The literary market has been saturated with psychological thrillers following the success of books likeGone Girl(2012) andThe Girl on the Train(2015). Despite the flood of similar titles, Alex Michaelides’sThe Silent Patient(2019) stands out as one of the genre’s best stories.
In Michaelides’s story, a famous painter murders her husband seemingly without motive and falls into absolute silence. Then comes a psychotherapist who becomes increasingly obsessed with her case. It’s a riveting read that drags you into its taut and twisty depths.
The problem is, the author has written only one other book so far—The Maidens, released in 2021. What’s a fan to do when they’re craving more?
Books LikeThe Silent Patient
The Silent Patientis unique, but there are books that offer the same mysterious characters, tragic circumstances, page-turning events, and things that aren’t what they seem. Here is a list of these books that you’re sure to love.
1.The Woman In The Windowby A. J. Finn
Anna Fox is a recluse who suffers from agoraphobia following a traumatic car incident. To pass the time, she drinks wine, watches old movies, and spies on her new neighbors, the Russels.
Never did she imagine that her hobby would lead her to see something she shouldn’t. As her already fragile world falls apart, she must separate reality from imagination while dealing with a threat that is definitely real.
2.The Family Upstairsby Lisa Jewell
Libby Jones arrives home to a letter she’s been waiting for her whole life. In it is the answer to her true identity, along with her birthright: an abandoned mansion located in one of London’s most fashionable neighborhoods.
But by claiming it, she’s also accepting a darker inheritance—an unsolved mystery and the hidden players bidding their time for her to make herself known to them.
3.The Woman in Cabin 10by Ruth Ware
Journalist Lo Blacklock is given the assignment of a lifetime: a week-long cruise aboard a luxury ship gliding through the waters of the beautiful North Sea. All she expects is an enjoyable trip along with other pleasant guests.
Then she witnesses a horrifying sight: a woman being thrown overboard. But no passenger is missing and the ship sails on as if nothing has happened. Only Lo knows the truth and is left to discover what has gone terribly wrong.
4.Behind Closed Doorsby B.A. Paris
Jack is an attorney who has never lost a case. Grace is the ultimate housewife. Together, they’re the neighborhood’s dream couple. They’re rich, gorgeous, and utterly inseparable.
But beneath the glitz and glamour is something sinister. Why does Grace never answer the phone or meet up for coffee? How can she stay slim despite preparing such elaborate meals? And why are there heavy metal shutters installed on the windows?
5.The Kind Worth Killingby Peter Swanson
On the way to Boston, Ted strikes up a friendship with the stunning and mysterious Lily. Over a game of truth, they reveal to each other their most intimate secrets.
But when Ted jokes about killing his cheating wife, he never expected Lily to offer her help. After all, some people are just the kind worth killing. What Ted doesn’t know is that Lily’s hiding a dark history—one that draws them into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
6.I See Youby Clare Mackintosh
Zoe is a creature of habit, following her daily routine like clockwork. Every day, she takes the same route to the train station, waits at the same spot, and sits on the same seat. And someone’s been watching her each time.
While returning home, she finds her own face on a newspaper advertisement. As other women begin appearing in the same ad, she realizes they’re all falling victim to violent crimes—and she might be next.
7.The Last Mrs. Parrishby Liv Constantine
Amber Patterson is tired of being poor, unimportant, and invisible. While she hates the rich and privileged women in her town, she’ll do anything to join their ranks.
But Amber has a plan to change her life. It starts with befriending the town’s top socialite, the filthy rich and drop dead gorgeous Daphne Parrish. Everything that Daphne has, Amber wants—and she’s making damn sure she’ll get it all in the end.
8.The Perfect Marriageby Jeneva Rose
Sarah Morgan is a high-powered defense attorney and a partner at her law firm. Her husband, Adam, is a struggling writer who feels increasingly distant from his ever-working wife.
Adam begins a passionate affair that abruptly ends when his mistress is found murdered. Now his only hope is the wife he betrayed, who must put aside her emotions to take on her toughest and most personal case yet.
9.The Night Beforeby Lisa Jackson
Caitlyn Bandeaux wakes up covered in blood and with no memory of the night before. It seems her estranged husband is the latest victim of a serial killer plaguing the town. But could the killer be Caitlyn herself?
Unsure of what’s real or who to trust, Caitlyn is left with no choice but to piece together her fragmented memories and learn what really happened—preferably before someone else ends up dead.
10.Come Closerby Sara Gran
Amanda, a successful and happily married architect, suddenly finds her otherwise normal life derailed. She begins hearing voices and having bad dreams. She starts smoking again, and for some inexplicable reason, burns her husband with a cigarette.
As her condition steadily worsens, her marriage, reputation, and future are put to the test. But is she simply going mad, or is there something sinister behind her self-destructive behavior?
11.Then She Was Goneby Lisa Jewell
It’s been ten years since Laurel’s daughter, Ellie, vanished without a trace, and Laurel’s still trying to mend her shattered life. She finds another chance in the form of a man she unexpectedly meets in a cafe.
But the sight of his daughter has her spiraling back down into the depths of despair and unanswered questions. What happened to Ellie? Why does Poppy look so much like her? And who is Floyd, really?
12.The Couple On Cedar Closeby Anna-Lou Weatherley
Cedar Close, a place where nothing ever seems to go wrong. That is until the body of Robert Mills is found sprawled in his bedroom floor. Downstairs, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She knows she’s not the killer, but it’s hard to convince everyone when she can’t remember the hours leading up to Robert’s death. Is there a chance, however small, that she did kill her husband?
13.The Good Neighborby R.J. Parker
When Leah Talbot hits a deer, her salvation comes in the form of a nearby house where the charming and handsome Martin Tate opens the door and invites her in. And though she’s not there long, she feels she owes him a big favor.
Returning the next day to thank him, Martin is no longer there. In his place are the police and the body of the solefemaleoccupant of the house.
It doesn’t take long for Martin to resurface though. But this time it’s Leah he’s after.
14.Rebeccaby Daphne Du Maurier
An impetuous marriage sees the unnamed narrator as the new Lady de Winter. What she doesn’t realize is how large and sinister the shadow her husband’s late wife, Rebecca, will cast on their marriage.
Despite being dead, Rebecca’s malice lives on in the unspoken guilt of the Lord de Winter, the obsession of the housekeeper, and the seemingly perfect reputation she left behind. With her marriage already strained, the new Mrs. de Winter must find a way to deal with the old one’s persisting spectre.
15.The Maidensby Alex Michaelides
When one of her niece’s friends is murdered in school grounds, psychotherapist Mariana Andros becomes interested in an elusive group of female students called The Maidens. She’s certain that their professor, Edward Fosca, is the murderer.
But Fosca—handsome, charismatic, adored by all—is untouchable. And when the murders continue, her interest begins to turn into an obsession. Soon, she’s willing to sacrifice everything for the truth, including her life.
Psychological Thrillers You Can’t Put Down
Books likeThe Silent Patienthave a way with time. You become so focused on the story that you rarely feel time passing by as you flip through hear-stopping scenes, shocking twists, and excellent character development.
You’re almost always surprised that you’ve finished the book, and find that you’ve been reading for hours. All that’s left is to sit back down and contemplate what you’ve just read.
There’s a rush of satisfaction and disappointment in finishing a book you loved reading. You enjoy the journey it’s given you, but can’t help wishing for more. This is called a book hangover, and it’s a bit of a pain to deal with. What other delights would there have been if the story just ran a little longer?
One of the best cures to a book hangover is finding stories with similar plots, atmosphere, or characters. If you enjoyed Michaelides’s novel, then hopefully the 15 books above can satisfy your literary cravings as well.
Cole Salao
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
FAQs
What novel is similar to The Silent Patient? ›
Similar to The Silent Patient, The Widow follows a woman, Jean, who confronts dark truths about her life in the wake of her husband's death. And in The Widow, Jean has also been silent – silent about her true feelings, about her marriage, and about her husband's crimes.
What books to read after The Silent Patient? ›- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006)
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015)
- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (2006)
- The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben (2020)
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (2018)
- The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell (2019)
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient is a massively popular, page-turning thriller that contains a really amazing twist and a “silent” major character, like Verity. What is this? Famous painter Alicia shot her fashion photographer husband five times in the face, then never spoke another word again.
The Silent Patient was unique because it was a psychological thriller by a debut author, Alex Michaelides, and was a standalone book-An added thrillers' benefit. They don't come in series.
Is there a movie based on the book The Silent Patient? ›Rosamund Pike acted in The Devil You Know, a 2013 movie that Alex Michaelides wrote the screenplay for and was pictured on her Instagram holding the book after it hit the bestseller list.
What category of book is The Silent Patient? ›The Silent Patient is a 2019 psychological thriller novel written by British–Cypriot author Alex Michaelides.
What is the main message of The Silent Patient? ›The Dangers of Unresolved or Improperly Treated Mental Illness. The overall narrative of The Silent Patient and many of the characters' individual narratives demonstrate the dangers of unresolved or improperly treated mental illness.
What I'm confused about the ending of The Silent Patient? ›The Silent Patient Ending
Then, the shocking twist of The Silent Patient is revealed. Theo was actually the masked man. He broke into Alicia's and Gabriel's home in order to confront Gabriel, who had actually been having an affair with Theo's wife, Kathy.
“Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn for a mystery thriller with an emotionally messed-up MC. “Thief River Falls” by Brian Freeman and “Daisy Darker” by for the unreliable narrator Angle.
Was Verity a psycho? ›Then there's Verity, the compelling, sickening woman who has written a manuscript so shocking, that you can't help but despise her. The Verity that we get to know in the manuscript is a horrifying psychopath.
Is Verity a narcissist? ›
She starts off very mysterious, intimidating and omnipresent, kind of like Rebecca in the eponymous book. Once the autobiography is discovered Verity is revealed to be a narcissistic, malevolent character who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
What mental illness is in The Silent Patient? ›The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller novel that tells stories of murder. Alicia Berenson is a young painter who suffers from complex PTSD as a result of Childhood trauma Alicia has felt since she was ten, traumatic events that have occurred repeatedly over a long time.
Why did Alicia stop speaking in The Silent Patient? ›Plot Summary of The Silent Patient
Gabriel was found tied to a chair, shot dead. Alicia was covered in blood, her wrists cut. Alicia was alone with the body and her fingerprints were on the gun. After her husband's death, Alicia never spoke again.
The Silent Patient adaptation has all the ingredients to be a huge hit. Based on a bestselling novel by Alex Michaelides and currently partnered with super indie producer Annapurna, fans of the book (and I know there's A LOT of you) should have high expectations for this project when it finally hits the screen.
Is The Maidens a sequel to The Silent Patient? ›THE MAIDENS is an entirely standalone story (you don't need to have read The Silent Patient to read this mystery), but readers who are familiar with The Silent Patient will love the nods to it that appear in this book.
Is Verity going to be a movie? ›Verity is a potential film based on the book of the same name, written by Colleen Hoover. In October 2021 it was announced that the project is currently in development at Amazon Studios with Nick Antosca and Alex Hedlund producing.
What is The Silent Patient movie called? ›The Silent Patient is a twisty and exciting mystery-thriller by former screenwriter Alex Michaelides. In The Silent Patient, a well known artist, Alicia Berenson, has been in a psychiatric hospital for years after she shoots her husband and has not spoken a word since.
Who killed Gabriel in silent patient? ›In the novel The Silent Patient, Gabriel is killed by Alice. Alice discovers that Gabriel is having an affair with Theo's wife. Theo gives him the option to save himself or her, he opts to save himself. This enrages Alice and she kills Gabriel.
What do the snowflakes mean at the end of The Silent Patient? ›In Alex Michaelides's novel The Silent Patient, snow symbolizes the great difficulty of finding peace and happiness after childhood trauma.
Is The Silent Patient overhyped? ›I mean, don't get me wrong, it is a page-turner which kept me hooked through 3 nights, but it's not perfect or award-winning, like it has been shown to be. I feel like there are a little too many plot-twists, which leads to some sub-plots remaining hanging.
How many copies of The Silent Patient are there? ›
He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide.
What is the trigger warning in The Silent Patient? ›Trigger warnings: murder, abusive parenst, suicide & suicide attempts, self-harm, stigmatising mental health, domestic abuse fantasy, sexual assault, racism, fatphobia and body shaming.
Who is the hero in The Silent Patient? ›Theo is the main character in The Silent Patient and makes an appearance in The Maidens. Theo (who is 42 in The Silent Patient) trained with both Julian and Mariana in London. He is now a forensic psychotherapist.
Why is The Silent Patient so good? ›THE SILENT PATIENT is immersive and hypnotic—the kind of confidently drawn suspense story that doesn't need big, flashy twists to keep you hooked… but that delivers an exceptional twist or two anyway. Believe the hype: THE SILENT PATIENT may well be the debut crime novel of the season.
Did Kathy cheat The Silent Patient? ›But it turns out (the twist!) that Kathy cheated six years ago — with Gabriel, Alicia's husband — and it was then that Theo, the true psychopath, broke into Alicia's house, held her captive and exposed the affair, triggering a long-dormant trauma that incites her to shoot Gabriel in the face.
How long did Alicia not speak in The Silent Patient? ›Alicia Berenson, the titular silent patient of Alex Michaelides's novel The Silent Patient, never speaks; for six years after the murder of her beloved husband Gabriel (which she may or may not have committed), Alicia is entirely mute, communicating only through the occasional painting or act of violence.
What does the last page of The Silent Patient mean? ›The book ends with the police coming to question him about the diary. The big twist is when you realize that they are two different timelines (one before the murder, the other after) being told at once, and Theo was the “masked man” that prompted the murder (though Alicia is the one who actually did it).
What are relaxing books to read? ›- Beartown. by Fredrik Backman. ...
- Swimming for Sunlight. by Allie Larkin. ...
- I Miss You When I Blink. by Mary Laura Philpott. ...
- Dear Mrs. Bird. ...
- Bear Necessity. ...
- Furiously Happy. ...
- Once Upon a Sunset. ...
- Mornings with Rosemary.
Sexual content is mostly references to characters having sex, but not with much detail. Violence occurs a few times, and the most detailed is in regard to the murder at the heart of the story; man was shot in the face five times and there is blood and gore.
Was Verity the villain? ›Shelby Verity was absolutely the villain. She wrote that manuscript and there's just too much detail in it for it to not be true, even if some things were exaggerated. Even in her books, she's the villain.
How was Verity killed? ›
She says to Jeremy she'll explain everything but Jeremy doesn't really let her because they struggle and Jeremy is about to choke her when Lowen enters the room and she tells Jeremy to make it look like an accident by making her vomit and covering her mouth and nose until she stops breathing. Verity dies.
Did Verity lie in the letter? ›This manuscript is very disturbing, as Verity admits to killing one of her two dead twin daughters. Lowen eventually discovers that Verity is faking her injury and decides that Jeremy deserves to know the truth. Once she shows him the manuscript, Jeremy confronts Verity and proceeds to attack her, ending in her murder.
What type of narcissist is the scariest? ›Malignant narcissists are often regarded as having the most extreme form of NPD, and while they will have the regular qualities of someone with narcissistic personality disorder, their self-absorption and self-obsession is accompanied by some darker behaviors as well.
Who does the narcissist fear the most? ›Although narcissists act superior, entitled and boastful, underneath their larger-than-life facade lies their greatest fear: That they are ordinary. For narcissists, attention is like oxygen. Narcissists believe only special people get attention.
What are the 2 faces of narcissism? ›Narcissism can be interpreted as a construct with two faces: the bright face of admiration representing grandiose and the dark face of rivalry representing the antagonistic aspects of narcissism (Back et al., 2013).
What is Alicia Berenson's diagnosis? ›The causes of Alicia's PTSD are a car accident at a young age, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, and betrayal by her husband. It can be concluded that Alicia experienced PTSD, which later became complex PTSD due to repeated verbal abuse over a long period.
What is the mental illness where you can t control what you say? ›Aphasia is a language disorder that makes it hard for you to read, write, and say what you mean to say. Sometimes it makes it hard to understand what other people are saying, too. Aphasia is not a disease. It's a symptom of damage to the parts of the brain that control language.
What is the dramatic irony in The Silent Patient? ›As the book hurtles towards its final, tragic end, Michaelides injects a great deal of tragic irony into the plot: readers know that Alicia has condemned Theo in her diary, but Theo is not yet clued into that fact.
Who is Alicia's father in The Silent Patient? ›Vernon Rose is Alicia's father and Lydia Rose's brother. Vernon was deeply devoted to his wife Eva, Alicia's mother—and when Eva killed herself, Vernon told Alicia that he wished she had died instead.
Who drugged Alicia in The Silent Patient? ›Theo fired the warning shot into the ceiling, but since Gabriel picked his life over hers Alicia killed him after Theo left. Theo drugged her into a coma, but she wrote what happened in the back of her diary and hid it.
What is the first line of The Silent Patient? ›
“I don't know why I'm writing this” happens to be the first line of Alex Michaelides's debut thriller, “The Silent Patient,” which is now in its 46th week on the trade paperback best-seller list.
Who is Barbie in The Silent Patient? ›Barbie Hellman is a wealthy American divorcee. She lives next door to Alicia and Gabriel Berenson at the time of the murder, and she is the one who hears gunshots and calls the police.
Is there a movie based on The Silent Patient book? ›Rosamund Pike acted in The Devil You Know, a 2013 movie that Alex Michaelides wrote the screenplay for and was pictured on her Instagram holding the book after it hit the bestseller list.
What book to read after The Silent Patient? ›The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. Finally, our last recommendation for books like The Silent Patient is the second book from Alex Michaelides: The Maidens. This is perfect for readers who fell in love with his writing in The Silent Patient.
Who is Eva in The Silent Patient? ›Eva Rose is Alicia's mother and Vernon Rose's wife. Always troubled (and often dependent on alcohol), Alicia killed herself when she was 32 years old by driving into a brick wall—with a young Alicia in the passenger seat.
Does The Silent Patient have a part 2? ›The first chapter of Part 2 consists of excerpts from Alicia Berenson's diary, ranging from July 16-21. Alicia writes about the heat wave in London at the time, noting that it reminds her of the summer her mother died and of playing outside with Paul Rose, her cousin, as a girl.
What genre is The Silent Patient Barnes and Noble? ›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.
Who is The Silent Patient based on? ›The Silent Patient is not based on a true story. Author Alex Michaelides has credited his Greek heritage, as a result of which he consumed Greek myths throughout his life as inspiration for the novel.
Should I read silent patient or The Maidens first? ›*Side Note: I would highly suggest that you read The Silent Patient before reading The Maidens. Theo makes a guest appearance in Mariana's storyline which you'll appreciate even more by reading The Silent Patient first. Just sayin'. Happy reading, book nerds!
Who is the killer in silent patient? ›In The Silent Patient, Alicia Berenson is a well-known painter who murdered her husband six years ago and hasn't spoken a word since. He was found bound to a chair with gunshot wounds to his face, and she was convicted soon thereafter.
What are the themes of The Silent Patient? ›
- Empathy, Identification, and Boundaries.
- Tragedy and Destiny.
- Honesty vs. Deception.
- Childhood Trauma.
- Silence vs. “ The Talking Cure”
The average reader will spend 5 hours and 25 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
Is Theo a psychopath in The Silent Patient? ›But it turns out (the twist!) that Kathy cheated six years ago — with Gabriel, Alicia's husband — and it was then that Theo, the true psychopath, broke into Alicia's house, held her captive and exposed the affair, triggering a long-dormant trauma that incites her to shoot Gabriel in the face.
Who was the red haired woman at the end of The Maidens? ›In The Maidens, Mariana visits The Grove and sees in Theo's office “a beautiful, red-haired woman sitting, waiting, staring out the barred window at the sky outside.” This is presumably Alicia.
What happens to Zoe in The Silent Patient? ›They were having an affair before he died, and she was carrying on his legacy with the postcards and ritual killings. There was a clever nod to The Silent Patient–when Zoe is sentenced to a psych ward, Theo from The Silent Patient becomes her therapist.