"The Silent Patient" is a psychological thriller novel by Alex Michaelides. It follows the story of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who inexplicably stops speaking after being accused of murdering her husband, Gabriel. She is admitted to a secure psychiatric facility, where her silence becomes a subject of fascination and mystery. The narrative is driven by Theo Faber, a psychotherapist who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind Alicia's silence. As he delves deeper into her past and the events leading up to the murder, he uncovers dark secrets that challenge his own understanding of sanity and obsession.