The Maidens

This was by far the worst read I had this year. Not one character was likeable, and some plot points were just never explained. Also NOT A DARK ACADEMIA. JUST MURDER THRILLER AT A UNI. SPOILER: First of all, I could smell that plot twist from the first chapter. But even so, the fun in such type of plot twists is the reveal of all the small details and how it came to it. But this book never does that. Example: Mariana found an american-branded cigarette in front of Taras window -How did the police not find that -How did Zoe/ Sebastian get to those american cigarettes -Was the cigarette actually the Professors -Did they steal it from the Professer, if so, HOW WAS IT EVEN PLANTED THERE Also, and this is something that may be a personal problem, since I havent seen it mentioned in other reviews, this was not written as a book. No one can convince me. The Author, who studied screenwriting, clearly meant for this to be adapted into a film or series. No problem with that, except it sometimes didnt give you, as the reader, all the info you needed to understand a conversation. Example: The whole shebang with the Bedder. The convo did read as awkward, but until Mariana talks about the Bedder with Zoe, we got almost no clues as to Marianas suspicions. The whole Bedder convo we didnt get no description of how the Bedder is behaving, no description of her facial expressions or change in voice or anything. So it came to me as a surprise when Zoe said the Bedder and Tara werent on good terms. AND EVEN MORE OF A SURPRISE when Mariana agreed that she thought the Bedder was lying. BECAUSE WE WERENT SHOWN THOSE CLUES. (Which you would of course get if it was adapted into film, or series.) The whole weird "the Gods are punishing me" and "this fox looks like God" thoughts we get from Mariana dont fit the book at all. And it didnt mean anything either, why is that in there? As well as the famous subplot of the Stalker that lead to absolutely nothing. WHY WAS IT IN THERE? Were we meant to believe that Stalker killed Tara? As a red herring? Dont recommend. Dont read. Not worth it.

Als die beste Freundin und Mitstudentin ihrer Nichte tot aufgefunden wird, macht sich die Gruppentherapeutin Mariana sofort auf den Weg zu ihrer alten Universität. Dort stösst sie auf eine Gruppe junger Studentinnen, alle überaus intelligent und bildschön, die von Professor Edward Fosca geleitet wird. Der charismatische Professor für griechische Mythologie und die Dynamik der Gruppe kommen ihr direkt verdächtig vor. Eine weitere Studentin der “Maidens” stirbt. Die Angst um ihre Nichte wird grösser. Mariana ist bereit alles zu tun, um diesen Fall zu lösen. Zuerst habe ich nicht verstanden, wieso dieser Krimi so anders sein sollte als alle anderen. Eine Ermittlerin (hier in der Rolle einer Therapeutin), tote Mädchen und ganz viele Verdächtige. Da ich Krimis mag und mich der Schreibstil und die Geschichte ab der ersten Seite packten, habe ich dennoch (zum Glück) weitergelesen. Während ich alles zu hinterfragen begann, hätte mich niemand auf diesen Plot Twist vorbereiten können. Ich habe das Buch tatsächlich bloss ungläubig anstarren können. Je besessener Mariana von der Schuld von Edward Fosca wurde, desto besessener wurde ich von dem Buch. Unbedingt lesen!! (deutscher Titel: Die verschwundenen Studentinnen)

Meiserhaft subtile Spannung bis zum Schluss ! Lesens- u. empfehlenswert. Dies ist d. 2. Titel v. AM. Noch besser als d. Debut THE SILENT PATIENT. Ich freue mich schon auf den 3. Titel.

Written by the king of plot-twists himself, A. Michaelides. (Honestly, I never in a million years saw this plot-twist coming). A fast-paced book that will make you want to read it in one go. For anyone who enjojed: - The Silent Patient, - The Secret History & - If We were Villains

I devoured this thriller in one go. It keeps you guessing until the very end. Set in the sheltered world of St. Christopher College, Cambridge it relates the story of a gruesome murder series. Grouptherapist Mariana runs to support her niece Zoe, when a fellow student and friend of hers is found dead on the premises. She becomes involved with the investigation of the crime, much to the dismay of the chief inspector in charge. More and more, Mariana becomes obsessed with her prime suspect, charismatic professor of greek mythology, Edward Fosca…