The Maidens

Talk about a book that takes you to unexpected places! Based in Cambridge University and partly in London, the multiple murders are as difficult to figure out as the potential suspects and their motivations. And the landscape is so integral to the fictional St. Christopher's College that it, too, becomes another character.

Mariana is a widow of a year, missing her dear Sebastian, when she gets a call from her adopted niece attending St. Christopher's College. Zoe's close friend has been murdered at the point of a knife and Zoe needs some consolation. Mariana is trained as a group therapist and cancels her sessions for a while to handle her remaining family member. One of the group members does not take it well.

Once Mariana makes it to show more St. Christopher's she is certain that she knows whom to blame for the murder of this young woman and the others who follow. The problems come when she interferes with the investigation, as one would expect, and mainly from the head constable who takes an immediate dislike to Marianna and her prying questions.

The most obvious choice for a suspect is Professor Fosca, whose class study group is named "The Maidens." It is his students who are being murdered, but then there is the strange Fred who shares her initial train ride, and then maybe her disgruntled former patient could be the murderer. I did become a bit impatient with Mariana for several reasons: she is so stuck, both in the past and in her decision of who the murder suspect has to be. She brings people into her life with no idea where they fit, but her bad choices also make her more human.

So, no more clues. It is a fascinating read, an investigation of dysfunctional family dynamics and how they affect the adult, and a true page turner with a shocking ending. show less

The Maidens begins with an intriguing setup: an elite Cambridge setting, a secret society of female students, ancient mythology, and a string of murders. It promises a dark academic thriller woven with Greek tragedy and psychological suspense—and while the premise is gripping, the execution leaves something to be desired.
The protagonist, Mariana Andros, a therapist haunted by her past, becomes obsessively convinced that Edward Fosca, a charismatic professor adored by students, is behind the murders. Michaelides tries to walk a fine line between mystery and madness, making the reader question Mariana's reliability, but it often veers into frustrating territory. Her refusal to consider any suspects beyond Fosca—even when the evidence show more points elsewhere—feels less like obsession and more like contrivance.
The titular “Maidens,” strangely, play a disappointingly small role in the plot. Given that the book is named after them, you'd expect their secret society to hold more weight or at least offer deeper thematic relevance. Instead, they become background props to a story that loses its tension the more it tries to shock.
The twist ending, involving the protagonist’s late husband and her niece Zoe, strains plausibility and dips into cliché territory. It attempts to be psychologically complex but comes off as uncomfortable and unnecessary—particularly the trope of a much older man involved with a significantly younger woman in a familial setting.
Overall, The Maidens is a stylish, fast-paced read with an atmospheric setting, but it’s undermined by predictable plot turns, thin character development, and a lack of focus on the very group the book is named after. Readers looking for depth or nuance in their thrillers may come away disappointed. show less

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 show more 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. show less

"No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." —C. S. LEWIS, A Grief Observed

"After we die, Mariana thought, all that remains of us is a mystery; and our possessions, of course, to be picked over by strangers."

The Maidens is a haunting psychological thriller that expertly weaves Greek mythology into a modern-day murder mystery. I loved the academic setting, which gave beauty and creepiness at the same time. Some of the twists and turns I wasn't expecting. But overall, it is a moody, rain-soaked exploration of how the past refuses to stay buried, draped in the heavy velvet of classical tragedy.

Wow! There are so many red herrings in this book that I didn’t figure it out until near the end and, even then, I was surprised.
Mariana is a group psychotherapist who lost her husband, Sebastian, recently and is still reeling from that loss. Her niece, Zoe, is a student at Cambridge University, where Mariana and Sebastian met. Zoe calls her one night to tell her that her best friend had been murdered and that she thinks their Greek Tragedy professor (Edward Fosca) killed her.

Mariana arrives at the University and subsequently becomes involved in the investigation and then starts her own investigation after realizing that the professor very well may be a murderer. He has a secret group of female students called The Maidens and Tara was show more in the group. When another Maiden is found dead, Mariana continues to focus her suspicions on Professor Fosca.

I loved the references to The Silent Patient (the author’s debut novel) but it is not necessary to have read it before this book. Nor is it necessary to know Greek Mythology as it is explained in the book. The only thing I did not like was the deaths (separate) of a family dog and a sheep.

Overall, though, the book was well-written and the characters were likeable. show less

"The Maidens" is about Mariana, a psychotherapist still grieving the loss of her husband, who gets involved in a murder mystery. Her niece calls her one night to tell her her best friend's been murdered; it happened at Cambridge where she's currently studying, and where Mariana studied over a decade ago.

First thing: this book excels as a gripping mystery thriller. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop.

Second thing: I wasn't able to guess how things would end, at all, and I would be surprised to find out if anyone had.

I'm still a little thrown. The way the book ends recontextualizes the entire thing, so I feel like I need to read it again before forming a concrete opinion. I'll say that I enjoyed it on my first read, despite show more some plot conveniences that stuck out to me, and despite being a bit let down by the epilogue. I'm also wondering if this story was best served by having Mariana as pretty much the sole perspective in the story, or if there was a better story here overall... Despite the title, the story isn't really about that group of girls, and that was part of the initial draw for me.

One last thing: Michaelides introduced the main character of "The Silent Patient" in this book for basically no reason other than the fact that he would be recognized by the reader. I personally find this sort of thing the height of egotism.

*ARC received from Celadon through BookishFirst show less

I've got a little bit of a book hangover here...

First, a confession. I didn't like The Silent Patient. No big deal; it just wasn't the book for me (though I loved the Easter egg he drops here). And that's ok. I can rest assured that Alex Michaelides will continue on writing just fine without me there. That being said, I was still really intrigued when I saw The Maidens being previewed.

The synopsis captured me right away. Mariana, a troubled therapist grieving over the loss of her partner Sebastian, is certain that Edward Fosca, a respected and charismatic professor of Greek tragedy at Cambridge University, is a murderer. But he's untouchable: staff and students love him and he's fiercely protected by a secret society called the show more Maidens.

When one of the Maidens, a friend of Mariana's niece, Zoe, is found murdered, Mariana is drawn into a sinister world behind the idyllic beauty of her old college.

When another body is found and Mariana's assumption of Fosca's guilt spirals out of control, she must stop the killer at all costs, even if doing so threatens her professional reputation, all her relationships, and even her life.

As I read a brief excerpt, I was drawn even more fully into the story; I knew I had to read it in its entirety. The book I received did not let me down.

It's not perfect: reviewers have been quick to point out that some of the dialogue between characters is a bit stilted and actions taken don't always seem logical or sensical. I also usually hate books in which some tormented woman is going to Annie Oakley her way into an investigation and attempt to solve things a trained investigative team just cannot.

But something just worked for me here. I loved the short, snappy chapters that didn't get bogged down in unnecessary exposition. As a reader, it sometimes felt a little abrupt and disjointed, but I connected that to Mariana's mental tension.

Additionally, Michealides could have fallen back on his Greek knowledge and beat us over the head with mythology. But what he provides in terms of Persephone's story and Mariana's link to Greece is simple and engaging rather than pedantic, which often drags down more literary books.

I adored the addition of Tennyson. As one of my favorite poets, I loved how Michealides wove his story subtly into the text.

As far as the thriller/suspense aspect of the book goes, I was completely satisfied with how everything wrapped up. Unlike others, who saw the plot as a little too predictable, I thought the numerous red herrings were great. Just as I thought I had figured something out, and settled on the identity of the villain, the rug was yanked out from under me. And though I had an inkling of someone's involvement, I wasn't prepared for what the twist actually was. So kudos, Mr. Michaelides, you definitely got me.

All in all, I would heartily recommend this book. It's a quick, satisfying read and I was completely comfortable with willingly suspending my disbelief to this novel. I'll be on the lookout for more.

Thank you to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for providing a copy of this ARC to review. show less