The Maidens

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE GLOBAL BESTSELLER «THE SILENT PATIENT». INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A captivating literary thriller that weaves together Greek mythology, psychology, and murder... Edward Fosca is a killer. Mariana is sure of it. The charismatic, handsome... professor teaches a course on Greek tragedy at Cambridge. He is adored by colleagues and students — especially the female students of the secret society «The Maidens», who are willing to do anything for their mentor. Led by the professor's mystical teachings, the girls engage in occult games and ritualistic ceremonies. Soon, one of them is found dead with her throat slit and eyes gouged out... Mariana Andros is a talented psychotherapist suffering from post-traumatic depression due to her husband’s death. She sees clearly: Edward Fosca is a narcissistic sociopath who skillfully manipulates people. There is something sinister about his obsession with the cult of Persephone*, who, according to myth, descended into the underworld. And the death of the student is the literal embodiment of the goddess's journey into the afterlife. Edward Fosca is a killer. It remains to prove it... * Persephone is the goddess of fertility and the underworld in Greek mythology. According to legend, she is forced to spend a third of the year underground with her husband Hades, and two-thirds on earth with her mother Demeter. The myth symbolizes the change of seasons. «Delightfully dark, elegant, and utterly compelling reading — with an unexpected twist at the end that simply astonished me. I liked this novel even more than The Silent Patient, which says a lot!» — Lucy Foley «This novel is a top-tier page-turner.» — David Baldacci «Simply brilliant. Gripping reading, where the heart is somewhere in the throat.» — Stephen Fry «Michaelides is the main player in this field.» — Publishers Weekly «Elegant, sinister, stylish, and gripping, this novel answers the question of how to live up to its predecessor — one of the best thrillers of the last decade. The answer: you just have to write something better.» — Chris Whitaker