The Verdict
Today’s book is The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides, from twenty nineteen. It was his first novel, it has sold more than ten million copies, and it’s famous for one twist.
My verdict: read it, and read it fast. The hook is brilliant, the chapters fly by, and the twist really does reframe the whole book. But the side characters are thin, and the hospital rules make no sense. I give it four out of five, and no spoilers here.
The Setup
Alicia Berenson is a famous London painter. One night, her husband, Gabriel, comes home, and a few hours later he’s tied to a chair and shot five times in the face. Alicia is found next to him, with the gun.
And she never says another word. Not to the police, not at her trial, not to anyone, for six years.
The Painting
The only clue is a painting. While she waited for trial, Alicia painted a self portrait and called it Alcestis, after a Greek tragedy about a woman who dies for her husband, comes back, and won’t speak.
The painting makes her famous, and the case becomes an obsession for a lot of people.
The Therapist
One of them is Theo Faber, a psychotherapist. He takes a job at the Grove, the secure hospital where Alicia is kept, because he’s convinced he can get her to talk.
Theo tells the story. He’s warm, a little damaged, and his own marriage to his wife, Kathy, is starting to fall apart. Between his chapters, we read Alicia’s diary from the summer of the murder.
What Works
First, the hook. A woman who won’t speak is one of the best mystery setups I’ve read in years.
Second, the pace. The chapters are short, most end on a cliffhanger, and it’s very hard to put down.
Third, the twist. Without spoiling anything: it’s fair, the clues are there, and the moment it lands, you’ll want to start again from page one.
What Doesn’t Work
Now the honest part. First, the hospital. Theo breaks almost every rule of therapy, and the Grove lets patients have brushes, leaves drugs unlocked, and never checks anyone’s background. You have to let a lot go.
Second, the side characters are flat: the nosy neighbor, the creepy brother in law, the jealous art therapist.
Third, some readers feel the twist depends on a trick rather than on the characters. I’ll explain exactly how it works in my ending video.
Content Notes
A heads up: there’s graphic gun violence, suicide and self harm, child abuse, sexual assault, and stalking.
The Scorecard
My scores. Hook, five out of five. Twist, four and a half. Pace, four and a half. Characters, three. Plausibility, two and a half. That averages to three point nine, so a solid four.
Who It’s For
Read it if you loved Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, or if you want one big thriller to read in a weekend.
Skip it if implausible plots drive you crazy, or if you’ve already guessed the twist from the internet. Seriously, avoid spoilers.
Where To Go Next
I’ve also made an ending explained, a video on every clue you missed, and a list of books like it. They’re linked below. Tell me in the comments: did you guess the twist?
