This book was just an average read for me.
Nothing jumped out or surprised me because I figured out pretty quickly what was going on and who was behind everything.
I didnt really care for the style of writing either.

James Owens, a 30-year-old schizophrenic, is released after spending 20 years in a psychiatric facility for committing a crime he can’t even remember. On his release, he learns that he has inherited his childhood home and a lot of money from his father, a man who abused him throughout his childhood.

Life is tough, considering he has no experience of navigating the real world as an adult. But even though his childhood abuser is dead, James can feel his presence everywhere. It feels as if the house is haunted. Things move on their own, and there is paranormal activity afoot. James knows well that he can’t afford to lose control. One more crime, and he will be put away in a real prison.

When he feels himself struggling, he calls his sister, Janet, and she offers to come help him. But the paranormal stuff continues, until he doesn't know what's real and what's not. Is his illness catching up with him? Or is someone trying to mess with his mind?



I couldn’t understand James. Janet gaslit him too often and still he couldn’t see through her. The constant repetition of “She’s in my corner,” and “She has my back” was annoying.

The parole officer, Brianna Caldwell, was unreal. No parole officer would throw themselves at a parolee like that? Also he has a crush on her, this we know. But her so-called feelings for him came to us out of the blue and without warning. The sex scene was completely unrequired.

The schizophrenia element could have come out more strongly.

The conclusion was wrapped up too fast, while the plot events streamed by too slowly.

The book cover featured the hallway in a hospital, which is strange, considering that when the book begins, James has been discharged from the hospital. He never steps back in, except briefly in the Epilogue.

Overall, this was a weak story.

I had high hopes for this book based on the synopsis however, I was disappointed by 50%. I feel as if The Patient dragged on and on and then the twist and ending was tied into the last 5%. This is the first title I have read by this author and I would try another book at some point. I liked the concept of this book- I just wish the writing would have been a little different.

I was really excited to get this one but it was just a little bit slow for my taste. I did enjoy, I just think it needed a little more.

The Patient is a psychological thriller that follows James Owens after he is released from a mental institution. The book starts out with his transition from the facility to house arrest at his family home that he inherited after his father’s death.

Immediately, I felt drawn to the character of James. I also felt that I wanted to protect him. We quickly meet his sister which he seems unsure, or almost afraid, of.

Of course, strange things start to happen in the house and also in his mind. We aren’t really sure what is real at this point.

This book has so many twists - every time I thought I had it figured out, something new came at me!

Perfect..
The author strikes again. I just can't stop thinking about the plot twists and the writing style. This is the book you have been waiting for...
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in a day and I never looked back! The twist and the plot were pretty easy to identify but the different POV's kept me intrigued to see how everything was going to unfold. A couple of the characters were so unlikable that it made it hard to feel bad or connect with them in any way. I do wish that the ending would've given a little more, I wanted to know how the characters dealt with the aftermath.


*I received a copy of this eARC via NetGalley*

Ok. I think this book should've kept its "draft" status for a while longer.
While the plot was promising and intriguing, the author didn't flesh out the storyline well.
For a start, the beginning of the book should've had more information about why James was admitted to a psych ward, what crime he did commit. It started out with the author basically saying, "Hey. This is James, he was in a psych ward for the last decade after committing a crime, and now he is back home." No explanations whatsoever.
Secondly, the dynamic of all James's relationships was truly messed up. With Janet, he could feel the gaslighting, and he acknowledged that she deceived him multiple times, but he still kept allowing her in his life and kept including her in his decisions. It would've been more believable if he was just clueless about her schemes.
Brianna, though, gave me the ick. In my opinion, she wasn't professional at all. Considering the dude had been locked up for a decade, she needed to be the more responsible one.
Looking back at the storyline, I wish it was more interesting. The majority of the book was just a continuous stream of thoughts and musings. You get to know what happens through the thoughts and reactions of the main character, which turned boring toward the last third.
Returning to the plot, I didn't like how everything was wrapped up. A lot of points weren't explained and it was anticlimactic, the tension was building slowly and suddenly it deflated at the ending.
The saving grace was the writing. It was super engaging and fun to read, which is why reading the book wasn't really that much of a struggle.
I would definitely read other books by the author.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you for the opportunity to preview the Patient. A man is released from a hospital. He has spent years recovering from a psychiatric illness. He returned to his childhood home. Memories immediately come back and although he has support he continues to struggle with the memories. But they seem real and soon his sister arrives to help him. But nothing is as it seems. Nightmarish thoughts haunt him and maybe things are not what they appear to be. Maybe they belong to a monster. Is he the monster? 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for the opportunity to read and review this book. I wanted to give this a solid 3.5, sliding sometimes into a 4. The book's premise was good...the main character James, has just been released from a long stay at a mental hospital, where he was committed for a murder he doesn't even remember. He's trying to rebuild his life and make sense of his scattered, fractured memories, dreams/nightmares etc. He is having a hard time figuring out which parts of his memory/dreams are real and which are figments of his imagination or his illness. We get glimpses into his past, where his mother was a schizophrenic, his father an emotional and physical abuser of James and his mother (but never James' twin sister Janet). He has the help of a good therapist, a friendly and helpful probation officer and his overbearing but well-meaning twin sister. He has inherited his father's house (the house they grew up in) and all of the money was given to James and nothing to his sister...his father was an old-fashioned chauvinistic male. Things start to unravel for James and he can't be sure if it's his illness coming back or if something worse is going on. Is someone trying to sabotage his freedom and recovery? Who would want to do that and why? The book starts out quite slow in my opinion...sometimes with too much time spent on description and details of what James is doing, the dreams he's having etc. Once things start to pick up though, this is where the book slides into a 4 start rating for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style was unique and I was hooked from the start. This book kept you guessing because you had no idea what was real and what wasn't our who could be trusted.
I did not care for the character of the parole officer though as I felt her actions did not align with her position.
This was my first book by this author and I'm looking forward to reading others.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Such a fantastic story. I enjoyed the twists and turns and how it all plays out.
This was a first read by this author and I will be waiting for their next book

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for the ARC. The Patient was a captivating, quick paced read. James is a convicted murderer who served his sentence in mental institution. James has schizophrenia and can not remember the crime. Finally released from prison, James returns to his childhood home in an attempt to remember his past and have answers to what exactly happened. He lives alone, and is only visited by his therapist, parole officer, and controlling twin sister Janet. The house begins making noises and strange, unexplainable things start happening.

The Patient was a great book! I will say many books that have elements of mental health, but Coke Baxter did a great job of remaining respectful and true.

Another fantastic book by coke Baxter. Really enjoy his books as they are thrilling and you think about them for days afterwards!

After being in a mental institution for a crime he has no recollection of for the last 10 years, James is released and living in the home he grew up in.  Any book that's published by Inkubator Books, I read the synopsis but then I go in blind because I forget what I read! I have never been disappointed in a book published by Inkubator because they are always unique and well written and the twists are unlimited.

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The Patient" by Cole Baxter is a suspenseful psychological thriller. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Prepare yourself for a journey through the psyche of James Owens, a man haunted by a past he can't remember and a fear that threatens to consume him. James suffers from severe anxiety and has just been released from the hospital and we follow his journey with ghostly phenomena, strange appearances, and unexplained disappearances. These being just some of the gripping features in this book. It has a mix of supernatural and psychological elements, and that just adds to the overall tension throughout the pages. The result is a page turner of a book that will leave you at the edge of your seat.

You will not be disappointed with this book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#bookreview #netgalley #netgalleyreads #booksbooksbooks #books #reviews #colebaxter #bookworm #bookstoreview

"The Patient" by Cole Baxter is a suspenseful psychological thriller that plunges readers into the labyrinthine depths of the human mind. Prepare yourself for a haunting journey through the psyche of James Owens, a man haunted by a past he can't remember and a fear that threatens to consume him.

The novel's premise is as intriguing as it is unsettling. James Owens, a man convicted of a murder he can't recollect committing, is released from a mental institution after a decade of confinement. Placed under house arrest in his sprawling family home, the stage is set for a psychological battle between sanity and madness.

"The Patient" explores the fragile boundaries between reality and illusion. James's experiences are portrayed with a chilling authenticity, leaving readers uncertain about what is genuine and what is a product of his fractured psyche. The narrative blurs the lines between hallucinations, nightmares, and the truth. Baxter crafts an atmosphere of psychological tension, making it impossible to discern whether James is truly descending into madness or if there's something more sinister at play.

The characters in "The Patient" are multi-dimensional. James, with his complex blend of vulnerability and determination, is a compelling individual. His twin sister, Janet, is supportive and controlling. The peripheral characters, such as his therapist and parole officer, also contribute to the overall story.

Baxter's writing style is evocative and thought-provoking. The text is laced with a sense of foreboding, and the he captures the disorienting experience of being trapped within James's mind. The pacing keeps the reader on edge, with each chapter unveiling new layers of intrigue - and uncertainty.

"The Patient" addresses the profound themes of memory, trauma, and the fragile nature of the human mind. As James confronts the demons of his past, the narrative plunges into the depths of his tortured soul.

The true strength of "The Patient" lies in the unrelenting tension that builds with each page. The story takes unexpected twists and turns, leaving readers in a perpetual state of suspense. The resolution is satisfying and chilling, offering a sense of closure while leaving lingering questions that will haunt readers.

"The Patient" by Cole Baxter is an achievement in the psychological thriller genre. It is a crafted exploration of the human psyche, where the line between reality and delusion is exquisitely blurred.

"A mind-bending thriller that blurs the lines between reality and delusion, keeping readers guessing until the very end."

"An emotionally charged journey through the haunted depths of a tormented soul."

"A gripping tale of memory, trauma, and the relentless fight for sanity."

"Cole Baxter's writing is a exceptional in suspense, pulling readers into a world of uncertainty and fear."

"A narrative that leaves a mark on the psyche, with a resolution that will haunt you."

"A psychological rollercoaster that challenges the boundaries of the human mind and the sinister forces that manipulate it."

This book was really thrilling and gritty and had me on the edge of my seat. James Owens is our unreliable narrator that is struggling with mental health problems but also wondering who to trust as strange things are happening but he just can't seem to grasp if it's real or another hallucination.

I am giving this 4 stars 🌟 It was fast paced, quick and easy to read and it had me doubting myself and questioning everything I knew already.
I have some criticisms of this book though. First off, that blurb pretty much tells the whole story. Secondly, it was predictable...I knew before the 50% mark what was happening...but the story telling was still good that I didn't even mind. There was a lot if repetitive phrases that kept popping up and was getting annoying.

Overall a good read, fast paced and gritty.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cole Baxter for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

This was a really thrilling read! I was able to guess the ending, however, I enjoyed the writing immensely!

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. The Patient was a twisted and wild ride of a story.
The whole concept was genius. I loved the tense, mysterious and at times spooky atmosphere and the characters were intriguing. James's and Janet's relationship was interesting and at times it was hard to know who to believe.

The twists were really good, I was definitely surprised a few times, although I had an inkling about who was responsible and I was right, it didn't take away anything from the story though.

I highly recommend.

4 Stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️