Life appears perfect for artist Alicia, with her loving husband who is an in-demand fashion photographer and their beautiful home.
But one evening Gabriel returns home to be shot five times…by Alicia.
Years later, psychotherapist Theo Faber wants to help Alicia who hasn’t spoken a word since murdering her husband. He wants to help her and discover the truth about what happened.
The Silent Patient is to be released on the 7th of February 2019 and I was lucky enough to get a proof copy. Straight away I was engrossed by the voice of Theo who is intriguing and intelligent, giving a unique perspective on a terrible crime.
The story moves quickly, passing between various time periods and I wanted to keep reading. I was always disappointed when I had to stop!
This is a highly unique crime novel, written not from the detectives perspective but from the alert, perceptive point of voice of a psychologist. As the story unravels there are plenty of red herrings and then comes the biggest twist ever. I didn’t see the final twist coming at all and I actually gasped out loud on public transport!
What I love most about The Silent Patient is that is a highly unique novel. The crime fiction genre can feel like a saturated part of the book shop, but this is something very different. There are character to love and loathe and a whole new world – the mental institution in which criminals with mental health disorders are kept – that keeps the novel separate from the usual tropes of the genre.
I found the ending compelling and surprising and overall the plot is so full of twists it reminded me of writing by Michel Bussi and Gillian Flynn. I know that this is one book I’ll be recommending for months to come. I definitely think you should pick up a copy when February arrives!
Words and Pearls 