The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides, 2019
My favorite quote: “…we often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.”
Notable characters: Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who shoots her husband in the face one day and then goes silent; Gabriel Berenson, the husband she shoots in the face one day; Theo Faber, the criminal psychologist intent on uncovering Alicia’s motives for shooting Gabriel in the face that day
Most memorable scene: I’m gonna go with Gabriel getting shot in the face for $500, Alex
Greatest strengths: Its intrigue. The Silent Patient has it in spades
Standout achievements: The Silent Patient in Alex Michaelides debut novel, and it spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list
Fun Facts: Kirkus Reviews panned this novel, calling it “clumsy, silly, and contrived.” It still spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list. Oh, and also, it broke records, selling in 49 countries, and was the bestselling debut novel in the world in 2019. Do with that what you will
Other media: N/A
What it taught me: Not to listen to critics, for one thing
How it inspired me: The Silent Patient had me questioning whether a life of abuse, lies, and manipulation justifies this kind of revenge. Ultimately, I don’t think anything justifies shooting someone in the face, but I have a better understand of it now
Additional thoughts: The Silent Patient draws inspiration from the Greek tragedies — specifically, those of Euripides. I dig it …
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
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Published by Alistair Cross
Alistair Cross grew up on horror novels and scary movies, and by the age of eight, began writing his own stories. First published in 2012, he has since co-authored The Cliffhouse Haunting and Mother with Tamara Thorne and is working on several other projects. His debut solo novel, The Crimson Corset, was an Amazon bestseller. The Black Wasp, book 3 in The Vampires of Crimson Cove series is on its way. Find out more about him at: http://alistaircross.com
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In collaboration, Thorne and Cross are currently writing several novels, including the next volume in the continuing gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their first novel, The Cliffhouse Haunting, was an immediate bestseller. Together, they hosted the horror-themed radio show Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! which featured such guests as Anne Rice of The Vampire Chronicles, Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of Hellraiser 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, Kim Harrison of the Hollows series, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.
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Currently, Thorne & Cross are hosts of Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre, where listeners can discover all manner of demented delights, unearth terrifying treasures, and explore the dark side of the arts.
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