A taut psychological exploration of obsession, betrayal and the dangerous relationship between a patient and therapist in 1960s London… The Model Patient is a historical psychological suspense book club novel perfect for fans of Abigail Dean, Clare Chambers, Florence Knapp and Miranda Cowley Heller.
'Beautifully written and deeply unsettling' ABIGAIL DEAN, Girl A
'A truly captivating novel' MATTHEW BLAKE, Anna O
'Nothing is as it seems in this absorbing psychological thriller … you won't be able to put it down' FIONA DAVIS, The Stolen Queen
'Full of deep, dark surprises' LYNDA COHEN LOIGMAN, The Matchmaker's Gift
In the quiet hush of her therapist's office, Evelyn Westbrook finds herself revealing secrets she'd prefer to keep hidden.
Abandoning her successful modelling career to become a model wife for her husband, Henry, has left her days feeling empty. Her mother-in-law is pressing for a child that Evelyn doesn't want. And her nights are haunted by a recurring nightmare in which she becomes a snake devouring its own tail.
As Evelyn's sessions with the enigmatic Dr. Daley unearth more questions than answers, her interest in him turns into obsession. But is her therapist finally providing the care she needs, or is she being manipulated?
A compelling novel about identity, power, and the cost of playing the roles we never chose.
More praise for The Model Patient…
'A gripping historical psychological thriller' Amita Parikh
'An extraordinary achievement of narrative and psychology' Alis Hawkins
'Begins as an elegant domestic drama and builds, quietly and inexorably, into a darkly devastating psychological thriller' Brian Platzer
'Riveting, disturbing, compulsive - Ashe has crafted her finest novel yet' Bonnie-Burke-Patel
'An unsettling, addictive read of obsession, anger, and the serpent that coils inside us all' Sarah Clegg
'A true original' Cailean Stead
'Brilliantly observed, painfully awkward, and deeply unsettling' Seth Insua 'Crackling with tension and rife with ingenious plot twists, Ashe's latest is an exploration of friendship, marriage, and female objectification, set against the backdrop of 1960s London. Nothing is as it seems in this absorbing psychological thriller-and you won't be able to put it down' Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
'The Model Patient begins as an elegant domestic drama and builds, quietly and inexorably, into a darkly devastating psychological thriller. Lucy Ashe writes with passion, precision, and a rare understanding of how love and fear can blur into each other' Brian Platzer, author of The Optimists
'Packed with colorful details of the swinging sixties, this twisty psychological exploration of marriage, deception, and desire will keep readers off-balance until the last page. An original and perceptive thriller, The Model Patient is full of deep, dark surprises' Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Matchmaker's Gift and The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern
'A chilling exploration of physical and psychological boundaries that exposes how the therapeutic relationship can blur the lines of sanity and of who is responsible when everything unravels' Nicole Nehrig, author of With Her Own Hands
'Ashe's latest is a gripping historical psychological thriller that transports readers to 1963 London. Former model Evelyn Westbrook has traded a life in front of the camera for domesticity, but her new role as a stay-at-home wife leaves her restless and unfulfilled. She begins therapy with the enigmatic Dr. Daley to make sense of her feelings, only to have their sessions spiral into dangerous territory. What starts as a story about a woman trapped by societal expectations evolves into a dark exploration of manipulation and desire, building to a conclusion that will keep readers on edge until the end. As with her previous two n
