Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby In Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby, Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee have exactly two things in common: the death of their sons and a criminal past. Their sons were murdered brutally without much explanation, leaving a daughter behind. Ike and Buddy Lee seek answers and revenge for those who might […]
Mystery
Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides with spoilers
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
When, in The Maidens by Alex Michaelides, a young woman shows up dead at Cambridge, Mariana Andros leaps into action to come to the side of her niece, Zoe. The longer that Andros is at the school, the more she is convinced that the person responsible for this and other murders of young women is Edward Fosca, an enigmatic professor. Fosca has a group of young female students, called The Maidens which he hosts parties for and pays special attention to. All of the murdered young women were a part of this group. As more and more of The Maidens show up dead, Andros becomes more desperate to find evidence of her suspicions and bring the killer to justice.
Quote
“Reading about life was no preparation for living it.” ― Alex Michaelides, The Maidens
Review
I have not read a book like The Maidens by Alex Michaelides in quite a while. The aesthetic reminded me of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, but the book was much more grounded in reality than fantasy. Still, the story had an almost dream-like quality to it where nothing felt certain. The writing itself has an almost hesitant quality which I found readable and endearing. The interludes of the letter that are woven throughout also had a nostalgic quality which allowed me to get lost in what it was saying until the very end.
With a main character that is certain that she has solved the case almost immediately, it wasn’t a surprise to me that she hadn’t in fact, gotten the culprit pinned correctly. I was surprised by the ending, even though I had felt it coming. The twist was deeper and broader than it was going to be. I felt instinctively that most of the characters had some trauma or another, but didn’t think this extended beyond the walls of Cambridge. Even so, I did feel like the resolution of the story was satisfying even if it was a little vague.
I recommend this book if you like murder mysteries that have a twist you won’t see coming.
This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure Here – Kate <3
Review: Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer
Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer In Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer, the world is at stake. In the noir mystery novel, the world is becoming more ecologically unstable as time goes on. “Jane Smith”, a security consultant is mysteriously sent a note and key from a known eco-terrorist, Silvina. This leads to a storage locker […]
Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson Rating – 4.13 out of 5 In A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, Pippa (Pip) Fitz-Amobi has a hunch. For her senior project, she looks into a closed murder-suicide of her classmates because of something amiss. As she digs deeper, it becomes obvious […]
Review: Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer
Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer Rating – 5 out of 5 Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer, the last in the Southern Reach Trilogy, gives answers to some of the questions that we have been wondering. It follows what happens inside the Southern Reach after the surprise ending of Authority, as well as following other timelines that led […]
Review: Authority by Jeff Vandermeer
Authority by Jeff Vandermeer Rating – 4.33 out of 5 Authority by Jeff Vandermeer is the follow up to Annihilation, starting in the Southern Reach just after the 12th expedition has failed. While the Southern Reach is still reeling, John Rodriguez, a.k.a. Control takes the director position to try to put the organization to rights. […]
Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng Rating – 4.67 out of 5 Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng starts one unassuming day in the 1970s where Lydia Lee does not show up to breakfast. As time goes on it becomes obvious that something horrible has happened to her. As her family […]
Review: Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer Rating – 4.33 out of 5 Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer reads like a dream. The novel centers around the Biologist, a woman who, as a part of an expedition into the Southern Reach, travels into one of the most bizarre biomes with the hopes of discovering its secrets. As the story unfolds […]