Cover of The Silent Patient

The Silent Patient

by Alex Michaelides

Modern Bestseller
2019

About this Book

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.

Discussion Questions

1

What are the different forms of silence in the novel, and what do they represent?

2

Discuss the reliability of the narrator, Theo Faber. How does his perspective shape our understanding of the story?

3

How does the novel explore the themes of trauma, obsession, and the dark side of human nature?

4

Were you surprised by the twist at the end of the novel? Why or why not?