The Perfect Patient by Luana Lewis
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 28th September 2023
Published: 28th September 2023
★★★ 3 stars
DESCRIPTION:
An innocent young girl? Or a dangerous killer?
The first time I meet Jade, I can’t help but be impressed by her. Young, smart and confident, she’s everything I wish I had been at 18. But Jade isn’t any ordinary teenager – she’s accused of murdering a man twice her age. And it’s my job to find out the truth.
As we settle down to talk, I sense something change in Jade – a hardness to her answers and an unwillingness to co-operate. She claims she didn’t kill him, but I’m not sure I believe her.
When she starts skipping sessions, I visit her family home unannounced and I immediately regret it. Her father makes it clear I’m not welcome, her mother seems to stay in the shadows. What are they hiding?
As Jade begins to open up, her family suddenly halt the sessions, and I know I’m close to finding out the truth. Then I spy a late night visitor standing outside my little cottage watching my every move. What is the secret someone is trying to stop from coming out? And could I have put myself in unthinkable danger?
This absolutely gripping psychological thriller will have you hooked from the very first page to the last jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Girl on the Train and The Perfect Marriage.
MY THOUGHTS:
An innocent young girl? Or a dangerous killer?
This is a very complex tale involving the murder of a former policemen, a troubled teenager and a very dysfunctional family. Not to mention the psychologist with a past. The police think the case is cut and dried. But is it? Is Jade Jameson a murderer or a victim of circumstance?
Seventeen year old Jade Jameson is accused of killing ex-policeman Carl Ress. But what was she doing in the hotel room with him prior to his death? In a hotel owned by her very powerful father Ray Jameson no less. Jade claims she cannot remember what happened, waking to a darkened room and Carl's bloodied body on the floor. But who is telling the truth and who is lying?
Tara Black is a psychologist with a past that almost mirror's Jade's. Perhaps that is why Ray had their solicitor engage Tara to assess Jade for her defence. And despite what comes her way, Tara is determined to get to the truth...no matter the cost. But is it worth it in the end?
By the end, we are no closer to learning the truth about Tara but we do learn the truth about Carl's murder and Jade's involvement, if any. I didn't like many of the characters and the only one I did actually like was killed off. And even then there was no resolution. Too many loose ends at the end of this one for my liking.
But what really did it for me was the blatant prejudice and misrepresentation of Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Jade owned one called Ziggy but the author painted him as a vicious brute when staffies are anything but. It was alluded to that Ziggy would attack anyone because he didn't like people. So not true. Staffies are people lovers. They make useless guard dogs for this reason.
Overall, the story jumped about with no real resolution by the end. So it was a bit of a miss for me.
I would like to thank #LuanaLewis, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #ThePerfectPatient in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Luana has previously written two non-fiction books related to childhood trauma and and post-traumatic stress. She is currently working on her third novel, a thriller, set in 1987 Apartheid South Africa, centring around the disappearance of a young actress.
Luana now writes and runs a private practice in the London area, currently teaching and practicing Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy.
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