The Maidens by Alex Michaelides opens with an assertion from protagonist Mariana that a particular man is a murderer, pulling the reader in right from the start. Who has he killed? Why? And - how has he gotten away with it?
Mariana is a grieving therapist who undertakes some detective work after there's been a murder at her niece's university. As she investigates, clues about the maidens and Greek mythology add a layer of depth to the book - but one I often felt damaged the pacing of the novel. I wanted to fly through this book, but that didn't let me. I would not characterize this as a book you could read at the beach in an afternoon.
The Maidens did, however, work a bit more for me than the Silent Patient. It was fairly atmospheric; set on a suspenseful, creepy campus with old buildings and fog rolling in. I'd recommend The Maidens to those into such a setting, unlikeable characters, and a slow burn mystery.
Mariana is a grieving therapist who undertakes some detective work after there's been a murder at her niece's university. As she investigates, clues about the maidens and Greek mythology add a layer of depth to the book - but one I often felt damaged the pacing of the novel. I wanted to fly through this book, but that didn't let me. I would not characterize this as a book you could read at the beach in an afternoon.
The Maidens did, however, work a bit more for me than the Silent Patient. It was fairly atmospheric; set on a suspenseful, creepy campus with old buildings and fog rolling in. I'd recommend The Maidens to those into such a setting, unlikeable characters, and a slow burn mystery.