The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - October 2020 (previously read July 2019)

[Katie.dorny]

I absolutely loved this book when I read it earlier this year, the ending was an such a curveball for me that I didn’t expect at all!

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Our winning group read for October 2020 is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Please discuss here and remember to use spoiler tags as needed, as everyone may start at different times and reads at different speeds.

Also, please be aware that we read this book previously in July 2019. Please feel free to go back and read through some of the discussion, but be aware that anything prior to this post may have inadvertent spoilers.



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...

[Ananya]

I read this in 2019 and I'm not planning for a reread but this book is a treat for book lovers / thriller lovers.

[Vandana]

Hi Murrill. Do finish the book. There have been readers who saw the ending as it was even half way through. This was one of the books I read when I took up reading again- and enjoyed it thoroughly.
And yes, as you pointed out, you do have to allow some literary licence to authors- professional ethics stuff.
you are almost 60% thru. Finish it and let us know if the end surprised you?

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Ananya wrote: "I read this in 2019 and I'm not planning for a reread but this book is a treat for book lovers / thriller lovers."

I agree. I read this last year, so I won't reread, but it was really good and I'd recommend it. I hope everyone enjoys it.

[Salma]

I'm reading this for the first time. Not far in, just hit part 2 now. Loving the language, voice, story. So far though, the parts where he talks about his wife Kathy ring kind of false- almost as if she's there because the author felt like the narrator had to have a wife. I found myself skimming those pages- the story of their relationship feels out of place with the rest of the book.

[Collette]

Kristie wrote: "Ananya wrote: "I read this in 2019 and I'm not planning for a reread but this book is a treat for book lovers / thriller lovers."

I agree. I read this last year, so I won't reread, but it was real..."

I just purchased the kindle edition. Looking forward to a thriller!

[Rita]

I have it on reserve at the Library!

[Salma]

Almost done- wow, what a story. And I see now how my comment above made absolutely no sense lol. I'm going to read through these old posts before I comment more

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Salma wrote: "Almost done- wow, what a story. And I see now how my comment above made absolutely no sense lol. I'm going to read through these old posts before I comment more"

Hahaha... I wanted to respond to that so bad!! But I didn't want to spoil anything, so I figured I'd wait for you to read more. :)

[Salma]

Kristie wrote: "Salma wrote: "Almost done- wow, what a story. And I see now how my comment above made absolutely no sense lol. I'm going to read through these old posts before I comment more"

Hahaha... I wanted t..."

thanks lol. I have to say, I will say I absolutely did not see that end coming.

[Salma]

One thing that really grabbed me about the book- and what I thought was sad- is reading Alice's diary entries and seeing her as such a sensitive, vibrant woman and then seeing the Alice who was in a medicated haze.

(view spoiler)[ So something I'm not sure about-- was Alice really mentally unbalanced/delusional (the breakdown after her father's death) at a point in her life, or did her father's death coincide with Theo stalking her? I definitely did not see that exact ending (that apparently some other people did) coming, but when I read Theo's reaction to his Kathy's infidelity, I definitely knew that he was about to play a much darker role in Alice's story... (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Salma wrote: "One thing that really grabbed me about the book- and what I thought was sad- is reading Alice's diary entries and seeing her as such a sensitive, vibrant woman and then seeing the Alice who was in ..."

Oh, I don't remember the details of that, but (view spoiler)[ I feel like I questioned that too. I felt bad for her. And I did not see the ending playing out like that! I thought it was a really good twist. (hide spoiler)]

[Collette]

I just finished The Silent Patient. Wow! Can you imagine the movie? Probably the best cat-and-mouse thriller I’ve read in a while! Thanks for the recommendation.

I wrote a 5 star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chelsey]

I read this a few months ago and loved the book until the end. I hated the ending but I know I'm the unpopular opinion.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Chelsey wrote: "I read this a few months ago and loved the book until the end. I hated the ending but I know I'm the unpopular opinion."

re: ending - I often hate (view spoiler)[ endings where they throw in a big twist just to surprise you and it feels like they were lying to you the whole book. I always feel like I wasted all my time reading the book. Usually that happens with unreliable narrators that tell you they are thinking something and those thoughts don't fit who they are as a character at all. So frustrating... I don't know why this one worked for me. (hide spoiler)]

[Colleen]

This book was worth it. I can never guess thrillers like this and was surprised and couldn't really figure it out and all the psychology behind it. very interesting and well done I thought.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Colleen wrote: "This book was worth it. I can never guess thrillers like this and was surprised and couldn't really figure it out and all the psychology behind it. very interesting and well done I thought."

I think I really enjoyed it coming from the perspective of the therapist too.

[Jennifer]

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I thought using two different people for POV was clever-Alicia led us up to the event and Theo continued Alicia’s story. Theo’s story fit nicely in with Alicia’s, there were some similarities. I also liked the clever use of foreshadowing, it really intrigued me! I couldn’t put this book down. I finished it in just a couple of days.
What an interesting twist during Alicia’s first session with Theo! I also kept wondering what had led to the antagonism between Theo and Christian? At one point I was convinced I knew the answer to the puzzle of Alicia’s silence, but I was way off. What a great twist! I sure didn’t see that one coming.

[Alekhya]

It was indeed a book that piqued my interest right from the beginning. I too finished it rather quickly. I think it'd make it to the good suggestions list when someone wants to read murder mysteries.

I can't quite put my finger on what I liked about the book, but I liked it nonetheless.

[Angela]

So I am only 50 pages in and nothing has really happened. I am betting though that something has happened in the relationship between Alicia and her husband. Something traumatic must have happened in order for her to go to this extreme.

[Celine]

I usually like to read my books but I listened to this one as an audiobook. It was FANTASTIC as an audiobook. The reader did an incredible job portraying the story as a thriller where I think if I read it alone it wouldn't have been quite so broken up with emotions.

As Jennifer said, it was very clever to bring the story from two perspectives in a way that they were in perfect synchrony without knowing it. I was so surprised with the twist at the end of the book and think anybody who is interested in psych thrillers will also love this.

[Salma]

Jennifer wrote: "The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I thought using two different people for POV was clever-Alicia led us up to the event and Theo continued Alicia’s story. Theo’s story fit nicely in with Alic..."

I agree! The Theo vs. Christian mystery added a nice layer to the mystery

[Jennifer]

The twist at the end really made me stop and think about what I had just read. I mean, all the clues were there, but I was sure the answer was something else, up until the minute the answer was revealed! Kudos to this author, I hope he writes more!

[Salma]

You're in luck! I read an interview with him and apparently he has something else coming out soon

[Jennifer]

Cool, I think he also wrote or co-wrote a couple movies. I might have to check those out, too!

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Salma wrote: "You're in luck! I read an interview with him and apparently he has something else coming out soon"

Not much info on it yet. lol Untitled It's expected to be published June 1st. It was likely postponed since Goodreads has is listed as April 13th.

[Salma]

Ah, ok. At least that's within a year

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Thanks for letting us know about it. I wouldn't have even known he had something in the works. I look forward to seeing what it is.

[Chaos]

I just finished the book and I really enjoyed it. Not only the story itself,but also the idea of paintings that tell parts of the story but never all of it. I like the different perspectives and that we can read the diary. (But seriously - who writes like that in a diary? And who is like (view spoiler)[ "someone is breaking into the house...lets just sit here and write it down!" (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Chaos wrote: "I just finished the book and I really enjoyed it. Not only the story itself,but also the idea of paintings that tell parts of the story but never all of it. I like the different perspectives and th..."

lol, Chaos! Love your spoiler and VERY true!

[Cassandra]

Celine wrote: "I usually like to read my books but I listened to this one as an audiobook. It was FANTASTIC as an audiobook. The reader did an incredible job portraying the story as a thriller where I think if I ..."

I listened to this on audio too!! It was fun to get caught up with the reader! Did not expect the ending and I even gasped out loud when I realized what was happening! Great thriller!

[Cassandra]

Chaos wrote: "I just finished the book and I really enjoyed it. Not only the story itself,but also the idea of paintings that tell parts of the story but never all of it. I like the different perspectives and th..."

Hahaha! Agreed!

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

I really liked this book. It was so twisty!

[Carol]

This was a 5 star read for me when I read it - hope everyone enjoys it.

[Lissy]

Trying to find a copy, so I can share my thoughts through discussion. Please let me know where I can obtain a copy :)!

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Lissy wrote: "Trying to find a copy, so I can share my thoughts through discussion. Please let me know where I can obtain a copy :)!"

Hi Lissy - You just need to try all your regular places. Your local library may have copies to borrow for free. Otherwise, there are local booksellers or larger chains like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. There are other places you can order online and have it delivered as well. Sometimes they offer used copies at a lower price. Good luck finding a copy.

[Rishika]

Oh dear, What a read! And man, what a twist that was.
As soon as I read that I literally shrieked and turned the book so fast I beat even time :D
I was so engrossed in the story up until the reveal and then I was like, "How did I miss THAT!!??" just Howwww!!??

In terms of twist, I will rate it 10 out of 5 lol. In terms of a story, 3.5 / 4 stars. It's an average story but it's the writing that made it to be so intriguing and captivating.

I could definitely see it turn into a movie. It has a movie like plot.
And if it does, I will absolutely go and watch it with a tub of popcorn.

[Kate]

Chelsey wrote: "I read this a few months ago and loved the book until the end. I hated the ending but I know I'm the unpopular opinion."


I'm with you. I ended the book feeling like (view spoiler)[ the author tried to pull a fast one and it didn't quite hit the target. I honestly think I spent so much time thinking about the timelines and how they were supposed to match up- that I basically forgot that I enjoyed actually reading it. (hide spoiler)]

[Jen]

Jennifer wrote: "The twist at the end really made me stop and think about what I had just read. I mean, all the clues were there, but I was sure the answer was something else, up until the minute the answer was rev..."

I agree! I love books like that where you stop for a minute but then you realize, yes, it all makes sense, you just didn't see it! I really enjoyed it

[Jen]

Celine wrote: "I usually like to read my books but I listened to this one as an audiobook. It was FANTASTIC as an audiobook. The reader did an incredible job portraying the story as a thriller where I think if I ..."

I listened to the audiobook as well, it took me a while to get used to "reading" in that format but for some books, it really works and I agree, this was one of them! I was so absorbed in the story and the characters really came to life.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

The following comment is from Angela from the end of the book. I just added spoiler tags.

(view spoiler)[ Oh boy! I finished this book in the wee hours of the morning. It went kind of slow for me, and I am not very good at picking up the clues or subtle hints. I did, however, start to put everything together when I was midway through Part Four. Alicia's diary was very convincing and I was thinking that Christian had something to do with Gabriel's murder but didn't realize, dang, the love affair(s) going on! That was definitely psycho. I still do not really know why the author included Max as a character? He really didn't add any significance to the story. Finally, I could see how Alicia would compare her father's statement to being "killed" by her husband for having an affair. That would devastate anybody.
(hide spoiler)]

[Revanth]

I loved this one. Can anyone tell me (view spoiler)[if the snowflake reference Theo makes at the end was about him killing the police officer?
"As I listened, I looked up at the white clouds drifting past. Finally, they had opened—it had started to snow—snowflakes were falling outside. I opened the window and reached out my hand. I caught a snowflake. I watched it disappear, vanish from my fingertip. I smiled.
And I went to catch another one."
Does that mean the first snowflake was Alicia and the second one was going to be the detective? Just curious. I'm too bad with subtleties sometimes and hence asking :P. Thanks in advance :D
(hide spoiler)] ?

[Salma]

Revanth-

Didn't even think about that- but I like your interpretation! :-)

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I also didn't read anything into the snowflakes, but I am generally horrible at interpretation.

[Revanth]

Salma wrote: "Revanth-

Didn't even think about that- but I like your interpretation! :-)"

Haha, I read those lines with the voice of Dexter Morgan in my head and probably that may be how (or why) I could have interpreted it that way. The voice of a psychopath can influence the way one thinks, I come to think of it lately :P

[Revanth]

Kristie wrote: "I also didn't read anything into the snowflakes, but I am generally horrible at interpretation."

Haha. Maybe because there wasn't any discrete reference to the snowflakes before.( other than the one where Diogenes predicts that it's gonna snow one night, but didn't ).

[Salma]

Revanth wrote: "Salma wrote: "Revanth-

Didn't even think about that- but I like your interpretation! :-)"

Haha, I read those lines with the voice of Dexter Morgan in my head and probably that may be how (or why..."

Time to read Diary of a Madman :-D !

[Revanth]

Salma wrote: Time to read Diary of a Madman :-D !
I didn't know that book, but, will sure check that out! Thanks :)

[Jessica]

There were so many red herrings in the book, many of them felt pointless and confusing. Plot points were introduced and never returned to. At the end of the book I was left wondering "wait what about this? And that?". Many things were just brought up to make people look suspicious and it definitely could have been fleshed out or at least wrapped up better. Things were just thrown together in a jumble at the end.

Overall I loved this book! I've read many thriller/suspense novels and this one still surprised me. I thought the writing was well-done. I really enjoyed the alternating POV and the time shift. All-in-all, I thought it was well written but clumsily edited.

Will absolutely read the next book by this author!