sorry, I just finished the book a while ago my brain is still in kind of a mush

This might be an irrelevant question, but I thought I’d ask in case you have any thoughts.

Why exactly was Alicia unable or unwilling to speak after what happened?

I understood the literary purposes for Alicia’s silence- namely: (1) to parallel the novel’s heroine & events with those of the play Alcestis, and (2) its purpose as a plot device to heighten the mystery and compel Theo to seek Alicia out

But considering Alicia’s silence strictly within the confines of the novel’s universe, I don’t understand it. I don’t think she refused to speak as a sort of performance-art-like tribute to Alcestis. I feel like there may be some 3rd (psycholigical?) reason that I’m not grasping.

Basically, do you have any ideas as to why did Alicia’s trauma manifested itself as muteness?

I just need to understand one small thing, why did Theo drug Alicia at the end, he had not been the killer, he never knew Alicia would kill Gabriel, why did he try to silence Alicia? Alicia killed Gabriel, he just informed Alicia of the infidelity.

What happened to Theo? Was he arrested after the inspector read the last entry of Alicia’s diary?

Does the ending indicate that theo had been arrested?

Why did Alicia give Theo her diary if she knew who he was?

I finished reading the book, but wondering how Theo knew that Alicia knew it was him. I know she was testing him by falsifying the story, however, what if she was just lying to lie. Why would her telling a false story make it obvious to Theo that she knew him? It’s seems slightly far fetched that he realized she knew it was him just because she created a fake story. Am I missing something?

The Silent Patient

By alex michaelides.

'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides is a mesmerizing psychological thriller with enough trickery leads that leave the reader in awe of the author's talent.

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

‘The Silent Patient’ holds the reader’s attention with its strong concepts of mystery and obsession. Alex Michaelides expertly violates predictability by producing a suspenseful story and characters that match. As the layers of the narrative disentangle, the plot takes unexpected turns, challenging the presumptions of readers.

Although the award-winning book pleased many, some have argued that the conclusion was known from the early part of the book. Others have criticized it for having underdeveloped characters, affecting the story’s depth and relatability.

Alicia Berenson is introduced at the beginning of ‘ The Silent Patient .’ Thought to have an enviable life, she surprises the public by shooting her husband in the face multiple times and becoming mute. When admitted to a psychiatric facility, she is named the “silent patient.”

Soon, a psychotherapist, Theo Faber, picks interest in her case. His interest metamorphoses into obsession as he unrelentingly strives to decode the truth behind her silence by involving her in therapy sessions and investigating her past.

The plot excellently creates the narrative of ‘ The silent patient ‘ by merging Alicia’s current activities at The Grove with Theo’s struggles to get her to communicate. Her diary notes provide a glimpse into her troubled mind. The reader is left with questions as Alicia confesses that she adored her husband and feared losing him. The author cleverly distributes hints throughout the book, leaving the reader doubting the initial murder suspect. As more details come to light, Michaelides’ storytelling keeps readers enthralled.

‘The Silent Patient’ climax is an exciting revelation that discloses the entangled knot of manipulation and deception. Successfully, the author challenges perceptions of love, sanity, and truth.

This psychological thriller entices readers who enjoy gripping tales. Lovers of ‘The Girl on the Train’ by Paula Hawkins and ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn will be delighted by Michaelides’ ability to keep them speculating until the concluding pages.

The Characters

The central characters of ‘The Silent Patient’ assist with Michaelides’ aim to educate the audience on mental health struggles. Alicia Berenson, the formal “silent patient,” is a painter confined to a mental institution after she brutally kills her husband and goes mute.

Using Alicia’s refusal to speak, Michaelides adds to the story’s mystery. Her thoughts are, however, exposed in her diary. There, she gradually exposes events leading to her husband’s murder. Alicia’s character plays a vital role, compelling readers to understand the reason for her silence.

Fascinated by Alicia’s works of art, her muteness, and the murder case, Theo Faber is determined to break her silence to discover the truth. His persistent pursuit of the truth significantly contributes to the story’s development. As the principal narrator, Theo’s analysis and personal struggles add depth to his character.

By employing different narrators and interlacing their perspectives, Michaelides creates a collage of false accounts that intensify the suspense and add layers of complications to the plot.

Critique of The Silent Patient

Strengths of the novel.

Published in 2019, ‘The Silent Patient’ is a remarkable debut novel that garnered global praise and left its mark on the world of literature. The book explores the inner workings of the human mind and delves into trauma, guilt, silence, and the restoring power of therapy. As Alicia’s therapist, Theo Faber, probes her history and the novel takes surprising turns as the extent of the human mind’s resilience is analyzed.

‘The Silent Patient’ achieved exceptional success, enthralling readers worldwide. Its multilayered storyline, carefully crafted characters, and suspense amassed acceptance from the public. The novel’s expert development and its review of complex psychological themes have strengthened its position as a modern classic in the thriller genre.

‘The Silent Patient’ also impacted the literary world by motivating a new wave of psychological thrillers. The book’s success emphasized the passion of readers for intriguing narratives that confront their perceptions and biases.

Weaknesses of the Novel

Although quite a popularly accepted literary piece, it contains several areas for improvement that have interfered with readers’ utmost enjoyment of the reading experience.

One of the crucial weaknesses lies in the plot. The story of Alicia Berenson, who gets constrained to The Grove based on murder and mental struggle, is slowly revealed with little originality. Many readers have thought the repetitive therapy sessions predictable and unnecessary. The continual movement from Alicia’s past (using her diary entries) to her present disrupted the flow of the story. Although this narrative style aims to build suspense, it becomes an obstacle, leading to an incoherent reading experience.

Professional critics have also argued against the book’s lack of depth and inability to elicit authentic emotions from readers. The secondary characters are shallow, and their actions are mostly inconsistent.

Finally, the book fails to deliver a gratifying conclusion. While aiming for a shocking revelation, it produces a rushed ending that leaves readers with unanswered questions and a sense of disappointment.

The Conclusion

At the end of ‘The Silent Patient,’ the author’s captivating style intrigues the reader. Yet, some readers may have been disappointed by the resolution, as the book took turns that challenged their assumptions at the story’s beginning.

Regardless of its potential dissatisfaction, the book is well-known for its creative use of suspense and its skillful depiction of complex characters.

How does the author’s writing style impact the book?

In ‘The Silent Patient,’ Michaelides employs a double-threaded narrative style, shifting between current events and the protagonist’s diary notes, which amplifies the mystery and engrosses the reader. The writing is precise yet evocative, creating an atmosphere of suspense and unease.

Explain the character development of Alicia Berenson in ‘The Silent Patient.’

‘The Silent Patient’ primarily focuses on the character development of Alicia. Illustrated initially as a veiled enigma, Alicia slowly reveals her complex psyche through her silence and art. In the dance of unfolding events, labyrinths of mental distress are exposed, displaying her vulnerability and hidden depths. Through therapy and introspection, Alicia confronts her past and reclaims control of her life.

What negative feedback did ‘The Silent Patient’ encounter from the audience?

One common negative feedback was concerning the narrative tempo. Many readers said the plot unfolded too slowly, leading to a lack of engagement. Also, a few readers expressed displeasure with the predictability of the story’s conclusion.

Is ‘The Silent Patient’ a book to read?

Yes, it is. Creatively combining elements of detailed narration and mystery, the author weaves together the perspectives of characters, forming a sense of compelling uncertainty that keeps the reader entranced.

The Silent Patient: Alex Michaelides' Psychological Thriller

Book Title: The Silent Patient

Book Description: 'The Silent Patient' is an absorbing psychological thriller with clever twists that takes the reader on a mysterious journey into the profundities of a disturbed psyche. The author creates a haunting atmosphere using the silence and mystery of the central character, Alicia Berenson.

Book Author: Alex Michaelides

Book Edition: Celadon Books edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Celadon Books

Date published: February 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1250301703

Number Of Pages: 336

• Writing Style

‘The Silent Patient’ is an absorbing psychological thriller with clever twists that takes the reader on a mysterious journey into the profundities of a disturbed psyche. The author creates a haunting atmosphere using the silence and mystery of the central character, Alicia Berenson.

• Evocative writing style
• Gripping psychological thriller
• Exploration of mental themes
• Predictability
• Restricted exploration of secondary characters
• Slow pacing

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Fave Ehimwenma is a proficient writer, researcher, and content creator whose love for art and books drives her passion for literature analysis.

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Author: Alex Michaelides

Publisher: Orion

Genre: Psychological thriller

First Publication:  2019

Language:  English

Major Characters:  Alicia Berenson, Theo Faber, Gabriel Barenson

Setting Place:  London, England

Theme: The Dangers of Unresolved or Improperly Treated Mental Illness, A failing system caused by Doctor biases

Narration: First Person from Theo and Alicia’s point of view

Book Summary: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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.

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…

At first, I wasn’t sure that I would like this book; The Silent Patient seemed, for all intents and purposes, like just another generic psychological thriller books . In many ways it was, but in other ways, it stood out because of its excellent characters and the depth of the story and its themes. Looking beyond the façade of a picture-perfect married couple to see the dysfunction beneath the veil of modern life, The Silent Patient calls into question the horrific events which left one dead and another living a mute existence in a mental hospital.

“Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.”

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. 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?

“There’s so much pain everywhere, and we just close our eyes to it. The truth is we’re all scared. We’re terrified of each other.”

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?

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.

“Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes, and not promise the impossible?”

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.

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.

“You know, 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.”

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.

Buy Now: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I picked up The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides simply because I’d heard very good things about it. I read it during its big hype and I’m very glad that I did. There wasn’t a moment during reading it where I wasn’t utterly fascinated with what was going to happen next.

The Silent Patient is one of those novels where you’re kind of just reading along and then all of a sudden it clicks as to what the purpose of the novel is and you’re utterly drawn in. It does also help that I read this during lockdown last year during a wonderful summer.

The Silent Patient follows the story of Alicia Berenson and Theo Faber. Alicia was a famous painter married to an in-demand photographer, seemingly with the perfect life. However, one day she savagely kills him and goes into a long silence, speaking to no one about the event and eventually winding up in a special home. Theo Faber then comes in fascinated by her story, as a criminal psychotherapist, and begins his attempts to get any sort of story out of her.

It’s quite fascinating to read Theo Faber’s attempts to make Alicia talk and as the story develops, the small drip-fed surprises and mini cliffhangers we’re given as a reward for persisting. Without any spoilers, there’s a cracking plot twist within this book that I didn’t see coming. I like to think I’m usually quite good at guessing plot twists that might be coming up but I specifically remember sitting in my garden and going “woah” out loud when this one hit. So look forward to that!

Overall though, the actual story happening is a little less than riveting. A lot of the book is anticipation and build up so I can’t give it a five star for the plot.

Characters – 4/5

Though not particularly fascinating, the characters in this book were well developed. Michaelides clearly had an idea in his head of the plot and how he wants to characters to fit into it. There are supporting characters who add to the story who are well woven in and some of these have quite large personalities which fit the setting Alicia and Theo find themselves in.

The deep dive into the psyche of Alicia is quite an interesting journey and definitely adds another layer to the book rather than keeping it as a simple mystery tale. I also have a lot of time for the fact that Theo isn’t a detective solving a case. The author clearly wanted him to have a deeper motive to find out the real truths and this is his love for the human psyche and why Alicia has gone silent.

Summary – 4/5

I often decide my book ratings based on how I’d recommend a book to someone. Three-star is a “meh, it was OK but don’t rush to read it.” A four-star review is usually “ooh yes, I’d recommend that.” And a five-star review is “definitely read it, put it to the top of your list.” The Silent Patient falls into “ooh yes, I’d recommend that.” It’s got a great twist that I think people should experience and the actual premise of someone who remains silent for so long and why is very interesting.

My reason for marking it down one is that there’s a slight lack of actual plot movement in between the cliffhangers and I didn’t fall in love with any of the characters. Though, I’d recommend this book to anybody who loves a good crime book or an intriguing thriller .

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Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, A Psychological Thriller

“An unforgettable—and Hollywood-bound—new thriller… A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy.” Entertainment Weekly

Shot her husband in the head 5 times. Repeatedly. No remorse exhibited later, whatsoever. The Silent Patient is the New York Times and Sunday Times #1 bestseller, a psychological-thriller novel that revolves around the story of a famous painter ‘Alicia Berenson’ who is married to the most eligible bachelor, Gabriel. A seemingly perfect marriage ended in a horrific evening. Enters the second main character, ‘Theo Faber’, a psychotherapist who is obsessed with solving the bizarre mystery that Alicia holds within. Will it be a crime of passion, revenge, or vengeance? Read this marvellous piece to find out!

Table of Contents

Look forward to:, more on the plot:, a bonus point:, criticism: (spoilers), should you read it, the silent patient ending: (spoilers), the silent patient quotes (spoilers), the silent patient reviews.

This suspenseful best-seller will have you hooked from the first page as you read back and forth from multiple timelines, building up to the plot-breaker. Was I expecting the end? Absolutely NOT! But was I impressed? that would be a solid YES. If you are an avid reader of mystery and psychology-related novels like me, then this it’s a must-read for you.

Alex, in his debut novel, has completely outdone himself as a wordsmith by showcasing excellent use of vocabulary, tone, and overall setting up the atmosphere for a wonderful read. The intricate way with which he juggles through the different timelines of both characters whilst maintaining the secrecy of the identities is truly amazing.

It is needful to acknowledge the fact that Alex, despite the novel including various psychological references, has opted to use clear and understandable language. His writing does not include various difficult jargon that takes half your time googling the meaning. Furthermore, his ability to build and maintain suspense with perfection till the very end is truly remarkable. Even when the reader believes to have dissected the plot, let me assure you, that is not the case! After ending this novel, you will most definitely be wanting more of Alex’s content.

I didn’t even come close to uncovering the final twist because the storyline has the reader utterly confused as to which character should one be pointing fingers at. On one hand, there is Barbie (Alicia’s neighbour) who was the first to report the crime and spent her time nagging about a stranger peeking through the windows. Was the stranger Gabriel’s brother Max who had an ulterior motive, must he be related to the case? Or was it Jean-Felix (Alicia’s former boss) and may I add former-jealous boss, who finally sought the last resort?

Everyone has a motive, but have they actually committed the crime? Was it really Alicia, the ‘ever devoted wife’, who laid the final blow? The plot twists will have your insides curling up with curiosity as you dive further and deeper into the story. Alex has done a marvellous job in bringing such a story to his readers which uplifts the bar for many writers out there, especially those that are into writing mystery novels.

A very unique reference to Greek Mythology has been mentioned in ‘The Silent Patient’, which coincides with the story of Alicia and her childhood. Alex mentioned in an interview that growing up in Cyprus with a Greek father provided him with immense exposure to Greek mythology and history. Hence, this paved the way for inspiration from the story of  ‘Alcestis’  who was a Greek princess that was sacrificed to save her husband but upon her resurrection, she never spoke a word.

Similar to the story of Alicia who resorted to absolute silence for several years after committing a heinous crime against her husband. Alicia too saw her husband as Admetus, adored him, and even placed him as a model for her paintings. So now the question remains, ‘why? What drove her to this insanity, or may I say who?

As it comes with every great novel, there has to be some positive criticism we can do along with the praise. Alex has inexplicably done a great job for his debut novel but there are definitely some areas for improvement. The characters in the story were somewhat common or predictable as you may call it. A jealous lover who has all fingers pointed at him, however, of course, the protagonist cannot be as simple as that. Or a perfectly portrayed husband who deeply cares for his unstable wife but obviously he has a negative side to him.

‘The silent patient’ is not a literary extract however it is great for those looking for a story that is packed with suspense, mystery and a major plot twist at the end! It is a light read that you can finish within a day or two and kudos to Alex for putting such effort and thought into his first-ever novel. Unlike many debuts, this one provided a different story and setup that readers would find massively interesting.

How does the silent patient end?

Theo goes home and mentions to Kathy that Alicia overdosed. She has no reaction. Inspector Allen shows up and talks to Theo. He mentions that Jean-Felix took Alicia’s new work and that her diary was wedged inside it.

“…we often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

“Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

“Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes, and not promise the impossible?” ―  Alex Michaelides,  The Silent Patient

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'The Silent Patient' is a must-read, psycho-thriller which lives up to the hype! Dive into the world of mystery and suspense with a commendable narration by Alex.

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Book Review: The Silent Patient

Enthralling, captivating, and unexpecting are all words that can be used to describe The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, an irresistible and stunning psychological thriller. The suspense from the first chapter is palpable, and the skillfully laid out plot leaves the reader second-guessing until the very end. It is truly, in the full sense of the word, a thriller, full of curveballs and red herrings, multidimensional realistic characters, thick, palpable emotions… The list goes on. Michaelides’ wonderful writing style and the perfect plot pace were just the cherry on top.

The plot is utterly outstanding. From the first words, the protagonist, Alicia Berenson, shocks the reader with an unspeakable act of violence: she killed her husband. Why? That is the sole question I found myself asking the whole book. An even bigger question: why did she fall silent after the murder? And will she ever speak again? An added layer of complexity is her new psychotherapist, Theo Faber, who is anything but perfect. Theo’s obsession with Alicia raises another question: why is he obsessed? What are his motivations? As the plot unfolds, the mystery behind Alicia’s silence uncovers vast psychological trauma and the lies of her close friends and family. As the plot thickens, Michaelides creates a haunting setting as he delves into the intricacies of the human mind. It becomes evident that this novel is well-thought-out and plentifully researched to draw the reader into a realistic setting. Honestly, I have no criticism of The Silent Patient and could not recommend it enough for anyone looking for a suspenseful plot-twisty psychological thriller.

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The Silent Patient: Book Review

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Today, we will be reviewing the psychological thriller novel The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. It is a story about a patient that killed her husband and hasn’t spoken since and Theo Faber wants to be the one to make her talk again. Keep reading for our thoughts and find out if this novel should be your next read!

The Silent Patient Summary

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist and is fascinated with Alicia Berenson’s case. She shoots her husband five times and never speaks another word. Everyone is curious why she killed her husband and went silent afterwards.

Her case makes Theo eager to get her to talk and open up about what really happened that night. Theo manages to get assigned to Alicia and tries to connect with her. But his marital life seems to be in trouble and starts to consume him. Can Theo get Alicia to finally talk after all these years and find out what really happened that tragic night?

I have seen this novel on many thriller lists and finally got around to reading it. That is impressive considering the novel was published in 2019. Everyone who reads it seems to agree that it is an amazing book. So, what did I think of it?

The hype around this novel is real. The plot is interesting and it is centered around a Greek tragedy that isn’t common. Michaelides tells a beautifully chilling story and the ending is one of the best I have read.

Michaelides has said that he was inspired by Agatha Christie novels and the whodunit format when writing this novel. You can definitely notice the details but what makes this novel special is that Michaelides doesn’t give anything away. He keeps things from the reader and when he pulls back the curtains, you are in disbelief.

This is one of those novels that you will read again after finishing it because it will be two different stories. Once you know the plot twist, you will see the bigger picture the second time around.

The Silent Patient: Awards and Reception

Upon its release, The Silent Patient debuted number one on The New Yok Times Best Seller list. That is an amazing accomplishment for a debut author. The novel also went on to win the Goodreads Choice Award 2019 in the Mystery and Thriller category.

And seeing how the novel is included on many lists, it does feel like the novel didn’t get the recognition from book critics that it deserved. But that is often how many of these stories go. More often then not, the critics don’t understand what the most readers are reading and enjoy, holding many books to unrealistic standards.

Inspiration for The Silent Patient

Michaelides has pointed to his own experience working at a secure psychiatric facility for teenagers when writing this novel as well as his love for Greek plays. In an interview, Michaelides mentions his influences when he was writing the novel.

“I think it was a combination for me of Greek mythology meets psychotherapy,” said Michaelides . “I was inspired by Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thrillers and the Greek mythology I encountered in my early teens.

“It was inspired by the play by “Alcestis” by Euripides, where she dies to save her husband and, when they are reunited at the end of the play, she won’t speak to him and we don’t really know why she refuses to speak. That kind of refusal to concede haunted me”

There are few thrillers that I would put above this on my list. Michaelides seems to know exactly what a thriller novel is supposed to and delivers. I enjoyed every second of this book and couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to. This is a must read if you love thrillers and a good mystery. Happy reading!

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Monday, May 20, 2024

Book review: the silent patient by alex michaelides.

Alicia Berenson, artist, lives in a gorgeous home in a desirable part of London with her husband who is a well-known fashion photographer. She has an upcoming art show, she is clearly very in love with her husband, and she appears to have everything. So why does she kill her husband? The Silent Patient is full of twists and turns. I suspected first one person then the next. 

The Silent Patient is a psychological murder mystery that jumps from one point of view to another and includes Alicia's diary. The story isn't told in a linear timeline. The prologue is an excerpt from Alicia's Diary on July 14th soon before the murder in August. Chapter One begins with recap as though written by a report with the murder having happened six years prior. We learn about their careers, their art, their ages, and the last day of Gabriel's life. We learn the gory details of the murder scene, Alicia's attempt to take her own life and how she fought those trying to save her. We find that Alicia turned mute and remained silent. 

Alicia was discharged from the hospital and was initially under house arrest while waiting for the trial. She painted a self-portrait that she named Alcestis. 

Huge Cast of Characters:

Alcestis. A heroine of Greek mythology. Also, Alicia's self-portrait just after allegedly murdering her husband.

Alicia. A complicated, artistic woman, whose husband worried about her mood and well-being. He convinced her to start a diary. After all, maybe writing would help.

Jean-Felix Martin. The manager of a small SoHo Gallery who exhibited her art; including the Alcestis. Long lines formed outside of this small gallery to see what the murderer had painted. 

Lazarus Diomedes. The clinical director of the Grove, the secure forensic psychiatric unit in North London. Alicia was placed here due to clearly suffering from profound psychological distress as determined by the murder and the continuing refusal or inability to speak.  Diomedes oversaw her treatment at the Grove. Including the high level of sedating medications that both kept her safe for others and barely able to function.

Yuri. Head psychiatric nurse. Appears to do very well with managing the patients.

Christian. The head of Alicia's care team and the current prescriber of her medications. He clearly dislikes Theo from the moment we meet him. 

Theo Faber. Psychotherapist. Theo followed the trial closely and chose to interview at the Grove as a way to get close to Alicia. His goal is to treat her and to get her to talk. But Christian is the head of her care team.

The list of characters goes on and on. Max Berenson. Gabriel's brother and Alicia's attorney. What might he and other members of the Berenson family know? The patients in the unit, what might they know? Who has something to gain from her lengthy stay at the Grove and her silence? Why is the victim's brother also the attorney for the murderer? How do the gallery still show her art?  There are so very many questions.

Alicia has been violent on the unit. Which is why her medications are so high and sedating. It's not a far leap to assume that she committed the murder. But still... there are so many things that aren't right. 

My Thoughts

During each twist and turn, I kept thinking "that's not right". Both in the unit where Alicia is house and out of the unit. With every twist and turn I began to think someone else did it. I never did guess correctly. Did I miss the clues? 

Or... is it a matter of me missing the clues in this mystery? Or, to quote Annie Wilkes in Misery , "He never got out of the cockadoodie car" and the plot doesn't fully line up? It reminds me a bit of how I felt when I watched The Sixth Sense  many, many years ago. Malcolm Crowe is a child psychologist and the child he's working with says, "I see dead people." I was stunned and thought, Whoa!  How'd we get here?!!!! I feel the same about The Silent Patient.

I can tell you that I've already started reading this a 2nd time to try to find what I missed and why I blamed the wrong people. How I missed seeing how we got to where we ended up. Or... was it a matter of plot problems. I don't know, but I'm reading it again.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides can be found here on Amazon .

Currently, over 300,000 readers have reviewed this book on Amazon with a 4.4. out of 5 star rating. The negative reviews discuss the mental health issues, plot, and timeline issues. The vast majority of reviewers enjoyed this book. I found that the portrayal of the flawed mental health system and what can happen in those settings to be accurate. And the flawed mental health workers... same. I'm still not completely sure what I think of the plot/timeline. I can say that it was intriguing enough that I'm re-reading it already. 

About This Contributor

Dawn Rae describes herself as "jack of all trades and master of none". Her lifestyle is as eclectic as her interests. She recently moved from her metro area apartment to her bit of land atop a mountain ridge and she writes about things that excite her. You can find Dawn Rae on Pinterest , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube as well as on her personal blogs Treasures Travel and Tales and Budget Balcony Living .

4 comments:

What an intriguing book review. You have certainly drawn me into the story and you have me wondering what it is all about. I will have to seek out 'The Silent Patient' and discover for myself what you found. Thanks for the itnroduction, Dawn Rae.

Although this genre isn’t my personal cup of tea, it definitely sounds intriguing and quite gripping. I can see why you want to re-read it! Thanks for the interesting review.

My favorite kind of mystery is one full of twists and turns that keeps me guessing, and second guessing. This does sound like a book that would require your full attention when reading. Obviously, it would be easy to miss something important. I usually like the books and movies your recommend. I would love to know what you think after the second read, if you feel you missed something or if the book, itself, had plot issues.

I love twists and turns but I'm not crazy, crazy for timelines that jump all over the place. The fact that you are re-reading makes me think I should take a look at this one though. Thanks Dawn Rae for your honest opinion on this book!!

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The Silent Patient Paperback – Large Print, March 2, 2021

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The instant #1 New York Times bestseller

"An unforgettable--and Hollywood-bound--new thriller... A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy." -- Entertainment Weekly

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman's act of violence against her husband--and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

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....

• Print length 481 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Large Print Press
• Publication date March 2, 2021
• Dimensions 5.25 x 1 x 8.25 inches
• ISBN-10 1432858653
• ISBN-13 978-1432858650
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

"Impressive first novel... with an ending worthy of a classic Agatha Christie mystery." -- The Wall Street Journal

"Superb... This edgy, intricately plotted psychological thriller establishes Michaelides as a major player in the field." -- Publisher's Weekly , starred review

"Pulling off a novel where the protagonist stays mum isn't easy, but this impressive, immersive debut--Brad Pitt's company has snapped up film rights--establishes Michaelides as a writer to watch." -- People , Book of the Week

"Impressive debut... The Silent Patient is intelligent, imaginative and a terrific read." -- The Times (London), Book of the Month

" The Silent Patient may be a first novel, but it has the pace and finesse of a master." -- BBC

"That rarest of beasts: the perfect thriller. This extraordinary novel set my blood fizzing -- I quite literally couldn't put it down. I told myself I'd just dip in; eleven hours later -- it's now 5:47 a.m. -- I've finished it, absolutely dazzled." --A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

" The Silent Patient sneaks up on you like a slash of intimidating shadow on a badly lit street. Alex Michaelides has crafted a totally original, spellbinding psychological mystery so quirky, so unique that it should have its own genre. I read it in two nights and savored every luscious word, every grim encounter, every startling twist. The pages will burn with the friction from your hands turning them." --David Baldacci

"Smart, sophisticated storytelling freighted with real suspense--a very fine novel by any standard." --Lee Child

"One of the most spellbinding psychological thrillers we've read in years. Beautifully written, exquisitely plotted, the story relentlessly pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the last shocking (and yet brutally logical) twist. This is an absolutely fantastic and extraordinary read." --Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of the Pendergast series

"Alex Michaelides has written one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. The Silent Patient is a swarming, paranoid nightmare of a novel with an ending that is destined to go down as one of the most shocking, mind-blowing twists in recent memory." --Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter

"This is a wonderful new voice. Listen to it. It's about to tell you a thrilling and scary story. The Silent Patient paints a picture, crawling into your soul in the very best way. Take a chance." --Brad Meltzer, author of The Escape Artist

"Dark, edgy, and compulsively readable." -- Library Journal

" The Silent Patient isn't quiet at all. It loudly announces that Alex Michaelides is a new talent in the field of psychological thrillers." -- Shelf Awareness

"Unputdownable, emotionally chilling, and intense, with a twist that will make even the most seasoned suspense reader break out in a cold sweat." -- Booklist

"A taut, meticulously plotted and compelling novel." -- The Observer

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Large Print Press; Large type / Large print edition (March 2, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 481 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1432858653
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1432858650
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.24 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8.25 inches
• #10,390 in Murder Thrillers
• #11,936 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
• #33,447 in Suspense Thrillers

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About the author

Alex michaelides.

Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for television by Miramax Television and Stone Village.

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