June 10, 2021
Dear Mr. Hemingway,
Ahhhhh, the moment the world has been waiting for is less than a week away. Alex Michaelides, author of the best selling book, The Silent Patient is back with summer’s most anticipated read. The Maidens comes out June 15th and it does not disappoint. Don’t get too comfy basking in the sun reading this thriller. Plan on having to remove your sun soaked body from your beach chair to pick your jaw up off the ground when you finish. Need I say more?
So here is the set up. Mariana is a newly widowed group therapist. One evening she learns that her niece Zoe’s close friend is brutally murdered at Cambridge University, where the girls attend school. Mariana, once a student there, heads on over to comfort her niece and get to the bottom of things. She is convinced that Professor Edward Fosca is the murderer. This bewitching professor of Greek Mythology may be well loved by fellow teachers and students alike, but there is a mysterious air to him that just doesn’t sit well with Mariana. For one, he has an ongoing obsession with Persephone (the goddess of death) and two, he has a gaggle of girls that make up a secret society called The Maidens that worship and learn from him privately. The first girl murdered is a member of this underground group and soon after, another member is murdered as well. Coincidence??? Mariana’s connections at the university coupled with her therapy skills, allow her to dig deep into this case, but not without ruffling a whole bunch of feathers. As she explores the death’s of these women, Zoe’s relationship with them and Professor Fosca’s love of Greek tragedy, Mariana believes she is getting closer to the truth. Is the Professor guilty of all these murders?
OK, so the premise of the story seems rather simple, but do not be fooled. Finding out who killed these university women and why is what we are trying to discover. Beware though, the road to that realization will mock you every step of the way. Michaelides did a brilliant job misleading me on every page. He not only directed me down many deceiving paths, but peppered in some back stories and even a few side characters that muddied up the water and kept things beguiling. Here is the thing. Dark and moody campus novels with a few dead bodies are 100% my jam. Bring on the academic vibes, distorted passion and exclusive secret societies…I am in! I loved Michaelides intricate details on Greek mythology and the psychology element he infuses into his tale. He has mastered having a therapist in his story once again. If you have read The Silent Patient, then you will appreciate the subtle nod he gives to it in this story. Always fun in my opinion.
Here is the scoop, Michaelides set the bar as high as it can go for his future novels with his 5 star debut, The Silent Patient. I truly believe his sophomore novel reached that bar and will be loved this summer by all the book lovers looking for a solid, high quality read. Remember though, comparison is the thief of joy so LET IT BE!
Reading The Maidens is the perfect escape from the daily grind. That is what we are looking for this summer, am I right? It’s a sand between your toes, cocktail in your hand entertaining summer book. I am not going to lie, it felt so amazing to stimulate my brain with a dark thriller instead of obsessing over work, laundry and what to feed my family next. Any chance to sit in my beach chair for an extended period of time is an absolute win for me. I literally remained seated (miracle) until the very end (remember, I had to pick my jaw up off the ground when I finished). I mean how perfect does that sound? Go grab yourself a copy on pub day or if you are feeling spontaneous…..pre-order it today from your local indie bookstore. My job is done here. Happy Reading!
Until next time!
Your Biggest Fan,
Kelly
P.S. Michaelides was inspired by In Memoriam A. H. H. by Alfred Lord Tennyson – 1809-1892. Check out this poem RIGHT HERE!
***I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own. If I don’t like it…I don’t share it!
