The Good Patient: A deliciously dark psychological thriller about an ordinary woman's extraordinary moral dilemma

by Nilesha Chauvet

'Pulses with urgency . . . unforgettable.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley review
'Bold and compelling, with complex, memorable characters.' Mary Watson, author of The Cleaner

Two patients are fighting for their lives. Nina, the hospital nurse, reads their

stab wound, gang member, police escort.
stomach pain, artist, distraught mother.

Nina is meant to treat all her patients not to pick favourites, and not to judge. Except tonight, understaffed and overstretched, both patients need her. She makes a split-second choice - and leaves one man to die.

And that's when she realises that on this busy hospital ward, no-one is exactly what they seem.

'A tense read with a slow build up to an explosive ending.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review
'Dark, profound and deeply thought provoking.' Lisa Timoney

READERS LOVE NILESHA CHAUVET'S PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS
'Brilliant! . . . I binged it.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review
'Powerful . . . a first class thriller.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review
'I could not put this down.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review

'In this deliciously dark thriller, nothing is as it seems.' iNews
'Such compulsive reading . . . its ferocious energy takes you on a wild, thought-provoking ride.' Jennie Godfrey
'It's a long time since I've read a thriller that is quite so well written.' Liz Nugent
'I devoured it.' Chris Whitaker

402 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me, I don't mind suspending disbelief a little for a story to work but I have a limit and it turns out, this was my limit

[Karen Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ward in crisis. Budgets to balance and poor staff retention. Nobody wants to be a nurse at Newgate. Nina used to love her job, but since Covid things have been tough. Her community is increasingly fractured.
Called into work for an extra shift Nina finds herself pressed for time. Two patients: one a music student full of promise, the other a suspect in a gang attack who’s been stabbed. Nina can’t give them both the attention they need.
When one of the patients dies, questions are asked. Nina is suspended. Disillusioned with the demands of her role, Nina turns whistleblower and shares details of the corruption currently causing so many issues for her team.
What follows is increasingly implausible. An easy page turner, but not really one I could take seriously.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.

[Natalie M · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - not for me

[♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down I was hooked so quickly I’m telling every mystery thriller enjoyer they need to pick this up once it’s out in January. I love a main character who wrestles with their sense of morals and justifies their wrongs. It makes a book so much more interesting than to always be following a “hero”. Nina was layered and flawed but it made for a gripping story on top of the corruption in the NHS and gang violence in the UK. The turn the book took only made things more exciting.. it was definitely what I was hoping for (that may say something about me)

Thank you Faber and the author for sending me a proof of this book very grateful and had a very enjoyable time reading this 🫶🏻

[Abbeigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina is a nurse. When two patients arrive, one a gang member with a stab wound, another an artist with stomach pain, she tries to remember that all patients must be treated equally. But is it that simple?

Themes:
Moral dilemma • Corruption • Healthcare setting • Prejudice • Psychological thriller • Thought provoking

I have to start off by saying WOW. This was an incredibly gritty, cleverly written thriller that combined real world issues including gang violence, the NHS and enacting justice based on our own perception of right and wrong.

The storyline was so gripping, with characters that really felt like they could be people you know in real life. Needless to say, ‘The Good Patient’ was a real page turner and one that should be added to your pre orders if you’re a thriller lover.

Thank you to Faber Books for my proof copy! These thoughts are my honest review.

[Nicola Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Allow me to start by saying thank you to Net Galley for offering me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

100 pages in - I don’t like our FMC. I don’t like how she’s clearly judging her patients and treating them differently; the fact she’s had to be reminded to be professional and to treat everyone the same regardless by 2x of her colleagues is a huge red flag. She’s already lied to colleagues (I understand why) and has stolen, and taken, morphine as a medical professional. She’s also been speaking to a reporter (after stating that it’s in her contract not to speak to press) in an effort to pin blame on her young patient without any substantial evidence. I understand how easily it must be to make things personal … but morally her choices are terrible.

Now, from the start of the book, it’s clear one of her patients is going to die as we start with her in court. Right now, I am not on her side.

I like the modern setting. I like the references to post-pandemic life in 2023 and the relevance of critiquing society and the underfunding of the NHS. I quite like the idea of the gossiping of the staff and digging around for dirt; the complaining about management and funding etc as this is normal for any job.

But I don’t like Nina. I don’t care about her sad back story right now because I cannot accept her choices and behaviour.

From the moment her superiors are challenging her - I support them. Not her. I also think she’s a fool for not reporting the reporter for harassing her and threatening her.

P270 - Chapter 27:
I’m really not enjoying this. I don’t believe that an experienced nurse could really be this… dark. Evil, even. I am not on her side, at all and I find that hard as she’s our pain protagonist. And how far she does go - dragging someone else into it is… madness.

P354 - Chapter 35:
I like the effort to include a conspiracy and corruption in the senior ranking CEO’s and contracts in the hospital - it feels very close to home thinking about our previous government. I also like the attempt at a twist when we learn a bit more about the patient who died and how he was judged wrongly.

However, I still cannot support our FMC. I’m not enjoying the story or the plot.

This was not something I would recommend.

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Trust me, I'm a nurse,' I say, 'it's all I ever wanted”

Okay so I enjoyed this thriller very much. I’ve missed my psychological thrillers. Give me an unhinged character anyday!

Honestly guys, I went through the motions with our protagonist Nina. She was getting pulled left right and centre as a nurse, and the story really highlighted what it’s like in reality. Nina was overworked and she has to balance her tasks with two patients and other things (which I don’t want to spoil). What makes a good patient? and who gets priority??

There’s a lot that happens throughout this and I was thinking…..okay let’s be for real??? It’s getting serious 👀👀 Nina was making some crazy decisions. There is a small romance in the story, but it doesn’t take away from the what’s happening and the seriousness of it all. It also get’s dark further down the story. I especially liked how it got twisty and how ended! It could’ve been a bit shorter but it turned out really good! I’m intrigued to read more from Nilesha

Quotes:

“The entire healthcare system is in turmoil. On top of an already difficult job, you carry that societal burden on your shoulders. Simply acknowledging that can be transforma-tional.”

“Many of these youths are simply children themselves. They are more likely to be stabbed by their own knife than anyone else's. We need to understand, they are afraid and vulnerable.”

“I knew I had to play my part in trying to protect this town. A home is where it begins, a home is where it all ends. I would surely kill to protect it.”

Thank you @faber books for this arc copy 💛

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

xWell this book is certainly one that will make you think. About right versus wrong; about how quick you might be to judgment or casting aspersions when only knowing part of the truth. And about how many times you might think, or may use, a throwaway comment like 'they didn't deserve that', the implication of which is that someone else did. This is the case with the books central protagonist, Nina, a nurse on a busy ward who is faced with one busy night and one impossible decision too many, a fact that may well cost her everything,

Early in the book, Nina bears witness to a riot in which someone very close to her gets hurt. It becomes very clear that Nina is a person on the edge, so when asked to provide care to someone that she is certain she saw involved in the riot, gang member, Leroy, it really tests her commitment to her job. At the same time another patient, Dev, is transferred to her ward, suffering from symptoms that the clinicians are struggling to diagnose. Two patients, both needing urgent care. One who has done Nina no ill, the other a known gang member. If it came down to a choice between one or the other, which one would you help first?

Well, in this case, it's not really a 'choice' that Nina has to make exactly, that decision being taken out of her hands by fate. But it doesn't mean that what happens hurts Nina any less, or that it doesn't prey on her mind, constantly. It does, and that obsessive behaviour, the what ifs of the situation is what drives the real ethical dilemma at the heart of the book. Well, that and the somewhat irrational decisions Nina makes from that day onward.

A large part of the early chapters in the book are spent in establishing the characters and the dynamic between Nina, her two patients and her colleagues. In that respect, the book is slow to build in terms of tension, although it is rife with conflict from very early on. These scenes are important as they give context to Nina's state of mind, the pressure she puts herself under, and the pressure that are constantly placed upon medical staff since the pandemic. It is a very current novel, touching on very relevant and authentic issues when it comes to the state of NHS, through no fault of the staff. There are questions raised over the quality of care given to patients, underpinned by a Journalist who is trying to find her headline story, suspicions of poor management, poor neonatal care, and other questionable practices, all of which have a ripped from the headlines feel, and all of which come to inform the remainder of the story>

I can't lie. I did struggle with Nina's character. She is not an inherently likeable person, even if I did sympathise with her position and the situation she was in at work. But there are elements to her personality that leave a lot to be desired and I would hope that, should I ever need care, I had someone who was a little more tolerant than she came across at times. Then again, do not rush to judgment - a key message of this book - for there may be more going on than anyone could ever know. She wasn't a completely antagonistic character, and there is that sense of her being used as a scapegoat in certain situations but then comes the big step up in the book. The moment when everything turns on a dime.

Do you need to suspend disbelief with this book? Maybe at times, at least I hope so. There are certain situations which seem to be a step beyond the plausible. And there was a thread in the book that I called early on but under the circumstances I could understand why this might not be obvious to characters caught in the heat of the moment. Did it impact my enjoyment of the book? No. Because the book made me think. About the pressure on the NHS. About how key workers, every single day, have to place themselves in situations which they may find morally abhorrent, but still treat everyone as equals. And the audiobook narration by Nikki Patel was excellent, really drawing me into the story and bringing Nina's angst to life.

If you like a very current and relevant, thought provoking read, one that will make you think about good versus bad and the way your own prejudices might impact how you treat others, then this could be the book for you. Intrigued to see what the author delivers next.

[Georgina Reads_Eats_Explores · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a strange electricity to a hospital ward, especially when you’re looking at it through the eyes of someone who keeps the whole thing stitched together with sheer nerve and habit. Chauvet captures that atmosphere with a steady hand — the fluorescent hum, the stretched-thin patience, the over long patient allocation lists. This isn’t a drama of huge set pieces. It’s a novel about the pressure that builds drip by drip until one moment tips the scales.

We follow Nina, a senior nurse who’s capable, flawed and bone-tired, not the polished saint the world imagines nurses to be. She’s flawed, tired, and not always as self-aware as she ought to be, which instantly makes her more believable. Across a cluster of hectic shifts, two patients come into her orbit: Leroy, a young gang-affiliated man under police escort, and Dev, a gentle artist with a doting mother who barely leaves his bedside. On paper, Nina’s duty is equal. In practice… well, that’s where the book starts to dig.

Chauvet is far more interested in the quiet moral friction than any grand reveal. She draws our attention to the tiny, seemingly harmless decisions that accumulate when the ward is understaffed and the clock is merciless. Bias isn’t shouted; it murmurs. Burnout isn’t a dramatic collapse; it’s a slow hollowing. Nina’s choices feel small in the moment and enormous in hindsight, and the novel lets that weight settle without a heavy hand.

What gives the book its spine is the systemic critique threaded through the story. The nurses are the ones who absorb the brunt of patient anger, family panic, and managerial scrutiny. When something goes wrong, they’re the first to be scrutinised, suspended, questioned — even when the cracks in care began long before the shift and higher up the chain. Chauvet gestures at this reality with a subtle but unmistakable edge: accountability is rarely evenly distributed, and the people most responsible for keeping patients alive often carry the blame for decisions they never had the luxury to make.

The writing hums with tension but never forgets its humanity. No one is flattened into a stereotype. Leroy and Dev both emerge as more than their notes, and Nina — frustrating, earnest, instinctive — is drawn with just enough complexity to keep the moral murk alive.

If anything held me at a slight remove, it was Nina’s limited introspection; I found myself wanting to dig deeper into the psychological soil of her choices.

A thoughtful 3.5 stars from me — engrossing, humane, and sharper than it first appears.

Thank you to Faber for the advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.

[Helen Haythornthwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a compelling read, with one of the most unhinged FMCs I’ve ever come across!

It’s set in a town where the residents, from all ethnic backgrounds, fear for their safety as two warring factions regularly clash on the local streets. The nearby hospital is under new management, and different procedures are being brought in with the hope of cutting costs - to the frustration of the nursing teams and hospital staff.

Against this backdrop, we meet Nina. Nina who didn’t have the best start in life and who is very disillusioned with her job as a nurse, working nights. Her insecurities start to weigh on her mind, and she becomes increasingly stricken by an inner moral code which affects her personal judgement.

The narrative does initially focus on the state of the hospital and its staff which is probably mirrored in many of our hospitals nowadays. Not enough nurses to cope with patient demands, and the violence of some of the patients while they are being treated too.

It’s here that Nina begins to make increasingly erratic decisions, listening to that inner voice, and her behaviour does not reflect the calming, gentle nurse she is supposed to be.

I loved the way this book started with an extract from the end of the story, and then took us on a journey to that point. Nina is telling us what happened from her POV and although she does some terrible things, I didn’t dislike her. I just wanted someone to realise that she needed help and support, to put a stop to her disturbed thoughts and actions.

I do think that Nina’s actions went a bit too far at one point, and challenged the plausibility of the plot. I can see it was needed for the storyline to work, but it stretched the boundaries of credibility, in my opinion.

Having said that, it was a brilliant read, and one which I didn’t want to put down when I had to. The ending is slightly open to interpretation but it was just like it’s FMC - sinister and sly.


I was sent a proof copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this free advance copy via Netgalley thank you to Nilesha Chauvet and Faber and Faber publishing. This review is being left voluntarily and the opinions are my own.

As a nurse this book immediately appealed to me and so I was excited to see how it played out. 

This is a stark reminder of how things can change in an instant. It should also remind us that a system we once held dear is broken and the consequences of this broken system are playing out in different scenarios across this country. Although this is a work of fiction, it is still a poignant account. 

This book had me mad, maybe because I am a nurse. My loyalty initially was firmly with Nina but then her actions became increasingly erratic, hostile and volatile. Her views, although it can be argued came from a place of hurt and fear, became increasingly unacceptable. You may not agree with another person's lifestyle, actions or views, but nursing, especially in the NHS, is supposed to be indiscriminate and about helping all who require it without judgement. Nina's actions sent her on a trail to disaster and ultimately things could only end one way. 

As a person of colour, I found her judgement, stereotyping of others and self hate for her mixed identity really difficult to take. If she can't  accept the both parts of herself, how is anyone else expected to? 

For me the pacing was a little off. It was quite a slow start, which I struggled through. Ultimately I am glad I continued because I needed to know how this ended.

The ending absolutely shocked me and turned the story on its head. It made me view some of aspects of this story differently.

This story deals with strong themes of racism, racial tension, cultural norms, gang violence, identity confusion and self hate. It is a heavy and quite difficult read but I would recommend reading it. 

Well done to Nilesha for confronting these issues head on. Will look out for more from her in the future.

[Mary Carbajosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of modern day England, this book follows overworked and overstretched nurse Nina Dabral. One night in the busy hospital where she works, two patients, who are both fighting for their lives, are in need of her care at the same time. Finding herself faced with a difficult choice, Nina makes a split second decision based on her prejudices and leaves one patient to die. Did she make the right choice? And is all what it appears ?

The story takes a little time to kick in, but once it does, it becomes increasingly tense and exciting and I really enjoyed this slow burn, dark, psychological thriller about difficult moral dilemmas, discrimination and wrong decisions.

The characterisation is impressive with the key ones being well rounded if not always likeable, and I felt that Nina’s vulnerabilities and flaws were handled with nuance, making her relatable. I was impressed by the clever way the author sheds light on a broken NHS system and the stresses that puts on its burnt out staff, as well as covering issues such as prejudice, mental health and people being pushed to their limits, and whose lives are spiralling out of control.

This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. It was thought provoking, making you think about how events in life can affect you and why. I definitely enjoyed this page turner which had an unexpected twist and covered some really interesting and provocative subjects.

Thank you to Faber & Faber and Net Galley for the advanced copy.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina is a nurse and on a busy night shift, while struggling with recent changes in the hospital she works at. Understaffed and overstretched, juggling patients who need urgent care, she is taught not to judge but makes a split second choice that leaves a man to die and that’s when she realises no one on the hospital ward is who they seem.

I am still trying to gather my feelings about this one after finishing, it is not your conventional medical thriller that I believed it would be when I first saw it. The story is more focused on hospital politics, racial prejudice and gang mentality, while exploring the man character’s personal morals. I enjoyed the concept of the story and the hospital focus, however I did notice a few parts were factually inaccurate. Also, Nina as a main character was one of the most unlikeable characters I have read and I struggled to find any redeeming features.

I think this started strongly and I was really enjoying it at first, but then it became slow and slightly waffly, taking a long time to get anywhere. Saying that, there was still a suspenseful, menacing undertone and the story was strangely addictive in that sense. The ending helped the story come together well, although took some time to get there.

Overall though, this was a dark, thought provoking read, with some compelling issues raised. Even though I had a few personal issues with the story, I still enjoyed it overall and would pick up more by this author. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

The Good Patient was a slow burn at first. The kind of book that took me a little while to settle into. The opening chapters felt a bit drawn out, and for a moment, I wondered if the story would ever fully take off. But once things did start happening… I honestly couldn’t put it down.

There’s a clear turning point in the plot where the tension snaps into place, and from that moment forward, the pacing becomes addictive. The sense of unease grows steadily, and I loved how Nilesha Chauvet layered the psychological suspense so that every chapter felt more gripping than the last. It’s one of those thrillers where you suddenly realise you’re flying through the pages without even noticing.

I also appreciated the way the author played with doubt, manipulation, and trust: themes that gave the story more emotional weight than I initially expected. Watching the main character navigate that unsettling atmosphere, never fully sure who to believe or what to rely on, added a depth that made the second half especially compelling.

By the time I reached the final chapters, I was fully invested. What began as a hesitant read turned into a genuinely captivating one.

The Good Patient might take its time to build, but once it finds its rhythm, it becomes a tense, addictive, and ultimately satisfying psychological thriller.

[Nish · Rating 2 out of 5]

After that opening paragraph, I was fully braced for a tense medical thriller — maybe even a dramatic legal showdown. Instead, the story veers off into something completely different, and not always in a way that feels deliberate.

At the centre of it all is a nurse who is… well, not exactly the beacon of compassion you’d hope for. She’s judgemental in a way that clashes spectacularly with the whole “treat everyone equally” oath. I usually enjoy an unlikeable main character, but this one had me mentally rolling my eyes on a regular basis.

And the discomfort doesn’t stop there. The narrative leans into some pretty negative stereotyping, which adds another layer of unease — not the thoughtful, challenging kind, but the kind that makes you pause and think, did we really need to go there?

The themes of identity, belonging, and the mixed‑race experience do appear, but they feel more like background decoration than the heart of the story. Meanwhile, the plot wanders around without much structure or direction, leaving me unsure what the book wanted to be or where it was trying to take me.

There are interesting ideas buried in the fog, but they’re fighting an uphill battle against uneven pacing, narrative drift, and character choices that don’t always land.

A tough read — and not always for the reasons the author may have intended.

Thank you @netgalley and @FaberBooks for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest unedited review.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending an ARC in exchange for a review.
Nina is a nurse working on a busy surgical ward, in a corrupt hospital. She admits two young men within 5 minutes of each other, and she must try to treat both. However, one of the men is part of a gang and with a police escort, and the other is a buding musician. However, not is all as it seems and Nina has to try and unpick the issues in the hospital to save her own skin...
This book had so much promise, but I feel it was let down by a lack of research on nurses and general hospital environments and procedures. A hospital wouldn't take out an appendix without it scan first. She took flowers to her landlord in hospital, flowers havent been allowed in hospital for over 20 years. Morphine is a controlled drug, she would never have access to it independently. Nina wanted to stop Dev's mum from using her phone on the ward because of it interfering with equipment, again this really isn't an issue today. Severe sepsis not a thing - totally outdated terminology.
Nina was a hateful character and to be honest, during the investigation outcome meeting, I was glad she was dismissed. To read how she spoke to her patients was very difficult.
If this had been researched properly, and the main character wasn't quite so vile, it might be a decent read. But unfortunately the above spoilt it for me.

[Paradise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book was interesting; who doesn’t love a moral dilemma? Unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to the promise.

The protagonist is a nurse and parts of the book felt poorly researched. Having had my own book thoroughly picked over by a medical professional, I recognised some of my own first draft mistakes (like flowers on a ward). A simple list of questions to someone who works in the industry would have solved this.

I also struggled with what the book is actually trying to be. It deals with NHS corruption, racism, gangs, mental health and identity, but at times provides more information than is needed, especially in the early chapters which are really slow.

Nina was vile so her arc was not a surprise at all, considering her disregard for the rules, her bizarre daily affirmation and general behaviour that would offend most nurses. We all love an unreliable narrator but it helps if they’re a little bit likeable so the reader roots for them.

Some of the characters are written well, especially Leroy and Balraj, and it felt like a good representation of that part of London. The book also leans towards telling rather than showing, which is a shame.

There are a couple of good twists, which redeem it slightly, but overall it veers off in too many directions and is too long.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this taut and quietly devastating thriller, the hospital ward becomes a crucible for conscience, prejudice, and the fragile line between duty and instinct. The story orbits Nina—a nurse caught in the storm of an understaffed night shift, where two lives hang in the balance and time refuses mercy.

With clinical notes as her only compass, Nina must choose between Leroy, a wounded gang member under police escort, and Dev, a gentle artist with a grieving mother. Her decision—made in a heartbeat—unravels into a haunting exploration of bias, burnout, and the hidden stories we carry beneath our skin.

The writing pulses with urgency, yet never loses its humanity. Each character is drawn with subtle grace, reminding us that in the chaos of crisis, no one is ever just a label. The novel asks: what does it mean to care, truly care, when the system itself is broken?

A compelling read for fans of moral suspense and character-driven drama, perfect for long, reflective evenings. It lingers like the echo of a monitor in the dark—steady, sobering, unforgettable.

With thanks to Nilesha Chauvet, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[Andrea Hulme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It felt raw, emotional, and so real. I not only felt like I was on every page, but living the life alongside our main character, Nina.

This was a beatifully written, tense and extraordinary thriller. The story focuses on Nina—a nurse caught in the middle of an understaffed night shift, where two patients are brough in under her care and both lives hang in the balance.

Nina must choose between Leroy, a wounded gang member under police escort, and Dev, a gentle artist with a grieving mother. We really are pulled into the moral dilemma facing Nina. We witness her candid and emotional responses to both patients, the decisions she makes and the reasons for her decisions.

The writing is gritty and urgent, powerful and impactful. The characters are well developed and challenge us to draw our own thoughts about. Who do you trust? Who do you save? What moral code do you live by? And faced with enormous pressure and demands how would we act in stressful situations?

A compelling read. A storyline that will live with me for a long time.

Thank you to the publisher for a proof copy. My opinions are my own.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so torn on this book. It is important to highlight the pressure that NHS staff are facing and the decisions that have to be made in the moment because they are quite simply under resourced, however I struggled with the slow pace of the book, especially at the beginning, and even when it picked up, I had to push myself to keep on reading and never felt I was truly immersed in the story.

Nina is a nurse who makes a split second decision when two patients urgently need her attention, resulting in the death of one of them. Is she to blame though, or was she put in an unfair situation?

I found it difficult to like Nina, despite having huge empathy for her circumstances. People make poor decisions at times when they are under pressure, but honestly, I think Nina was a bit psycho!

The ending was brilliant and when everything wrapped up, I was glad that I powered through and didn’t give up on the book, but it did feel very long and not as gripping as I had hoped.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[Aliyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars seems about right for me. I typically read thriller/mystery quite fast and this was no exception.

Just like knives out movies, it's not necessarily about the murders but it's about the people involved in the murder case. Reading this, I believe that nurses deserve better. Better payment, better support, better treatment and so much more. This book raise an important issues within the UK healthcare system that I'm not the most educated on. If the book is any similar to real-life, then yes nurses do deserve the best of everything.

Plot-wise, I really hoped the ending could be more satisfying (my biggest criticism for any thrille/mystery books). There were a lot of loose ends I wish could be answered and wrapped up more neatly. Ultimately, I understand that this story is from Nina's perspective and it's about the strain a failing system has set her up to be.

For some reason, I thought the split second choice was during a very intense emergency scene between the 2 patients.


Thank you to Faber for sending me an ARC of this book, I really enjoyed this

[Amelia Fraser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Faber & Faber and NetGalley UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very contemporary novel set in a post covid NHS hospital where staff are stretched beyond their limit. The protagonist, Nina, is a good nurse who finds herself caught between two patients, Leroy and Dev. Both objectively deserve equal attention but Nina's choices in the moment lead to devastating consequences.

This book shines a light on the reality of nursing in the NHS, the pressure they are under at the front line of healthcare, bearing the frustration of patients and their families. There are hints of much bigger issues both within the NHS and the wider community..

Nina takes drastic action and from there I questioned the plausibility of the plot, which let the story down a little.

However, a thought-provoking story, which challenges perceptions and probesthe idea of making assumptions based on limited information.

"I remember how my heart felt warm for the first time. What it meant to meet someone, a friend, during the darkest hours of my life."

[Carolina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always feel bad for giving a book low rating, so I do apologise but sadly this book just wasn’t for me.

The first half was good and I quite enjoyed it, but I wasn’t a fan of the second half and I felt like the writing style changed a little bit then too, although I must say it does mirror a bit the state of the main character’s mind so I can see why this was done.

Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the main character based on some of the judgement that she was passing on other characters within the plot.

However, I can see how some people who love medical thriller would love this books, sadly I think medical thrillers are just not for me.

But if you like medical thrillers with high suspense and a read that will keep you on the edge, then I think this is for you.

[Anastasia Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good Patient is a page-turner, though midway through I found myself growing frustrated with the protagonist. Nina’s decisions and thought processes are, at times, aggravating. Yet as the story moves toward its conclusion, I began to accept the realism and nuance behind her actions. She is, after all, a nurse who snaps under pressure, caught between what she believes is right and wrong, ultimately blurring and corrupting her own nursing code. It exists in a moral grey area, one that reminds us not to judge too quickly, nor assume certainty so easily. Overall, it was an okay read.

Thank you timesreads for the review copy.

[Hollie Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly written thriller, that makes the reader truly question people's morals.
Our FMC, Nina, is a nurse working for the NHS. She feels so incredibly raw, and real, to follow in this story. She battles real-world issues, and is flawed with moral dilemmas. Which made for an incredible read.
This story is so gripping, and undeniably difficult to put down. The ending completely caught me off guard, and makes the reader wonder do we truly know those people that surround us. This is definitely a story that is going to stick with me for a long while, in the best way

[chantelle 💀 · Rating 3 out of 5]

this thriller was an absolute fever dream!! not once could i predict what would happen next.

this was a very easy and entertaining read. the further you read, the more the plot opens up and more is revealed. i find this style of writing sucks me in every time.

nina is an insufferable fmc but you can’t help but want to see her succeed. i found myself mentally cheering her on despite her questionable choices.

if you’re a lover of thrillers with a current and relevant setting, the good patient is for you. i had a really fun time reading it!

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Good Patient was a slow start for me—so slow that I almost gave up on it altogether. It took quite a while for the story to warm up, and even once it did, I never felt fully drawn in.
Although I finished the book, it wasn’t a gripping read. The overall tone felt very negative, which made it hard to stay engaged, and the story seemed too long and drawn out and certain parts dragged more than they needed to. While it didn’t work for me, I know every reader responds differently. I hope others find more enjoyment in it than I did.

[GG · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sad this wasn’t a better book for me. I did not like the fmc, and I wanted more twisting or connections between the characters, some seemed pointless. I liked the realism of the struggles hospital staff face and the impact of gang crime. The prologue gives too much away, the ending was abrupt and disappointing, and I’m almost left feeling confused, with the blurb not feeling like it represents the read. That all said, I never thought of not finishing, so somewhat enjoyed it, wanting to know what would happen.
I would categorise this more as a thriller drama than thriller mystery.

[Raechelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

This was coined as a moral dilemma but I saw no moral dilemma - just a person that made some questionable and terrible decisions

Easily digestible but had my head in my hands at decisions that our FMC made to the point it became too far removed from reality

[Aria 88]

Awful narrator

DNF