ckeller97's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beckiemills's review against another edition
4.0
This book was the definition of a slow burner almost to the point I thought it would never take off..but then it did. By the time I was fully encompassed in the story I couldn’t put this down. I read the first 80 pages slowly and the rest in one evening because I wanted to know how it ended.
If you can stick with it and see it through I found this a really rewarding read actually. I won’t spoil the ending but it wasn’t wrong on the cover when it said so many twists as it was just that. When you think you know the score you really don’t.
I did get strong vibes from Rachel and Victoria her friend. I felt her warmth and her safety she provided for Rachel which spilled through the pages. Really moving towards the end. I would recommend this to be honest as it surprised me in the best way a book can.
If you can stick with it and see it through I found this a really rewarding read actually. I won’t spoil the ending but it wasn’t wrong on the cover when it said so many twists as it was just that. When you think you know the score you really don’t.
I did get strong vibes from Rachel and Victoria her friend. I felt her warmth and her safety she provided for Rachel which spilled through the pages. Really moving towards the end. I would recommend this to be honest as it surprised me in the best way a book can.
caiterlenbach's review against another edition
2.0
THE PATIENT was alright. It had promise, but honestly, I found myself skimming the rest of the novel and not really feeling surprised by any of it. Maybe I just read too many thrillers these days?
ctiner7's review against another edition
5.0
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads. It took a while to pull me in and the ending was kind of meh after all the excitement. But overall it was good. I would consider giving it a shot at least once.
ewheather's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
carlisbookshelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wish I could rate this book higher, but I have so many conflicting thoughts about the book that it’s sitting at a solid 3 stars… because it was mid.
The blurb on the back of the book was super intriguing. Doctor meets patient, they hit it off… both professionally and romantically (despite both of them being in albeit unsatisfying marriages to other people), and crazy shit (like the murder of one of the doctor’s coworker) begins to happen as their relationship intensifies, which exposes a bunch of long buried secrets and creates a huge rift in both of their seemingly perfect lives. Seems interesting enough.
But, I didn’t get to any of that crazy, thriller shit until about 65% of the way through. The first half was very disjointed and slow and overall just not interesting to me. New characters were introduced haphazardly to the point I had trouble remembering who was who outside of the main character, her husband, and adult daughter. A lot of it (the plot twists and thriller qualities) fell flat to me solely because of how one dimensional the characters all were and how surface-level their interactions were. It started picking up way too late in the game for me, which also made the actual climax of the story fall flat to me.
I mean, I blew through this one because I’m no quitter and it did start to pick up enough for me to want to know how the story ends, but I wanted something more from the beginning and I was expecting something different than what was presented to me.
The blurb on the back of the book was super intriguing. Doctor meets patient, they hit it off… both professionally and romantically (despite both of them being in albeit unsatisfying marriages to other people), and crazy shit (like the murder of one of the doctor’s coworker) begins to happen as their relationship intensifies, which exposes a bunch of long buried secrets and creates a huge rift in both of their seemingly perfect lives. Seems interesting enough.
But, I didn’t get to any of that crazy, thriller shit until about 65% of the way through. The first half was very disjointed and slow and overall just not interesting to me. New characters were introduced haphazardly to the point I had trouble remembering who was who outside of the main character, her husband, and adult daughter. A lot of it (the plot twists and thriller qualities) fell flat to me solely because of how one dimensional the characters all were and how surface-level their interactions were. It started picking up way too late in the game for me, which also made the actual climax of the story fall flat to me.
I mean, I blew through this one because I’m no quitter and it did start to pick up enough for me to want to know how the story ends, but I wanted something more from the beginning and I was expecting something different than what was presented to me.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
The Patient by Jane Shemilt is a riveting domestic mystery.
Local GP Rachel Goodchild is mostly content with her life until her path crosses with new patient Luc Lefevre. The cracks in her marriage become more obvious as she realizes how attracted she is to Luc, who is also married with a stepson. Rachel has always felt safe in her town but she cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching and following her. She becomes more fearful after she and Luc embark on a whirlwind affair and people close to her are murdered. With suspicion falling to Luc, can Rachel trust her instincts about the man she has fallen in love with?
The storyline weaves back in forth in time over the course of several months. From her sizzling first meeting with depressed Luc to their passionate affair, Rachel gradually emerges from her colorless life. As she faces increasingly hostile questions after Luc’s arrest, her mistaken suppositions become clear in hindsight. With this new self-awareness, can Rachel now trust her judgment as she learns new information?
The Patient is a clever mystery that is quite atmospheric. The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are likable. Rachel is a bit of an unreliable narrator as she begins questioning certain events. The storyline is engaging and the tension builds with every chapter. With one shocking plot twist after another, Jane Shemilt brings this suspense-laden domestic mystery to an unanticipated conclusion.
The Patient by Jane Shemilt is a riveting domestic mystery.
Local GP Rachel Goodchild is mostly content with her life until her path crosses with new patient Luc Lefevre. The cracks in her marriage become more obvious as she realizes how attracted she is to Luc, who is also married with a stepson. Rachel has always felt safe in her town but she cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching and following her. She becomes more fearful after she and Luc embark on a whirlwind affair and people close to her are murdered. With suspicion falling to Luc, can Rachel trust her instincts about the man she has fallen in love with?
The storyline weaves back in forth in time over the course of several months. From her sizzling first meeting with depressed Luc to their passionate affair, Rachel gradually emerges from her colorless life. As she faces increasingly hostile questions after Luc’s arrest, her mistaken suppositions become clear in hindsight. With this new self-awareness, can Rachel now trust her judgment as she learns new information?
The Patient is a clever mystery that is quite atmospheric. The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are likable. Rachel is a bit of an unreliable narrator as she begins questioning certain events. The storyline is engaging and the tension builds with every chapter. With one shocking plot twist after another, Jane Shemilt brings this suspense-laden domestic mystery to an unanticipated conclusion.
capypa's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ems_99's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
A pretty well paced book, it was dark and the twists were interesting just not that shocking. Nothing to shout about, it was okay. it did have a lovely ending though!