The Maidens

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.

These book club questions are from the publisher, Celadon Books.

Book club questions for The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

Now that you know who the murderer was, did you guess correctly? Which red herring was the most convincing? Looking back, what clues did you miss about the killer’s identity?

What do you make of the ending scene? What do you think happens to Mariana and Zoe after the events of the book?

Do you agree or disagree with Mariana’s reaction at the end? Do you think she was right to be upset or do you believe she should’ve been more compassionate? Suggested by Spooky Book Club (Boston, Massachusetts)

How do Mariana’s memories of her school years at Cambridge influence her actions when she returns there?

The book opens with Mariana’s assertion of Fosca’s guilt. How did this impact your experience and interpretation of the murder case?

How did Mariana’s expertise as a group therapist help her throughout the book? How did it lead her astray?

The book switches between straightforward narration and chapters written as letters. Did you like this choice? What did you make of the letter portions when the book began, and how did your understanding of them change as the book progressed?

Who did you think was the male POV in these letters throughout the book? Did your hypothesis change at any point? Suggested by The Bookworms (Miami, Florida)

There is a lot of Greek mythology in the book. How is the symbolism of the Persephone myth significant in the story?

This story explores a number of father-daughter relationships. In what ways are they similar? Different? How does Mariana’s own relationship with her father impact how she interprets relationships between other fathers and daughters?

Do you think the murderer’s actions were a product of abuse? Suggested by The Book Queens (Naperville, Illinois)

While Mariana is a keen observer, she also misses a number of important things throughout the story. What does she miss, and why do you think she does?

If you read The Silent Patient, you know that a key character from that story appears in The Maidens as well. What other stylistic or symbolic similarities exist between the books? Why do you think the author returned to these themes? As a reader, did you like these connections?

The Maidens Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The Maidens discussion questions