Synopsis:

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.

The Maidens is the dark, twisty novel rooted in mythology that I wanted from The Secret History.

First, let me say that I have not read Alex Michaelides previous novel, The Silent Patient, so I have nothing to compare this book to except other novels. And the one that gave me similar vibes is The Secret History. Unlike most other readers, I didn’t love The Secret History. I wasn’t fond of all the unreliable characters. Oddly, The Maidens is full of unreliable characters, as well, but this time it worked for me.

“Unlike the other students milling around the faculty, these girls weren’t scruffy or eccentrically dressed. Their clothes were elegant and looked expensive. They all took care of themselves, and were made-up, well-groomed, manicured. Most distinctive of all was the way they held themselves: with an obvious air of confidence, even superiority.”

Alex Michaelides, The Maidens

Michaelides has created characters I didn’t mind not trusting. With the exception of the notes woven throughout the novel from the killer’s mind, the reader experiences the events through Mariana’s point of view. Like the Greek tragedies that heavily influence this story, Mariana’s life has been full of tragic experiences. Most recently the death of her husband. It was fascinating to experience the events from someone who specializes in group therapy as a psychoanalyst, but who is also suffering through unimaginable grief herself. And as a former student at the school where the murders have occurred, her past memories are intertwined with her present experiences. She’s a complex, but informative character.