Alex Michaelides' 2019 debut novel, The Silent Patient, is a psychological thriller that explores the relationship between a therapist and his patient, and the lasting effects of childhood trauma. The story centers on Alicia Berenson, a celebrated painter who shoots her husband in the face and refuses to speak again. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, becomes obsessed with uncovering Alicia's motive and getting her to talk.