If you like a thriller that is a slow burn with great dialogue, then check out The Maidens. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I got into it I felt like I was captivated.

Mariana is a group therapist. Zoe, Mariana's niece, called after the Monday Evening Group. That is how the nightmare began. She instantly went to Zoe’s side. Mariana gut told her that Edward Fosca was a murderer. She just couldn't prove it. Mariana thought Fosca was a monster and didn't want him to get away with it. He convinces the detectives and everyone around of his innocence.

Edward Fosca is a charismatic professor of Greek Tragedy at Cambridge University. Everyone loves him, especially a group of female students called The Maidens. Mariana quickly learns that the victim is one of The Maidens. This can’t be a coincidence.

The book is filled with red herrings and Greek mythology. I thought it was written well. I loved the short chapters. There were plenty of unlikable characters. The ending truly surprised me.

I want to thank @celadonbooks @netgalley and @macillan.audio for an advanced copy of The Maidens by Alex Michaelides in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe I’m asking too much. I absolutely loved ‘The Silent Patient’ (audiobook) and when I heard Michaelides was coming out with another book, I stalked NetGalley and finally managed to snag an ARC (audiobook). Sadly, that’s where my excitement ends.

‘The Maidens’ is about a group therapist who investigates a series of ritualistic murders at her old Alma mater/ her niece’s Uni. Her suspicions lead her one way only to find the truth so much more horrifying.

I wish I could pin-point why I wasn’t thrilled about this book - The Greeks, dark academia, murder, suspense… what more could a girl ask for? And yet, the MC felt hollow & sterile, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t bother to care about her. Now, I’m not sure, but maybe my opinion of the book lies on the shoulders of the narrator (the same narrator as ‘The Silent Patient’, which I loved). Her voice was even and strong, but cold, with minimal character inflections/ distinctions. In the end, I just wanted to speed the book up 3x and be done with it.

I did like the little nod to ‘The Silent Patient’. And the ending was a ride, totally unexpected, but not worth admission.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

I really really wanted to like this. I thought silent patient was def unique and was hoping for the same here. Unfortunately it was kinda bogged down in I don’t know what for most of the book and as we got to the end felt kinda predictable. I would not say this is an easy read... the Greek and the myths make in a lot and not in a good way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for the eARC and physical ARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook.

Pub date 06/15/21

I mostly listened to this book and read a few pages here and there as time permitted. The narrators were excellent.

Unfortunately, I think that this author is just not for me. I read The Silent Patient after I requested The Maidens and there was no way to cancel the pending status.

The main character, Mariana, is a group therapist. When she finds out that her niece’s friend was killed at Cambridge University she decides that she will investigate. Why? I didn’t understand her sudden need to solve the murder, or how she thought she was remotely qualified to do so. Then there are the terrible decisions she repeatedly makes. One example - there has been a pretty brutal murder in the area, the killer is still at large. You know what I wouldn’t do? I wouldn’t go to the pub with someone I met for five minutes on a train, basically a stranger, and then proceed to walk home by myself down a dark and deserted street. Maybe that’s just me.

What I did like was that this was a fast paced read. If you were a fan of The Silent Patient then you will more than likely enjoy this. I loved that there were referenced from The Silent Patient, always fun when an author ties in characters from other books without spoiling the plot so you can read either book first. I did figure out who the killer was early on, but I definitely did not even remotely anticipate the twist so that shock factor was good.

I've been looking forward to reading this book because I really enjoyed Michaelides previous book, The Silent Patient. So, when I received the ALC I was so thrilled! I love audiobooks but I tend to get easily distracted, so I save them for very specific moments. This didn't happen with The Maidens. I was hooked since the first chapters. I think it was the perfect combination between a flawlessly executed story and a wonderful narration. The story is highly engaging, but the narration I so perfect. The cadence in Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Louise Brealey's voices is interesting and soothing and they sweeps you away into the thriller's world and makes the story flow naturally.
I really enjoyed this audiobook and would highly recommend it.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides is the long awaited next book following The Silent Patient. For fans of The Silent Patient, know that this is a very different book. It is still very well written and does hold a lot of shock factor with the ending. There is also a lot of Greek mythology, given that the professor in the book teaches that subject. Mariana is grieving the death of her husband, Sebastian, from a drowning. She receives a call from her niece, Zoe, about a friends death in college and rushes her to aid. The killings continue at the college, so who is responsible?

Cambridge University is supposed to be safe, but after a series of murders of young women on campus, it clearly isn’t.

Mariana Andros, a group therapist and Cambridge alumna, is concerned for her niece Zoe after one of her close friends ends up being one of the victims. She heads to the campus aiming to comfort her, but ends up getting involved in the investigation of the murders, using her therapy knowledge to decipher the killer’s motives.

Edward Fosca, is a beloved professor of Greek Tragedy at Cambridge. He has a small tutor group called “The Maidens” who end up being the killer’s targets, murdered in a ritualistic fashion, which doesn’t look so great for the favorite professor. Mariana in particular doesn’t believe his innocence for a minute, despite his alibies.

Though I preferred Michaelides’ debut novel The Silent Patient, this literary mystery/thriller has short chapters and plenty of potential murderers to keep the pace moving quickly and the reader guessing. Some of those red herrings should have been a little further developed in my opinion as I figured out “who dun it” about half way through. Still, this was a quick read that would entertain anyone looking for a fast summer read.

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio and Alex Michaelides for the advanced audio book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the beginning part of the book with Mariana's group therapy. I wondered how her most needy patient would play a role throughout the book. I didn't like Zoe and felt she was a spoiled college student for a lot of the book. The greek words and phrases were an interesting addition to the book and fit with the plot around The Maidens. I will read more books from this author!

The Maidens is absolutely perfect for audiobook format. The story is compelling and addictive and I never wanted to stop listening. The narration is so well done and really captures the mood of the story.

The plot pulled me in from the beginning and had just the right amount of complexity. There was a twist and a reveal but not so many twist and turns and new characters to make it overly confusing. There were no unnecessary characters or scenes. Everything helped take me on a journey through the story and arrive at the final payoff of the plot.

The use of Greek plays and mythology plays a beautiful part in the story and made the plot more full and enjoyable. The Maidens is dark and creepy and tense in all the right places and I couldn’t put it down. It would be a perfect summer or fall read.

Therapist Mariana Andros receives a call from her niece Zoe after the body of a murdered young woman is discovered in Cambridge. After Mariana rushes to Zoe’s side, she entangles herself in the investigation. Mariana learns of The Maidens, a secret society of female students led by Professor Edward Fosca. Convinced of Fosca's guilt, Mariana attempts to prove he was involved in the young woman’s murder. Throughout the novel, Mariana must also confront memories of herself and her late husband during their time in Cambridge as students.

I enjoyed Mariana as a character. Both her backstory and her character are well-developed. The other characters were just okay for me. They didn’t seem to have nearly as much depth as Mariana. At times I suspected most of them of being the killer, perhaps because my insight into each of them was limited.

The dark academia aspects of the novel interested me. The setting was quite vivid, and I liked how Michaelides pulled in aspects of the classics and Greek mythology to add meaning to the story’s events. Those connections really helped to shape both the secret society and some of Mariana’s experiences.

The novel’s plot was interesting and not too predictable. I kept coming up with different theories about the killer, and while I did figure out one aspect, I never managed to work out exactly what was going on.

My only complaint about the novel is that the first ¾ of the book is so slow. Things finally pick up in the last fourth, but I honestly considered DNFing well before then. I suspect if I’d been reading a print copy rather than listening to the audio, I wouldn’t have made it through the novel. I also struggled a little to understand how parts of the timeline fit together. Sometimes events were explained in a way that made them seem like they took place at a different point than they actually did.

I haven’t read The Silent Patient, so my expectations may have been different than most readers going into The Maidens. I did enjoy the story, but I would have liked a bit more action throughout.

THE MAIDENS
I try to write short reviews, but this one is HARD. Like many people who are interested in this book, I LOVED silent patient. You have to realize going in this is not that book (nor do we want it to be).
For the silent patient die hards, you will appreciate some of the characters in the book (these were maybe the most exciting plot twists to me 😏🤐 ). This book maintains the vivid descriptions, Greek mythology, && suspense of silent patient but relating to a new murder & setting.

I’d love to say I guess who was committing the murders & I did!...but I also had a theory going for each person in the book, but did guess the whole story. This ending does have as large of a shock factor as Silent Patient, but does surprise readers & link back to multiple foreshadowing moments.

The cast of narrators was amazing & helped to pull listeners into the story even more with the vivid descriptions coming to life.

Thank you to NetGally & Macmillan audio for this advanced reader copy.

This is the story of a murder, the murder of a college student at Cambridge University. As the story unfolds, Mariana, the aunt and guardian of Zoe, whose roommate is the murder victim, tries to help Zoe with her grief. As a licensed therapist, Mariana not only tries to help Zoe recover but also find the murderer. It's definitely a slow burn but an enjoyable journey. I liked the references to Persephone and Demeter, Persephone, being the bride of Hades, King of the Underworld. I did have to look up some very english words that were not explained as well as a bedder, like a buttery and a punt, and punting is boating in a punt, and the punter moves the punt with a pole!

I know I was not alone in highly anticipating this novel after The Silent Patient. This is definitely a solid mystery thriller, but I wouldn't put in on the level of that previous work. I did enjoy how Michaelides weaved Greek mythology within the narrative and like The Silent Patient this mystery does not unravel until the final pages. I do think readers will appreciate this work, but I'm not sure it will create the kind of buzz that The Silent Patient did or end up best books of the year lists.

There is nothing -NOTHING- I like better than a mystery set on a college campus. Then throw in a Secret Society?? SOLD. "The Maidens," written by Alex Michaelides, could have been titled, "Hey, Abbey! Come Read This Book...You're Gonna Love It!"

That title might be a touch too long and lacking in commercial appeal, but, all that say...it's my jam.

"The Maidens" is set on the Cambridge campus, and centers around Greek mythology, Mariana (our fearless and broken protagonist), her niece, Zoe (student at said troubled university), and the overly charming & sketchy professor, Edward Fosca. Particular students are being brutally stabbed to death in the woods and they are all in the *cough* Girl Only *cough* secret society led by the handsome and mysteries Fosca.

I am usually quick to solve a mystery story. I can pick out the "bad guy" and even give his reasons for murder most of the time. And I did again... ... ...but I did NOT see the twist coming. Just...not even a little. Thinking back on some key passages, I feel like Michaelides was dropping a few light clues to mislead his audience - that I totally bought hook, line, & sinker!

Fantastic Read! Only way I could have loved it more was if I could have read it for the first time on a rainy October day. But, I mean, you can only ask so much of a book. *wink*

A HUGE Thank You to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this amazing audiobook. 5 Stars!

First, let me say I loved The Silent Patient, so I came into this one expecting it to be good. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint.

A serial killer is in the midst at a prestigious university. The story line follows group therapist, Mariana as she tries to unravel this plot. She is invested because this school is her alma mater and the university her goddaughter attends. When Mariana notices the oddities of one of the professors and his relationships to his female students, she starts to get suspicious.

The reader is treated to dual narrators and both are fantastic. Both the voice of the writing for each character is rich and intriguing, as well as the actual voice of the narrators in the audiobook we amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely purchase it for my library.

Such a good read! If you love murder mysteries, this is the book for you. I found myself wanting to read “just one more” chapter, over and over. It was fast paced, so you won’t feel bored. As for the ending, I absolutely did not see it coming. Definitely check it out!

Alex Michaelides has done it again! The Maidens is an awesome story. Michaelides brings readers compelling characters within a gripping story. I am thrilled to be able to say Michaelides is the real deal! The Maidens is a unique and impeccably written story. Michaelides brings the twist and turns readers crave, and keeps us on our literary toes…all the while reminding us of our love for tales of the Greek Gods! Move over Hitch!

Loved the narration in the audiobook version as well. Does The Maidens give a nod to The Silent Patient? I’ll never tell!!

Alex Michaelides's previous novel, The Silent Patient, got a ton of buzz when it was released and even won some readers' choice awards for its unique plot. Having read and enjoyed it immensely, I was excited to read Michaelides's next novel, The Maidens. I have to say that it exceeded my expectations and (in my opinion, of course) is better than The Silent Patient.

The Maidens follows Mariana Andros, a group therapist who is still dealing with her husband's tragic death a year later. The only person left in her family circle is Zoe, her niece who was left in Mariana's charge when her parents were killed in a car crash. While attending university, Zoe's best friend is found murdered, her throat slit and her body found in a way that makes her death seem almost sacrificial or ritualistic. Mariana immediately goes to Zoe and her mama bear claws come out as soon as she realizes that a young, handsome professor might be preying on his unsuspecting students. Determined to find the person responsible for the murder, Mariana gets herself into all kinds of trouble with the police. Her digging continues even as more bodies of young girls start to show up. The victims all have one thing in common-they were part of a secret group on campus called "The Maidens," which shows all the signs of being a cult run by the suspicious professor. The police don't seem to be putting two and two together, so Mariana sets off to find the killer and stop him before he can turn his sights to her beloved Zoe.

I loved this one! While I enjoyed The Silent Patient, I was worried The Maidens would fall victim to the same kind of ending where the reader is expected to suspend reality a bit to accept the resolution. This plot veered towards unbelievability for a moment, but righted itself in time. I did not see the big twist coming and there were plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing throughout. The pacing was quick and had I not been so end-of-the-year-teacher tired, I would have finished it in just a few sittings. I think those who liked The Silent Patient will definitely like this one, especially since there are some 'Easter egg' references to characters and places from that novel sprinkled into the Maidens. If you didn't love The Silent Patient, I still think there's a good chance you'd like this book as it doesn't have any of the same issues that I found with the other title.

*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the book until the end. The final twist didn’t seem entirely necessary to me & I didn’t like that it ruined Sebastian’s reputation when that was never hinted at throughout the book. However, I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time.

This one was just okay for me. I had high expectations coming in but I have to say that I felt as if I were in a child’s magic act. The main goal being deception that can be seen. Perhaps, I’m just good at seeing the “slight of hand” type of deception, but with all of the hype I was expecting far more. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.