The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Blurb: It's time to find out why.

WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD, read the Sunday Times and No.1 New York Times bestselling, record-breaking 2019 thriller that everyone is talking about - soon to be a major film.

'The perfect thriller' AJ FINN

Terrific' - THE TIMES Crime Book of the Month

'Smart, sophisticated suspense' - LEE CHILD

'Compelling' - OBSERVER 'Absolutely brilliant' - STEPHEN FRY

'A totally original psychological mystery' - DAVID BALDACCI

'One of the best thrillers I've read this year' - CARA HUNTER

'The pace and finesse of a master' - BBC CULTURE

Alicia Berenson lived a seemingly perfect life until one day six years ago. When she shot her husband in the head five times. Since then she hasn't spoken a single word. It's time to find out why.

THE SILENT PATIENT is the gripping must-read debut thriller of 2019 - perfect for fans of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A.J. Finn and THE GIRL BEFORE by JP Delaney.

About Alex Michaelides:

Alex Michaelides was born in Cyprus to a Greek-Cypriot father and English mother. He read English at Cambridge University and received a MA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. He wrote the film Devil You Know, starring Rosamund Pike, and co-wrote The Con is On, starring Uma Thurman and Tim Roth. The Silent Patient, his first novel, is a Sunday Times, New York Times, Australian and Irish bestseller.

My Review:

This has to be by far the best thriller I have read in a long time, and believe me, I have read some excellent novels in this genre. Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist, gives up a promising career at Broadmoor Hospital, to take up a similar post at a less reputable hospital that is under threat of closure, the Grove Hospital. He has an ulterior motive, because he wishes to work with one specific patient, Alicia Berenson, an accomplished artist, who killed her husband Gabriel six years ago and has remained electively mute ever since. Theo's passing professional interest in this woman, developed into an obsession, after attending an exhibition of her work, which included a painting called 'Alcestis,' a self-portrait depicting her working in her studio whilst under house-arrest during the days following the murder. As she was unable or unwilling to utter a word in her defence at her trial, Theo believes he can help her and perhaps uncover the truth of what happened on that fateful day. Gripping from start to its unpredictable finish, this book is certainly the cream of the crop on my bookshelf.