Publication Day 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.

There's always a huge amount of anticipation on the shoulders of a writer when their début novel is a worldwide bestseller. Like many, I've eagerly anticipated waiting for The Maidens and for me, this is a very worthy successor to The Silent Patient.

Mariana Andros is a dedicated group therapist and widow. When her Cambridge student niece Zoe, calls and tells her, her friend is missing, Mariana's instinct is to go to her. Arriving at St. Christopher's College she consoles Zoe after Tara's body is discovered but something isn't right. In addition to helping find the murdered the college backdrop reawakens Mariana's memories of her beloved husband Sebastian; from the time they spent together as students at the college. When she meets the charismatic professor, Edward Fosca, she is sure he is guilty of murder as the evidence stacks up against him. Only, why would he kill his students?

The beginning was slow however, the pace and my interest soon picked up as the narrative settles into a steady rhythm. Thanks to the short chapters it's easy to digest the clues; mostly red herrings as they crop up. Intertwined are references to Greek Tragedies and Alfred Tennyson to add weight to the exposed evidence. The author's writing is clear and succinct, again making it easy for the reader to keep abreast of the proceedings. Therefore, I did manage to pick up on a clue, silently patting myself on the back before getting blind-sided with the reveal of the killer's identity.

With the cameo appearance of two characters from The Silent Patient, I do wonder if a third novel by the author may tie these two narratives together… if so, I'll be the first in the clue to read it!

***arc received courtesy of Orion Publishing via NetGalley***

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