This story feels unusual and intriguing right off the bat. Its use of Greek mythology adds this creepy and almost otherworldly atmosphere to the tale. Every page is permeated with an ominous foreboding, as if misfortune could befall at any moment, and it made for a most unsettling and tantalizing read. I found the initial buildup to be on the slow side. There was a fair amount of background information to introduce and also a lot of references to Greek mythology and psychotherapy. But once it got going, the pacing tightened up and I was hooked, all the way until the very end. And what a fun ending it was. This doesn't have the compulsive readability of his first book nor the jaw-dropping reveal, but I still found it to be an entertaining thriller in its own right.

I don't read a lot of the mystery/thriller genre, and I haven't read The Silent Patient - so i think i went into this book with a slightly different set of expectations than most readers. I enjoyed it for the most part! I found it engaging and i was interested in what the twist at the end and the resolution was going to be. The narrator was great. In the end though I found the ending a bit disappointing and didn't wrap up the story in a satisfying way for me.

Narration was great on this. I really liked their voice.

I wasn't engaged by the story at the end of the day and just ended up kind of bored.

This was….alright. The main characters motivation was all over the place to me. And the story didn’t really feel cohesive as a whole. I found myself staying interested and wanting to know what happened. Overall, an average thriller.

This novel continues the psychological suspense and mystery that has become a hallmark of Alex Michaelides. This is not a sequel to The Patient but does include a few characters who contribute to the flow and familiarity of the twisted story. The story is narrated by Mariana with interjections from the killer's point of view, providing some insight into the mind of a psychopath.

Marianna Andros is a 36-year-old group psychotherapist still grieving the loss of her husband, Sebastian, who drowned a year ago while diving on vacation in Greece. She receives a call from her niece, Zoe, who is attending Cambridge University. Zoe calls for help regarding her friend and classmate, Tara, who has gone missing. Mariana discovers that Tara was brutally murdered and is urged by Zoe to assist with the investigation against her own personal reservations. Initially, the police focused on Tara's boyfriend, Conrad, who found her body and has openly expressed his discomfort with the private group, "The Maidens".

While at Cambridge University, Mariana is reunited with a former classmate, Julian Ashcroft, who shares information with her about Zoe. Similarly, she also learns more about her niece from a school cleaner, Elsie and a former professor, Clarissa. The information she gathers provides new insight into her niece. While feeling overwhelmed and confused, Mariana is approached by an over eager 29-year-old PhD student, Fred, who expresses obvious interest in Mariana and desire to help. The controversy regarding the murder only escalates when another body is found who happens to be another student and member of "The Maidens", an elite group of students under the direction of Professor Edward Fosca who teaches Greek Tragedy. Coincidently, the murders seem to be overshadowed by mysterious Greek mythology themed postcards late found with the victims' possessions.

The second murder victim, Veronica, confirms the suspicions that the murderer is somehow connected to the Maidens when another postcard is found and then another victim, Serena is found. Now, suspicions seem to be focused on Professor Fosca who seems to be privy to the secret society of the Maidens group.

Mariana makes a trip home to consult with her supervisor Ruth and forensic psychotherapist, Theo. She begins to reflect on her own childhood in a new light which only creates more questions. Why? Why does he kill? Why kill by slicing the throat? Bodies appear to have been stabbed postmortem and staged as if to tell a story. Will they be able to apprehend the killer before he strikes again?

I had high expectations of this book since I loved the author’s previous book, The Silent Patient, but I felt like it fell short. It took me a while to read this book because I didn’t not find it as intriguing as The Silent Patient. I listened to the audiobook and kept falling sleep while listening, so I had to keep starting over. The book was too predictable and a bit boring. I never got into it. I kept reading hoping it would get better since it had great reviews, but unfortunately it fell short for me.

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This book was a good follow up to the Silent Patient, but was still missing something for me. As with the Silent Patient, it was compulsively readable and I really flew through it. Some things were predictable, which is fine for me. However, I wish the book leaned more into the Greek component and the "Maidens." I feel that whole aspect of the book was a little surface level, and the main character (and the rest of the characters) really got on my nerves. I will continue to pick up this author but ultimately this book was just missing something.

I loved reading the book and I was surprised by how good the audiobook was.
The narrator did a splendid job.

Wow…the twist! I really enjoyed this book, but probably unfairly judged it against the Silent Patient often while reading it. It started with a lot of character/plot development at the beginning which was different from what I was expecting. Overall, great read and kept me guessing!

The Maidens is an engaging story with a strong narrator. I really enjoyed the pacing and intricacies of the plot.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2021 and continues to be one of my favorite audiobooks to re-listen to. I genuinely didn't see the twists coming, and I love getting lost in this great twist on the campus thriller. For fans of "If We Were Villains," "Ninth House," and "The Secret History."

A woman is pulled back into a life she’s tried to avoid when she hears of the death of her niece Zoe’s friend. Though the setting of this book is perfect for a very trendy dark academia thriller, I found this book deeply lacked in uniqueness. For fans of “The Secret History” or “We Were Villains”, I might suggest proceeding with caution.

I loved the dark academia setting of this book. The idea of a group of female friends that are involved in some secret club and obsessed with their professor?? Super scandalous, very fascinating.

Unfortunately, the twist was… not for me. It did not make sense at all. I didn’t buy it, I wasn’t shocked, I was just confused. The ending also felt rushed and I was left scratching my metaphorical head.

Interesting at times, great concept, but ultimately disappointing.

"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."

This is my first read by Michaelides. I know, shocking after the success of The Silent Patient. Being a total sucker for Greek mythology, this book was perfect. The therapist aspect of digging trying to prove a patient is a murderer, brilliant.
The final twist... not so brilliant. I get that the author did not any to reveal it before it was time, but that led to a straight out of left field twist that didn't quite fit for me.

Many thanks to Harper Audio for the advanced reader/listener copy of The Maidens in exchange for this honest review.

Alex Michaelides' The Maidens is a psychological thriller of a novel featuring Mariana Andros as the lead protagonist, who suspects Edward Fosca of the murders of several young women. This audio production is well-produced, and quite frankly, the narrator intensified the terror I felt while simultaneously reading and listening to the novel. Fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins will no doubt appreciate this work. 3.5/5 stars.

I was very much looking forward to The Maidens, as I thoroughly enjoyed The Silent Patient. This was an interesting concept, including Greek Mythology themes. However, as a psychological thriller, The Maidens did not capture my attention in the same way and seemed to lack the intensity and suspense of The Silent Patient. That said, my perception may have been greatly influenced by having high expectations following The Silent Patient.

I received an audio copy of The Maidens from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could say I enjoyed this book. After reading The Silent Patient, I expected much from The Maidens. It was predictable with little suspense v2 stars.

This one isn't for me. The plot felt lacking and I didn't like the depictions of mental health, along with the flat characters. Unfortunately a miss.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides showcased the author's talent to create atmospheric scenes and descriptions. However, I was not a fan of the plot points or the sequencing. I did, however, enjoy the writing and atmospheric descriptions.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.