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The Patient: A Novel Paperback – October 15, 2019
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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?
- Print length319 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateOctober 15, 2019
- Dimensions5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-101542040388
- ISBN-13978-1542040389
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The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Steena Holmes has returned with another compelling page-turner. [A]n all-encompassing journey through the dark side of the human psyche, The Patient is a mind-bending psychological thriller that will leave readers on edge and gasping for breath right up to the final shocking twist. Brilliant!” ―Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and Not a Sound
“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 secrets and truths that will have you constantly rethinking who is the killer. A brilliant psychological thriller that will mess with your mind.” ―Kimberly Belle, USA Today bestselling author of Dear Wife
“Gorgeously disturbing and endlessly surprising―an intense, thought-provoking, and riveting psychological puzzle of mind games. The Patient proves Steena Holmes’s infinite ability to create a taut, smart, and darkly captivating story. A psychiatrist with a serial killer as a patient―but which one? Terrific―and irresistible.” ―Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally bestselling author of The Murder List
“Steena Holmes has created something eerily new and tantalizing using her characteristically captivating style and sharply honed craft. The Patient is a macabre fairy tale where fantasy is distorted by the unforgiving looking glass of reality. This thriller invites readers into a world of mystery, murder and love that will hook them until the very last page.” ―Amber Cowie, bestselling author of Rapid Falls
“Steena Holmes dazzles in The Patient, an emotional thriller that takes readers on one hell of a roller coaster ride as a therapist desperately searches for a serial killer among her patients. An exhilarating read, with an ending that will leave you gasping for breath.” ―Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, bestselling authors of The Two Lila Bennetts
About the Author
Steena Holmes is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of titles including Saving Abby, Stillwater Rising, and The Memory Child. The Word Game was named to the “20 Best Books by Women in 2015” list by Good Housekeeping and Redbook, and won the USA Book News Award, and Steena won the National Indie Excellence Award in 2012 for Finding Emma. 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.
Product details
- Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (October 15, 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 319 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1542040388
- ISBN-13 : 978-1542040389
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,480,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,898 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
- #17,080 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction
- #20,189 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author!
With 2 million copies of her titles sold world wide, Steena Holmes was named in the Top 20 Women Author to read in 2015 by Good Housekeeping. She continues to write books that deal with issues that touch parents heart, whether it is through her contemporary fiction or psychological suspense novels.
To find out more about her books and her love for traveling, you can visit her website at http://www.steenaholmes.com
2012 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE BOOK Award for her bestselling novel Finding Emma
2015 USA BOOK NEWS Award for The Word Game,
2015 USA BOOK NEWS finalist for The Memory Child.
You can also find Steena on the web at www.steenaholmes.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/steenaholmes
Facebook: SteenaHolmes.author
Twitter: @steenaholmes
Email: steena@steenaholmes.com
For softer, sweeter stories with a hint of chocolate, a lot of coffee and communities you want to live in, look for her stories under the name STEENA MARIE.
DON'T MISS THE FOLLOWING NOVELS:
Finding Emma
Emma's Secret
The Memory Child
Stillwater Rising
The Word Game
Saving Abby
Abby's Journey
The Forgotten Ones
The Patient
AND MORE!

Steena Marie is a chocolate addict, coffee loving author who found her happily-ever-after with her first husband. She spoils her Poshmi dog named Charlie, loves to travel and has three beautiful daughters who amaze her on a daily basis (and have possibly added more grey hair to her head than is normal for a woman her age).
This is the softer, sweeter side of NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Steena Holmes.
Writing as Steena Marie, you can expect stories filled with sweet treats, honest hearts and the craving to having something warm in your hand to drink.
https://mailchi.mp/3fe5637f1229/steenamarie
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story suspenseful, intriguing, and guessing until the last chapter. They describe the book as a brilliant, enjoyable read. However, some readers find the entire book boring, unsatisfying, and pretentious. Opinions are mixed on the storyline, with some finding it awesome and intense, while others say it's predictable and weak. Readers also disagree on the writing style, with others finding it well-written and easy to read, while still others say the writing is superficial and baby language.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the plot entranced, interesting, and diverting. They say the twists and turns keep them reading and wanting to figure out the mystery. Readers also mention the characters are believable.
"...Not only a gripping read but also a learning experience! It was like the Tea Cup ride at StoryLand, a dizzying ride!..." Read more
"...With each revelation, the narrative twists and turns, keeping me guessing until the very end...." Read more
"...I loved the way this one worked out. It had a lot of elements of psychological suspense that kept the pace moving and my mind engaged as I tried to..." Read more
"...I loved every minute of this story. It is fast-paced and so intriguing...." Read more
Customers find the book interesting, enjoyable, and brilliant. They say the author does a good job of leading the reader on as things become more curious. Readers also mention the writing is clear and well-done.
"...Not only a gripping read but also a learning experience! It was like the Tea Cup ride at StoryLand, a dizzying ride!..." Read more
"...a note that one of her patients is behind the murders… This book was really fascinating!..." Read more
"...The author does do a good job of leading the reader on as things become "curiouser and curioser" (to borrow a term from Alice In Wonderland") -..." Read more
"...Patients could do no wrong.All in all it was a good read." Read more
Customers find the characters believable.
"...The characters are bizarre and will keep you guessing. I enjoyed reading this book and couldn't wait to get back to it every night." Read more
"...I enjoyed the characters and the story line." Read more
"...Would recommend even though. Complexity of characters is interesting." Read more
"...The writing is clear and very well done. The characters are amazing and the plot keeps you entranced...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the storyline. Some mention it's awesome, intense, and engrossing. Others say it'll be predictable, weak, and lacks enough backstory.
"...But from the beginning, there was something off about the storyline...." Read more
"...Being a retired counselor myself, I can say that the ending was a total surprise!..." Read more
"...Storyline was confusing at times and just plain boring. What usually takes me about three days to read took me three weeks...." Read more
"This was a twisted, engrossing story that knocked me for a loop...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book. Some mention it's well-written and easy to read, while others say it'd be superficial and written in baby language.
"...The writing is beautifully done, with more twists and turns than I saw coming!..." Read more
"...There are a few grammatical errors that will bother readers who like to read well-edited material, but although I wish those grammar points had been..." Read more
"...I was greatly surprised by the ending. This book was very well written...." Read more
"...The writing style is frustrating … conversations fragmented...." Read more
Customers find the book boring, unsatisfying, and a waste of time. They also say it has a poor theme of Alice in Wonderland and is pretentious.
"...Storyline was confusing at times and just plain boring. What usually takes me about three days to read took me three weeks...." Read more
"I found this book to be a bit pretentious with an over abundance of exaggerated similes...." Read more
"I found the conclusion not only disappointing but unbelievable...." Read more
"...to keep reading, to keep my eyes open, it means that the entire book was boring and a waste of time." Read more
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At the heart of the story is Danielle Rycroft, a therapist whose own fears and anxieties begin to overshadow those of her patients when a series of murders grips the town. As Danielle grapples with her suspicions and seeks solace in her best friend, Detective Tami Sloan, the line between therapist and patient blurs, leading Danielle on a harrowing journey to uncover the truth.
Holmes skillfully builds tension from the outset, hooking me with a compelling premise and then gradually unveiling layers of deception and intrigue. With each revelation, the narrative twists and turns, keeping me guessing until the very end. The intricate web of relationships and motivations adds depth to the story, ensuring that no character is quite what they seem.
"The Patient" kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Danielle is a hard-core "Alice in Wonderland" addict. Wonderland is the world she wandered into whenever her parents fought, when she got anxious or scared. She collects hardbound editions, even a few rare editions. She had a lonely childhood & had an imaginary friend until she discovered books.
There's someone in their community who is a murderer. While a child sleeps blissfully unaware, the mother & father are killed in their beds. There have been 6 cases, 12 murders in total, same methods, different towns, over the course of 3 years. What is the connection between the killer & victims? Why are these families targeted? Why had the children been spared?
Dr Rycroft consults with Dr. Brown to help her understand the mindset of a killer. Also, to seek help for her sleepwalking, nightmares & chronic migraines. She has no recollection of what she's doing while she's asleep. She has no memory of the hours lost or how she handled basic needs.
The final reveal might not sit well with everyone. But, the build up was intense.
The setting for this book is a town that is full of references to Alice in Wonderland. Fitting, because Alice in Wonderland is Danielle’s favorite book since she was a child. I loved the town setting—coffee shops based on the Cheshire Cat and town green spaces based on the queen’s gardens. I did a study of Alice in Wonderland during one of my literature courses in undergraduate and I thought the parallels in the book were a lot of fun!
Daniellle—Dani—lives a solitary life and it suits her. She has two close friends who don’t get along with each other. She has a small practice that allows her to really dig into things with her three patients. But as the murders in the town continue, Dani becomes aware that one of her three patients may be behind the murders. But which one? They all have a link to the murders in their own way, and they all have something to hide from her.
As things heat up with the case, Dani’s life feels like it is unraveling. She is having trouble sleeping, and she feels the burden of the murders on her as she tries to uncover which of her patients may be behind it. I’m a big fan of this genre and I felt that there was something off about her patients from the beginning. Not to mention several other characters in the town!
I had one theory in particular that I felt stronger about as the book went on, but I was completely wrong! I loved the way this one worked out. It had a lot of elements of psychological suspense that kept the pace moving and my mind engaged as I tried to put the clues together.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.



