Description

The Maidens

Introduction

Mariana Andros is a 36-year-old widow and a group therapist. She travels to Cambridge from London to investigate the murder of her niece’s friend, who has been brutally murdered. The novel is divided into six different parts. It also has a prologue and an epilogue, in which the protagonist, Mariana, reveals two different realities. The book is narrated from a third-person perspective. This is a mystery thriller that sets a gothic mood in the Cambridge background, in the midst of the best minds in the world. About the Book:
The Maidens is the second book by the author, Alex Michaelides. The book follows the story of Mariana as she goes to be with her niece Zoe, who lost her friend. Mariana is also interested in unearthing the mysterious and brutal death, which reveals many secrets of the Cambridge campus. The first parts of the book show the initial investigation, and the subsequent parts reveal the other murders that take place on campus. The book has the surprise appearance of Theo, who is a fellow therapist in London and plays a vital role in the author’s first book, “The Silent Patient.” The book reveals the many sides of human nature and gives a glimpse of a secret society.

Plot of the book

Mariana meets her niece Zoe at Cambridge, whom she holds in very high regard. Upon the insistence of Zoe, Mariana decides to investigate the brutal murder of her friend Tara. At Tara’s memorial, Mariana gets a glimpse of Edward Fosca, who is revered by the students on campus and has a privileged group called “The Maidens.” Mariana later discovers that even Zoe is part of the Maidens and has a side that she hasn’t witnessed before. In the next part, Mariana is invited to dinner by Edward, who tries to seduce her. Mariana is unsettled and tries to evade his advances. Meanwhile, another maiden girl, Veronica, is found murdered. As Mariana tries to unravel the mystery behind these killings, another victim, Serena’s body, emerges. During the later stages of the investigation, Mariana finds out several truths that unsettle her. The epilogue gives us multiple culprits, and it’s up to the reader to decipher the ending and the characters in the book.

Characters

• Mariana Andros: She is a group therapist who lived in a yellow house in London. She was the guardian of her surrogate daughter and niece, Zoe. She was married to Sebastian. She is rich and also gets startled by the advances of men toward her.
• Zoe: She is a blue-eyed young girl who was close friends with the deceased Tara. Her surrogate father was Sebastian, and her mother was Elisa, Mariana’s sister.
• Edward Fosca: He is the professor at Cambridge St. Christopher’s College. He did his doctorate in Harvard University. He had shoulder length hair that was tied in a knot and preferred wearing dark clothes. He had an American accent due to his time growing up on a farm in America.

About the Author

Alex Michaelides is a British cry riot author and screenwriter. He studied English literature at Trinity College and Cambridge University. His first novel, ” The Silent Patient,” was the New York Times and Sunday Times’ best seller for several weeks. He wrote several Hollywood films with big casts. His dark academic genre grips the audience with the plot, and the camaraderie that he creates never fails to surprise the readers. 

Conclusion

The author, Alex, doesn’t fail to captivate the readers with his slow suspense thriller, where the plot seems to thicken as the different characters converse. The suspense and the twists in the plot aren’t forced but follow a generic progression. The author, having done psychiatry and having first-hand experience in human psychology, has covered various psychological aspects, which are enticing and startling. The book also delves into supernatural elements and ethereal psychoanalysis, which is clever and makes it a must-read thriller.

View other book The Silent Patient