The Maidens

Score: 4/5 Bookmarks

Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me a review copy of The Maidens by Alex Michaelides.

Believe it or not, this is my first book by this author! I know, I know, I’m the only person on the planet that hasn’t read The Silent Patient, but I do plan on changing that soon.

I meant to just read a chapter or two of the Maidens, but instead, I found myself reading the whole book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. Plus the chapters, which alternate points of view, are nice and short so it’s a fairly quick read.

The Maidens is mostly set at Cambridge University in the UK, and follows Mariana Andros, a therapist, as she tries to find out who is killing off female students. There is a lot of Greek Mythology throughout the book, and Mariana’s own history comes into play fairly significantly.

She’s determined to prove that it’s charismatic Edward Fosca, the Greek Tragedy professor, who is behind it all, but no-one seems to believe her.

Despite working out who the killer was by about halfway through, I found that my enjoyment of the story wasn’t diminished. It’s so rich with dark, moody details that you really feel you’re there watching over Mariana’s shoulder the whole time. Plus there were still several twists and events I didn’t see coming.

There were a couple of characters that I didn’t feel were totally necessary to the storyline, and some parts that I think could have been fleshed out a little more, which is why it lost half a point. Having said that, it was a very entertaining and immersive read and I highly recommend it. You can grab a copy via the button below.

Synopsis:

Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.