Alex Michaelides did it again... he got me. There is nothing better than a mystery that keeps you guessing, and man, I did a lot of guessing (absolutely NONE of those guesses were correct). This is a really masterfully done mystery. I feel like I really can't share much about the whys and the hows because I REALLY don't want to give anything away. So just a couple of high-level thoughts...

About halfway through the book, I recall thinking to myself that while I was enjoying the book, I was a little disappointed that the mystery didn't quite live up to Michaelides' first novel (The Silent Patient). I WAS WRONG.

I listened to the audiobook version and was very pleasantly surprised to find it primarily narrated by Louise Brealey who, in addition to narrating a number of popular audiobooks, is well known as Molly Hooper on the BBC series Sherlock. She has the perfect voice for a book like this and her narration kept me really grounded in the story. I also really love Sherlock so I'm perhaps a bit biased.

This all really just boils down to Michaelides being really, really good at what he does. I'm excited to see what he comes up with next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love a psychological thriller that has its creepy moments and suspicious creepy people. I wish the main character Mariana would have been a little safer being around these said “creepy people” she should know better, she is a psychotherapist. But again, no I don’t wish that, as I wouldn’t be able to say out loud what the hell are you doing! I kept going back and forth on who I thought was murdering people. I didn’t figure out exactly what was going on until the end. Love that!

If you have read the Silent Patient, you will like that the book is set in the same setting around Cambridge. I absolutely love and think it is fun that Theo and Alicia make an appearance in this book. It makes me think maybe the Authors next book will have some more guest appearances from these two books? I sure hope so! This Author is now one of my favorite psychological thriller writers.

I read an advanced copy and reviewed it. 5 ⭐️. I loved it so much i listened to the audio! The audio is even better. Highly recommend it. #macmillinaudio #netgalley #themaidens

This book gave me a hangover....and not in the way that they normally do. It wasn't because it was so incredibly good that it left me in this state of limbo, this hangover in the end. It was because it had me feeling a ways (bored) throughout 90% of the book, and then had an ending which gave me major whiplash. I much preferred The Silent Patient and felt let down by this one. Too overhyped.

Audio: I thought the audio was good! Two narrators for each viewpoint.

This book was very well written - it has a lot of twists and turns and it had quite a few chilling parts. Although the book was a bit too dark and twisty for me, I can appreciate how well it was written and all the ways the writer did such a great job with this story. It took me quite a while to get into the book - but I enjoyed the ending. I thought it was strange that the protagonist was a group therapist yet was so blinded that she forgot how to be a therapist, and Clarissa - the professor was a bit dull but other than that, I enjoyed the book.

‘“Yes.” Theo nodded. “Yes, I know who he is.” He studied the advert with obvious interest. “The Grove? Isn’t that where they sent Alicia Berenson? After she killed her husband?” “Alicia Berenson?” “The painter . . . Who won’t talk.” “Oh—I remember.” Mariana gave him an encouraging smile. “Maybe you should apply for the job? Get her talking again?” “Perhaps.” Theo smiled, and thought about it for a moment. He nodded to himself. “Perhaps I will.”’

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist. She returns to Cambridge University, her alma mater, when her niece Zoe calls her devastated by the murder of her friend. Edward Fosca is a Greek Tragedy professor there and runs a secret girls only society that he calls The Maidens. Mariana is convinced that Fosca is a murderer, but he seems untouchable. When another body surfaces, Mariana becomes obsessed with proving his guilt, despite The Maidens acting as his alibi. Can Mariana uncover the mystery without losing her mind, or her life, in the process?

To say that this book was highly anticipated for me is an understatement. I was not only approved for the eARC and audio ARC, but I took myself on a multi town scavenger hunt when Celadon Books did their Little Free Library drop day! It made my whole weekend that I was able to find a physical copy! I read The Silent Patient last year and it stands out as one of the most mine blowing and memorable books of 2020 for me!

Unfortunately, I may have hyped it up a bit too much. This was good, don’t get me wrong. But it wasn’t quite to the level of The Silent Patient for me. I did absolutely love the references made to Theo and The Grove (if you know, you know). I did find Mariana’s intense involvement in the case to be a bit of a stretch, though, being that she is not an officer of the law. And the twist at the end just didn’t seem to pack the same punch as other great plot twists have. I actually had a hunch midway through, and I ended up being right. Overall this was a great murder mystery with tragically flawed characters, some Greek influence, and many twists and turns. It certainly kept me flipping the pages!

The narration of the audiobook was spot on! I loved both of the narrators as they really brought emotion to the characters. The accents. The cadence of their voices. Just awesome!

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides, is a psychological thriller that follows Mariana, a group therapist, who is grieving after her husband’s death. She gets a call from her niece, Zoe, a college student at her own alma mater Cambridge University, upset about the murder of one of her closest friends. This friend belonged to a secret group of female students called The Maidens,. Mariana is convinced that their charismatic Greek Mythology professor is the killer.
The female narrator of the audiobook does a wonderful job at drawing you into Mariana’s mind and a second male narrator provides thoughts from the killer in a perfectly deep dark voice.
I really enjoyed the dark academia setting, the references to Greek mythology and the fast pace of this book.

The twist caught me by surprise and I enjoyed the Greek mythology aspects of it. That being said, it just lacked a certain appeal while I was reading it?

I was honestly a little nervous about how I would like this one because I loved The Silent Patient so much and it was such it’s own thing that I wasn’t sure the follow up could live up to it. The beginning was a bit slow, but I liked that there were references to some of the characters from The Silent Patient and it had a very similar rhythm. Also I once again did not see that ending coming! The narrators were great and they did a wonderful job of capturing the characters and not taking away from the story. I definitely recommend this book if you love thrillers and mysteries.

The authors second offering was better than his first. Plot was well developed and kept me guessing to the end. The reference to his first book were unnecessary and took me out of the story. This was a great stand alone and there wasn’t a need to tie in to the other book. Lengthy but worth it.

OMG!!! THE MAIDENS BY Alex Michaelides was spectacular!!! I love the plot, the characters, and the setting. Wow! I am just blown away! I did not see the ending coming. I still have chills just to think about it!!! Please put this one on this TBR if you have not done it yet. It is sooooooo gooooood!!!

The narration was strong, clear and provided the right amount of intonations to make this book enjoyable to listen to.

Mariana was called by her niece Zoe in Cambridge about a murder. Mariana starts her own investigation for the murderer. Sure believes Edward Fosca, the professor, is guilty. Get ready for a surprising ending!

Thank you Macmillan audio for the audio copy and Celadon for the reader’s copy.

I altered between bookmark the physical copy and listening to this on audio. I’m actually glad that I got the audio book too because this story wasn’t what I was expecting from Michaelides, not after loving The Silent Patient. No, this is not a negative review, I’m trying to say that the audio elevated my experience with the book.

Mariana is a group therapist who is also silently struggling after the death of her husband. She suddenly receives a call from Zoe, her niece at Cambridge after a cruel murder of her friend. The story progresses with Mariana comforting Zoe, more murders from an active serial killer with creepy Greek mythology references and subtle notes on dark academia.

The storytelling of The Maidens is a little different than Alex’s previous book. The first half has background info on the characters and it moves a little slow but towards the middle the story progresses so fast that before I realised it, I was done 70% with the book!! Some characters from The Silent Patient make a cameo and their involvement with the story is just utter delightful to enjoy. The twists OMG made me go *wow* and when the effects of those twists started to fade, Alex threw another twist in my face that left me dead *mentally*. The last few chapters were so brilliant.

Overall I enjoyed reading/ listening to this literature-psychological-dark academic-thriller just like I enjoyed The Silent Patient. Definitely recommend!!

The Maidens, especially the last 40 minutes or so, was the wildest rollercoaster of a book I've read in years. I am absolutely stunned. The book takes a but to warm up but it was totally worth it. I’m shocked and reeling from the twist, just like Mariana. That’s the highest praise I can possibly give a mystery book, as I love when I’ve got no idea what the twist really is and that happens so rarely. A good mystery derives value not only from, well the mystery of it all, but also from the TENSION and this book has got it! There’s an active serial killer on the loose and everyone is in danger. Can Mariana find her proof to throw Edward Fosca behind bars before her niece becomes the next victim?!? Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith are amazing dual narrators who are sure to suck you into the story.

I really can’t say too much without spoiling the entire book, so unfortunately this review will be pretty short. Non-plot-wise, I’ve been told that characters from Michaelides’s previous book, The Silent Patient, made an appearance in this one. That must be a fun treat for fans! As someone who didn’t read The Silent Patient did did some research myself to figure out who it was and how they impacted this story. I just wanted to reassure others that the cameo is brief and not dependent on you having to know that character’s whole backstory. It was a tasteful cameo and you can 100% read The Maidens as a stand-alone book!

If Dark Academia is up your alley, if you don't mind gore/abuse in your literature, I’d definitely recommend picking up The Maidens ASAP.

Group therapist, Mariana, must leave her practice in London in order to comfort her niece, Zoe, after the murder of her friend. While in Cambridge, Mariana sets out on a quest to investigate Professor Edward Fosca who leads young female students in a group known as the Maidens. Many twists and turns follow as Mariana, who attended the university herself, encounters old friends and acquaintances as she attempts to solve not one but multiple murders in this thrilling mystery.

Michaelides picks up where he left off in The Silent Patient as a skilled storyteller who is able to tell a plot-driven story with good pacing and interesting characters. These new characters have just the right amount of tension among them to propel the reader and keep them turning the pages. An added bonus is the campus setting which gives a wonderful literary backdrop for the story sprinkled with themes of Greek tragedy.

This is one of my top ten audiobooks. This stunning literary thriller left me with a book hangover. It does get one trigger warning: a dog dies violently. Louise Brealey did a marvelous job narrating Mariana who was steeped in grief for her husband. At times her tone was flat and unemotional. Just right. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as the unknown male narrator drew me in and slayed me with his smooth, practically creepy tone.

Mariana is a widow who has been unable to move on after the accidental drowning death of her husband. When her niece calls from, Cambridge to tell of her friend’s murder, Mariana forces herself to go to her aid. She believes she can solve the crime and sets about using her connections to her own time as a student at Cambridge, as well as her knowledge of psychology. Michaelides kept me wondering and questioning. It is definitely on my list for a second read. The plot, the characters, the tension - I’ll be recommending this to everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this alc in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off by saying I loved the audiobook for this. I’m actually really glad I read it that way because I think I wouldn’t have finished it as fast in the other formats. I think I did a decent job of not comparing this book to The Silent Patient and my advice would be if you go into this one after liking his first book try not to compare! With that being said I rated this 3.5 stars.

Michaelides does a fantastic job of giving you a twist (which you will probably guess) but then throwing ANOTHER twist in there that you won’t expect which was what I loved about The Silent Patient and The Maidens did not disappoint. I was enjoying this one for the most part but I knew I probably wouldn’t be rating it too high but when he dropped the real bomb? I was shocked!!!

Mariana travels to the college her niece is at after hearing that Zoe’s friend was murdered. She stays to investigate the mystery of the dying girls and inadvertently work through her grief after losing her husband Sebastian a year or so earlier. But through all of this she starts to question herself and if she is correct in accusing and going after the American teacher she and others think did it.

If you like a psychology dark academia thriller with a lot of creepy Greek mythology I believe you’ll like this. Are some things convoluted and hard to believe? Absolutely. Did I still enjoy it despite that? Yes!

The Maidens is a clever psychological thriller steeped in the academic atmosphere of Cambridge University and with a final twist, I only partially saw coming.

“The oracles agree, in order to defeat the enemy and save the city, a maiden must be sacrificed, a maiden of noble birth.”

I’m a sucker for an association to Greek mythology and with the Goddess Queen of the Underworld, Persephone ‘The Maiden’, teasing with ancient stories that draw a connection to a current set of events, this had me quickly engrossed in the story.

Mariana is a therapist and alumni of St Christopher’s College, Cambridge University, where her niece Zoe is currently a student. Mariana rushes to her niece’s side when her best friend Tara is brutally murdered. She needs to provide support to Zoe through her grief, all the more acute as Mariana is still reeling from the sudden accidental death of her soul mate and husband, Sebastian.

Zoe informs Mariana that Tara was a Maiden, one of a close secretive group of powerful and beautiful female students under the close tutelage of Professor Edward Fosca. A hugely popular and charismatic professor of Greek history, Fosca is suspected of being the murderer by Zoe, and as Mariana listens, she feels the need to protect her niece and investigate the crime. Mariana engages old and new friends with a steely intent to help explore what happened and gradually becomes more convinced that Fosca is the murderer. She just needs to find the evidence. What Alex Michaelides does well is to provide other possible suspects and motives, and as Mariana becomes fixated with Fosca, the little grey cells start suspecting other characters – but maybe that’s the point.

There is a different perspective listening to a book rather than reading it. As for this audiobook, I was completely engrossed, and the story had great momentum throughout. The narrator had a lovely tone and tempo that perfectly matched the pace of the narrative. The short chapters helped in so many ways, especially as I am still a novice at listening rather than reading books. The atmosphere of a prestigious academic institution was very well captured although most of the characters were very one dimensional with a specific role. The concept of the six beautiful Maidens was intriguing, and it tied reasonably well to the character of Fosca but not so well to the environment and the ostentatious display of their elitism in a place like Cambridge.

The Maidens is a very entertaining story with a brutal and chilling murderer that is clearly following a plan to right some wrong or gain something valuable. The plot is well thought out and the reference to Greek mythology is intriguing. I would recommend this book and would also like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a free audiobook ARC copy in return for an honest review.

So I have to start by saying I didn’t completely love The Silent Patient like many people but still did like it a lot. Now I’ve also seen mixed reviews on this one however I LOVED IT! The story grabs you almost right from the start and really never lets up. I did not find there to be a lull in the story and I just wanted to keep on listening. The narrator was amazing in terms of her tone which kept me interested the whole time .

I was completely surprised by how the ending turned out and overall really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend this one and if you didn’t love The Silent Patient still give this one a chance.

If you are a fan of Dark Academia, this book is definitely something you should try. Mariana is a group therapist who has recently suffered a great loss. She’s still recovering from it when her niece Zoe calls her from university begging for her help after her friend and roommate disappears and is later found murdered. Mariana discovers a group called The Maidens headed by Professor Tosca of which the missing girl was a part and something about the group dynamics pulls her into the case and raises her hackles. We follow Mariana with her minimal sleuthing skills, trying to figure out the killer before too many lives are lost.
The setting of the story and Mariana’s inner turmoil both manage to give this book a very eerie, grim and sometimes melancholy atmosphere which works greatly for the story. It’s very slow paced and not a quick action packed thriller but the book did keep me guessing till the very end.
I couldn’t find myself sympathising with any of the characters. They were all some kind of unlikeable but plot managed to keep me hooked. It gave me serious Secret History vibes. Secret History is a book I didn’t enjoy much because of the lack of mystery, it was more about the group dynamics but The Maidens manages to combine the mystery and the group dynamics in a much more satisfying manner.
The ending was completely unexpected. I couldn’t have guessed it and it left me completely creeped out. Even after the killer is revealed in the climax, the book has an open ending and as someone who loves it, it made the book all the more interesting.
The narration was brilliant and the male narrator for the killer made the listening all the more sinister. Would definitely recommend the audiobook.
I would recommend this one for all DA fans especially for those who loved Secret History.