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.

4.5 stars
The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides, is an atmospheric, creepy and deeply disturbing gothic mystery immersed in Greek mythology. It centers around Mariana Andros, a group therapist who is still recovering from the loss of her husband, when she gets an alarming call for help from her niece, whom she has raised as a daughter. Her friend has been horrifically murdered and she’s reeling from shock. Marianna makes the trip to Cambridge to help her niece through this traumatizing experience, but soon finds herself embroiled in unraveling a mystery as she focuses her attention on a questionable professor and his secret society of beautiful, well-connected female students called, The Maidens.

This story is deeply unsettling and carries a whole host of trigger warnings, and yet despite that, I found it immensely intriguing and oddly captivating.

I listed to the audio-version of this book and the narrators did an outstanding job of creating an ominous ambiance for the story. Their voices were menacing, chilling and absolutely perfect for the plot. They were truly superb voice actors.

The conclusion of this novel was a complete surprise to me and absolutely alarming and unsettling. I think my exact words while listening were, “Ew!” Through the sinister tone, the countless red herrings, and many mythological stories and references, this psychological thriller was unique and a compelling page-turner!

The Silent Patient is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks so when I heard Alex Michaelides was releasing The Maidens, I had to have it. Unfortunately, it just didn’t live up to the hype and the prior novel. The book itself was good, interesting and kept me guessing but felt like there was a piece missing. The ending came and went and I felt like there was more character development that needed to be had. I was very invested in the maidens, the professor and various other side characters that just never got an ending.

The audiobook’s female narrator was wonderful but the male narrator’s voice was sometimes uninteresting or hard to follow. Several times I had to go back and restart the male’s chapter because I completely zoned out when he started speaking.

The Maidens is a dark and interesting take on the elitist lives of those at Cambridge University. The setting was perfect for this thrilling novel and I did enjoy all the characters, even though a lot of them were unlikable or unreliable.

A great thriller that keeps the reader engaged throughout the entire story. The pacing wasn’t too fast or too slow and the end pay off was both surprising and extremely satisfying.

Great suspense novel that kept me on my toes. I did not see the ending coming. The narrator was great. Highly recommend.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4004412114

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

So, now I'm wondering what I missed by not reading Michaelides' uber-popular The Silent Patient because I really enjoyed this. Now I'm going to have to add that one to my to-read list, too.

Group therapist Mariana is convinced that Cambridge professor, Edward Foska, is a murderer. Her niece, Zoe, calls her when her friend is found dead. Mariana goes to her side and is disturbed by the group dynamics between Foska and his students, particularly his chosen few whom he calls The Maidens. Even though Mariana is still dealing with her own grief from the recent loss of her husband, she stays to help and protect Zoe.

Needless to say, things to not go according to plan.

This is a slow burn, but if you love mysteries set at British universities (which I do) or psychologists trying to outwit each other or groups of odd students obsessed with the classics, pick this one up.

The tension builds rapidly at the end, and I LOVED the ending. It totally caught me off guard, even though there were plenty of clues along the way. I completely fell for the red herrings.

I love a thriller with a twist that both surprises me and is fair to the reader. This one is.

Also, this is a fabulous listen.

Louise Brealey does a wonderful job as Mariana, expressing her grief, confusion, anger, and thoughtfulness, sometimes all at once, with her lovely-to-listen-to voice.

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith does a perfectly disturbing job as the unknown killer in intermittent chapters.

If you're looking for an audiobook that will make you want to stay in your car or keep on exercising, try this one out.

*language, sexual situations, violence

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides is the brand new novel by the author of The Silent Patient out June, 15th.

The novel opens with group therapist, Mariana Andros, who is grieving the loss of her husband Sebastian. We are told right away that a man named Edward Fosca is a murderer, who has killed at least twice before, but will never be found guilty because he is too loved. Loved by the staff at the college in which he works, loved by the students, but especially loved by a small, special group of his female students who are known as The Maidens.

Mariana tries hard to prove that Fosca is the murderer no matter how many people do not believe her. She is determined to seek justice for the tragic murders he committed. With the only inside information coming from her niece, Zoe, will Mariana’s internal instinct be enough to catch a killer before any more innocent lives are lost?

The Maidens is a slow burn thriller similar to The Silent Patient. We even find that the two novels run on a similar timeline. I loved how Theo from The Silent Patient makes an appearance as well as the mention of Alicia, The Grove, and others from The Silent Patient.

While I am usually a fan of a slow burn, I felt that the pacing in this novel was too slow. I felt that the plot did not really go anywhere and the characters did not help pick up the slack. I did not particularly like the characters and even felt as if there were too many irrelevant characters. While I understand the importance they play, to keep the reader guessing, I felt they could have had a more significant role in the novel. Some could have even been omitted.

With that being said, I do feel that The Maidens is an average thriller. There are many psychological aspects that come into play which are interesting.

I listened to the audio version of this book and was interested to hear from a male character. This character is unknown in the beginning but his parts are threaded into the narrative. I am curious how this will play out in paper form since the transition from Mariana to the male voice comes suddenly.

Overall, I would give this book three stars, I definitely was not expecting the ending to end the way it did which, I think, is always a win for an author of a thriller. Alex Michaelides definitely does a great job keeping the reader on their toes throughout this novel. This is why I think The Maidens is a worthy read and I am sure it will have a solid fan base.

I highly enjoyed the narrators in the audio version and I felt they did an excellent job throughout the novel. I really think the narrators made me enjoy this novel even more. Having two narrators for the characters was also a great idea because we can distinguish between the male and female psyche.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Michaelides did it again!!! This is my first ACR from Netgalley. Thank you guys!!!

I enjoyed this book a lot! The plot is build up easily. This is not a faced paced thriller.
There is a dark, gloomy atmosphere throughout the book. Mariana's pain caused by losing the man she loved, her husband, is real and intense.

What I enjoyed:
- The narrative is good.
- The letters from the mystery man are interesting and provoking
- The story kept me guessing and I felt like I was reading one of Aghata Christie's books where I kept changing my mind about who the killer was and his/her motive.
- The ending was once again surprising and, in my opinion, not predictable at all.


What I liked less:
- Mariana is a bit naive at times (why would you go to be talk alone with an upset man while girls are being murdered around the campus)
- Mariana's love and grief for her late husband can be a bit overpowering
- I didn't really get why all men were so very attracted to Mariana.

I highly recommend this book!

A perfect encore novel from the author of 'The Silent Patient.' I read the Silent Patient earlier this year and was excited to see Alex Michaelides was coming out with another novel already.
I really enjoyed how the Greek tragedies were tied into the story. I did try to come up with my own theory as to who was behind the mysteries and am happy to admit that I didn't come close. I really liked Mariana and Louise Brealey does a very good job narrating her.
For those who have read 'The Silent Patient' there is a surprise waiting, for those who haven't, it isn't necessary to being able to enjoy this story.
I am looking forward to reading everything Alex Michaelides writes in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to enjoy this audio-ARC of The Maidens.

Trigger warnings: abuse, murder, violence, stalking

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of the audiobook!
Mariana Andros is a group therapist in the midst of grieving her husband. One evening she receives a call from her niece, Zoe, who is away at college stating that there has been a murder on campus. Mariana must now return to Cambridge, where she met her late husband Sebastian, to help Zoe. There she learns of Edward Fosca and his group The Maidens. Convinced of his guilt, Mariana decides to launch her own investigation into the murder and the Maidens. Soon her investigation spirals to an obsession that she’s willing to do anything for.

This novel had a lot of great qualities and a few short comings. I enjoyed the switch between Mariana’s third person limited view. It established that Mariana could be an unreliable narrator, a theme in both of Alex Michaelides’ books. I also really enjoyed the setting. I think the turn of fall in Cambridge sets an interesting location for the story. I also really enjoyed the use of Greek Mythology in this book. Unlike his previous novel, there was not as much psychological terms which I appreciated. The choice in voice actors for each section of the novel was great. They really made the story come to life. As for the negatives, the novel took a long time to gain speed. It felt like the first chunk before the second murder could have been more condensed. The plot didn’t really take off until much later in the novel. I also felt that the plot twist came out of nowhere. There were so many red herrings that I was convinced one character was the antagonist until the reveal at the end. My issue is that there didn’t seem to be any sort of hints to the ending, and it was incredibly shocking and a bit out of character.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The themes, plot, setting and characters all really connected together to a nice cohesive story. The only reason it didn’t receive five stars was the shocking antagonist. Again thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

First off, I may be forever indebted to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for gifting me an early copy of my top most anticipated book of this summer. Thank you!

The Maidens intertwines pieces of group therapy psychology, Greek tragedy, grief, serial killings and the depths of secrecy together in a unique and compulsive way. It is the type of book that makes you wish you could abandon all adult responsibilities and human contact so you don't have to set it down. I savoured the madness and loved all the wild twists along the way, especially the references to aspects of The Silent Patient.

There is always a fear that the most buzz worthy books will not live up to their hype. Rest assured that this fear is unwarranted when it comes to the Maidens.

#netgalley #themaidens #macmillanaudio

Throughout the first 4/5 of the book, I was satisfied by the story - a fine little whodunnit but maybe not reminiscent of Michaelides' first novel. The last fifth changed my mind! Well done, sir.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Mariana, a group therapist, leaves her daily life behind to support her niece after a murder on her university campus. The victim was a esteemed student of Professor Edward Fosca and a member of a mysterious, cultish secret society called The Maidens. As more Maidens are found dead, Mariana becomes fixated on proving Fosca is behind the murders. .

Alex Michaelides' sophomore novel was just OK for me. In my mind, the all-female secret society is the most interesting part of the whole story, but the plot rests more on Mariana and her backstory than the titular Maidens. I wanted more of the Maidens! I also felt a little uncomfortable with some of the mental health elements of the story. The Maidens held my interest, but didn't blow me away.

I was looking forward to reading this book after greatly enjoying The Silent Patient, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Some will enjoy it more than I do, especially if you are well versed in Greek mythology.
For me it was a 2.5 star read, that I am rounding up to a generous 3.
The characters were unlikable, and really there seemed to be too many, especially when listening to the audio book. I had to stop a few times, just to try and remember who was who and what their roles were.
Speaking of too many... there were definitely too many red herrings throughout the book.
Everyone is suspicious, but not to the extend that it would actually distract you enough to not figure out the painfully obvious resolution. At the end there were a couple of twists I had not seen coming, but at about the midway mark, if not sooner, I had the murderer pegged.
The story never quite came together for me. The pacing was off. The beginning dragged and the ending felt rushed. Overall it seemed like the book as a whole was rushed, cobbled together from rough blocks of text, and if the author had had more time to polish it, the quality would have likely been greatly improved.
This seems to happen a lot with sophomore books.... maybe the publishers should take note and give their authors more room to breathe and be creative.