
Thriller
The Maidens
Alex Michaelides is back at Book of the Month – other BOTMs include The Silent Patient.
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Join today.Alex Michaelides is back at Book of the Month – other BOTMs include The Silent Patient.
From the author of The Silent Patient, a gripping tale of murder, myth, and the horror lurking beneath the ivory tower.
Multiple viewpoints
Creepy
Murder
Academic
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. 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.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, 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?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
Edward Fosca was a murderer.
This was a fact. This wasn’t something Mariana knew just on an intellectual level, as an idea. Her body knew it. She felt it in her bones, along her blood, and deep within every cell.
Edward Fosca was guilty.
And yet—she couldn’t prove it, and might never prove it. This man, this monster, who had killed at least two people, might, in all likelihood, walk free.
He was so smug, so sure of himself. He thinks he’s got away with it, she thought. He thought he had won.
But he hadn’t. Not yet.
Mariana was determined to outsmart him. She had to.
She would sit up all night and remember everything that had happened. She would sit here, in this small, dark room in Cambridge, and think, and work it out. She stared at the red bar of the electric heater on the wall, burning, glowing in the dark, willing herself into a kind of trance.
In her mind, she would go back to the very beginning and remember it all. Every single detail.
And she would catch him.
If you’ve read The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides’s breakout debut thriller, it will come as no surprise that the author is also a screenwriter. Like his previous book, The Maidens is wildly cinematic and you can TOTALLY imagine it playing out on the big screen. This book is so atmospheric that I really believe it should come wrapped in ivy and scented like the antique books in a Cambridge library—or perhaps with a salty waft of the Aegean.
Our heroine Mariana is a grieving widow and group therapist who cares deeply for her niece, Zoe. So when one of Zoe’s friends is murdered, Mariana travels to Cambridge to support her—and to prove the guilt of Edward Fosca, the enigmatic professor who seems to have captured the admiration of everyone but Mariana. She’s also determined to uncover what’s really going on with his cultish student followers who call themselves The Maidens.
While we’re still largely stuck at home and unable to travel I found that this wonderful read more than sated some of my wanderlust. And this is one of the things that sets Alex Michaelides’s writing apart from lesser thrillers: yes, there’s the twisty, compulsive, page-turner appeal, the cleverly placed red herrings and the ‘what the hell just happened’ moments, but also a wonderful sense of place and a rich depth of character. I cared hugely for our grieving heroine Mariana and her niece Zoe. I was fascinated by the mysterious Maidens and by their enigmatic leader, the deliciously byronic Edward Fosca with his sweeping dark cloak and long locks. I came away from reading this feeling richly sated and as though I had had my breath snatched from me by the thrilling roller coaster ride of the plot. And I have to say that while I hugely enjoyed Alex’s debut, I think this one might just clinch it for me.
Reader, you’re in for a glorious gothic treat.
Alexa C.
Philadelphia , PA
This book went above and beyond my expectations ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I was filled with anticipation through out the whole book.. Thought provoking and really enjoyed the greek mythology and poetry aspects of it
Fatina W.
Archdale, NC
Just finished!! ???????? Alex Michaelides thought you couldn’t out do The Silent Patient but this one was right there at the top. Loved how you inter-mingle the characters. Can’t wait to read what’s next!
Jared B.
Glendale, AZ
Could. Not. Stop. Absolutely loved it. First-class thriller with a great setting, and a little bit of a “The Secret History” vibe. I loved “The Silent Patient” and this one certainly delivers as well.
India R.
Troy, NY
I didn’t love this as much as his debut. That novel was a masterpiece. This was a page turner that I couldn’t put down. I honestly finished it in one night. I’m excited for this author’s future works!
Victoria C.
Round Rock, TX
Read and loved The Silent Patient by the same author… He has done it again with this book. You’ll never see the ending coming and I love the way he makes references to TSP. Couldn’t put this book down