A therapist must face her own worst fear—one of her patients is a serial killer.Danielle Rycroft suspects someone close to her has a dark secret. In the confidential setting of therapy, her patients share their anxieties and fears. Now, with a string of murders in town putting her on edge, Danielle’s own worries come close to eclipsing her patients’. In each case, the pattern is the same: parents … the same: parents killed while their children sleep blissfully unaware in their beds. Her best friend, Detective Tami Sloan, is the only person she has confided in.
Danielle believes that there’s still a secret one patient has yet to share. But which one? Behind a familiar face is a stranger who’ll do anything to hide their worst compulsions. The anxiety brings Danielle to her own therapist’s office, seeking counsel and comfort. But what is she willing to risk, and how much closer must she get, to stop them?
more
This is a great psychological thriller where Danielle works as a therapist in a town that loves Alice in Wonderland. She sees several patients there and after a while she begins to believe that one of her patients is the one committing crimes in the community. This is a great novel that keeps you guessing til the end.
This was a great first suspense novel for Steena! I had the privilege of reading an ARC for honest review. First I have to say I was sure I had the book figured out about 40 percent through and was not entirely sure how the Alice theme tied in! I will say I was not correct! The theme does entirely tie in by the end of the story and it is entirely correct that things are not at all as they seem half way through! The last half of this book has amazing momentum and is a page turner! I have always recommended Steena’s other genres of writing and I can say I completely recommend this! It’s a knock out!
This was a very interesting book. Lots of twists and turns but very good. A little darker maybe than Ms. Holmes usual fare. Seems like there may be more coming. We can only hope and wait.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.
Just wow! What clever writing! The Story is taunt and fast paced with an eeriness that had me looking over my shoulders! Psychological thriller at it’s best!
This had me quessing until close to the end. I couldn’t put the book down as I had to get to the end to see who it was. I thought the killer was one of 6 characters. Nice twist at the end. The author did a great job stringing along several possible characters. I do enjoy this author’s writing. This is very different topic than her other books so I highly recommend grabbing a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
Having read other titles by the author, this takes a much different direction then previous titles. Danielle Rycroft is the therapist of three struggling patients, Ella, Savannah, and Tyler. Danielle clings to the hope that she can help her patients.
But, when murders begin in the town of Cheshire, Danielle begins to suspect that perhaps one of her patients is the murderer. Desperate to protect her patients, Danielle find herself in need of therapy. How much can she confide in Dr. Brown without betraying Ella, Tyler, and Savannah or herself ? Can she stop more murders from happening?
I enjoyed this title very much. Holmes knows how to weave a narrative that holds your attention.
Thanks to NetGalley , the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love Steena Holmes and have read everything she’s written, but The Patient is different from her other books. And for me, in a good way.
A therapist, with a love for all things Alice In Wonderland…and a possible serial killer for a patient are the subjects of this dark twisted mystery/thriller. I have to confess, I thought I had it figured out early, but it didn’t take away from the thrill of the read for me.
The plot and the writing were Steena Holmes perfection but where this story differed from her others were the characters. They were dark, damaged, weird..sometimes borderline sociopathic which I loved! And that ending….BANG!!!! It blew me away! I love that she tried different and for me successfully!
4 stars!!
The Patient is a well written , complex psychological tale. It’s not a beach or airplane read, because it requires your total focus, as it weaves a twisted route through the life of Danielle, a councilor to several disturbed patients. Their stories have a profound affect on her mental health, as she struggles to care for them, while caring for herself!
Steen Holmes has a talent for developing,interesting complex characters, as I discovered, reading some of her previous novels. I’ve found them very entertaining, but this one still stay with me, still trying to shake off the very mind boggling ending. I’ve got to process that for a bit.
But, if you’re into psychological thrillers, this one is for you. My thanks to Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. It was a trip into darkness!
Off with their heads!
Am I allowed to say that THE PATIENT is a thrilling thriller? Danielle Rycroft is a therapist in Cheshire, a small town with a park dedicated to Alice in Wonderland. There’s also a serial killer on the loose. Is one of Danielle’s patients the killer because one has killed in the past…
THE PATIENT was my first book by Steena Holmes and certainly not my last! Ms. Holmes possesses a clear, vibrant style that makes even therapy sessions gripping. Believe me, there is no plodding there! The book is told in first person from Danielle’s perspective, the killer’s, and someone’s memories…
THE PATIENT is extremely easy to read, superbly written, and I don’t think I’ve ever asked myself so many questions while reading! Is it him? Her? This person along with that one? Or them, maybe? I was so very wrong, then partially right. I was going crazy trying to figure it out! Should I have seen it coming? Maybe, from a lesser author I would have, but Steena Holmes is brilliant and had me enthralled – and confounded, and guessing – throughout. THE PATIENT is a book that held me captive right from the start and never let go. THE PATIENT is totally absorbing and absolutely irresistible; don’t miss it!
Steena Holmes delivers an incredible thriller with The Patient. I was completely enthralled with Danielle from the first page. Not only do you get a psychological thriller but you get a childhood story theme that you really weren’t expecting. Steena Holmes does a spectacular job describing each of the characters and leading you to have if not empathy then some understanding why each is the way they are throughout the story. This is a book you can read more than once and pick up details you may have missed in the prior reading. A page-turner, a thriller, and a must read from Steena Holmes.
A therapist with a serial-killer patient is at the heart of Steena Holmes’ latest, The Patient. Holmes starts with a bang, then builds the action steadily, a gradual unfolding of truths and secrets that will have you constantly rethinking who is the killer. A brilliant psychological thriller that will mess with your mind.