Salley Vickers has been widely praised for her perceptive novels, which capture both the vulnerabilities and the bold transformations of richly imagined characters. In The Other Side of You she brings us a powerful meditation on love in all its manifestations, woven with captivating themes of art, psychology, and literary history.

Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. David McBride has never come to terms with the violent accident that took his brother’s life during their boyhood. When a mysterious new patient named Elizabeth Cruikshank comes into his care, her experiences with loss and hopelessness tap a well of emotion in David, leading him to confront not only his grief over his brother’s death but also the painful dynamics of his marriage and other unsettling aspects of the way he has shaped his life. 

Elizabeth’s traumas led to a suicide attempt, followed by deep reticence. It is not until David recalls a painting by the Italian artist Caravaggio that she finally yields her story. As she recounts the chance encounter that took her to Rome, and her tragic tale of passion and betrayal, David begins to find a strange and disturbing reflection of his own loss in the haunted “other side” of this elusive woman. Through one long night’s dialogue, they journey together into the past, opening a new vision of the future for each of them. As they explore the ways love and art can penetrate the complexities of the human heart, David and Elizabeth provide rich inspiration for a reading group’s discussion.