Review: The Silent Patient

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is so much more than a beach read, much more than a mystery or suspense thriller. It's stunningly plotted, tremendously researched, deeply felt characterizations of the people who inhabit the pages. As a psychologist, I was shocked at his depictions of inpatient psychotherapy group dynamics, political intrigue, etc. Shocked because it rings very true. He's so compellingly, deeply true from the inside out, I wondered if he'd spent time on a ward as a patient. I did a bit of sleuthing and found that, he did, in fact, spend time working on such a unit! He's very well informed, but so gifted. I could never have guessed the ending--it kept me up well into the night, I could not put it down. It's hypnotically mesmerizing. Just heard it's been commissioned for a movie, which I cannot imagine will be nearly as great as this gorgeously written gem. You will love it. Guaranteed :-)

View all my reviews