The Maidens

A Novel

By: Alex Michaelides

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Louise Brealey

Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

2021 AudioFile Best Audiobooks
2021 Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year

"Between the three of them, author Alex Michaelides and narrators Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith cast a spell that will have listeners glued to this suspenseful novel every chance they get." (AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner)

"The audiobook is narrated primarily by actor Louise Brealey, who has given life to complex female characters in the audio editions of The Girl on the Train and The Silent Patient, Michaelides’ first novel. Here, she does an excellent job of conveying Mariana’s confusion, courage and determination to solve the mystery at any cost. Actor Kobna Holdbrook-Smith’s nuanced performance as the killer reminds us that monsters are made, not born, and that within even the most heinous murderer is a shattered, lonely child." (Booklist, starred audiobook review)

"Listeners will not be disappointed with this suspenseful and intelligent thriller." (Booklist, starred review)

From the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements “Michaelides as a major player in the field” (Publishers Weekly).

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books

"Stunning.... The intelligent, cerebral plot finds contemporary parallels in Euripides's tragedies, Jacobean dramas such as The Duchess of Malfi, and Tennyson's poetry. The devastating ending shows just how little the troubled Mariana knows about the human psyche or herself. Michaelides is on a roll." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"A deliciously dark, elegant, utterly compulsive read — with a twist that blew my mind. I loved this even more than I loved The Silent Patient and that's saying something!" (Lucy Foley, New York Times best-selling author of The Guest List)

©2021 Alex Michaelides (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Disappointed with the ending.

I absolutely loved the Silent Patient! So I had high expectations. I enjoyed this book up until the very end. I was extremely disappointed with the ending.

Terrific and Creepy

Just finished The Maidens and it was really quite unnerving- it was quite creepy, but I loved it. It’s the best book of the summer. The narrator was excellent. I loved the Greek references and the psychological underpinnings. The complexity was just right— and of course the ending was unexpected and fascinating. It was very, very well done. I look forward to listening to it again!!! I highly recommend!!

Kept Me Guessing

I really enjoy this author's ability to keep the reader interested from start to finish. Loved it!

READ till the end

struggled to finish but glad I did. last chapters got better twisted ending. but for me the first half was hard to stay tuned in story dragged out was bland.

plot keeps you guessing

the story keeps you guessing. you can't stop listening to the story. you will enjoy this book.

totally didn't expect this

I struggled mid way , Latin is not my thing and seemed Unnecessary. But the end was redemption for the boring center chapters

Meh

It was a slow burn like his other books, but the plot twist was more of a turn, felt a bit lazy. Had plenty of opportunities to make this book much better than it was.

BRILLIANTLY WOVEN!!

This story grabs you from the start and takes you on a mystical ride to uncover the campus murders. I get the feeling that the author is leading us to his tertiary book post The Silent Patient and this, The Maidens, with his references. If so, I am ALL IN!!

He’s gone and done it again!

Once again Alex Michaelides has knocked it out of the park.
His last book, The Silent Patient, left a mark on me and is my favorite book. So I had high expectations of this second venture, and that scared me that I was going to be disappointed.
And I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed one bit.

As opposed to the last book, where from the first couple of chapters I was hooked, this one took some time to develop. The mystery itself is slightly less intriguing as it is a sort of “whodunnit” as opposed to the last book’s “why did she do it”.

However, once the story sets in, you start the guessing and the theorizing. You feel a part of the investigation with Mariana. And for the second time in a row for Mr. Michaelides, he shocked and surprised with a twist I truly never saw coming. And yet it fits gloriously.

The writing of the conversations and the imagery feels vivid and real as well as Mariana’s inner monologue. And there’s also credit to the two amazing voice actors who do a great job in bringing this great story to life.

All in all, this is an amazing book which I would definitely recommend to anyone.

surprised!

So good! I'm not easily taken by surprise but I was with the twist in this story. I want to go back and read it again in light of that.