90 pages • 3 hours read
Alex MichaelidesThe Silent Patient
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
Teacher Introduction
The Silent Patient
- Genre: Psychological thriller; mystery; suspense
- Originally Published: 2019
- Reading Level/Interest: Adult
- Structure/Length: Divided into 5 parts with chapters; approx. 323 pages; approx. 8 hours, 51 minutes on audiobook
- Protagonist/Central Conflict: The Silent Patient is a contemporary psychological thriller. The central conflict revolves around Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who is found standing next to her husband’s lifeless body with a gun in her hand. The novel follows Alicia’s journey as she becomes a patient at a secure forensic unit, where she communicates only through her art. The story is narrated by Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, who is determined to help Alicia find her voice and uncover the truth behind the murder. The novel explores themes of silence, trauma, guilt, and the intricacies of the human mind.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes related to mental health, murder, psychological trauma, sexual assault, suicide, and suspense
Alex Michaelides, Author
- Bio: British Cypriot best-selling author of psychological thrillers; graduated from Trinity College with an MA in English literature; studied screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles; gained recognition with his debut novel, The Silent Patient; known for the gripping storytelling, psychological depth, and mind-bending twists in his work
- Other Works: The Maidens (2021); The Fury (2024)
- Awards: Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery and Thriller (2019)
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