The Silent Patient

Alex Michaelides

Feb 2019 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Jack Hawkins and Louise Brealey

About this audiobook

"The perfect binge listen." — Yahoo Lifestyle

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller.

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

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....

More praise for The Silent Patient:

“Absolutely brilliant... I read it in a state of intense, breathless excitement.” — Stephen Fry

“Smart, sophisticated storytelling freighted with real suspense - a very fine novel by any standard.” — Lee Child

“The Silent Patient sneaks up on you like a slash of intimidating shadow on a badly lit street. Michaelides has crafted a totally original, spellbinding psychological mystery so quirky, so unique that it should have its own genre.” — David Baldacci

Ratings and reviews

A Masterful Psychological Thriller Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient is a gripping and suspenseful tale that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The novel centers around Alicia Berenson, a renowned artist who tragically shoots her husband five times in the face before vowing to never speak again. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, becomes obsessed with Alicia's case and believes he can unlock the secrets of her silence. As he delves deeper into her life and the circumstances surrounding the murder, the reader is drawn into a complex web of mystery, deceit, and psychological intrigue. Michaelides' writing is both elegant and evocative, creating a haunting atmosphere that perfectly complements the dark and disturbing subject matter. The characters are well-developed and believable, making it easy to empathize with their struggles and fears. The plot is expertly crafted, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. I found myself racing through the pages, desperate to uncover the truth behind Alicia's silence. The Silent Patient is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and a testament to Michaelides' talent as a storyteller.

This book has such beautiful writing along with great plot. This book occupied my mind all the time and continued to keep me waiting. The twist and reveals always felt so perfect, along with the ending. I'm sure if I went back and re-listened all of them would seem obvious which is something that I love. Definitely gonna re-listen and 100% recommend to anyone who loves reading or loves suspenseful mysteries.

I enjoyed the narrators' performance of the story. I will admit I had guessed the twist early on (not mentioning this in a "braggy" way - but more so I felt it was heavily hinted), but even still, I found myself excited when all the details were revealed. I wish we dove more into the psyche of Theo, but overall I enjoyed this story.

About the author

Alex Michaelides was born in Cyprus in 1977 to a Greek-Cypriot father and an English mother. He studied English literature at Cambridge University and got his MA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient is his first novel.