The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides, takes place six years after the death of Gabriel
Berenson. His wife, Alicia was convicted of the crime and institutionalized. Since her husband’s
death, Alicia has been entirely silent, and only through her diary do we get to see her side of
events. Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, has become obsessed with her case and goes to the
Grove, the institution where Alicia lives, to try to get her to talk and reveal her secrets. This
mystery story obviously had many twists, some of which fell flat. Theo and Alicia were complex,
but not particularly likable. However, this doesn’t take away from the intrigue The Silent Patient
creates. This book was fast-paced and even had a twinge of Greek mythology mixed in. The
Silent Patient was thoroughly enjoyable.