I'll admit that almost nothing would have lived up to The Silent Patient, and I was prepared to dislike this one based solely on the fact that...it's not The Silent Patient. But I was so, so wrong. Despite a synopsis that felt a little out of my comfort zone - Greek mythology, secret societies, upscale universities - this was so intriguing, and I was hooked immediately. The Maidens follows Mariana as she tries to find out what happened when her niece Zoe was murdered. Mariana is convinced that Professor Fosca is responsible, and is determined to prove her hunch whatever it takes. This was such a satisfying read, and worth every bit of inevitable hype that Michaelides has. I will definitely recommend this to all mystery/thriller readers. The perfect summer read.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant psychotherapist. She is a former student of Cambridge University, the school her niece Zoe now attends. Zoe's experience at the school has been completely different, and when she calls her aunt for help, Mariana immediately hops on a train.
Zoe's best friend, Tara, has been murdered. Mariana thinks the killer is Zoe's Greek Tragedy professor, Edward Fosca. He has a weird cult like following of young girls called the Maidens, of which Tara used to be a part of. His obsession with Greek Mythology, and the underworld is echoed in the killings.
Mariana will stop at nothing to help solve the murder. She may not be a detective, but her experience with psychotherapy and intense knowledge of Greek Mythology are the key to getting into the killers mind, and maybe getting him before he kills again.

You don't have to have a degree in Ancient Greek Mythology to read this book. If anything it teaches you a little bit of it, in a very entertaining way. I found the tie in with Persephone, Demeter and Hades to be very interesting and unique. It played out with the murders very well.
Other then the lesson in ancient history, this book is a fast moving thriller. There is a lot of misdirection, which keeps you on your toes and guessing. I found myself completely unprepared for the actual killer reveal.
I really liked that the whole investigation is from the perspective of a therapist. It wasn't a boring police procedural, but a dive into the mind of the killer from someone who knows how they tick. Brilliantly done.

Egalley provided by NetGalley and Celadon Books in exchange for an honest review.

Mariana Andros is a group therapist that a year later is still reeling from the death of her husband Sebastian. When her niece Zoe calls from her college in Cambridge (the same college that Mariana went to and where she met Sebastian) to tell her she fears her best friend is the murdered body that the police have found, Mariana heads up to Cambridge to be there for Zoe. However, she quickly gets sucked in to trying to figure out who the murderer is all on her own... despite the insistence from the police that she stays out of it.

As Mariana starts digging, she discovers that the charismatic American professor, Edward Fosca, has created a secret group of some of his chosen students (all women, all beautiful, most powerfully connected in society), that he calls The Maidens, and something doesn't feel right about it to Mariana. Is Fosca the murderer? Mariana seems convinced that he is.

I did appreciate Michaelides' Easter egg of tying THE MAIDENS world into that of his previous novel, THE SILENT PATIENT.

Overall I felt like the suspense on this one fell flat, but a lot of that is because Mariana is an exhausting character. There were a few red herrings in the plot but the final reveal was a big let down for me. Maybe I set my expectations too high, it was an entertaining read, but I felt like it was a few plot twists short of being a really great thriller.

Alex Michaelides is the future of thought-provoking, slow burn thrillers. I love the writing, the backstory, the ending. Just everything about it. And I got the narration from libro.fm and it was equally as good.

Someone is killing young women in Cambridge. Mariana, who has come to the University to see and care for her beloved niece, Zoe finds herself immersed in the mystery. She's a therapist who works with groups, ironic because she's very much a loner. Is Edward Fosca a killer? He's definitely creepy and the women who die were his acolytes. Mariana is still mourning the death of her husband Sebastian and finds herself wrapped up in this mystery beyond where she should be. The solution is not telegraphed and redeems what might otherwise be a standard tale of a charismatic professor who goes too far with his female students. That's kind of a problem but....The writing is stylistic and emotionless but keeps you turning the pages. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I suspect I'm one of the few who didn't swoon over this one but I'll admit the ending is a pow.

Very interesting plot and cleverly written but I felt it lacked a bit of character development and had some topics that went nowhere while others were just irrelevant to the story. It's definitely a fast read and had some unpredictable plots twists but just wasn't for me. I truly believe many will love this book because the author's stories are almost an acquired taste. I might read more by this author in the future!

Well, this is the one we’ve been waiting for- and it did NOT disappoint! I’ve read that a lot of people saw the twist at the end coming, but I really didn’t! I love Michaelides’ ability to create an entire universe within his stories- from the idyllic college campus to the Greek mythology laced throughout, it felt like I was transported to a different world (did it give anyone else major Secret History vibes??) I am no Greek mythology buff- so as much as I enjoyed how those stories were intertwined with the murders, I think someone who understands the backstory more will really appreciate it! And that Silent Patient crossover?? Absolutely perfect!

Officially 3.5 stars!!


This book has three things I love to read about: murder, mythology, and secret societies

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint. Pretty suspenseful and the perfect amount of mystery!! @ Alex Michaelides write more books ASAP please

Most of the time in thrillers I find myself not relating to or caring about the main character. But I actually liked Mariana and cared about what happened to her! Maybe because she’s ACTUALLY interesting. I saw someone say a theme in this author’s two books is that he paints therapists in a bad light and I agree lol - I feel like he must’ve had a bad experience with a therapist at some point in his life.

I did have a few minor issues with this one: the ending being resolved too quickly, some meaningless plot points, and a bit of a slow pacing. But I still enjoyed it.

And that the Silent Patient crossover!! 👀 I saw mixed reviews about The Maidens because people kept comparing the two? Reminder that these are two separate stories and each should be read through a new lens lol.

This book has three things I love to read about: murder, mythology, and secret societies

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint. Pretty suspenseful and the perfect amount of mystery!! @ Alex Michaelides write more books ASAP please

Most of the time in thrillers I find myself not relating to or caring about the main character. But I actually liked Mariana and cared about what happened to her! Maybe because she’s ACTUALLY interesting. I saw someone say a theme in this author’s two books is that he paints therapists in a bad light and I agree lol - I feel like he must’ve had a bad experience with a therapist at some point in his life.

I did have a few minor issues with this one: the ending being resolved too quickly, some meaningless plot points, and a bit of a slow pacing. But I still enjoyed it.

And that the Silent Patient crossover!! 👀 I saw mixed reviews about The Maidens because people kept comparing the two? Reminder that these are two separate stories and each should be read through a new lens lol.

Thank you Net Galley and Celadon Books for the e-ARC, and also whoever owns the Little Free Library that I snagged a copy out of last month 😝 The Maidens is out 6/15!!!!

I did not believe this mystery. I felt like I was reading 3 different plot lines jammed together to make one book. I do not think that a mystery or suspense author needs to throw around fake clues in order to lead the reader astray on purpose, that feels deceitful. I think that a good murder mystery should have you turning backwards and realizing what you missed, not asking what was that character for and that was the Maidens for me

The Silent Patient is one of my favorite thrillers. There were twists I never imagined and that book was just a rollercoaster, so I knew what this author was capable of going into this book. I tried not to propose theories, but it was definitely hard not to with so much going on. This book follows Mariana who gets the call that her niece Zoe has lost one of her best friends to murder. Mariana is still struggling after her husband Sebastian died suddenly, but she decides she needs to e there to comfort Zoe and then gets rwrapped up trying to solve the murders.

I am not very familiar with Greek mythology, so some of those parts were a bit unclear for me. I liked the setting and found the concept of The Maidens to be super creepy which was definitely the point. I definitely did not see the ending coming, although I was suspicious of the actual killer.I thought the addition of Theo from The Silent patient was interesting, but he was unreliable so I was not sure if I was missing some of the relevance of his involvement. Definitely still a good thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.

Alex Michaelides' The Maidens is a mystery involving a psychologist grappling with grief and faced with the multiple murders of young women in Cambridge. Ensnared by the death of a family friend, Mariana Andros - who facilitates group therapy - seeks to solve the murders, suspecting Professor Edward Fosca of killing his young followers. Fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins will likely appreciate the character development, plot, and twists, though in some respects, this book doesn't add anything particularly unique to the genre.

The Maidens promises Greek mythological intrigue in the secret society setting of English university. I was expecting, and hoping for, The Secret History meets The Silent Patient. That is not quite what was delivered. Certainly, there were elements of it, but on the whole, the book fell rather flat.

First, the twist at the end. I did not see it coming, but that's not because of good writing. Rather, it is because it was so poorly explained and reasoned that it made no sense. It was difficult to understand why the actual killer did what he/she did, particularly in terms of motivations. Sebastian was another murky character, and I never really understood his motivations either. In fact, Sebastian even more so than the actual killer.

Having said that, Alex Michaelides does write a good story, and he knows how to use words. So the story itself flowed quickly and read easily.

I honestly did enjoy the book, but I expected to LOVE it. And I just didn't. For me, it's a solid three-star read.

I really liked The Silent Patient so I have been excited for this one! This book has short, quick chapters so it’s easily bingeable. I loved the British campus setting and I loved the tie-in to The Silent Patient. The ending did surprise me, I hate a predictable thriller!, and overall it was a very enjoyable read.

The Maidens is different than anything I’ve read. It is full of twists and turns that kept me engaged until the very end. Once again Alex Michaelides writes an excellent book.

I enjoyed this book very much. I think sometimes we compare an author's previous work with the next one and not fairly. I loved the Silent Patient and it was such an unexpected and riveting read, that I somehow expected the same with this book. It was a good thriller but much of the ending fell a bit flat with an open-ending. I definitely recommend this read to all Michaelides fans.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year. I am a huge fan of The Silent Patient and this book did not disappoint! I was happy to buddy read this with @readingwithpointers ❤

A university setting, a professor with malicious intent, a group of elite students who are getting murdered one by one. I love the addition of Greek mythology into the story but it wasn't too much where anyone would get lost. Lots of red herrings and false leads to the point I was suspecting the character with the smallest role in the novel to be the villain. I was wrong and I am pleased that the author tricked me again!

I also loved the mention of Alicia Berenson from his previous novel. The way she was tied in was miniscule but fun for fans. Like a little cameo. Overall, a great thriller, deep characters and fun plot twists that will have you saying, what!?!

Mariana Andros, a group therapist, receives a phone call from her niece, Zoe informing her that her friend, Tara is missing, and her fears that Tara may have been murdered. Mariana goes to Cambridge to be with her worried niece, to provide support and comfort. When Tara's body is found, Mariana who is still reeling from the death of her husband, becomes convinced that Edward Fosca. the Greek Tragedy professor is responsible.

But Fosca is untouchable. He is one of the most popular professors at Cambridge, his lectures are full, students and staff look up to him and his 'special' study group known as "The Maidens" has provided him with an alibi. When more bodies are found, Mariana becomes obsessed with proving Fosca is the killer despite his alibis.

Throughout the book, readers watch as Mariana attempts to bring down a killer. But are her suspicions correct? Is her grief driving her quest for answers? She appears to take the entire investigation very personally.

There is also an undercurrent of doubt that had me suspecting various characters of being the killer. Speaking of characters, the ones in this book are an interesting bunch. Some likeable, some unlikeable, some odd, some creepy, some arrogant, and some that I did not trust. Plus, there is a nice little tie in to The Silent Patient in this.

There is a lot of talk of Greek mythology, but I did not find it to be overwhelming, in fact, I enjoyed it. For me, this book started slowly and kept picking up speed as the book progressed. I enjoyed how things unraveled. Of course, there were times, I rolled my eyes and shook my head, but I did not mind. Some saw the ending coming, but I did not.

I look forward to his next book! Curious to see if he will continue to use Greek Mythology in his storytelling.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another absolutely stellar psychological thriller from Alex Michaelides! These genre books are made or broken by their "twist" reveal, and I'm glad that THE MAIDENS delivered on a satisfying surprise. I also really enjoyed the short chapters and the fast pace. The greek mythology elements were good, but sometimes it felt like I was reading a literary novel for an English class assignment on greek tragedies instead of a thriller. Michaelides also falls victim to going a bit overboard with red herrings, but I still really enjoyed reading this book. Fans of THE SILENT PATIENT will certainly love this next installment in the world of psychotherapists with childhood trauma.

‘“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 mind 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!

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

When a murder happens at her niece Zoe's university, psychologist Mariana goes to the university to check in. She quickly finds herself at the center of the investigation, and suspects that Professor Edward Fosca is involved. As bodies begin to pile up, Mariana starts feeling like she might be in danger. She needs to get to the bottom of the murders - and fast.

The Maidens is Alex Michaelides' sophomore novel, following the success of The Silent Patient. The Maidens is actually set before The Silent Patient, and readers of both novels will likely pick up on the fact that the psychiatrist, Theo, from The Silent Patient makes a cameo in this book as well (I enjoyed that little crossover!)

The Maidens focuses heavily on Greek Tragedy, which I enjoyed, though some readers may find it a little heavy handed. I did feel like there were some parts of the book that were a little slow - the chapters were very quick, usually just a page or two, which I did enjoy, but I felt like some of the tension was missing from the book. In my opinion, this could be because there were several smaller plots happening at once. There was the death of Mariana's husband that happened in the past that she often thinks back on, her patient from group therapy who she suspects is causing trouble, the periodic chapters told from an unknown POV about a dark past, a mentor from Mariana's past that she goes to visit, a character with a crush on Mariana, plus all of the Greek Tragedy elements...there was a lot going on, but most of these subplots didn't feel super necessary to the story, nor were they entirely fleshed out.

The ending of the book was interesting, I did enjoy how it wrapped up, though it felt a little rushed. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy the book - I did find it quick to read and engaging enough to want to keep reading, I just felt like some of the storylines could have been tightened up a little, and the suspense could have been amped up - there were moments where this happened, and I wanted more of them!

Overall, I'd rate this one 3.5 stars. If you're looking for a quick suspense read, this will be a great choice for summer. I can't wait to see what Michaelides writes next!