So... I read and LOVED The Silent Patient when it came out - I devoured it in one sitting and found it a very compelling psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I definitely had that in mind when I started reading this book which is a totally different kind of story and I think I had unrealistic expectations. I wanted to be wowed the way I was with The Silent Patient but that was sadly not the case.

The Maidens is a complicated puzzle-solving mystery, flooded with Greek tragedy and historic art and literature references. My attention was initially captured at the beginning of the book but I found it to be pretty slow moving for the most part. Main character Mariana was quite unlikable for me in the way she inserted herself into a murder investigation with no real link or reason to be there and her shock at being met with hostility by students at the college where the murders took place - I think I would feel hostile too if someone who seemingly had no connection started snooping around and asking questions! However what I did like were the short, easy to read chapters and the big twist toward the end - I didn’t see it coming and thought it was great which made my enjoyment of the story shoot up.

Highly recommend The Maidens- Greek tragedies, secret societies and psychology combine with this thrilling murder mystery set in Cambridge. Dark & compelling, with flawed characters and plenty to keep us guessing. First book that I've read by this author, I'm tempted to read his debut novel now too.

After reading The Silent Patient last year, this book quickly became my most anticipated read for 2021 and I was lucky enough to get to read an ARC from Netgalley.

In The Maidens, we follow a group therapist Mariana and her niece Zoe. Zoe is a student at Cambridge university, the same university that Mariana herself once attended and met her late husband.

The story starts when one of Zoe’s friends, Tara, has been found dead under suspicious circumstances. Marianna travels to Cambridge University to comfort Zoe and when Mariana arrives, Zoe tells her that she suspects that Edward Fosca is responsible for what happened to her friend. Edward Fosca is a well-liked and charismatic Greek tragedy professor, he is also the leader of a secret society at the University called The Maidens, which Tara was apart of. The police don’t believe Tara and Marianna and so they proceed to uncover the secrets behind the mysterious death themselves.

The idyllic setting and sinister secrets really brings the story to life. Perhaps more so than in the The Silent Patient. The Maidens doesn’t just rely on twists and reveals, it has an enchanting and charming atmosphere that sweeps you away into the mysterious world of Cambridge University.

If you enjoyed the Silent Patient I would recommend giving this a go as well. I’d also recommend this book if you enjoyed The Interpretation of Murder (what a throwback), The Temple House Vanishing or The Girls Are All So Nice Here.

I wasn’t a fan of the silent patient but the rave reviews made me assume I had missed something, so I wasn’t Ed to read this. Found it pretty dreadful - very badly written which really doesn’t matter of the plot, characters and suspense keep you gripped. But in fact the protagonist’s investigation doesn’t actually involve any investigating, just weird speculation with no facts or backup, and a series of decisions which involved hiding ‘evidence’ from the police. I adore Greek mythology too, without in any way being an expert, so was hopeful the backdrop and setting would pull me in. But it was so clunky and ridiculous, without shedding any light on the myths themselves, that didn’t work either. Donna Tarrt already based a murder story around a group of elite classics scholars and a charismatic lecturer, so can’t award any points for originality either

Ohhhh boy. I did not see this one coming.

It was my first Michaelides' book, I haven't read the Silent Patient yet. I'm aware there are some references to it in The Maidens, but you do not need to read that one to enjoy the new book.
The story was gripping and I loved the setting.
Mariana is a group therapist who's trying to deal with the loss of her husband, who died in a tragic incident. Her life is turned upside down when girls start getting murdered in Cambridge, where her niece Zoe is attending.
Mariana goes to Cambridge to investigate and, well, I am not telling you anything because I'm too afraid to spoil it.

I loved the references to all the greek myths and legends. I loved the secret society vibe, how Cambridge was a beautiful background to the terrible things happening there. I though I had a clear idea in my head of what was happening and where the story was going, only to find out at the very end that nope, I did not have a clue. As I said, I didn't see that coming.

I couldn't put it down, I finished the book in not even two days, and I am definitely going to pick up the Silent Patient soon.

The Maidens is a murder mystery set in the secretive setting of St Christopher's College, Cambridge. Mariana is a therapist, and widow, and she is called by her niece, Zoe to help when Zoe's best friend is murdered.

We are quickly introduced to a group of strange young women, the "Maidens", who are seemingly transfixed by their charismatic but strange lecturer. Mariana and Zoe must work out who the killer is, before they kill again.


This is my first Michaelides novel. I heard about The Silent Patient, but never got round to reading it, so I had no expectations going into the Maidens. I enjoyed it. The plot was interesting, and Michaelides gives the reader enough clues, while keeping us entertained.

I found the story agreeable, but I found it difficult to engage with any of the characters. I found the Maidens a pleasant read, and I would probably read more works by Michaelides.

Thank you to Alex Michaelides, NetGalley, and Orion Publishing Group for this copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The story centres around Mariana, who is a therapist, who has suffered her own personal heartbreak, when losing her husband, Sebastian. She focuses on group therapy, which she finds works well. She has an orphaned niece, Zoe, who she is very close to. Zoe attends Cambridge, and one day she calls Mariana in a terrible state as one of her friends, Tara, has been murdered. She asks Mariana to go there, and Mariana does, when there, Mariana starts to try and work out what’s happening herself, especially when she understands that one of the professors there, Edward Fosca, has a group of women students who he feels are elite, and he calls them The Maidens. The Maidens come across as thinking they are above everyone else because they come from very privileged back grounds. Mariana feels she knows exactly what has happened, especially when another dead female turns up. But Mariana doesn’t know the half of it.

I read this authors first book, and aside from all the hype, I wasn’t a massive fan. This book was much better, and I really didn’t guess who was the murderer until close to the end. I also enjoyed the cross over from the previous book, and the mentions of the characters from that book, as it gave the story a much more authentic feel. I like the characters, and especially how creepy and horrible Edaward Fosca was, I loved to hate him. I liked Mariana, she was flawed and vulnerable, but also parts of her character where unnaturally naive for her age. The writing flowed nicely, and had a huge Greek element to it, which isn’t usually my cup of tea, but worked perfectly for this book. Overall, I’d highly recommend.

If you are a fan of Dark Academia, this book is definitely something you should try. Mariana is a group therapist who has recently suffered a great loss. She’s still recovering from it when her niece Zoe calls her from university begging for her help after her friend and roommate disappears and is later found murdered. Mariana discovers a group called The Maidens headed by Professor Tosca of which the missing girl was a part and something about the group dynamics pulls her into the case and raises her hackles. We follow Mariana with her minimal sleuthing skills, trying to figure out the killer before too many lives are lost.
The setting of the story and Mariana’s inner turmoil both manage to give this book a very eerie, grim and sometimes melancholy atmosphere which works greatly for the story. It’s very slow paced and not a quick action packed thriller but the book did keep me guessing till the very end.
I couldn’t find myself sympathising with any of the characters. They were all some kind of unlikeable but plot managed to keep me hooked. It gave me serious Secret History vibes. Secret History is a book I didn’t enjoy much because of the lack of mystery, it was more about the group dynamics but The Maidens manages to combine the mystery and the group dynamics in a much more satisfying manner.
The ending was completely unexpected. I couldn’t have guessed it and it left me completely creeped out. Even after the killer is revealed in the climax, the book has an open ending and as someone who loves it, it made the book all the more interesting.
I would recommend this one for all DA fans especially for those who loved Secret History.

I was not keen on ‘The Silent Patient’ so had no expectations of this new book from the author,
For me this was an average read,I liked the short chapters and the easy reading style but really didn’t like the characters or find them that believable,a lot of the time

THE MAIDENS By Alex Michaelides
Suspense thriller
352 pages.

In Alex Michaelides new novel a string of murders draw Mariana to her nieces college. Mariana meets a professor who has a weird following of female students who call themselves the Maidens. One by one the members of this club start getting killed and Mariana feels compelled to help solve these murders to help save her niece from the same fate.


Wow I totally had this killer all wrong!!!!!!! I had suspicions but hadn't pinpointed it down to the killer it turned out to be Alex Michaelides is definitely becoming an amazing thriller author!!!!! I am definitely a fan for life of his twisty suspenseful books. I highly recommend this book

If you haven’t read The Silent Patient yet, then I don’t know where you’ve been hiding. It was a book known for its shocking ending, and The Maidens is sure to be remembered for exactly the same reason. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is going to be a very popular book this year!

Sophisticated and expertly plotted, The Maidens is a wholly engrossing and twisty mystery thriller. With short paragraphs, this is a book that you’ll find impossible to put down.

I love how Michaelides weaves Greek mythology into the plot which added a whole other level of enjoyment to this for me. I’m a big fan of Greek mythology already so I found the concept of The Maidens and the use of literature fascinating.

Set in the beautiful city of Cambridge, the landmarks are described well and I could really picture Mariana lurking down darkened streets lined by Gothic architecture. The history feels so atmospheric and the whodunnit plot is filled with red herrings to keep you under a cloak of mystery.

If you have read The Silent Patient, there’s a great nod to one of the characters which I absolutely loved. It fits into the story really well, and it won’t spoil anything if you haven’t read it. I don’t think the subplot quite fits into the story, however, so there are a few things that I wanted to be more concise. But overall, I really enjoyed this one.

I didn’t see the ending coming at all and had such fun trying to figure this one out. I have a feeling it might split readers, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by the journey there.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It checks a lot of marks for me:

✅University setting
✅Greek mythology references
✅Secret society
✅Everyone looks suspicious
✅Atmospheric

The story follows the main protagonist Mariana who is a group therapist and is dealing with some trauma herself.
One day her niece -who is studying at Cambridge University- calls her sounding very desperate to tell her that her roommate and friend was found dead on campus. Mariana is on the next day’s train to Cambridge, which makes her very anxious since she studied there when she was younger and returning will bring back painful memories.
As another student body appears , Mariana is determined to expose the serial killer. Oh, yes, she is pretty sure who it is.

I really liked Mariana, she had a difficult childhood, and then having experienced some losses, she does all that’s possible to protect her niece.

The allusions to classical greek tragedies and its disturbing link with the murders, enhanced the dark atmosphere of this book. Being Cambridge an english old town with its pubs, the river and the gothic architecture of the university made a very suitable place to develop this story.

Something that I highly appreciate in thrillers is multiple characters with disturbing personalities that make them instant suspects. I wasn't sure until close to the end who the real killer was, and then when it was revealed, it came with a twist that took me by surprise.

I won’t say much more, as usual with thrillers, the less you know the more surprises you will encounter and this won’t disappoint.

*My thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.*

michaelides has such good premises, i just wish they didn't serve to mask the story element that takes up most of the book, mainly mariana's grief and how complicated her inner life is. it's less secret society and more memory and loss. hm.

I loved the "Silent Patient" and this is a worthy follow-up about a University professor who forms a favoured students called "The Maidens" and he becomes the prime suspect when one of the girls is murdered.

Beautifully planned, plotted and written I was entertained and engrossed in equal doses. This is a writer to look out for.

The Maidens is a really creepy read filled with unreliable and sinister characters and Greek mythology cleverly woven into the plot. Twisty, and kept me guessing all the way through. I loved The Silent Patient, and The Maidens is just as good - though very different in terms of plot - and also beautifully written.

After loving Michaelides’ debut, The Silent Patient, I was really keen to read this one. I’m not going lie, this one took a while to get going - I’m sorry to say it felt very drawn out and only started getting interesting at about 75% in. But when it did, boy was it a brilliant read. The last 25% made this a 4 star read for me.

Michaelides is able to weave into his story some Greek tragedy/mythology and added in the beautiful setting of Cambridge. You really feel Mariana’s paranoia as she juggles her life as group therapist in London to supporting her niece in Cambridge.

But the best bit about this is the twist. I really, totally didn’t see this coming! It’s like completely out of the blue! (Well, for me anyways!) I also liked how Michaelides was able to make a little (but unimportant/non-spoilery) connection with his debut - I wonder if all his books will exist in the same universe.

My review for <b>The Silent Patient</b> actually still holds true. I think that means that Alex Michaelides is a very consistent author.

I couldn't stop reading the books, because I wanted to know who was responsible for it all. I was quite shocked by the ending. I don't think everyone will like it, but I thought it was an enjoyable twist.

The story is about Mariana, who travels back to Cambridge to console her niece whose best friend was murdered. Mariana is a group therapist and from the get-go she is convinced Edward Fosca, a charismatic professor with a group of "followers" aka Maidens aka secret society, plays a role in the murder.

She decides to stick around, to help the police.

I disliked a lot of this book, but keep reading because there's a positive twist as well. There is one narrator I thought was too presumptuous because he's the self-proclaimed "villain" of the story. I thought Mariana's involvement in everything was a bit ridiculous and the way she prosecutes people is outrageous. The characters weren't very strongly build and there are a lot of instances where I wish the author would've decided to show rather than tell. Mariana makes a lot of conclusions about people's emotions because she is a therapist, I found it hard to correlate those emotions with what I was reading. In other words, I didn't really believe her when she described a person.

There are so many elements flowing through the pages that I did like though, and if they speak to you you should check this novel out as well. There's Greek Mythology and Greek Tragedy seeping through the pages and the narrative. Guessing how these elements play a role is fun. Secret societies with charismatic leaders are awesome. The mentions of Alfred Tennyson are also nicely tucked into the narrative.

I thought the ending was surprising. I forget a lot of books I've read but The Silent Patient's conclusion is one that etched in my brain. I think The Maidens will have the same faith. As such I can recommend it to people who enjoyed Michaelides' previous novel or for fans of Greek tragedy/mythology.

Many thanks to the publisher Orion Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy.

My friend has yelled at me about The Silent Patient for ages and I kept her suggestion at arm's length. Turns out, I probably should have caved a while ago. Here's what you're in for with this murdery thriller:

✨ A psychoanalyst still in mourning
✨ A murdered bestie
✨ More murdered people
✨ A good ol' twist

Our main human in this is Mariana - a woman grieving the sudden death of her much-loved husband. Things get turned up on their heads when her niece's (Zoe) best pal is found dead and before long, she's back in Cambridge to solve the mystery.

So wtf are The Maidens? Well, they're a secret society of beautiful women under the influence of Professor Edward Fosca - a man with an in-depth interest in Greek tragedies that are a little too intense for your average lecturer. It also happened to be the super-secret society that Zoe's bestie was a part of.

Convinced she's solved the murder, Mariana throws on her blinkers and throws herself in head first to find the evidence even if it destroys her.

If you like a good ol' thriller, then this will be right up your street. It's a sloOoooOow burner and even I (yes me - the slow book hater) was intrigued by this 'cause it kept my attention the entire way through. Also, short chapters. More books need these.

The Maidens was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 after loving The Silent Patient so much. I had heard mixed reviews but I was going to make up my own mind. A psychological thriller, a murder mystery and so much more. I have never read anything quite like it to be honest and the ending still has me reeling.

What is it about? Not going to say too much as I am sure everybody knows all about it by now. Mariana is a psychoanalyst who is still grieving the death of her husband. Her niece, Zoe, calls her from her former college of Cambridge and tells her that her best friend, Tara has been murdered. Mariana drops everything to be there for Zoe. Going back to Cambridge is hard for her, it is where she met her husband and there are memories everywhere. She promises Zoe that she will help find who killed her friend. A suspect is arrested but then another young girl is killed, opening up the suspect pool again. The 2 murdered girls were both Maiden's, a group of handpicked female students who study with the very handsome and charismatic Professor Fosca and Marianna's attention is focused on him.

This is a really atmospheric book and is written so well. I felt like I was walking the grounds of Cambridge with the characters. There is alot of talk about Greek Mythology which at times did lose me but for the most part it made sense to me. I loved the tie in with The Silent Patient as well.

It is a slow burn but one that kept me intrigued right until the very end.

Thank you to Orion Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

The Maidens was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 after absolutely loving The Silent Patient.
Unfortunately I was quite disappointed. The premise sounded very promising to me but unfortunately I found there were quite a few plot holes and unresolved story lines. In addition to that I also found a lot of the plot and the dialouge extremly unbelievable and far fetched. All in all The Maidens read more like a debut novel which confused me after the massive success of The Silent Patient. I definitely enjoyed the call back to his previous book though.

I'll definitely be picking up Michaelides' next book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.