The Silent Patient

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.



My Review

Right now this is one of the most hyped about books. Thus when I got a copy, I was excited. I could not wait to jump right into this book.

Ok, so the opening scene was attention grabbing. Even the next several chapters kept my interest. However, it was pretty apparent early on for me that the whole vibe of the storyline slowed way down. In fact, you could say that I was in a daze like Alicia. It was this way until about the last third of the story. This is where the story picked up speed.

While. I may not have been overjoyed about this book; the ending was worth it. A good first book by new author, Mr. Michaelides. I will keep an eye out for what he comes out with next.