The Fury was a hit from my point of view. Elliott was a great narrator for me because he was so honest in his machinations. It was interesting to get the hints of perspective from other characters as well as it rounded out parts of the story that Elliott would not have been aware. The absolute animosity and distaste that the cast of characters had for each other was unexpected and interesting to unravel.

One of my favorite things after reading The Silent Patient & The Maidens was the discovery of how the books were linked. Readers can look forward to similar hints in this novel.

"The Fury" unfolds as a slow-burn thriller, showcasing a predictable plot and a cast of wholly unlikable characters. While the pacing may not suit everyone, those who appreciate character-driven narratives may find intrigue in the intricate web of relationships and motivations.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you are bothered by books that break the fourth wall, this is not for you. It really worked for me in this book. This felt like a classic whodunnit with self absorbed characters and little nuggets of info revealed steadily throughout. Short chapters helped to keep it fast paced and quick to read. In true Alex Michaelides fashion, this book has twist after twist, making the ending unpredictable. I loved that the majority of the story took place on an island paradise in Greece. There was a little gift for us repeat readers of this author in the epilogue. There were some far fetched parts which brought it from a 4 to a 3.5 for me, but it kept my attention throughout.

A twisty locked door thriller by one of the masters of the genre. A famous actress invites her friends to join her on a private Greek Island for Easter, included in this friend group is the narrator of the tale, Elliot Chase. From page one it is evident that this book isn't going to be like other books with Elliott's spin on the weekend catastrophe. As the story goes on the twists and turns of misdirection leave the reader feeling a little whiplashed but still entertained. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the ebook for an honest review.

Many thanks to Celadon Books for this digital ARC book, "The Fury" by Alex Michaelides. This thriller will be released January 16th, 2024 and readers are going to really enjoy this book.

Happy New Year! This 4/5 star book was my first read of 2024. "The Fury" was a great way to kick off my reading this year, it was a very entertaining read for me. As an avid world traveler, I absolutely loved the dual settings of England and Greece. The book reminds me of an Agatha Christie suspense, or a good old fashioned game of Clue! Dealing with common themes of: love, hate, money, infidelity, deception, betrayal, jealousy, and finally murder. A very good 'who-done-it' where seven adults travel together and one ends up dead.

When American Superstar Lana Farrar invites six of the closest people in her life to her private island in Greece, she envisioned escaping the dismal British weather, in search of fun, sunshine, blue-skies, and beautiful beaches. Well, she may have had a few other ulterior motives too, but we won't get into those here. At any rate, she never imagined things would go so horribly wrong. Were the raging winds known as 'The Fury' partially responsible for the final murderous night among friends? "The Fury was relentless, slashing our faces, hurling sand at us, screaming in our eyes, shoving us off balance every chance it got."

Seven adults on Aura Island, Lana's private island estate, all with their unique reasons to commit mortal sin. Was the murderer the famous American starlet, the second husband of the superstar, the best friend ,the adult son of Lana, the mostly washed-up British theater actress, the Greek island caretaker or Lana's Greek personal assistant/housekeeper? The mystery is finally revealed in the end, layer by layer, by the narrator in a unique and interesting way. The ending was nicely wrapped up with no real explanations left unsaid, which is important for me.

This book will have you questioning how close are your closest friends? Do your friends really tell you the truth, or do they just tell you what they think you want to hear? Are love and hate closer emotions than we like to think? "This is a tale of murder, or maybe that's not quite true. At its heart, its a love story, isn't it? The saddest kind of love, the death of love." (Quote from Elliot Chase in "The Fury" by A. Michealides).

Make sure to find out for yourself how this suspense unfolds. A nice easy, quick read. I really enjoyed it and always look forward to reading more from Alex Michealides. Thank you Celadon Books, and NetGalley for this opportunity to give an honest review of this eARC.

This is now the second Alex Michaelides book I've read (the first was the Maidens), and while I definitely enjoyed this one more, there are still some things that irk me about it.

Firstly, Michaelides takes a particular tone in his writing that I think is best described as arrogant. In this particular case, it does make some sense with the narrative device, but you can't help but feel as if you're reading something that wants to be good and important, rather than something that actually is.

The second thing that irritated me is that while this book is a pseudo-thriller, the author spends an inordinate amount of time reminding the reader that this is 'not like other thrillers'. Repeatedly. And spoiler alert...it is. Again, this almost makes sense with the style of the narration but like...it's still annoying.

The actual plot was interesting and it was a very quick read, but I just can't say that I enjoyed it.

I am 0 for 2 so far this year. 😕

I knew going in I wasn't going to have another The Silent Patient on my hands. The reviews were too mixed already. But I had faith I would at least enjoy it and hoped I would more than the author's previous book, The Maidens. I think story/plot wise it was better for me. We do get a crazy twist at the end.

My main issue with this book was the writing style and the narrator's perspective throughout the story. I didn't care for how this book was written. We have a classic whodunit or has this book calls it a "whydunit" and it is all told from one person, Elliott, and his diary entries. He is the omniscient voice leading the reader along through this closed door murder mystery and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was told from multiple POVs or just written in a traditional sense.

It's not an overly long book, which allowed me to not become too disheartened to finish and for the first half it felt like an okay read. Unfortunately, we get sidetracked in Act 3 and veer off into Elliott's childhood. It makes sense why as we continue, but I started losing what little interest I had at this point. I was just read to push through and finish so I could find out who actually committed the murder. Once we get back to present time and the island, the pacing picks up thankfully and like I said we do get a twisty ending and clever reference to the book we have all come to love by this author. 😉 But all in all, I won't be readily recommending this one sadly.


**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

WOW!!! I loved the unique writing style of this book and found it kept me from wanting to put the book down. The character development was great in this book and the twists kept coming! What a fun and thrilling read. Alex Michaelides never fails to write an amazing book

Addictive. Masterpiece, no. But definitely addictive. I loved the diary sense of this book. Alex Michaelides has a way with his books. I enjoyed the different perspectives which kept the mystery going. Once you thought the author revealed the murderer, nope, you would see a different point of view. The ending is jaw dropping and made we think automatically of the Silent Patient. Highly recommend.

Thank you Net Galley, Alex Michaelides, and Macmillan Publisher/Celadon Books for the ARC read.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC. Wow!!! What a thriller, Alex Michaelides has done it again!!!! As soon as I was approved for this book it went to the top of my list! From the first page I was drawn in and it was impossible to put down.
Told mostly from the perspective of Elliot, the man that is friends with Lana with who is a movie star. It starts out with his explanation that he is about to tell a story about a murder. As the story unfolds you will get some perspective from other characters views. The twists were incredible and I have a book hangover after reading this!
DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!!

This book was so difficult to rate! The first part was fairly slow and a bit of a let down. However, once I was about one third of the way through the book, I was HOOKED. The Fury got so good. There were so many great, unpredictable twists. This book has an unreliable narrator who is somewhat quirky--but his quirks really come together by the end. If you read this one and struggle at the beginning, just know--IT GETS BETTER, and the rambling at the beginning is actually important later on. It all ties together in the best way!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC of The Fury by Alex Michaelides. I enjoyed The Silent Patient so I was psyched to get the eARC of The Fury. This locked room mystery takes place on the Greek isles. Lana, a recluse movie star, invites her BFF, Kate and friend, Elliot to join her and her family for Easter on her private Greek Island. A relaxing getaway turns into a murder mystery. Secrets and lies linger among friends. How far will one go? Obviously murder. But whodunit and why?

Get ready for a wild ride. Written in V acts, like a true Greek tragedy, this story is part murder mystery, part “love” story narrated by Lana’s friend, Elliot. You find out right away that Elliot likes to leave out important details and gives half truths. How reliable of a story teller is he? What you think is happening ends up being totally different. Full of twists and surprises, The Fury does not disappoint. Great character development, great suspense and the ending leaves you thinking, what did I just read?? If you enjoyed The Silent Patient, you will definitely enjoy The Fury. Coming out January 16, 2024.

"Now, I know only this for sure--the first half of life is pure selfishness; the second half, all grief."

“The Fury” by Alex Michaelides is a jaw-dropper! Elliot is our main character who narrates to us a story of seven individuals going to an island, and a murder takes place. Trust me when I say this isn’t like that type of story you think it is.

I want to address many of the three-star ratings: the story trails off into different side stories, and that happened a tad too much, so I would give it a 4.5 (but still round it up to 5 stars for a whole rating). However, this book wants you to be an engaging audience that commands your full attention, and I recommend not reading other books at the same time as you read this one to get the full effect of its beautiful execution.

The Fury is structured as a five-act play, and considering the characters and plot, that was a brilliant choice. I was worried that I was going to hate the characters too much or give up after the narrator went off-topic, but I believe it was intentional and weaved together like a spider’s web.

I could talk about this book for hours. I recommend this book to those who love the theater, revenge seekers, and people who would create a 20-slide presentation on why Tim Curry is one of the greatest actors ever.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC i will say going into the new year this book was definitely on my most hyped titles so getting the ARC i had to dive in and trust me thriller readers this one was GREAT a story of obsession, secrets, betrayal, fame.. an island and a murder mystery think very clue vibes i could not put this down. I really dont want to give much away just because i like when people go into books not really knowing what to expect. Usually im not a big fan of narrators in novels but i LOVED the narration in this novel and how it was split into 5 parts. Lots of twists and turns This is my first novel from this author but i do plan on reading the other novels seeing as they are both on my TBR but OMG this novel was so fast paced very great characters and i enjoyed alot of people loved the plot as well. YALL NEED TO READ THIS ONE.

I also love this cover 🔥

Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient and The Maidens, has done it again. The author’s bio reveals that he worked part-time at a psychiatric center for teenagers in North London while studying therapy at a post-graduate level. He is an auto-buy author for me because he can write ‘crazy’ like no one I know. His characters are fully developed and unforgettable. His writing style, the language and flow of words, is captivating and draws the reader into his story.

My synopsis:

Movie star Lana Farrar is tired of the dreary English weather and wants to escape to her secluded Greek island. With vivid descriptions and prose that calls to be read again and again, the author describes the breathtaking setting and then the forbidding storm that rolls in. It smells of sea salt, revenge, and murder. .Huddled together are the guests/suspects: Lana, her husband Jason, son Leo, friend Kate, and two dedicated staff. Close friend Elliot Chase is the narrator of the story, but is he reliable? Is this a murder mystery, a love story, or both? But you can trust me on this: nothing is as it seems. Let the Fury rage!

THE FURY gets all the stars

Publication date: January 16, 2023.

This book was compulsively readable and I think it would have an excellent read for the beach or a plane ride. The main character was interesting and compelling. Ultimately, however, I am not sure this was the book for me.
The second person narrative which was used throughout the book bothered me. I was reminded of another book that was written in a similar style (I cannot recall the name of it) and the narrative bothered me even more in that book. This was fast paced and not dull by any means; I am just not a fan of it overall, even though I am sure the author used it to establish an unreliable narrator. I would rather see that done via other means, which is harder to do.
Finally, which I was not sure precisely how the ending would come out, I think using a different perspective would have built up more suspense.

Ohhhh okay I see how it is … The Silent Patient has been living rent free in my head for years and was feeling lonely and needed another fantastic thriller to take up residence. Got it. I must say I was a bit disappointed by The Maidens by Alex Michaelides, but my faith is restored because WOW! I could not put this book down!

We have a murder mystery with a very unreliable narrator who is telling us this story in 5 acts, and takes a some literary agency as a playwright to suck us into the storyline and keep a few key points hidden until the time they will make the most impact.

I love this book. Easy 5 stars. I could hardly put it down and will be recommending it just as much as I recommend The Silent Patient.

If you liked Glass Onion, you may enjoy this book (sans detective). I liked The Silent Patient, but didn't get into The Maidens. This one falls somewhere in between.

It is written as a five act Greek tragedy but with a light tone, heavy on the misbehaving-dramatic-wealthy.
Without ruining anything-- our narrator is unreliable, and reminds us often.
They break the fourth wall and seem to know things that would be impossible for them to know.
The story kept my attention with its whacky twists, who is the murderer...but the characters annoyed me.
In the end, a quick, easy read perfect for the plane or beach.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advance copy.

Lana Farrar is an ex-movie star that was all the rage many years ago. Often seen as a recluse, she values her privacy and maintains only a small network of friends. She decides at the last minute to bring her closest friends together for a long weekend at her private Greek island. Our cast of characters includes her husband Jason, son Leo, her best friends Kate and Elliot, her assistant Agathi and the island’s full-time care taker Nico. What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend away is far from what is actually planned.

Our narrator for this adventure is Elliot, her oldest friend. He begins by telling us “there were 7 of us in all trapped on the island”, and “one of us was a murder.” He tells his tale like we are “two old friends, drinking at the bar”. He pledges to present to us “the plain, un-varnished truth – or as near to it as he can get”. This begins an incredible and highly entertaining tale of love, betrayal, and murder. In the end, none of it played out exactly like Elliot described or even as he expected.

The story is laid out like the Knives Out movies where you see a scene and then see the scene again later in the novel from another perspective. The characters were well developed without the sometimes character overload that often happens all at once at the beginning of the story. The storyline comes together nicely without a lot of over-descriptive paragraphs that often lose my attention. This is such an entertaining read, I loved it and couldn’t put it down! This is great start to 2024’s to-be-read pile.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.*

If you are a fan of the unreliable narrator, then this is a great book for you. However, I think that is what I did not like about this book.

For me, the narrator almost seemed too unreliable. I didn't like that the narrator kept backtracking and telling me "Well, that's not true, is it?" It felt overdone to get to the point of a twisty ending.

The author did succeed with a twisty ending because I almost never understood what was happening. When I finally thought I was catching on to what was going on, the narrator would switch it up again.

However, I did really like the idea of the thriller being told through a play. I've never read a thriller like that and it was a fun and different way to be told a story.

The characters in this book aren't very likable, but I don't think they were supposed to be. They were flawed and realistic, and if that was the author's goal, he succeeded in creating very real characters that readers will love to hate.

If you are reading this because you are a fan of The Silent Patient, you might be disappointed because this book is completely different and I am thankful it wasn't a carbon copy of the author's viral book.

Alex Michaelides fans will probably eat this up. It is entertaining enough, but I think it would be better to listen to the audiobook than physically read it. The audiobook narrator did a great job.