The Maidens

A Novel

De: Alex Michaelides

Narrado por: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Louise Brealey

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

READ. IT. NOW.

This is the second book of Michaelides that I’ve read. I first read The Silent Patient. I was GLUED to that book, and the same rings true here. I finished this book in 2 days - starting it one evening and finishing the next. The writing is carefully crafted, descriptive, and compelling. All the characters are interesting and complex. If you love Greek mythology, you’ll enjoy this book simply because of it’s heavy mythological references. It’s a true mystery novel in the sense that throughout the story, you’re trying to solve the case just like the protagonist. But it feels more sophisticated than the average mystery book. This one is smart and creative, and it leaves you with an ending that you can’t quiet comprehend - but in a good way. A shocking way, just like The Silent Patient. Like that book, I had my jaw dropped in disbelief for what felt like 5-10 minutes of the climactic ending. Like The Silent Patient, I’ll be thinking about this ending for at least the next day. It gives you a sort of epilogue that leave you with many questions and wanting more details, but you don’t actually need them. The story is complete without those answers, and the questions you might have are purely for the characters because, just like life, things don’t end once a conflict or an event is over. You want to continue to follow their lives beyond the pages of the book. It’s written in a very real way, instead of in a perfectly packaged story that from start to end FEELS like just that - a story. Incredibly immersive. You want more but are also perfectly content with what you get. TLDR, read the book. You’ll love it.

Ps. Reading this back before I post it, I realize I wrote this with more of my author voice (I like writing fiction as a hobby) instead of speaking like an actual, normal human being on the internet 💀 so sorry if this all sounds really pretentious - I promise I’m not a book snob! I’m writing this review immediately after finishing the book, so if that doesn’t tell you how great and immersive this book is, then idk what does :) Enjoy friends!

Story - 90% Narration - 100%

Although the narration is fantastic, the story does t quite make it all the way. Upon a reread in may pick up more clues as to why this book ends the way it does. There are spots in my memory of the story where those clues may reside which pushes me to give the book the benefit of the doubt. Quick read and great narration. I would recommend. Happy listening, everyone.

Outstanding

Great Book! Narrated well. The beginning was slow for me hard to listen and get into the book but it did pick up and I was anxious to keep listening! I listen while I work, I work from home doing Medical Audits and I love this app, it makes my day go by much faster! I look forward to listening to more from this Author.

Interesting

The ending was definitely not expected, much like the silent patient, but unlike the silent patient, it was more like a “WTH” moment, rather than a “omg” moment. The ending just did not mix w the story at all, but I’m glad to finally finish this book.

9/10

Loved the narrator. Story was little clunky in the beginning but came together nicely. I finished the book in 3 days.