Parker is a new psychiatrist who decides to take on a patient, one who bears the label “incurable.” Like every good person, Parker decides to make it his mission to cure this forsaken, mentally ill human being. However, much to his horror and complete and utter shock, the patient is much more than he bargained for: This patient will cause the new doctor to question everything he knows about science, medicine and human life itself.

My thoughts: I actually loved the twist at the end, and I thought it was interesting how the whole book was set up like a journal. The story flowed naturally and was an easy, quick read.

The Patient by Jasper DeWitt Not quite a horror story it had more of a creepy mental asylum vibe with supernatural overtones. More chilling than horrifying. Wish that the author had left out the animal torture scenes. Other than that, a somewhat different and quick read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I was hooked from the first chapter and wow it was a great ride. Yes, there was some Stephen King vibes but the novel comes into it own as well.
I love how the story unfolds in online message board entries! Such a great ride! Thank you Netgalley for the arc

The Patient by Jasper DeWitt is a dark and disturbing tale with a clever blend of psychological thriller and horror. It’s a fast-paced read with several twists and turns to keep you hooked till the end.

Written like a series of online posts, in several installments under the thread ‘Why I Almost Quit Medicine’, The Patient is the story of Dr. Parker, a young psychiatrist, new to his job at a mental asylum. Soon, he becomes fascinated with Joe, an isolated, long-term patient, whom no one has successfully diagnosed since he was committed as a child. Ignoring the advice of his superiors, Parker delves into Joe’s background and uncovers secrets he was never meant to discover. But some secrets are never meant to be uncovered.

A remote dark asylum, creepy patients, and some equally creepy staff members, a young idealist psychiatrist with mental issues of his own and a mysterious patient… like stories by H. P. Lovecraft, The Patient has all the ingredients of a dark psychological horror story. DeWitt uses all the elements in a perfect mix and combines it with a solid central plot and some gripping storytelling to weave an intense story, full of thrills and horror. The story’s blog format gives a realistic feel and despite the somewhat familiar plot, there are some unique twists that make the story feel different. The first-person style of narration helps The Patient move at a rapid pace and at 200 pages it’s a quick read. The best thing about the book is that story is compact and most of the story revolves around 2 characters. So, you never know who and what to believe, and you never know which part of the story is real.

The conclusion of the story was disturbing and open-ended. I do leave questions unanswered and maybe it lacks in scares overall but as a story, it is dark, intense, and gripping throughout.

Overall, The Patient is a fascinating and riveting read. The plot is absorbing and the storytelling keeps you on the edge. If you like reading psychological thrillers and horror, you will enjoy reading this book.

Many thanks to the publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the ARC

I really enjoyed this until it went paranormal - I picked it based on the comparison to The Silent Patient, which I LOVED, and really wasn't mentally prepared for that. All in all, it still wasn't bad, just unexpected and not what I was looking for when I started it.

Firstly, I want to thank Netgalley, Jasper Dewitt, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me an opportunity to read the ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: In a series of online posts, Parker H., a young psychiatrist, chronicles the harrowing account of his time working at a dreary mental hospital in New England. Through this internet message board, Parker hopes to communicate with the world his effort to cure one bewildering patient.

I was surprised when I learned that this is a debut novel of Jasper Dewitt. Because this is so good and has a high-quality writing.

Before I proceed and before reading this book I just want to put trigger warning for sexual abuse, psychopathy, sadism, self-harm, domestic violence, violence towards animals, and assault. So, be aware of that while reading this book.

When I say that this is a 'high-quality writing' book, I really mean it. The book is so detailed and descriptive despite for being a 200+ pages. The vivid description of the narrator makes me feel like i'm also inside the book, for example if he's going to describe a smell, I feel like i'm also smelling it. I also feel like i'm actually reading from a real person's forum. And while the story goes I started wondering if this is actually based from true events. Lol. It is fast-paced and intriguing. In the first 30% of the book it's just talks about this patient and what he really is like. And it provides and support the fact that this patient is scary. It's not like other books that tells you "This guy is dangerous and scary!" and you will be scared because that's what the author says. But in this book, it deeply shows you (not just tells) that this patient is REALLY scary and you should be scared of him.

It also talks about the dark side of mental health systems. Not just that, but this book is interestingly good of deeply showing the most darkest parts of mental disorders. I highlighted some parts because what the narrator is saying are somehow relatable, not in a dark way, like if you are suffering from a mental illness, what the narrator are saying hits something inside of you.

This is creepy and disturbingly good because the way the narration goes it gives you the right vibe that the author are trying to get us in.

As for the characters, the main character is so arrogant and over-confident but it's not annoying to read because the author wrote his character beautifully and realistic. And for the side characters they are also interesting because each of their characteristics really fits into the story.

My only problem with this book is that it has some certain words that are not familiar to me. And I sometimes need to search it's meaning to fully understand what the characters are really saying. But in the bright side of that, I learned new terms and deep words.

All in all, I actually enjoyed this book. When it's says it's a suspense and thriller book, it really is! I only gave it 4 stars because I'm not really into reading supernatural/occult books. But if i'm going to choose if I should buy this book or not, i'm going to say that I will! I would love to add this in my thriller book collection.

This book is already out since July 7, 2020 so be sure to check this book out!

Thank you!

Wow so still kind of processing how i feel about this book. It definitely isnt one i would normally pick but with that being said it was a very quick read but i kind of felt like we were left hanging at the end. There is a strong supernatural theme and that just really isnt my favorite, regardless this is a well written and extremely descriptive arc i could vividly see all the things going on even if i didnt want to!
Great job Jasper Dewitt i look forward to seeing how well you do with this book and your future endeavors!

The Patient by Jasper
Publication Date 07 Jul
#ThePatient #NetGalley

I started this book thinking is was your typical medical thriller. After the first chapter, I knew I was in for so much more....in a good way! If your looking for a twisty, psychological horror with an underlying supernatural theme, then I recommend this book!

I don't want to say much more and give away the story, just buy the book!

Thank you Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What a unique story. I enjoyed how this story was told like a blog and the uniqueness of the plot. The book took turns I didn’t expect and kept me hooked!

An amazing debut tale of escalating tension and horror. Told as if posting on an online medical site by Dr. Parker H. ... a freshly graduated psychiatrist from a prestigious Ivy league training program. He remains ambitious and extremely idealist and recounts his experience with the most unusual patient, "Joe". He is deemed incurable by the medical staff and any attempted treatment is to be avoided ... and, there is to be as little contact with him and the staff, as possible. Only a select few orderlies are allowed in to change his bed linens and deliver his meals while the same nurse daily provides his medication. Joe has been confined to this Connecticut State Mental facility for the last thirty years, Admitted in 1973 at the age six with initial episodes of recurrent night terrors and hallucinations. No reasonable diagnosis has ever been made . His symptoms continually mutate unpredictably Any attempt to introduce a room mate was met with disaster .... resulting either in provoking Joe's violence and sadism, or the roomy's inevitable breakdown into madness. Was Joe's madness contagious? Parker wrangles his way into an opportunity to work with Joe ... who seems to provide a reasonable sounding and heart-wrenching story to account for any previously reported misadventure. Parker wonders ... is it possible that Joe is actually sane ... and there is an elaborate conspiracy to maintain him in captivity ... his thirty-year-long mental illness is a hoax! In Parker's quest for enlightenment he visits the palatial home of Joe's origin and interviews his elderly mother and examines his childhood room of confinement. I will not elaborate on his findings and spoil this tantalizing tale, But, to better elucidate the author's finely honed prose ... the following passage illustrates what Parker found on the wall while interviewing the mother: " Protruding from the plaque to which it was grafted stretched a bulbous, almost shapeless head nearly a foot long bearing a pair of massive, sickly yellow segmented eyes and several rows of pincers that looked like they were dripping with venom ... the eyes flickered with the malignant glare of sadism, and the pincers flared out from the face in an attitude of furious aggression, as if the thing might slam its mandibles shut at any moment and crush the head of any innocent creature.... " Apparently the father was an accomplished hunter , and he commissioned an artist to recreate the monster of Joe's nightmares. He was going to pretend he'd caught and killed the thing and mounted its head on the wall
Jasper DeWitt proves to be a master storyteller and slowly unravels a twisted and demented narrative that escalates with tension and explodes into a horrendous denouement. The reader will frequently be in a position of horror film audiences and yelling for the babysitter not to go down in the basement This compulsive story is overflowing with creepy dread and delicious gross passages.
Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt that provided an electronic Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. I can't imagine how DeWitt can top this Debut story.
( at readersremains.com )

“The Patient” by Jasper DeWitt walks the thin line between therapist and patient. In a first person narrative, the writer, a therapist, talks directly to the reader sharing thoughts and fears. The writer is not sure if he privy to a terrible secret or if he himself is actually insane. Readers are introduced to Joe, the patient whom the narrator is treating. Joe has no criminal record with the police, and he is nonviolent, and his parents are obviously wealthy enough to pay for this intense treatment, but yet…
The story continues as clinical descriptions of the treatment of Joe. The narrator describes the manipulation, anger, nightmares, and monsters he observes. He is well trained in the treatment of what he diagnoses as dissociative identity disorder, but he also wonders if he will be able to produce positive results.
DeWitt created a narrative that quickly erases the line between treatment and power, between cerebral illusions and stark reality. Readers watch as personalities crumble and monsters envelop everyone. I received a review copy of “The Patient” from Jasper DeWitt and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers. It is a terrifying tale of predator and prey, of haunted nightmares and disturbing realities. You can start this book anytime you want, but do not finish it alone, at night, just at bedtime

This was really promising and a really, REALLY interesting read until the 11th hour, when it just went bonkers for me and I was completely disgusted by it. I can't even really explain ... it was just BAD. I do not recommend this, and I do not say this lightly as someone who loves thrillers, especially medical thrillers.

Another book that offered much but ran out of steam by the end. Engaging premise and kept me reading to the end to find out what happened, Wanted to love it more than I did though.

Highly engaging and suspenseful; well paced from the beginning, but loses steam around 3/4 through. I didn't personally find the supernatural ending to be a satisfactory resolution, but still an enjoyable quick read.

Overall, I liked this book. I definitely could not stop turning the pages as I HAD to know what exactly was going on with the patient. Who or what was he? The atmosphere completely reminded me of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. I loved the style in which this was written- told as a story on a blog seemingly years later. The slow build-up was done really well. The ending did fall flat for me and felt rushed but overall a 3.25 stars for me.

Supernatural horror that's genuinely creepy, with vivid imagery. The story is told through a series of blog posts, and it's so easy to tell yourself "just one more" until you're done.

Loved this one so much.

Described by some as similar to the The Silent Patient, I was excited to read this book. (The Silent Patient was one of my top reads last year). This book was also mentioned as a guess for BOTM for June, but did not end up being a choice. So I was surprised and happy to receive an ARC from NetGalley.

Summary: An extremely bright psychiatrist named Parker accepts a job at a mental facility. Not long after he arrives, he petitions to take on the hardest case that they have - a patient named Joe. Anyone who has ever worked with Joe has been driven insane - orderlies, psychiatrists, nurses. Parker believes he can do what no other doctor has done, which is actually diagnose and cure Joe. That is where the similarity to The Silent Patient ends. A young psychiatrist convinced he can treat the “untreatable” patient. The rest went way off the rails....

What I liked: It was an extremely short read.

What I didn’t like: Maybe I was just not the target audience for this one. It was listed as a thriller, but is definitely more on the horror/supernatural side. And admittedly that is definitely not my preferred genre. The resolution and the ending were awful in my opinion. It did keep you guessing for a little bit, but it was also too short to really allow for much of that.

I hate being negative in book reviews, but I felt completely mislead by the classification of this one. Had I known beforehand, I probably would have never requested it. So I’m sorry, but not one I would recommend. And in my opinion it is nowhere near The Silent Patient.

In The Patient, Parker, a psychiatrist, is met with a difficult and mysterious patient named Joe. Joe has been a resident at a psychiatric facility for decades. His case has stumped his doctors and therapists, and there is a lot of mystery surrounding him. In fact, the staff at the facility are hardly even granted access to him. And then Parker comes along. He is determined to figure out what is going on with Joe and to help him.

The Patient is written in a series of blog post style chapters. I enjoyed this format and it added a certain realism to the story. Unfortunately, though, this is about the only thing I enjoyed about the book. I didn't feel like there was much character development at all. The reader doesn't get to know Parker and the other staff that well- it's all very surface level. We get a little glimpse into Parker's thoughts and feelings via his posts, but I wanted more.

Overall, it's a quick and entertaining read. But I wanted more suspense and spook from it.

I read this book in one night. I couldn’t stop reading until I had finished. It was creepy and engrossing. I love the epistolary format - this was written as a series of anonymous forum posts, which added to the creepiness. I really enjoyed it and look forward to other books by this author,

Excellent book. Stayed up all night to finish it. Many twists and turns you don’t expect. Highly recommend!