The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I have heard it told repeatedly that the beginning of a novel should grab the reader’s attention, should hook him. The beginning of The Silent Patient is far more captivating than that; it sucks the reader in.

‘Praise for The Silent Patient’ section has many quotes by established authors about the unpredictable twist in the ending. Emily Koch says “No matter how good a sleuth you are, you aren’t going to see it coming.” Absolutely true. I tried to predict the killer, and each time I pinned down one character, I found another suspect looming up. I ended up suspecting almost all the characters.

The plot is filled with twists and turns, making the book unputdownable. And when you come to the last few pages thinking the story is wrapping up,winding down to its conclusion, yet another surprise springs up.

Alex Michaelides, however, is not above the fault of duping his readers unfairly. I accuse him of using unfair author practices to mislead the reader. But I won’t elaborate on those instances, so as not to give away the surprises he has so carefully created. I give it to him, full stars, despite those unjust little tricks.