The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Take a look at the synopsis, ratings and reviews, and learn more about this #1 New York Times bestselling author.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Before diving into the book story, let’s say a few words about this author in the thriller genre.
Alex Michaelides was born in Cyprus to a Greek-Cypriot father and English mother.
He has a MA in English Literature from Cambridge University and a MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.
Alex wrote the film The Devil You Know (2013) starring Rosamund Pike and co-wrote The Con is On (2018), starring Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Parker Posey and Sofia Vergara.
The Silent Patient is his first novel (2019). Let’s take a closer look now at the book.
The Silent Patient, synopsis:
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….
The Silent Patient, review:
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of February 2019: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides feels like it could be the big psychological thriller debut of 2019. The novel takes a few chapters to clear its throat and set the plot in motion, but once the tracks are laid it’s full steam ahead. Alicia Berenson is one-half of a glamorous couple—she’s an artist married to her fashion photographer husband, Gabriel. But when Gabriel returns home late one night, she shoots him five times in the face and refuses to speak again. Now she is being held in an institution outside London called the Grove. When a psychotherapist named Theo Faber becomes obsessed with her case, he finds his way to the Grove to treat her. Dark twists and delightful turns follow, secrets (and a diary) are revealed, and you will likely find yourself racing to the end.–Chris Schluep, the Amazon Book Review
Review
“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
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5 comments
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In this book, suspense is relentless and it’s difficult to guess. A well-developed story, not traditional, which is rare. This book is worthy of a 5 star rating!
Why would Alicia, a loving wife, kill her husband? This is the question. At some point, we come to question what we had believed to be true. Nothing is quite what it seems. I won’t say more to not spoil the story. Just read it!
Truly the book I loved most in the last 5 years! The author gives you just enough to keep you guessing… Imaginative and well written. You won’t be disappointed. Short and to the point, nothing unnecessary to the story, just the right number of descriptions. Never boring. This is a must-read in the genre!
This is a brillant psychological debut thriller! Different from what we are used to read, it piques your interest from the beginning. Surprising, well written, dark and engaging. One of the best books I’ve read!
The author has a great abiltiy to keep the story flowing, with many twists and turns, great characters. Silence is intriguing. An expert in this writing style! Can’t recommend enough!