Group therapist Mariana Andros is no stranger to death. She has lost many who she loved. First, her mother to cancer when she was a child. Her sister and brother-in-law to an automobile accident leaving her to raise her niece Zoe. Her father followed from a heart attack. Finally, she became a widow when her much beloved husband died only a couple of years ago in a swimming accident. It is as if death is attracted to her, which has left her a traumatized.
When Zoe calls her from Cambridge where she is a student and tells her that a friend has been murdered, she rushes to comfort her. The friend was a member of a group of female students known as the "Maidens" who appear to be under svengali-like inflcuence of Greek Tragedy professor, Edward Fosca. Convinced that Fosca is the murderer, Mariana begins to investigate and gather evidence that supports her belief. When another one of the Maidens is murdered, Mariana intensify her hunt before Zoe becomes Fosca's next victim.
The author does a good job in creating the dark university atmosphere where much of this novel's is set. However, I found much of the protagonist's movements within the book incredulous with me screaming at her, "Don't go into that shed with hanging chainsaws!" Mariana clearly seems oblivious to the dangers that the reader easily picks up. Since Zoe was not presented as one of the Maidens, I found Mariana's drive to save her niece unbelievable. This book contained an ocean of red herrings. Thee appeared to be a new one every ten pages or so. Although this book was a standalone novel, I was pleasantly surprised to see characters and locations in The Silent Patient make an appearance in this book. If you enjoy reading dark academia novels, I would recommend this one. However, if you have not read The Silent Patient, I would read it before this one, which I believe was a better read. I read that he has a new book coming out in January 2024. I can only hope that it is more like his first than his second.
When Zoe calls her from Cambridge where she is a student and tells her that a friend has been murdered, she rushes to comfort her. The friend was a member of a group of female students known as the "Maidens" who appear to be under svengali-like inflcuence of Greek Tragedy professor, Edward Fosca. Convinced that Fosca is the murderer, Mariana begins to investigate and gather evidence that supports her belief. When another one of the Maidens is murdered, Mariana intensify her hunt before Zoe becomes Fosca's next victim.
The author does a good job in creating the dark university atmosphere where much of this novel's is set. However, I found much of the protagonist's movements within the book incredulous with me screaming at her, "Don't go into that shed with hanging chainsaws!" Mariana clearly seems oblivious to the dangers that the reader easily picks up. Since Zoe was not presented as one of the Maidens, I found Mariana's drive to save her niece unbelievable. This book contained an ocean of red herrings. Thee appeared to be a new one every ten pages or so. Although this book was a standalone novel, I was pleasantly surprised to see characters and locations in The Silent Patient make an appearance in this book. If you enjoy reading dark academia novels, I would recommend this one. However, if you have not read The Silent Patient, I would read it before this one, which I believe was a better read. I read that he has a new book coming out in January 2024. I can only hope that it is more like his first than his second.