The Patient: A Novel

Written by Steena Holmes

Narrated by Siiri Scott

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 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?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Oct 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781799748786

Steena Holmes

Steena Holmes is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of titles including Saving Abby, Stillwater Rising, and The Memory Child. Named to the “20 Best Books by Women in 2015” list by Good Housekeeping and Redbook, Steena won the National Indie Excellence Award in 2012 for Finding Emma as well as the USA Book News Award for The Word Game in 2015. Steena lives in Calgary, Alberta, and is a self-proclaimed “travelholic” who can’t resist a good cup of coffee. To find out more about her books and her love of traveling, you can visit her website at www.steenaholmes.com or follow her journeys on Instagram @authorsteenaholmes.

Reviews for The Patient

[Valerie Light · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well written and narrated..I enjoyed this one very much

[carla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I throughly enjoyed this book! Not so much the voice that read it, but I got used to her overly and exaggerated interpretation of it! This book is the fist of its kind I’ve read, so unique and absolutely enthralling! I recommend it for people with an interest in psychology, the shattering of a person’s psyche due to unimaginable trauma and suspense in a book! There are trigger warning of suggestions of sexual abuse.

[bookanonjeff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beat Down Of The Ages - With Avatar Ending. There is another Lake Union author whose books I *love* and who is known for writing about a particular idea and spinning amazing stories about it. Here, Holmes walks onto that author's turf and absolutely *destroys* her. That is how much *better* than those other ones this book is - and remember, I *loved* those other books (indeed, I've rated all of them 5*). It *does* have an Avatar-style ending though, and it worked it well to allow for either a true standalone book or even the possibility of coming back to this world. Simply an excellent book, and if this represents a new direction for Holmes, I can't wait to see what else she puts out!

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A therapist, Danielle Rycroft, has 3 patients. She is believes one is a serial killer who targets ‘bad’ parents in order to give their children a better life. This book takes you into the mind of a therapist and her patients. Its an eye opening experience to say the least. The author does a good job of leading you down a rabbit hole in this Alice in Wonderland character loving lead. Although the killer is slowly revealed and not so much a ‘wow, I didn’t see it coming’, the ending is worthy of the buildup.

I enjoyed the writing, the story flowed being told over a two week period thru the eyes of Dr. Rycroft and her 3 patients, including flashbacks.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. Opinion is mine alone!

[sheiladeeth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Patient is a character-driven psychological thriller, pitting therapist Danielle Rycroft against the threat of a string of murders—could one of her patients be the killer?When the killer’s point of view is added to the mix, this becomes a fascinating mystery that, yes, some readers will solve on their own. But it draws you in to question everyone’s motives, and it’s darkly compelling.Certainly there are clues in the tale. And red herrings. Well drawn backstory too. And a well-directed plot that sticks to its point without following any extra trails. The mystery is who is killing these children’s parents, and how will Danielle figure it out.Friends, strangers and patients come together, and if it all seems unconvincing at times, the final revelations surely prove every step had to be this way. I guessed, mostly, but still enjoyed the read.Disclosure: I got it on a deal.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Perhaps I have read too many psychological thrillers, but I knew what was going to happen in this book from very near the beginning of the novel. It was pretty obvious to me, as all the clues were there, but I didn't know how it would be resolved.There has been a lot of hype that I have read about this book, so I was very excited to read it. I do think it was written well, but the suspense just wasn't there for me, as I thought it was too obvious. Quick read.#ThePatient #SteenaHolmes

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Danielle Rycroft is a therapist, new to her small town of Chesire - a town with statues in the park of characters from Alice in Wonderland. Danielle has 2 good friends who really try to take care of her and 3 patients. Someone in Chesire is trying to protect children by killing parents and allowing the child to live. After therapy sessions with her three patients, Danielle is convinced that one of them is the serial killer but has no idea which one it is. With the clues that we are given, it could be any of the three characters - they are all concerned with protecting children at any cost. Eventually the stress and worry about her patients, along with lack of sleep and debilitating headaches sends Danielle to find her own therapist. I must admit that at different times in the book, I was sure that I knew who the killer was only to get more hints a few pages later and realize that I was wrong. The ending was shocking but very satisfying.I have read all of Steena's books and this one is a step in a different direction. She is totally successful in writing a different kind of book which shows me that she is indeed a fantastic writer. I look forward to her future books.