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Inside the Best-Seller List

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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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?

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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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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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The best recent thrillers – review roundup

A mysterious death in remotest Australia, an alcoholic barrister’s first murder case and a therapist’s dream patient

A ustralian author Jane Harper’s third novel, The Lost Man (Little, Brown, £12.99), opens with an image so disturbing it lingers for days. At the grave of a long-dead stockman, hours from anywhere in the middle of the scorching Australian outback, lies a fresh corpse. A dust circle surrounds the grave’s headstone, made by the desperate man as he tried to stay within its small shadow, but who lasted less than 24 hours in the fierce heat of an outback “blasted smooth by a 100-year assault from sand, wind and sun”.

The dead man, Cameron, is one of three brothers who farm on vast cattle properties in the red desert; driveways run to more than 20 kilometres here; neighbours are hours away. His car is found abandoned and locals begin to ask if Cameron walked to his death; he wouldn’t be the first. But as his eldest brother, Nathan – a man reviled by the far-flung community, and who lives a life of horrifying loneliness – digs into the mystery, the discrepancies pile up, and he can’t stop asking questions.

Harper’s debut, The Dry , centred on the horrific murder of a family in a hot, remote Australian town. Her follow-up, Force of Nature , moved the setting to the bushland, where a woman goes missing on a corporate retreat. The landscape of The Lost Man is even more hostile, even more alien and beautiful, as Harper deftly manipulates her small but fully realised cast to a conclusion that chills, despite the outback heat.

Harriet Tyce’s first novel, Blood Orange (Wildfire, £12.99), follows criminal barrister Alison as she defends her first murder case. Madeleine has admitted to stabbing her husband multiple times, but Alison is sure there’s something more to the case. Alison’s personal life, meanwhile, is spiralling out of control: she’s drinking far too much, she can’t tear herself away from a dangerous affair with a colleague – she’s “a craven Anastasia to his cut-price Christian Grey” – and her family life with her husband and young daughter seems to be slipping away. Tyce is excellent on the amorphous horrors of alcoholism and mornings after, on the slow chipping away of self-belief in an abusive relationship, and, as a former criminal barrister herself, on the details of the criminal justice system. Complex and menacing, this is a very impressive debut.

Alex Michaelides’s first novel, The Silent Patient (Orion, £12.99), is set six years after famous artist Alicia Berenson murders her husband, fashion photographer Gabriel. Gabriel was found tied by wire to a chair, shot five times in the face, Alicia standing nearby wearing a blood-spattered white dress that “glowed ghostlike in the torchlight”. She has not spoken since, her only communication with the outside world a self-portrait she named Alcestis, after the heroine of a Greek myth who sacrifices her life for her husband.

We join Alicia as forensic psychotherapist Theo starts work at the secure unit where she is held. Obsessed with her case for years, Theo is desperate to “fix” her; he believes that “unable to come to terms with what she had done, Alicia stuttered and came to a halt, like a broken car”. He goes about breaking as many rules as he can while investigating her case, trying to find out “what happened to shape her, make her the person she became, a person capable of murder”. The narration moves between Theo’s current-day work with Alicia, and Alicia’s old diary, in which she has helpfully recounted every detail of every conversation she has had (“‘Sorry?’ I said. ‘Can you repeat that?’”) in a remarkably unnatural manner. This is a debut with grand ambitions, and while it may fall short of them, it provides a satisfyingly sinister twist at the last.

• The Observer

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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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Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a twisty psychological thriller that lives up to the hype and more. I could not put this one down.

The premise revolves around the mystery behind a woman’s shocking murder of her husband. Alicia Berenson is married to a successful fashion photographer. Everything seems perfect until one evening, when Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. 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.

Fast-paced read

After a slow beginning, this one takes off like a rocket ship. It’s full of short chapters, which really moves the story along. We mainly read the story from Theo’s perspective. He becomes obsessed with trying to reach Alicia that he works non-stop to put together the clues on what caused her to become a murder. He embraces his inner detective and interviews key people from Alicia’s life—her brother-in-law, cousin and friends. As his investigation unfolds, we learn more about Theo’s past, which is quite complicated and dark as well.

There’s also a clever storytelling choice to include Alicia’s diary entries, too. Without giving away spoilers, pay close attention to what she’s talking about there.

Other elements beyond the mystery, include an examination of patient-therapist relationships and the impact of trauma.

Thrillers are hard to review because I don’t want to give anything away! I will say whenever I read these type of books, I have several theories and I did guess one aspect. But the ending did leave me surprised.

Read this one and let me know your thoughts!

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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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‘The Silent Patient’ was a huge hit. Next we have ‘The Maidens.’ Don’t believe the hype.

“The Silent Patient,” Alex Michaelides’s 2019 blockbuster bestseller, is all about a London-based psychotherapist who becomes obsessed with a painter who goes silent after she’s convicted of murdering her husband. His new suspense novel, “The Maidens,” also involves a London-based psychotherapist, a grisly crime and the silencing of women.

Maybe Michaelides has gone back to this well one too many times.

“The Maidens” of the novel’s title are a secret society of female students at Cambridge University who slavishly cluster around a brilliant, ponytailed hunk of a classics professor named Edward Fosca. As is the custom at British universities, the professor conducts private tutorials with each of these young women (whom he’s dubbed “The Maidens”) and is also rumored to throw “infamous parties . . . . only for his students.”

One-third of the way through “The Maidens,” these young women start being murdered one-by-one, in gruesome, ritualistic fashion. University administrators are slow to act, waiting until victim number three is discovered to ruminate over closing down campus. When Professor Fosca is questioned about the high homicide rate among his clique, he shrugs, “There’s nothing sinister going on. I’m a tame fellow with a generous alcohol allowance, that’s all — if anyone is being abused here, it’s me.”

‘The Silent Patient’ ends with a major plot twist. Should a savvy reader have seen it coming?

The police find Fosca’s attitude perfectly rational. Our heroine, a widowed young psychotherapist named Mariana Andros, who is also the aunt of one of “The Maidens,” is the one adult in the novel who is convinced that Fosca is guilty of foul deeds. Certainly, it does seem like a significant clue that, before their murders, all the victims received a postcard with ominous quotations written in ancient Greek from the very texts that Fosca teaches.

Let’s stop there.

As anyone who’s stepped on a college campus lately knows, a male professor rumored to be inviting his most beautiful female students to be initiated into an alcohol-fumed “secret society” would be, rightly, hauled before the Sexual Misconduct Review Board quicker than you could say “Leda and the Swan.” (Doing my own due diligence, I Googled the Cambridge University website and confirmed that institution proclaims “a zero tolerance” policy on “inappropriate student and staff behaviour.”) Michaelides holds an MA from Cambridge. One can only surmise, then, that this Cartoon Cambridge is a deliberate fabrication, constructed out of Gothic conventions (an illicit sexual assignation among the tombstones of the campus graveyard!) and the vestiges of quaint Oxbridge tradition (bowler-hatted porters and food from “the buttery” sure to appeal to lovers of Dorothy Sayers’s “Gaudy Night.”

“The Silent Patient,” was, according to his ecstatic publisher’s promotional copy, “the biggest selling debut in the world in 2019,” so perhaps I’m missing something distinctive about “The Maidens.” That something would not be the novel’s descriptive passages nor its dialogue. Judge for yourself. Here’s Mariana sparring with Professor Fosca during dinner in his private quarters:

“He kept staring. His gaze was heavy, intense, lingering. She felt like a rabbit in headlights . . . .

‘You’re a beautiful woman,’ she heard him say, ‘but you have more than beauty. You have a certain quality — a stillness. Like the stillness in the depths of the ocean, far beneath the waves, where nothing moves. Very still . . . and very sad.’

Mariana didn’t say anything. She didn’t like where this was going — . . .”

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That makes two of us, Mariana. As a Gothic seducer, the professor relies on lines more full of baloney than the Cold Cut Combo at Subway.

I will admit I was drawn in by the first few chapters of “The Maidens” that focus on Mariana’s grief (she lost her husband 14 months earlier) and her work as a group therapist. I even looked forward to Mariana’s getaway to Cambridge, propelled by a frantic phone call from her niece, Zoe, after the first murder. But Michaelides’s plot begins to go off the rails when a graduate student in mathematics falls instantly in love with Mariana and proposes soon thereafter. Credibility is further strained by Chief Inspector Sangha, who’s in charge of the investigation, a man with “a lean and hungry look” who treats Mariana with instant (and unexplained) disdain. The novel’s credibility fully disintegrates at a memorial service held in the college chapel for the first victim. There, Professor Fosca and “The Maidens” process in and no one in attendance — university administrators, parents or students — places a red-alert call to authorities from the Sexual Misconduct Review Board:

“Mariana saw Professor Fosca appear in the chapel. He walked down the aisle, following a group of six distinctive young women — distinctive because they were all extremely beautiful and because they were all dressed in white; in long white dresses.” 

Throughout “The Maidens,” Michaelides quotes from the melancholy poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, one of Cambridge’s most celebrated poets. But a line from another Cambridge poet seems to me more apt as a final pronouncement on “The Maidens.” I’m thinking of A.E. Housman, who was a professor of Latin there in the early 20th century. Housman wrote the long poetry sequence “A Shropshire Lad,” which contains the oft-useful line, “Terence, this is stupid stuff.”

Maureen Corrigan , who is the book critic for the NPR program “Fresh Air,” teaches literature at Georgetown University.

The Maidens

By Alex Michaelides

Celadon. 352 pp. $27.99

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