Book Review / The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

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.
 

Published:     15th June 2021
Publisher:  Celadon Books
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Bought

 

MY REVIEW 

Having read and absolutely loved The Silent Patient, I couldn't wait to dig into another novel by this author.  I don't know a great deal about Greek mythology so this was a bit of a learning curve for me but luckily most of what was being talked about in conversations was explained enough for me.  

In this story we follow one character (i'm being deliberately vague here) as he joins this group of intellects who attend and gets accepted into an exclusive group of students.  Each one of these students have issues of their own which we follow as the story goes along but the main focus, for me, is the murder and following that story.  

If I had to make a slight 'complaint' it would be that, for me, the chapters were too short.  This was a story that I wanted to be slow paced so I can enjoy and take in all the details but with the chapters being short it made me read at a faster pace than I really wanted to.  I would have also loved to have a lot more of the story involved with the secret societies than it does. 

What made this story great for me was the characterisation and following each of the characters, as much as we are able to, to see how they respond to the different actions that happen in this story.   Yes, I had some problems with the story as mentioned above but I still loved it and it would certainly be a story that I would re-read.