The Model Patient

by Lucy Ashe

A taut psychological exploration of obsession, betrayal and the dangerous relationship between a patient and therapist in 1960s London. 

In the quiet hush of her therapist’s office, Evelyn Westbrook finds herself revealing secrets she’d prefer to keep hidden. Abandoning her successful modelling career to become a model wife for her husband, Henry, has left her days feeling empty. Her mother-in-law is pressing for a child that Evelyn doesn’t want. And her nights are haunted by a recurring nightmare in which she becomes a snake devouring its own tail. 

As Evelyn’s sessions with the enigmatic Dr. Daley unearth more questions than answers, her interest in him turns into obsession. But is her therapist finally providing the care she needs, or is she being manipulated? 

A compelling novel about identity, power, and the cost of playing the roles we never chose. 

Genres: Thriller

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 9, 2026

About the author

LUCY ASHE is the author of CLARA & OLIVIA (Magpie, Oneworld publications), published as THE DANCE OF THE DOLLS in the US (Union Square & Co). Her second novel is THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES.

CLARA & OLIVIA was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association Historical Dagger 2024.

She trained at the Royal Ballet School for eight years, first as a Junior Associate and then at White Lodge. She has a diploma in dance teaching with the British Ballet Organisation.

She studied English Literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, while continuing to dance and perform. She then took a PGCE teaching qualification and became an English teacher.

Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers. She also reviews theatre, in particular ballet, writing for the website Playstosee.com.

Reviews

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evelyn Westbrook should be happy. She has a nice home, married to the man she loves and a best friend who she adores. She is struggling to fit into the role of housewife and seems to garner nothing but criticism from her new in-laws who are desperate for a grandchild.

But Evelyn feels like she cannot give them what they want and that her body has never belonged to her. She begins to suffer with nightmares that take her back to the start of her modelling career and seeks professional help to deal with it. But will dredging up the past make things any clearer for her?

I thought the premise for this novel interesting but I found the actual story a little too circuitous. I am assuming it was meant to convey Evelyn's spiralling mental health but it just became irritating after a while.

Evelyn is an interesting character whose past informs so much of what happens in the novel, preventing her from moving on in her life. It was cleverly and sensitively dealt with but I found Evelyn herself an unsympathetic character, despite her fragility. For me it made it difficult to truly engage with the story.

I would recommend this as an interesting look at mental health and the use of psychotherapy and transference as tools to help certain patients.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital review copy.

[Christina ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

The Model Patient follows Evelyn Westbrook, who seems like she has it all. She has the perfect house, the perfect husband, not having to work, etc. This sounds like the perfect life. Just not Evelyn’s perfect life. She gave up her successful job in modeling, she has to deal with her mother-in-law, who is always in her business and also reminding Evelyn that she will never live up to her expectations, and facing pressure of having a baby. On top of all of this, she is having recurring nightmares of turning into a snake and devouring herself. She decides to turn to therapy to help with unhappiness and hides it from everyone in her life. This is during the 1960s, when therapy has not been normalized yet. She meets the enigmatic Dr. Daley, who she sees once a week. And she notices herself becoming drawn to him. But it is not the normal connection one has, it becomes borderline obsessive. Evelyn continues to struggle throughout her therapy sessions, as Dr. Daley’s utilizes the transference method, where he allows her to put all of her emotions from the past onto him. This blurs the line of therapist and client, especially as she notices that Dr. Daley is seeping into her daily life outside of their sessions. For instance, he becomes romantically involved with her best friend. Evelyn believes that he is doing everything on purpose to derail her life and make her fall in love with him. But for what reason? Isn’t the purpose of therapy to help heal from the past trauma and gain a healthier mindset? This is what Evelyn aims to find out while her mental health spirals out of control.

This was such an interesting book, and I absolutely devoured it! As a mental health therapist myself, I do not agree with Dr. Daley’s therapy methods at all. The psychodynamic modality is old school, but was popular in the 1960s due to Freud’s influence at the time. I received education and training in psychodynamic therapy, so I think it is fair to say that it has changed a lot since then. Dr. Daley utilizes the transference method to force Evelyn to put all of her emotions and desires onto him. This is unethical especially in Evelyn’s situation, who is a victim sexual assault. Nowadays, transference still happens in sessions, but there are boundaries in place and the therapist is supposed to help the client understand why their emotions are being placed onto the therapist. I definitely felt a lot of icks when reading the sessions between Evelyn and Dr. Daley. I also believe that the author did a great job with the unreliable narrator trope and having the reader question if Evelyn is accurately perceiving reality or if she is distorting reality to fulfill her own needs and desires.

Thank you to Get Red PR for the gifted arc 🌹
Read more reviews on my blog! https://christinaschapterblog.com

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a thriller that will really cause your head to twist and to question your on sanity then The Model Patient is the story for you. There was so much going on that at one point I was starting to think everyone in this book was the enemy. Not to mention that towards the end there is a super amazing plot twist that will blow your mind. This story takes place in the UK during the 1960's so in a way there has been progress made in regards to mental heath. Overall this is an exciting story you don't want to miss.

We are introduced to Evelyn who seems to have it all. However, she feels stuck and keeps having a recurring nightmare. She decides to start therapy where she meets Dr. Daly. The first couple of sessions are pretty basic. However after the first couple ones is where things get more intense. We get a peak into Evelyn's past and some of the indiscretions that happened during her teen years.

From there is when things are really starting to go down hill. She starts having mistrust for her husband and best friend. She then believes that her Dr. secretly wants her. However, she is shocked when she learns the true mess of the situation

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Model Patient by Lucy Ashe. Thanks to @getredprbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1963 London, ex-model and new wife, Evelyn Westbrook begins to see a therapist. She is at first apprehensive but quickly develops a rapport with him. He seems manipulative and eager to pull out her secrets.

I don’t usually love therapy tropes, but I did find this one interesting. The therapy sessions were compelling, and a lot was based around the transference and therapist/client relationship. I figured out the twist, but it was more of a “maybe this is what’s going on” way, so I still enjoyed the reveal. I may have yelled “I knew it! excitedly. I loved that a female friendship was at the heart of the story and how it ended.

“The good girl, the dutiful daughter, lover, wife: they were slipping away. Instead, there was something darker, a monster, or a demon, rising to the surface.

Read if you like:
-Therapy tropes
-1960’s setting
-Female friendships
-Dream analysis

The Model Patient comes out 4/14.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. This was pretty predictable and the author's writing style is weird in a way I can't put my finger on. But I did finish it, so it was mostly ok. Ish.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a thoughtful afterword and bibliography to this book which demonstrates how Ashe had been thinking and researching her themes, so it's a bit disappointing that this ends up being so tropey. Rather than being 'addictive' as promised in the blurb, this is rather slow-paced and a bit repetitive, so that I had guessed some of the tired plot - including the 'big reveal' - very early on. Partly that's because we've read this before: the male psychiatrist and his female patient, the push-pull of attraction and fear, the gaslighting, the hidden secrets and the way he's implicated in her past even if she doesn't know it.

The 1960s setting can feel a bit heavy-handed: flat-footed mentions of Cliff Richard and the Beatles, lunch in Carnaby Street, the fashions, the pill - it would have been nice to have seen the decade portrayed in less clichéd terms, in surprising rather than expected images.

And I guess that's my main takeaway - nothing here startled me or caught me unawares. From Evelyn's past trauma to her current struggles with her overwhelming mother-in-law, and the tension between her and her best friend (who dress alike and can be interchangeable in some ways - natch!) all feel like re-used components from a thousand other female-authored thrillers.

This is a fun switch-off read but it can also feel a bit of a slog at times. Reading about someone else's Freudian/Jungian dreams really isn't very interesting especially when they're as hackneyed and over-used as a phallic snake!

There are interesting things happening but they get rather overwhelmed by the banal plottiness - to me this felt like it wanted to be a serious book about trauma and the problematic dynamics in some forms of psychotherapy only that gets pushed aside by the urge to turn this into a 'mad woman - or is she?' psychological thriller with switched identities, knives and not one but two dastardly plots.

Great as a page-turner to read on the train but this had the potential to be deeper than that.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for an ARC via NetGalley

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW — The Model Patient by Lucy Ashe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

This book is tense, atmospheric, and quietly unsettling — a psychological spiral built on obsession, control, and the dangerous intimacy between therapist and patient.

Characters:
🕊 Evelyn Westbrook — elegant, trapped, emotionally unraveling beneath the perfect-wife image
🩺 Dr. Daley — enigmatic, distant, impossible to fully trust
👔 Henry — respectable husband with expectations Evelyn can’t live inside

Vibes:
• psychological drama
• obsession
• unreliable perceptions
• 1960s societal pressure
• marriage confinement
• therapist/patient boundary tension
• slow-burn unease

What the story gives:
In 1960s London, Evelyn Westbrook has left behind her modelling career to become the perfect wife — but the role feels suffocating. Pressured into motherhood she doesn’t want and haunted by recurring nightmares, she turns to therapy hoping for clarity.

Instead, her sessions with Dr. Daley only deepen the questions. What begins as vulnerability slowly shifts into fixation, blurring the lines between help and harm. The more Evelyn searches for answers about herself, the more entangled she becomes in her therapist’s orbit — and it becomes unclear who truly holds the power.

What I Loved:
• the eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere
• Evelyn’s gradual psychological unraveling
• constant uncertainty about truth vs manipulation
• commentary on women’s roles and expectations
• tension that builds quietly rather than dramatically
• a story that keeps you questioning motives

Final Vibe:
Haunting, intelligent, and deeply uncomfortable in the best way.
The Model Patient is a slow psychological descent into obsession and control — perfect if you enjoy character-driven suspense that leaves you thinking long after the last page.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A difficult book to review as the author has clearly invested considerable research and commitment in writing this. However I think perhaps a marmite book, strongly appealing to some readers but maybe frustrating for others who might expect more action in a thriller, this is very character driven story.

I stuck with my usual habit of reading about 15% a day, otherwise I might have struggled to finish. Much of the narrative takes the form of therapy sessions with Dr Darley, with each one going in ever decreasing circles, making it feel a little repetitive, and leaving me feeling as frustrated as Evelyn. The plot is subtle, and these sessions demand close reading, skim reading isn’t an option as they form the main thrust of the book.

The book deals with some serious issues, sexual abuse, coercion, but also highlights the changing expectations of women during the late 50’s and 60’s, when getting married and bringing up a family was no longer seen as the be all and end all, at least for the educated, middle class women. I think maybe working class women took a little longer to catch up to wanting more from life. Later in the book the pace picks up with twists, revelations and more action, which made me more engaged, leading me to finish a large chunk at one go.

I wouldn’t say I ‘enjoyed’ it in the usual sense, but it certainly gives food for thought and the author’s endnotes give further explanation and insight into the psychotherapy used in the book, providing useful context for readers interested in that aspect. 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Model Patient is a taut and atmospheric psychological novel that lingers long after you’ve closed the final page. Set in 1960s London, it captures the quiet intensity of therapy sessions where Evelyn Westbrook, a former model turned reluctant housewife, begins to unravel under the weight of secrets, expectations, and haunting dreams.

Evelyn is a fascinating protagonist—restless, vulnerable, and caught between the roles others demand of her and the identity she longs to claim for herself. Her recurring nightmare of becoming a snake devouring its own tail is a chilling metaphor for the cycle of repression and self-doubt she endures. The dynamic with Dr. Daley, her enigmatic therapist, is the novel’s beating heart: a relationship that teeters dangerously between care and manipulation, obsession and betrayal.

Lucy Ashe’s prose is elegant yet unsettling, perfectly suited to the claustrophobic atmosphere of Evelyn’s world. The novel explores themes of power, identity, and the cost of conformity with sharp psychological insight, making it both compelling and deeply thought-provoking.

The Model Patient is a gripping exploration of obsession and control, perfect for readers who enjoy psychological fiction that probes the darker corners of human relationships. It’s stylish, haunting, and quietly devastating—a novel that asks what happens when the roles we’re forced to play begin to consume us.

with thanks to Lucy Ashe, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Erin Rowland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate how well-researched this novel is. I agree with what the author said in her afterword about early psychologists presenting themselves as sort of god-figures in their own research, leading students to lack an understanding of a patient’s experience.

Evelyn, a young woman living in 1960’s England, is a prime candidate for psychotherapy. She is feeling the consequences of giving up her fulfilling modeling career to marry a man whose parents are obsessed with the prospect of grandchildren. She thought she could handle it, that domestic life would start to grow on her, but it does not seem to be so. She’s feeling crazier by the day, and her new psychiatrist might just be the cure.

After a few sessions with her doctor, it becomes clear that there are some questionable tactics at play. Now Evelyn is questioning her life- and what she thinks of this doctor- more than ever.

I did end up predicting quite a bit of the plot early on, and there is some repetition when it comes to her experiences with the doctor. Although everything ties up well at the end, I feel like the genre of this book was noncommittal. Was it a historical fiction? Thriller? Lit fic? I think it would have been more successful if it leaned into one of these aspects a little heavier.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Alison Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Model Patient follows Evelyn, who is newly married to Henry and struggling to adapt to her role as a traditional wife. Although this life feels unfulfilling, she is desperate to make her marriage work. Plagued by anxiety and disturbing nightmares, Evelyn is clearly unravelling beneath the surface. At the suggestion of her friend Lionel, a fan of her jewellery designs, she begins psychotherapy.
The novel offers an intimate and unsettling exploration of Evelyn’s journey through therapy, revealing how deeply a person can be shaped by past trauma and buried experiences. As the sessions progress, long-suppressed insecurities rise to the surface, leaving Evelyn increasingly exposed and vulnerable. The therapist’s methods are unconventional and often disturbing, and Evelyn struggles to understand how they are meant to help, particularly as the therapy seems to deepen her distress rather than ease it.
Gradually, the treatment begins to affect her life, judgement, and decision-making, drawing her into a darker psychological spiral. This is a compelling and intimate portrait of identity, trauma, and the forces that shape who we become, while also exposing a more sinister side to psychotherapy. The Model Patient is a gripping and thought-provoking read — one that stays with you long after the final page.

[Ditta Reads (Ditalion) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1960s London, this novel explores the experiences of Evelyn starting psychotherapy — and the tale of intrigue, obsession and attraction that follows.

Intense at times to read, I switched between reading long stretches in the book and having a few breather breaks. The further into the book it gets, the more problematic the client - psychologist relationship feels and throughout the book it feels as if all is spiralling and spiralling. Uncomfortable to read many a time, but this also attests to the craft of the author of getting this discomfort across on paper. And despite feeling discomfort, it is at the same time also super intriguing.

In the same spirit of experiencing some discomfort while reading; the family (in law) dynamics and all the associated expectations. Aarg — they behave soo frustratingly at times. Convincingly done!

Loved the 1960s setting. Could tell a lot of research has gone into this. Very enjoyable and interesting.

Where I felt part of the plot points were easy to anticipate, there were actually a few big points that managed to surprise me!

Just to mention also, I thought the author’s note at the end of the book was really worth reading for some added perspective.


Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with this ARC.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Ashe’s novel transports readers to 1960s London, where Evelyn Westbrook’s seemingly perfect life begins to fracture under the weight of expectation and therapy sessions that blur the line between healing and manipulation. The atmosphere is steeped in period detail, with Evelyn’s recurring nightmares and strained relationships adding layers of unease to the narrative. The dynamic between patient and therapist is central, raising unsettling questions about trust, obsession, and control.

While the book builds tension gradually, it offers a compelling exploration of psychological vulnerability and the pressures of conformity. The pacing may feel deliberate, but the intrigue lies in the slow unraveling of Evelyn’s world and the ambiguity surrounding those closest to her. Readers who enjoy character driven psychological dramas with a vintage backdrop will find this an absorbing, if understated, thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Westbrook has it all. A former model, she has the looks and life anyone would envy.
A beautiful home, a man that loves her, and yet- nothing feels right.
She feels like a stranger in her own body and when nightmares start to plaugue her, therapy is suggested.
Now, we're not talk current day therapy, this book is set in 1963, and as Evenlyn falls into a strange reliance with her therapist, we have to question motives and whether he is taking advantage of her obsession.

This book keeps you guessing and takes so many turns I couldn't really guess the ending even if I tried.

If you love a psychological thrillers and the concept of dream analysis, this will be a perfect read for you. Expected to release 4/9, I give a big thanks to GetRedPR and the author for a chance to read this in advance.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! It’s a slow-burn psychological thriller set in 1960s London that feels both elegant and quietly chilling. Evelyn, a former model turned “perfect” wife, starts to unravel when she begins therapy with Dr. Daley — and things get weird fast. You’re never totally sure who’s manipulating who, and I loved that uneasy, twisty vibe.

Lucy Ashe does a great job with the setting and mood — all the glamour and social pressure of the time really come through. It’s not a super fast-paced thriller, but it keeps you hooked with that creeping tension and emotional build-up.

My only gripe is that I wanted a bit more from the side characters, but overall this was such an absorbing read. Perfect if you like stories like The Silent Patient but with a vintage twist.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and was drawn into it instantly. It bristles with tension and I could not put it down. Ashe evocatively describes London in the1960’s with her usual flair for enabling the reader to picture the scene and sense the atmosphere. It was fascinating to be reminded how different women’s lives were then compared to the changes over the last decades. The characters were well drawn and believable and, at times, I seethed with rage on behalf of the main character.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a novel full of suspense, explorations of relationships, psychology and the cultural changes in society.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst there was nothing wrong with this book, there was nothing that stood out for other similar books.
Evelyn wasn't a character I warmed to, though she did get my sympathy at times.
The sessions between doctor and patient were cleverly done, but after a while it felt too much of the same.
A few things happened I was fully expecting, and not much happened that I wasn't.
I think I enjoyed it more than this review makes it sound!

Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, betrayal, manipulation, friendship, are all set in an evocative portrayal of London in 1963. Once again, Ashe’s style holds you on every page, whether on the psychotherapist’s couch or on the frozen streets of London, passionately building to a thrilling climax. Against my expectations, I loved this novel and would highly recommend it, even if you have no interest in psychotherapy. You will not be disappointed!

[Suzie Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. I loved becoming totally immersed in the world the author created. The author's knowledge of her subject matter really shone through, as it felt so real. And by the midpoint of the book I was so completely invested that I genuinely couldn't put it down - I ended up reading the second half in one sitting, in what was (by the end of the book) a very cold bath!! I'd strongly recommend reading The Model Patient.

[Zo Smi · Rating 3 out of 5]

[ARC review] Described as a psychological thriller, but it's very slow burn. Things don't start gathering pace until half-way through. We've got a gaslighting, snooping mother-in-law and a psychiatrist/psychologist who pushes the main character to reveal her deepest feelings. Where is all this going to lead to we (might) wonder?

The plot hangs together reasonably well, but the characters and the descriptions are not cerebral enough for me personally (not that my IQ is anything above average). The presentation of the 1960s and the characters' lives is often rather flat. In fact, how the characters and themes are pitched struck me as being on an exact par with those in Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, the latter of which I wasn't over fond of precisely because the characters felt like sterile vehicles for the book's otherwise powerful themes.

In The Model Patient, things don't go anywhere that we haven't seen in psych thrillers before, and the reader is easily able to guess what's going on way before the main character anticipates it. It felt more of a case of me trudging through the mechanics and somewhat dragged out banalities of married life and unfulfilling s*x rather than being truly invested in events. This would have been a thrilling book to read in the 1960s, but not in 2026.

There are a couple of points that might merit the book four stars, but overall, I'd rate this as ok but not writing that pushes the boundaries. If you loved the characterization found in It Ends With Us, then you'll enjoy this book, but if weren't a fan of the character portrayal there, then you can give The Model Patient a miss.

[JXR · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty fun slowburn thriller with some fantastic vibes and wonderful plotting. would recommend this one. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Caro Osorio-Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked from the start!

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A tense intrusive slow burn psychological thriller

The Model Patient starts as a drama about marriage and society in the swinging 60s but slowly tightens its grip, morphing into a tense psychological thriller.

What makes this book stand out is how real the therapy sessions feel. You can tell that Ashe poured her own difficult experiences as a patient—and the extensive research she did to process them—into these pages (I recommend checking out the fascinating Author's Note & Bibliography at the end to see how much went into this!) The result is a story that feels almost intrusive to read; the depiction of gaslighting, transference, and the slow violation of professional boundaries is very unsettling.

Ashe brilliantly explores how women were objectified in this era, showing how easily the lines between love, control, and fear can dissolve. It is a tense, immersive read that questions who actually holds the power when a mind is unraveling. Truly hard to put down.