The Maidens is told from the perspective of Mariana, a woman who has sustained many losses in her life. Her parents are both dead some years, and she is grieving the more recent loss of her young husband Sebastian and the life they had together. She is very protective of her niece Zoe, the only close family she has remaining. Zoe attends Cambridge University, where both Mariana and Sebastian both attended. A series of violent murders of young women in a cult-like group called The Maidens brings Mariana to Cambridge to support Zoe, when Mariana becomes involved in unravelling the mystery of the murders. Mariana fixates on Edward Fosca, a hypnotic libertine who teaches at Cambridge and leads The Maidens.

The Maidens is set in historic, mysterious Cambridge University and the author's vivid descriptions evoke hallowed, dimly-lit chambers, stacks of dusty books and aged oak paneling. The references to Greek mythology are seamlessly explained so that the reader does not need to have any knowledge of the Greek classics to understand.

Mariana is a fascinating character and we see the world of Cambridge through her lens. But is her vision and perception accurate, or is it clouded by grief and her idealistic adoration of her late husband and beloved niece? Definitely a 5 star read!