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.

‘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
‘A gripping historical psychological thriller’ Amita Parikh, The Circus Train

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…
‘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

"Ashe weaves a psychological web into the plot while addressing cultural changes that occurred in the 1960s, including women’s struggle for independence, sexual desires, the use of birth control and medical psychoanalysis therapy, as well as the budding art and fashion scene of the time. The story’s intimate scope allows Ashe to focus on the intense relationships between wife and husband, patient and doctor, and a woman-to-woman friendship. Readers interested in a bird’s eye view of what it was like becoming a modern woman in the 1960s will be quickly immersed in this intense read." - Library Journal

"Evocative, empathetic, and ultimately empowering, this coiled psychological thriller will be catnip for fans of Alex Michaelides." - Publishers Weekly