The Silent Patient

The final part of the novel begins with a bible quote: “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me. Job 9:20” (319). Part 5 also opens with a final diary entry, dated February 23, written by Alicia in her last moments of consciousness before she slipped into her coma. She unveils the truth about Theo—her stalker. She first definitively recognized him in the one-on-one therapy session in which she attacked him. Later, she lied about the way Gabriel died on purpose to test Theo. She could tell that he knew she was lying: “He was afraid of me—of what I might say. He was scared—of the sound of my voice” (322). Because of his fear, Theo injected her with morphine.

Using her last moments of consciousness, Alicia provides the details of Gabriel’s murder. Theo confronted the couple with Gabriel’s affair and then gave Gabriel a choice: Either he dies or Alicia dies. Gabriel said, “I don’t want to die” (324), essentially condemning Alicia to death. Theo tells Alicia Gabriel is a coward and then raises the gun as if he’s going to shoot her. She closes her eyes and hears the shot go off. Theo has fired a shot into the ceiling.