I loved Alex Michaelides’ debut novel – The Silent Patient, and so I didn’t hesitate to start reading his next book – The Maidens, as soon as I got it.
About the book
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this, Mariana is sure. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Once a university student, Mariana quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets and beneath the ancient traditions lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control when another body is found, threatening to destroy her credibility and her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
The Maidens Book Review
There’s something about a mystery set in an academic environment (Cambridge in this case) that works for me. I guess I am not the only one; dark academia seems to be a subgenre in its own right these days.
What worked
I love the descriptions of Greece and Greek Gods in the story, which add a lot of mystery and atmosphere.
I also love the setting of Cambridge, the whole academic environment, and Mariana’s back story; there’s also a rather unexpected tie-in with The Silent Patient that I loved.
The book is reasonably fast-paced (although slower than The Silent Patient), it’s fairly atmospheric. The ending was also unexpected and thrilling. Overall, I liked this book quite a lot.
What didn’t work
The main character Mariana was a bit problematic. We’re meant to root for her and her investigations, but I often found her decision-making frustrating. She makes it very clear to her suspect that she’s wary of him, and a lot of the book deals with the cat-and-mouse game between them, detracting from the murders. Plus, I have this dislike for stupid investigators. Just because she’s a therapist doesn’t mean she can read people.
The construction of the mystery is also a little off – so many suspects but not good enough motivations. For example, I loved the concept of the maidens, but none of their characters were built up, and then people just started getting murdered left, right, and center, and I couldn’t feel anything for them as they were just stock characters anyway.
Still, a decent mystery. I read it in one sitting, and I enjoyed it overall. If you’re into dark academia thrillers, you’ll like this one.
