The Maidens: A Novel
Written by Alex Michaelides
Narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Louise Brealey
4/5
()
About this audiobook
"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 #1 New York Times bestselling 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 bestselling author of The Guest List
Editor's Note
A secret society…
The author of the smash hit “The Silent Patient” is back with another gripping thriller, this one centered on a secret society at Cambridge University. When a student is found dead, a psychologist is convinced the charismatic, cultish new professor on campus is the killer. But the psychologist’s personal demons cast a shadow on her credibility, pushing her to take deadly risks to prove she’s right. “The Maidens” is already being adapted for a TV series by Miramax.
Alex Michaelides
Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for television by Miramax Television and Stone Village.
More audiobooks from Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Maidens
Related audiobooks
Magpie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Good Neighborhood: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Plot: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wife Upstairs: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rock Paper Scissors: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Apothecary: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Sister: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Local Woman Missing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Therapist: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful World, Where Are You: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Every Last Fear: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Falling: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ariadne: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Razorblade Tears: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Behind Her Eyes: A Suspenseful Psychological Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Whisper Man: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5His & Hers: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Golden Couple: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reckless Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Survivors: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Firekeeper's Daughter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Saw Me Coming Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last House on Needless Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Family Upstairs: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5They Never Learn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Wife Between Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The It Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Thrillers For You
The Housemaid Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Listen for the Lie: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Never Lie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Flicker in the Dark: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hidden Pictures: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Perfect Marriage: a completely gripping psychological suspense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Dangerous Things: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Local Woman Missing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Last House on Needless Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Teacher Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fairy Tale Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Did I Kill You?: A Thriller Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Inmate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rose Code: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bright Young Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What Lies Between Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Terminal List: A Thriller Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Institute: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Huntress: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Guest List: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hunting Party: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fool Me Once Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dragon Teeth: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paris Apartment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finders Keepers: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for The Maidens
1,463 ratings79 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I enjoyed it. Felt like I read this plot/story before. It’s worth the listen. Though you might feel like it’s incomplete or characters unfinished/fully explained.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5What on Earth happened in this book?! I left it feeling a bit shanghaied. ??♀️
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book had so much potential!! I like how the author writes. How mythology was weaved in.
But we never get crucial details…..
about Mariannas father, sabastians drowning, why the press wasn’t anywhere at the school after a senators daughter was murdered? And Marianna beats up the professor? C’mon! But I would have swallowed all
of that had a convincing conclusion been given.
Why go through all of that just to stop so abruptly?A sequel? I refuse. Had the ending been fulfilled properly, I’d be writing a very different review.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5This book is completely idiotic. The plot is completely unbelievable, the main character is a moron, character development in general is weak and none of the characters are likable. Just skip it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Completely ridiculous - the whole premise of her investigating these murders was so unrealistic.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a fucking prequel! I'm just amazed. Best author. Can't wait for more
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm the unicorn who hasn't (yet) read Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient. At this point there's been so much hype about it (and I've seen good reviews and bad) that I've been afraid I'll almost surely be disappointed. But now that I've read The Maidens, I do believe I'm ready to jump into The Silent Patient soon.
Mariana Andros, the main character, is troubled - she's a gifted group therapist but she's still reeling from the loss of her husband. When her niece's university friend is murdered Mariana becomes involved in trying to determine who the killer might be, and while she has one specific suspect in mind, as a reader it's much less clear. It was twisty and turny and overall I enjoyed this one - but I don't want to say too much and give anything away. I will add that it was very well narrated - the two narrators, Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, reading the two points of view definitely added to the enjoyment, and to the mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance copy for an unbiased review.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it, it was even better than The Silent Patient.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is completely idiotic.i really like all the characters . .https://buyozempiconlinesouthafrica.com/
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent read! Very suspenseful, and kept me guessing to the very end.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It was a little underwhelming but overall I guess it did okay.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Ok. Not bad but the man's voice quite disturbing. I dont know.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enjoyed this post very much! thankd for sharing . https://gamefowlsforsale.com/
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Narration is excellent, the story was good but a little sophomoric. Nice ending. Def recommend
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love this! Love the authors writing, just like I loved The Silent Patient. The narrator was great, too!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! As good as the Silent Patient!! Bravo Alex!!! Brilliant!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The ending will knock your six off. Great thriller enjoy
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alex Michaelides is a wonderful writer. I love the way he writes and his writing intrigues me and I could not help turning the pages while reading this book. I dont want to compare this book with The Silent Patient (one of the most amazing books that I have ever read) but somehow you end up doing doing that(guilty). This book stands pretty well on its own.
The book is full of red herrings and twists which kept me at the edge the entire time. That is what I expect of a good thriller.
The most anticipated part of every mystery novel- its end. Yes, I didn’t see it coming but it sure did not blow my mind away. That is a pretty much the reason I didn’t give this book a five star rating. But overall I loved this book. The chapters are short and crisp.
Another reason why I thoroughly enjoyed this book was that I was listening to the audiobook version of it all along while reading it. I completely loved that experience. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5fuck this book. everyone should read this book. i’m so mad right now
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5THE MAIDENS (CBTB Rating: 5/5 stars) tells an elegant and atmospheric story of secret societies and murder at a university. Grieving widow Mariana Andros' life is turned upside-down one evening when she receives a fateful call from her niece, Zoe, a student at Cambridge University.https://heyemjay.us/
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great read with an unexpected ending! I would absolutely recommend this.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The book was good to listen to and slightly predictable but I still enjoyed it. Narrator did a great job.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The twist! I also love the combo and crossover of this book and the Silent patient
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Was okay. Wish it had a little more the lead up is great.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I found The Maidens to be very slow moving filled with red herrings. The ending was out from left field in that the connection to the main plot was very thin indeed.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I can't tell you exactly why, but I felt no emotional attachment to any of the characters. I felt like I read this book already, when it was the [much better] 'The Liar's Girl' by Catherine Ryan Howard.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent!! What a twist!! I didn’t expect that ending at all!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I absolutely loved this book. I read the silent patient for this author and loved it and this book didn’t disappoint. I admit that I was expecting the plot twist but not to the extent that the author imagined. The writing and the reading was smooth and listening to it was very enjoyable.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gripping and totally unpredictable til the very end! Well written
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent narration, great story that kept me guessing! Exciting and interesting. Will be reading more by this author!