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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!

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"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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Patient by Cole Baxter.
I did enjoy this book. Cole has done it again. Gripping and twisty. I did not like Janet at all. I did feel for James. I did have a theory. I was right but still a brilliant read. Definitely recommend. 5*.

Worth 5 stars+, this gripping mystery latches onto the reader and provides a masterful ride. I was wowed as eerie events unfolded in the book. It is true that the beginning lags a bit, but after providing evidence as to the narrator's credibility, the ride intensifies. James, a recently released asylum inmate, confronts a complicated world, having spent much of his life as a patient. His psychotic behavior and past "supposed" crimes envelop the reader, but the reader's sympathy for James belies the evidence of any wrongdoing. Isolated and reluctant to interact with "sane" folks, he clings to therapist, probation officer, and sister Janet. A convoluted plot ensues. Ghostly phenomena, strange appearances, and unexplained disappearances manifest in his house, inherited from his overbearing, abusive father. Suffice it to say, crime devotees will salivate tensely while reading the text. Get it and savor it. You will not regret it!

Fast-paced, and pulled me in right from the start.
James has been discharged from a mental institution years after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend, and is placed on house arrest.
I really liked James, and enjoyed the dark direction this story went in.
i read this book in one sitting, and did not want to put it down.

The premise was interesting... a 30 something man recently released on probation after a long institutionalization in a mental health facility for killing his girlfriend as a teenager. He has not recollection of event, nor much of his childhood, and he is forced to confront his demons when he returns to his childhood home her inherited from his deceased and formerly abusive father. The delivery on the premise, however, fell very short. The writing was choppy and childish. The content was at best unrealistic, and at worst unbelievable or full of fallacies as if a teenager with minimal life experience attempted to white their first thriller. For example, if the power is out because the electricity is shut off to the house, you cannot be thankful for still having water because the house is on a well. You need electricity to run the pump to get water out of it. The medical pieces were suspect and even the general process of filling a medication prescription completely inaccurate. I might excuse these things if the author actually was a teenager, but I don't think that is the case.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

i really enjoyed the book. i liked the writing and the way the story played! i think it would be a bit better if there would be even more people playing a part in the book because some aspects were slightly foreseeable. overall i would recommend it if you are looking for a easy fast-paced thriller!

James is finally released from the mental hospital and able to accept his father's estate. The same estate that left nothing to his twin. He has a basis support system of a doctor and probation office. His twin is insistent on helping. The story is about his mental state as he recovers memories and regains a normal life. But is it really normal? What a mind bender and a superb ending. I was up way to late reading this one. I just had to know the ending.

This was my first book by Cole Baxter and it did not disappoint! This is a fast paced enjoyable thriller.

James Owen was released from a mental institution 10 years after his admission for a murder he doesn’t remember committing. He has very limited interactions with other humans. In top of the hallucinations, strange occurrences begin happening. Is James crazy or is something else going on?

I am a sucker for a psych patient story lol. This was great from start to finish and you will NOT see the ending coming

Disturbing, well written and twisty. An original story featuring an unreliable narrator and a claustrophobic setting
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this thriller. I had no expectations at all going in - I only chose it because the cover and title reminded me of The Silent Patient and I felt in the mood for a similar vibe.

This was actually quite different in tone, despite being a similar plot. The narration is an unreliable stream of consciousness. I particularly liked that the unreliable narrator was a man aond not a woman, as it usually is with this trope.

Not a whole lot happens in the way of plot but it's well paced so you can still fly through it. I was itching to find out what was coming next whenever I put it down.

***SPOILER AHEAD***

The final twist is incredibly predictable. But, with only a cast of 3 or 4 characters, the novel does a great job of confusing the reader throughout and wondering which way the plot will go.

Not a fan. Felt very choppy and ending was just not it. The writing style felt blocky, and it was hard to get into. I liked the premise at first, but then it just got repetitive

I was lucky enough to get an arc of this book and whilst I definitely noticed that I wasn't the right person for this book, I ended up enjoying it.

As someone who has mental health issues of my own, this book was very tough to get through at certain points, due to a lot of mental health/depression/panic attack talk, so keep that in mind if you're dealing with the same issues!

The main character was someone that I just wanted to shake at certain points, and tell him that he was being dumb, but luckily in the end he redeemed himself and finally figured out what was going on.

The thriller part of the book was good, especially with some twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I really felt like I'd gone through all of the drama together with the main character, which I enjoyed.

All in all, I enjoyed this book but I probably wouldn't be so quick to read another.

The Patient is an interesting, thought-provoking and complex psychological thriller. Although some parts were slightly too unbelievable I really enjoyed reading this and I was blown away by all the twists and turns. I loved that I always felt unsure of who to trust and what was going to happen next, it really kept me on the edge of my seat and I highly recommend to thriller fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I DNF at 30%. It just felt so silly and obvious!

James is let out of a mental institution after ten years for killing his girlfriend. He is schizophrenic and has no memory of the crime. The story was kind of up and down for me, as he's clearly being gaslit, and is aware of it at some level, but continues to just go with the flow. It was really good for the most part, but I just wanted him to wake up and deal with what was right in his face!