A beautiful yet unsettling atmospheric psychological "whodunnit" thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. Mariana Andros, a group therapist grieving the loss of her husband Sebastian receives a frantic phone call from her niece Zoe when a dead body is discovered near Cambridge campus. Zoe strongly believes it's her friend Tara. Mariana drops everything and rushes to Zoe's aid. Mariana discovers Edward Fosca, a charismatic Greek Tragedy professor runs a secret society called The Maidens. Mariana is certain Edward Fosca is the murderer when another body turns up and she is determined to delve beneath the sinister surface to prove Fosca's guilt.

I loved being immersed into the vividly gorgeous setting of Cambridge and its surrounding. Encapsulated with beauty, Alex Michaelides unveils what's hidden beneath the perfect exterior. The build up to the climax is a little bit of a slow burner but I honestly appreciated this pacing. The pacing provided space and the ability to breathe in the riveting atmosphere. It gives us readers the opportunity to peel the layers of this enchantment walking towards the forbidding presence lurking in corners. Michaelides flawlessly interweaves Greek mythology and Tennyson in mirroring the essence of grief and the theatrics of the tragedies surrounding this story. I can list Michaelides truly as a master of misdirection. A page-turner suspense thriller filled with questionable characters that will have you doubting and guessing until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is why I have trust issues! People change, people lie, people hide stuff. They don’t care about the imagine of them you built in your mind. They have their own agenda and they will do all things convoluted to get what they want. You’ll end up being treated like a mad person trying to protect them, solve their problems. That’s what’s going on here: buncha little girls acting like they are goddesses and one mastermind controls them in the most poetic manner only to turn Mariana’s love story to a tragedy

A young girl dies. Mariana gets a call from her niece saying it might be her best friend. She packs a bag and goes to Cambridge University (also her Alma Mater) to support her niece. It seemed to her that one of the professors is little too involved with his students and niece confirms that. That’s when Mariana decides to take matters into her own hands

For some reason I love stories that are developed in centuries old universities where subjects and teachers become best tools to weave background into the plot line. Languages and Greek mythology are the backbone of the story; the mastermind took few notes from them to devise the plan. I was waiting to read this story since the first moment I saw the announcement and I am not disappointed. Also, sneaky sneaky Michaelides for bringing somethings back from old stories in Stephen King manner!!!

I requested this one because it might be a 2021 title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book is not my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one rather than push myself to finish it only to give it a poor review

Mariana Andros is a group therapist who is also working through her own grief after the death of her husband, until her niece, Zoe, calls with the news of her friends murder in Cambridge. Upon Mariana’s arrival to the school, she instantly suspects Edward Fosca, an American teacher, despite his alibi. After further students turn up dead, Mariana will go to any lengths to stop the killer – including endangering her own life.

What I liked:
- The DARK ACADEMIA VIBES. There was just enough to make it a compelling read, but not too much where I wanted to throw the book across the room because of the unlikeable, pretentious characters (looking at you ‘If We Were Villains’).
- THE CROSSOVER MOMENT between The Maidens & The Silent Patient. Such an unexpected, but welcome surprise 😊
- Although the ending felt rushed, I wasn’t even close to guessing our culprit, so I was pleasantly surprised at the resolution of the book. When I’m caught off guard, I always end up enjoying the book more!
- With such short chapters, it was an easy book to fly through and fly through it I did.

What I didn’t like:
- The characters felt pretty one dimensional and honestly a little unlikable if only for their lack of common sense (i.e. Mariana traveling back to London to get advice on how to do her job from her mentor just for her mentor to tell her to… do… her… job…? GROUNDBREAKING!).
- The fact that we were introduced to one of Mariana’s more disturbed patients and then really got no explanation on him after a certain point… this felt like a loose end that had so much potential but no follow through.
- Some of the writing felt juvenile. The end of chapter cliffhangers were very ‘she was safe… oR wAs ShE?!?’ so it just lacked depth for me.

Coming off of the high that was the ultimate blindside of The Silent Patient, it’s hard not to compare the two. Although The Maidens won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, all in all, I really enjoyed this one and would still recommend this book despite it’s flaws as it was just plain entertaining to read. Thank you to Netgalley & Celadon Books for the ARC!

When Mariana Andros’ niece, Zoe, calls her from Cambridge University asking her to come immediately, she knows something is wrong. Zoe thinks her friend Tara was murdered and is positive that Edward Fosca, a professor at the university, is the one who killed her. The problem is that Fosca is untouchable. Adored by the staff and students no one believes Mariana when she accuses him. Then another girl is murdered, and a secret society known as The Maidens is uncovered. An all-female, secret society that Fosca leads. Mariana becomes obsessed with proving his guilt, which threatens her credibility and her close relationships, but Mariana is determined to catch the killer.

Alex Michaelides does it again with his second novel, The Maidens. I enjoyed The Silent Patient, but I really loved The Maidens. This book is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning, but by Part 3, it picks up the pace, and I could not put it down at that point. I enjoy Michaelides writing style, and the shorter chapters made this book a complete page-turner. Greek mythology was woven throughout the story, and it was done so well that instead of taking up too much of the plot, it helped it progress. I thought I knew how it was going to end then a huge twist is thrown at us that I didn’t see coming at all.

It’s best to go into this story blind so I don’t want to say more that would give anything away. All I will say is read The Maidens as soon as you can when it’s released on June 15th. While you do that, I’ll be waiting impatiently for Michaelides next book!

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for my advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

THIS book!!! I absolutely loved The Maidens! Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this one early. Michaelides second novel even topped his first one, which says a lot as they were both 5 star reads for me. I was gobsmacked at the ending; definitely did not see that coming at all! A+ storyline, character development, and writing. I can’t think of a single thing I’d change.

Lacklustre, underwhelming, and a forced twist that completed missed the mark, The Maidens is a disappointment. Michaelides' writing is basic at best, and his characters forgettable. The protagonist is a therapist who consistently acts out of character and does a disservice to her profession under the guise of grief. And almost every male character is a stalker.

With an interesting premise that could've celebrated female power, sexuality, and mythology, The Maidens falls flat on its face. The only connection that this was by the same author as the outstanding psychological thriller, The Silent Patient, is the mention of Alicia Berenson, her therapist, Theo Faber, and the Grove (a secure forensic unit in North London).

I stayed up way to late to finish this book but oh my god! It was so good!

The Maidens is a riveting novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one. It follows Mariana Andros, a group therapist who finds herself back at Cambridge University after her niece's friend is murdered. Mariana is soon caught up in the mystery, absolutely convinced that a popular professor, Edward Fosca, is the killer. In true Michaelides fashion, the story will keep you guessing right until the very end. Compulsive, engaging, and fast-paced, The Maidens has earned a spot on my favorite books of all time list

Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Dark Academia at its Best or its Worst?

Mariana is a Group Therapist, who is desperately trying to help others while dealing with her depression over the loss of her husband. Upon receiving a frantic phone call from her niece Zoe, who is at Cambridge, that a friend and classmate of hers has been murdered, Mariana goes to help.

Upon Mariana’s arrival at Uni, it is immediately apparent that something sinister is going on, and Mariana plans to figure out what it is. Edward Fosca is a Professor, whom Zoe believes murdered her best friend. He has a presence that draws others to him, including that of “The Maidens” a group of extremely popular female students. While he appears guilty, he has an alibi for Tara’s murder. He was with the Maidens, of course.

When another murder occurs, tensions run high.

Clues are left behind. Somehow, only Mariana discovers them.

Soon, it’s not just the students that are running scared.

A somewhat compelling psychological suspense that gripped me until I got closer to the end when the storyline became somewhat far-fetched. Having guessed the culprit immediately, I hung in there, wondering why none of the characters in the novel caught on!

A tie in to “The Silent Patient” occurs which I would have found intriguing had the timelines matched, however “The Silent Patient” and that entire storyline occurred before this book, not after. What I appreciated about this book however was the ominous feeling I got while reading it, part of which stemmed from the idea of a secret society, the atmosphere (I adore the setting of Cambridge), and everything that surrounded the character of Mariana - including her past and present and her work as a therapist.

While I preferred this author’s prior book “The Silent Patient” - I enjoyed “The Maidens” and will be on the lookout for Alex Michaelides’ next book.

This was another buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to Macmillan / Celadon Books and NetGalley for the arc by Alex Michaelides in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.

This book focused a bit too much on the Greek mythologies for my liking. The ending was disturbing and unpredictable. It felt like maybe there were more characters than necessary and I would have liked more focus on her therapy group.

Another best seller by Michaelides! A great new thriller full of unsolved twists. Just like in The Silent Patient, which makes an appearance in The Maidens, you never see the end coming until it’s unfolding. Loved it!

Thanks NetGalley, Alex Michaelides, and Celadon Books for this awesome ARC!

"The Maidens" by Alex Michaelides has already garnered a lot of attention. I've seen physical ARC copies passing hands, as well as ISO lists on Facebook with people that are eager to read this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The Maidens" has already shown that it will be a crowd-pleaser for the thriller-reading audience. For me, this book is between 3-4 stars-closer to 4 stars for the entertainment factor, closer to 3 stars for being a bit ridiculous. I think that a lot of these fast-paced thrillers that are published depend on the reader to read through it quickly so as not to actually think about the believability of the characters and their actions.

As a reader, we are supposed to suspect everyone as the murderer. Michaelides really emphasizes this by making the (multiple male) characters act like stalkerish, weird creeps. The idea is that the female main character is jumpy and unsure of herself. But even from a "maybe this guy is a murderer" standpoint, the descriptions of the characters that we are supposed to suspect are over-the-top. The main character is a therapist, but she constantly jumps to conclusions and acts without thinking about the consequences, which should be uncharacteristic to her profession.

As a fast-read, "The Maidens" was fun. There is a character overlap to Michealides other book "The Silent Patient." It makes a good setup for another book in the same world, but it was also a bit forced pushing the characters from his other book into this one. I did an eye-roll, but also admitted that it was kind of a fun Easter egg for the story.

I know my review is nit-picky, but I really did enjoy it and recommend it for thriller fans. Everyone and their mom will be reading this one- I'm sure there will be lots of interesting discussions about it.

I enjoyed The Maidens a lot. It definitely kept me guessing and I love a good secret society! This would be a great pick for a book club because it is worth talking about!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook!

I will recommend this book just so I can find out what the heck happened at the end as I was lost! Well written but a bit confusing.

After the tragic death of her husband, group therapist Mariana Andros is thrown into a murder investigation when the friend of her niece Zoe is killed while attending school in Cambridge. Initially there to comfort Zoe, Mariana is convinced that professor Edward Fosca is responsible for the death of one his students. Idolized by faculty and students alike, Professor Fosca holds the special attention of a secret society of female students known as, The Maidens. As members of the Maidens keep being murdered, Mariana races to prove Fosca's guilt, while uncovering insecurities and secrets of her own.

SPOILERS AHEAD! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

"The Maidens" is author Alex Michaelides's follow up to the best selling novel "The Silent Patient." I will totally honest with you, I wasn't able to finish TSP. I have intentions of giving it another try, but haven't made my way back to it. The reason for that is actually one of my main issues with "The Maidens." It takes so long to get to the actual story. Michaelides is a great writer, but the overly descriptive and wordy nature of his novels, really doesn't hold my attention. There is so much background information provided for these characters, trying to make them seem flawed and complex, that truly by the time the action gets going, I really have no connection to them or any interest in the story.

I feel like this book was a bit all over the place. I was initially intrigued by the idea of this secret society and it's connection to Greek myth and tragedy. I will be honest in saying I don't believe this society was all that secret, it just seemed to be a fan club for Professor Fosca. We never got to know any of these women, or what exactly the purpose of The Maidens was. I also felt like the references to Greek myth and tragedy were just sprinkled throughout the novel, but didn't serve any real purpose in pushing the plot forward. I also had a hard time with all the references to Alfred Lord Tennyson. He kept coming up a lot and I was trying to figure out if the author couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to have Greek myth or Tennyson be a part of this plot. It seemed unfocused.

Lastly, another issue with this book is the actual murder investigation itself. It seemed to take a back seat to all of the internal observation and analyzation that our main character Mariana was doing. She accuses Professor Fosca of the murders, yet she has absolutely no evidence to support her claims. The entire investigation steams off the fact that she has a weird feeling about Fosca. And she spends a majority of the novel thinking about what that weird feeling could mean, not really gathering evidence that would prove he was the murderer. I was also dissatisfied with the identity of the murderer. I am all for red herrings, but we spent so much time being told Fosca was the murderer, that when it was revealed Zoe was the true murderer, I scratched my head and audibly said, "huh?" It didn't make any sense to have her be the murderer, she was barely even in the story to begin with, and during her whole "villain reveals how she did it" moment, she gives us information that as a reader we are discovering in that moment. So how are we expected that Mariana would've made those connections, or that we the reader would have made those connections. It felt very much like the author wanted a huge twist, a huge shocking moment. Yet didn't lay the groundwork throughout the novel for it to be a twist, instead leaving me feeling blindsided.

Overall, even with the misgivings this book has, I would still recommend it to readers. Like I said, author Michaelides is a great writer, his passages are very thought provoking, eloquent and poetic. It was also a fast read, that yes did keep me turning the pages after I was able to get into the story.

I want to thank Celadon Books and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy.

Edward is a professor Cambridge University and a secret society of girls called The Maidens adore Edward. Zoe is Mariana's niece and she is a student at Cambridge and one of her friends are murdered, Mariana goes to the university and it holds terrible memories for her. Mariana inserts herself into the investigation as she is sure Edward is responsible even though he has an alibi. Can Mariana prove Edward committed the murder before someone else is murdered? This was a really great thriller which kept me on my toes guessing what is going to happen next. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Book • Review
The Maidens
Alex Michaelides
Out June 15, 2021
⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to like this book but I just didn’t.

After the wild success of The Silent Patient (which was a solid 4⭐️ for me), the pressure to follow it up with a banger is very high. While this book may work for some people, I found it to be muddled, rife with plot conveniences, over-the top misdirections, and an overall sense of theatrical self indulgence. I hope that doesn’t sound too harsh, I’m just honestly a bit frustrated.

Here you will find the typical academic mystery setting, except the protagonist is not a student, but a middle aged group-therapist named Marianna- a strong but grieved woman dealing with the recent demise of her husband. Marianna brought an interesting perspective on this tried setting, but I ultimately found her to be a frustrating character. She becomes so fixated on certain ideas that she is ultimately blind to truths that are obvious to the reader. I think the author was trying to sway the reader’s theories in the direction of Marianna’s, and while in real life her drawn conclusions may make sense, when you are reading a thriller you know nothing is ever so plain.

I did find the pacing of the book to be consistent, and I will admit that this is a very easy book to get into and progress through quickly. But, I was just really frustrated by the way this book was executed. If you have read The Silent Patient, you know there are some serious twists to be found in that novel. It felt like, in The Maidens, Michaelides felt he needed to pull off a twist that felt just as jaw-dropping, but didn’t know how to set it up in a way that was seamless. The end result was a plot that felt contrived and full of too many loose ends. I will still pick up the next book that Michaelides writes, but I can’t say I will be as optimistic as I was going into this one.

Thank you Netgalley, Celadon Books, and Alex Michaelides for an early digital copy of this book.

The format on this arc is very hard to read.
That being said I did enjoy the book immensely.
Was short quick chapters. Easy characters to get into. The ending seemed a little rushed..
Overall another great book from this author.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Amazing book !! Amazing plot, unique , very easy to read . Is was not a predecible book . Well written. It kept me guessing until the end . Strongly recommend this book . I loved it

When Mariana’s niece, Zoe, calls her hysterical from the university that her best friend has been murdered, Mariana knows that she must go. As a therapist, she has a unique view on who may have committed this crime. Or so she thinks, until another murder is committed. Now the race is on to find a serial killer, one who won’t mind making Mariana the next victim.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides has been my most anticipated book of the year. I may have screamed a bit when Celadon and NetGalley gifted me with it. My expectations were so high and while most of the book lived up to them, there were parts that could have been done differently. For the main character to make some of the choices she did, seemed out of character at times. The many red herrings helped to completely shock me, at the point where I thought I knew what was going on. Michaelides is a master at keeping the pace strong and engaging. There was Greek Mythology included that was fascinating and made me want to learn even more about it, even the non-murdery stories. The Maidens is a strong follow up to The Silent Patient.