Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.
Sigmund Freud
Mysteries are meant to be solved, that’s why they are always so fascinating. Two options exist whenever we encounter a question without an answer. We can either accept our lack of knowledge and move on, or we seek to find the answer. Alex Michaelides writes a mystery waiting to be solved. Following the story of a criminal psychotherapist, Theo Faber, the tragedy of Alicia Berenson’s life unfolds. The Silent Patient captivates its readers as you watch horrors unfold till the final page.
Summary
The story begins with a murder. A seemingly happy couple winds up on the front page of the newspaper for unexpected reasons. The police make Alicia Berenson their number one suspect after the murder of her husband, Gabriel Berenson. Some speculate an affair, but the truth is no one really knows what pushed the wife over the edge. One person decides to figuring it out, Theo Faber. He believes he can get to the bottom of this mystery. The only problem, his new patient refuses to speak.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychologist who specifically got a job at the Grove in North London to uncover the mystery of Alicia Benson. Ms. Benson is not Theo’s first criminal client, but she is a higher profile client than most of his previous clients. Regardless of his experiences in psychology, Theo commits to uncovering the answers to questions people have been asking since the day the murder took place. Number one, what happened to the happy couple? Number two, how could Alicia be capable of such a horrendous crime?
Alicia Berenson is a high profile artist who has become mute since she murdered her husband. There are many theories as to why she chooses not to talk. The most common being her secrets are too heavy to reveal. Throughout the book, Michaelides brings you through Alicia’s many journal entries. The journal entries take you up to the day of the murder, allowing you to read what was occuring in Alicia’s mind up to the dreadful day.
The Silent Patient follows both storylines seamlessly. The unveiling of Alicia’s journals with Theo’s personal and professional life flow back and forth, working together to paint the final picture. Both stories follow themes of betrayal, psychological horrors, and the power of relationships. These themes come together in the final chapters, encapsulating the perfect blend of horror and revelation.
Review
Considering my background and degrees in counseling psychology, my interest in this novel may be different from others. I was eager to see how true to psychology this book would be. To ensure Theo’s thought records developed clearly, Michaelides put in time to research theory and practices of psychology. While the story may not be totally believable in the way events unfold, the psychology and theory practiced was intriguing and made reading easier.
I think The Silent Patient does a great job at building suspense and resolving it, even if the resolution is not satisfactory. I believe books do not have to end how we want to be enjoyable and I would definitely say this book fits in that category. The writing style, along with the jumping from journal entries and various timelines, kept the reading fast paced. Michaelides answers all questions by the end of the book, and for me that was many. It is not often a book shocks me with it’s ending, but this one came out of left field.
Recommendation
My recommendation goes to anyone who enjoys pyshcologcal thrillers, as this one will have your brain working. I also recommend this to anyone who enjoys horrors with less blood and guts. This book does discuss drug abuse, abuse in mental hospitals, and occasional violence, therefore I would not recommend to anyone younger than high school. If you are looking for book to get you thinking or a fast-paced book to keep to focused, go place a hold at your local library or pick it up at your favorite book store.
Amazing. 9/10. If you’re interested in reading more horror, check out my review of The Haunted by Bentley Little
As always, happy reading!