In the novel, Alicia Berenson's life seems perfect. She is a famous painter, married to a well-known fashion photographer, and lives in a large house with large windows overlooking a garden in one of the most prestigious areas of London. One evening, her husband, Gabriel, came home late from a fashion photo shoot. Alicia fired five bullets in his face without warning and without reasons, and after that she did not speak another word. Alicia's refusal to speak or give any kind of explanation turns the tragedy into something much larger, even dubbing her the silent patient in the London tabloids. On the other hand, Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, tries to get a chance to treat Alicia, and does his best to get her to talk and reveal the secret behind her shooting her husband.