I liked this book, but didn’t love it. Surely I think that it was better than the Maidens, (I loved the maidens with exception of the ending) and I appreciated the tie in of characters from his other two books, but it didn’t quite reach my interest like The Silent Patient did.

I am a fan of Alex Michaelides work because at the core, his writing is so well thought out and psychologically complex. If there is anything to doubt about this one, it surely isn’t the psychological development of the characters, but more the pace.

The characters had so much planning going on, right when I thought I knew what was happening or who did it, I was proved wrong. I enjoyed this quick read, but I felt that overall, the background and time-jumping did a little bit too much past serving its purpose to the story. I was really interested in the happenings on the island and wished it had a bit more of that.

This is a fun thriller set in London and a mysterious island off the coast of Greece. It follows several characters, Lana the retired Hollywood A lister, Kate the envious and messy actor, and Ethan the rags to riches friend.
I found the narration of this book to be light and interesting almost like a friend telling you a story they overheard. The plot is quick paced with lots of twists and points of engagement with short chapters to make it easy to say “one more chapter”. I really enjoyed this read, it is a perfect pallet cleanser between larger books. I would also recommend to people who are looking to get back into reading.
4/5

Wow. Is the first word that comes to mind. I stayed up most of the night reading this. Alex Michaelides does not disappoint in his latest thriller/mystery.

I was fascinated at the unique approach he took in writing this. He tells the story as a conversation with you, the reader, as you are sitting in a bar having some drinks and listening to his tale.

This story brings a unique blend of Greek tragedy, writing tips, and Agatha Christie references to create a “whirlwind” (pun intended) of a whodunnit murder mystery on a beautiful Greek island where a group of friends, each with their own unique and complex stories - explore topics of love, betrayal, friendship, trauma, and soon learn there is a sociopath among them.

As a social worker - I also want to mention how trauma and healing our inner child is delicately woven in throughout this novel.

I write this review as a reader of all Alex Michaelides's books. I thank him for his creativity and work ethic, as I say thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the chance to read an early copy and offer my thoughts.

This was a wonderfully entertaining book in the same tradition as his previous two books; The Silent Patient, which I loved, so gasp-worthy and The Maidens, of the same ilk, but clearly its own story. The Fury, certainly on par with the other two is the story of a retired actress - Lana and her band of "hangers-on". Her money-hungry husband Jason, her son Leo and her "friends" Kate and Elliott. Elliott, who is the first-person narrator of the story, is a most duplicitous narrator I've read in some time. He states from the beginning that this is Lana's story, not his, but continues to insert himself and his thoughts throughout the book. The others, save Leo, have a trunk full of baggage, most of which they blame on their pasts and each other. This blame game is some of the impetus behind the book, but clearly there's a lot going on, especially when the location moves to a private Greek island for the Easter weekend. The plot thickens, thins and churns as do the winds - The Fury.

Alex Michaelides is a master plotter across the character lines. He kept me guessing throughout this and his other books. I particularly enjoy some of his descriptive passages, so much so that I highlighted many of them - something I almost never do in a piece of fiction. This is destined to be one of my favorite books of 2023. I hope it will be yours too.

ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴘsʏᴄʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ᴀs ɪᴛ sᴇᴇᴍs ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ᴇxᴀᴄᴛʟʏ ᴀs ɪᴛ sᴇᴇᴍs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ sᴏ sʜᴏʀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏɴsᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ sᴀʏɪɴɢ ‘ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ’. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪʀᴅ ᴡᴀʟʟ ɪs ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴏᴄᴄᴀsɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴀᴅᴅʀᴇssᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴄᴛs. ᴀʟsᴏ, ʜᴇ ᴛᴇʟʟs ᴜs ᴜᴘғʀᴏɴᴛ ʜᴇ ɪs ᴜɴʀᴇʟɪᴀʙʟᴇ, sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴsᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ sᴛɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ғᴀᴄᴛ ᴏʀ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ғᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ sᴏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏʀᴇ. sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀᴅᴅʀᴇssᴇᴅ ʀᴇɢᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴘsʏᴄʜᴇ- ғʀᴏᴍ ɢʀᴇᴇᴅ, ʟᴜsᴛ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ, ʟᴏɴᴇʟɪɴᴇss, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟʏɪɴɢ. ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪғɪᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ ᴏᴢ - ᴛʜɪs ʜᴀᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇʙᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʟᴏɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ! ᴍʏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ɴᴇɢᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴄᴇʀᴇʙʀᴀʟ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴍᴇ. ᴛʜɪs ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴇ-ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ɪs. ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ sᴇᴇᴍs ʟɪᴋᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴇ’ᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ. ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴛʀᴀɢᴇᴅʏ. ᴀ ‘ᴡʜʏᴅᴜɴɪᴛ’. ᴀ ʟᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ. ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇs- ɪᴛ ᴇᴍʙᴏᴅɪᴇs ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ʀᴇʟʏ sᴏʟᴇʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ ғᴀsᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ. ɪ ᴘʀᴀʏ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇs ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴄᴏʀᴘᴏʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴇᴀsᴛᴇʀ ᴇɢɢs ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜs ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs ɪɴ ʜɪs ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀs ʜᴇ ʜᴀs ᴅᴏɴᴇ , ʏᴇᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ. ᴀʟᴇx’s ᴘsʏᴄʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴsɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴍɪɴᴅ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʜɪs ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs sᴏ sᴜᴄᴄᴇssғᴜʟ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀs ᴍᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴇᴀɢᴇʀʟʏ ᴀᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪs ɴᴇxᴛ. ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ, ᴛʜɪs ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜʀʏ, ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs, ɪs ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴜs.


📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @ᴄᴇʟᴇᴅᴏɴʙᴏᴏᴋs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book before the release date next month. I had my doubts when I first started, but those doubts went away as I continued reading. There is plot twist after plot twist. It literally makes you think, wait…what? What just happened? I must admit I figured out who the murderer was about halfway through, but it didn’t matter because I doubted myself a few times throughout. This is a very sad story that shows you that you shouldn’t change yourself and your identity to fit in where you don’t belong. It’s never going to end well. I definitely recommend this book.

This is definitely my favorite book from Alex Michaelides. I loved The Silent Patient and The Maidens but I will be thinking of this book for a while. I loved the way he told the story. It is told in five acts and each act keeps adding more layers to the story. There were twists along the way and I read the ending at least three times . It was so good.
Publication date is January 16, 2024





Many thanks to Netgalley and Celedon for a copy of the digital arc.

It’s a quick read and I enjoyed parts of it, but it felt too contrived. The unreliable narrator proves you never really know what’s going on by giving you a story and then saying he made it up. All the characters are awful people and I didn’t care who died.

4.5 stars for The Fury! I am a fan of Alex Michaelides. I loved The Silent Patient and I enjoyed The Maidens. I would rank The Fury as better than The Maidens.

The premise of The Fury is 7 people together on a Greek island and we know a murder is going to occur. The main characters are:
-Lana, a retired movie star
-Jason, Lana's husband
-Leo, Lana's son from her first marriage
-Kate, Lana's friend and actress
-Elliot, the narrator, a friend of Lana's, and a playwright
-Nikos, the caretaker of the island
-Agathi, Lana's cook/assistant

I really enjoyed the unique way in which the story was told. We know that there is going to be a murder, but we don't know who or why. The narrator, Elliot Chase, talks directly to you throughout the book telling you his version of the events that led to the trip to the Greek island and his version of what unfolded. We have a non-linear timeline as Elliot goes back and forth leading up to the murder. This made it a very captivating read!

This book has short chapters and it is a quick read that will keep you guessing! Everyone has their own secrets and motivations. Michaelides does a wonderful job creating and developing the characters. I also appreciated the Marianna cameos! She appears to tie all of Michaelides' books together so far! I always love books that throw in references to the queen of mystery, Agatha Christie too!

Read this if you like:
-an unreliable and unlikeable narrator
-short chapters
-unconventional and unique story telling
-non-linear timeline
-quick read
-making up scenarios in your head

My one and only complaint is that Elliot can be tedious at times. I know that's part of his character, but some readers may not enjoy his long-winded thoughts.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this eARC!

The Fury is my number 1 most anticipated book of 2024, and it did not disappoint. From the first line to the very last, I was completely emersed in the story. The way the story is woven together so intricately and with such precision just blew me away.
The subtle nods to The Silent Patient are just the cherry on top of this delicious masterpiece.
Thank you Celadon for the Advanced Copy. I will forever be your number one fan.

I mostly enjoyed reading The Fury. I certainly liked it more than Alex Michaelides last book. I guess I really just didn’t need a book where the book that I’m reading is the book the character is writing? I was interested though and wanted to know what happened in the end.

This story is told in an odd way, but for some reason I really enjoyed it. Elliot is our narrator, and he addresses the reader (i.e. the audience) as he narrates his play. As the book goes on, obviously some of the parts of the play are made up since Elliot couldn't possibly actually be there to hear what was being said or what each character was actually doing. It's Elliot's account of what he believes happened in his 'true story' of a murder that took place. I like that it has just a few characters and it's a locked room mystery with the majority of the scenes taking place on a secluded island... so it definitely has some Agatha Christie vibes IMO.

Overall, I found it fun and different. I'm sure some people will be really turned off by this narration style and the unreliable narrator, but if you can get into it, it is highly entertaining.

Alex Michaelides has yet to write a book that didn't have me hooked, The Fury was no exception.
The narrator is telling a tale of murder, love, and friendship. He is an aspiring play write who explains the process of writing and the key elements needed to write a play that resonates with people. Elliot Chase will tell the story as it happened. Secluded on a private island, the murderer has to be one of them and there's no escape. Lana Farrar, famous actress and owner of the island, invited her friends Elliot and Kate out to island with her husband and son. Secrets will soon begin to unfold, and they will not be forgiven easily.

Love all of his books! So thankful for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

I think in my brain, I definitely held this high in expectations because of his other two books and I mistakenly didn't remove that before I read this. I really did enjoy this and it captivated me! I would give it a 3.5/4 stars - I would definitely recommend it but also say to definitely not compare!

*Cryptic for a reason - not out yet!*

A famous actress invites her friends to her private Greek island, someone winds up dead, but the nature of how it all happened is far more complex than meets the eye. Told by a super tongue in cheek, unlikable narrator, this story unfolds again and again, constantly keeping you guessing what’s true and who you can trust. Great example of why sometimes nothing beats a fun, extremely bingeable thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the arc of Alex Michaelides’ most anticipated book of 2024!

An entertaining read by one of my favorite authors! There is deception, drama, obsession, secrets; everything to make a gripping thriller. This book is a slow burn working its way to the grand finale. You won’t know what is true and what isn’t until the end thanks to the unreliable narrator.

I enjoyed the twists, some were shocking and some I predicted. I felt like I was constantly being tricked though and I came away frustrated with that for some reason. The end brought me back to loving the book. After I put it down I had that “what just happened???” moment.

Overall, another good thriller from Michaelides! Def recommend if you are a lover of Greek tragedies and theatrics.

First of all, as always, thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This tale is a not only a thriller but a bit of a love story and friendship with tons of twists along the way. However I will say it did get off to a bit of a slow start, but picked up towards the middle. Loved that it was divided into different Acts, and timelines flipped about keeping you on your toes, but not completely lost.

4/5 ⭐️

Like so many others, I LOVED "The Silent Patient." I was pretty indifferent to "The Maidens." And now I can say I hated "The Fury." I was seeing so many great advanced reader reviews for Michaelides latest release I decided I would give this one a try and was hoping for the second coming of "The Silent Patient." It wasn't. I struggled through this book, only finishing it because I received an ARC and didn't want to let it go unread. The entire story was extremely slow moving, constantly promising a huge reveal, you won't believe what happens! When said "twist" comes along over halfway through the book I was so indifferent and did not care at all. The characters were all very unlikeable and underdeveloped, I truly didn't care what happened to any of them. What I did like is a pretty short list....I loved the cover, I was appreciative of the short chapters, and I enjoyed the little easter egg call backs to his previous works. However, if you haven't read his previous novels, I would skip the epilogue as it could potentially ruin a huge twist for you in a previous book.

Seven people stranded on an island and someone is murdered, everyone is a suspect. I liked the way the chapters were Acts, like it was written as a play. You can't really believe that what you are reading is true and it makes you want to get to the end that much more.

The plot has glamour, love, betrayal, friendship, heartache and of course, murder. Everything I want in a novel.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was a slow burn but it flowed perfectly and evey time a chapter ended I couldn't stop reading. Just when I thought I figured out what was happening, the plot takes a turn and I am second guessing everything.

I think I was expecting something more angry and shocking in the end, title being The Fury. It did end with no questions and tied up the plot nicely. The writing was great and I would read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.

I tandem read this ebook with the audiobook and it was a great experience. I’ll certainly be recommending this to audio lovers.

I really enjoyed The Fury! Quite different from The Silent Patient but I did still feel the Michaelides’ distinct voice. The book is constructed in a theatrical manner and divided into ‘acts.’ This was especially fitting with the movie star protagonist, Lana, and the isolated Greek island setting that helps this modern greek tragedy. This was a very slow burn mystery thriller that was high on the secrets but low on the thrills. Go into this expecting more of a character study than a typical thriller. I enjoyed how everything unfolded with the timely reveals and the last 100 or so pages was especially fun.

The Fury very much reminded me of If We Were Villains, sans dark academia, due to the nature of the writing and inner dialogue of Elliot. Very fun read! It’s a shame this comes out in January because it’s the perfect beach read. Highly recommend if you enjoy theatrical characters, slow burn mysteries, and beachy settings.