The Silent PatientThe Silent Patient
Score Modern
What it's about
Alicia Berenson is a famous painter whose life seems perfect, until one evening her husband Gabriel comes home and she shoots him five times in the face. After that she never speaks another word. Years later, Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist, takes a job at the secure psychiatric unit where she is held, determined to get her to talk and to find out why she did it. His obsession with her case begins to blur with his own life.
Why it's worth reading
It was one of the best-selling debut thrillers of its decade and is still on the New York Times lists years later. It's a fast, twisty psychological thriller, and its ending is famous.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's short and quick. Avoid spoilers. Some readers love the twist, and some think it isn't fair.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller81 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz42 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #19 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #137 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #267 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
If you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
The Martian
2666
Gideon the Ninth
Piranesi
The Girl with the Dragon TattooExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Silent Patient worth reading?
Yes. It was one of the best-selling debut thrillers of its decade and is still on the New York Times lists years later. It ranks #267 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Silent Patient about?
Alicia Berenson is a famous painter whose life seems perfect, until one evening her husband Gabriel comes home and she shoots him five times in the face. After that she never speaks another word. Years later, Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist, takes a job at the secure psychiatric unit where she is held, determined to get her to talk and to find out why she did it. His obsession with her case begins to blur with his own life.
How long does it take to read The Silent Patient?
About 7 hours (290 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Silent Patient?
If you liked it, try Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Verity by Colleen Hoover or The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.