The Maidens Review

Hello, all!

I think I might be the only one who hasn't read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides but I've heard nothing but good things, so when I saw his newest release, The Maidens, on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. 

Pub Date: 6-15-21
Adult - Thriller

Mariana Andros has suffered a lot of loss in her life, from her parents, her sister, and most recently her husband. The only family she has left is her niece Zoe, who's away at college in Cambridge. When Mariana gets a panicked call from Zoe late one night, Mariana rushes to her side. When Mariana arrives at Cambridge, she finds police investigating the body of a young girl, who turns out to be Zoe's best friend, found with multiple stab wounds. Being back at Cambridge stirs up a lot of memories for Mariana, who was a student here when she met her late husband. She knows she has to be strong for her niece, so she's intent to push all her emotions to the side, but she can't help feeling as if something sinister is lurking on campus.

The more Mariana learns of the investigation, the more she can't help but believing that the culprit is Edward Fosca, a popular professor of Greek tragedy. Handsome and charismatic, Professor Fosca is beloved by the staff and all his students, particularly a group of girls referred to as the Maidens that he tutors. Mariana can't explain why, but she feels an uneasiness toward Fosca, especially after watching him give a lecture on the rites of Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld. After another body turns up, Mariana becomes determined to prove Fosca's guilt, but her obsession soon spirals out of control and threatens not only her credibility but her relationships with those closest to her. But are the lengths Mariana is willing to go to catch a killer worth her life?

Being that this was the first book I've read by this author, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I ended up enjoying it. I knew there was a lot of hype surrounding this and it was well deserved. I was engaged and intrigued right from the start. A lot of that had to do with the bits of Greek mythology that were woven in which were very interesting. Mariana was a compelling character to follow but most of the things she did would never fly in an actual investigation, so there are times you have to suspend your disbelief. What I always look for in thrillers is an element of surprise, and this had that in spades. There were so many characters that had a motive and you could visualize as the killer, but I was completely blindsided by the actual murderer. I was a bit shocked because it felt like it came out of left-field which had me second-guessing every interaction between them and Mariana desperate to see what I was missing. This may have been a slower burn mystery, but well worth it.

Rating: 4/5

Comments

  1. I'm so glad to see that you enjoyed this one! I've seen some negative early reviews but it's easily one of my most anticipated books of the year!

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  2. Ooh this has an interesting premise

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    Replies
    1. That's what pulled me in at first, I was so intrigued.

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