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"This is a tale of murder."

A murder is just the beginning of this novel. There is so much more to it.

Lana is a retired movie star who is feeling anxious. She decides to go to Greece with her husband, son and friends to hopefully get some sunshine and relax. It's almost Easter and the weather is crappy. She thinks some sunshine will do her good.

Kate is her best friend and also actress currently starring in a play but struggling lately. She's ready to get away too.

Elliot is the narrator of this story, and he was invited to the island too. He's a playwright who got his fame from writing a popular play about his miserable life with author Barbara West. Kate doesn't like Elliot because he's close to Lana who is best friends with Kate. There is a lot of emotions involved with all of the characters on the island, including jealousy, rage, obsession, and even love. Leading up to the murder we discover that not everything is as it seems.

I found the way this story was written pretty interesting. It was written like a play with five acts, each with its own storytelling. It was like meeting someone and they were telling a story to you. Elliot wants to tell you what happens but he's also building it up and trying his hardest not to give anything away too soon.

You could tell from the very beginning that something was off with certain characters and I love the way the story was built up. Plus there were rumors everywhere that the island was haunted and cursed which made for an interesting build up as well. Some may think that this story is moving slowly which perhaps it is but don't worry about it. Keep going and you will find that it is supposed to for the story to make sense. The ending really threw me for a loop.

I love the character developments and how even though Elliot is the narrator, we see different perspectives from other characters as well. Ive read books in the past where there were so many characters that it was hard to keep track of what was going on. However in this story, despite the number of characters and stories from different perspectives, it kept you guessing as to what happened. You know from the beginning that there was a murder but to keep reading and guessing what is going to happen before it happens was very intriguing. It kept me hooked!

I also loved how the weather was closely associated with the level of tension. The writing is very interesting in this one, the style one I haven't really read before. It was new and exciting for me as a reader and I found it really interesting. In fact I had a hard time putting this one down! And I always like the style of shorter chapters which is how this story was written. It was an excellent story overall!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Celadon Books for my Advanced Reader Copy of The Fury in exchange for my honest review! I really enjoyed it!

Check this book out when it is released on January 16, 2024!

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Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so addicting. It has short chapters so it’s easy to tell yourself, just one more and then before you know it you’ve read the whole thing.

This was a locked door type mystery but set on a Greek island. A group of friends goes for a weekend get away and ends in murder. This was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing the whole time.

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I was excited when i saw that Alex Michaelides was coming out with a new book. I absolutely loved the Silent Patient but was disappointed in The Maidens. However I thoroughly enjoyed this third book of his. Immediately I hated the narrator and knew I couldn’t trust him, Which was a good sign in a book for me. I did think parts of the book were predictable but overall enjoyed this book thoroughly!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I absolutely loved The Silent Patient, and was excited to read the free ARC of The Fury in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting into this one. While I appreciate the free ARC, this was just not for me. 3 stars.

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I am not much of a mystery/thriller reader, in fact, I mostly read romance and cozy fantasy, but this was a really fun "out of my comfort zone" read!

I was familiar with the author because of The Silent Patient, but I did not know I was getting into a Glass Onion - esque mystery set on a Greek Island. There were constant twist and turns and surprises, and I really love to read books with an unreliable narrator.

I will say, there are two negatives for me - I like a mystery where if you're paying enough attention, you can guess the twist, but I don't think that's possible here. Additionally, some of the characters felt a little flat, however, that could be purposeful because of the way the narrator views them himself.

I definitely imagine a TON of bookclubs picking this up in 2024, and I think they'll really enjoy it! Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for giving me an ARC of The Fury!

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In Alex Michaelides' latest novel, The Fury, a masterfully paced thriller unfolds on a private Greek island, where reclusive ex–movie star Lana Farrar's Easter retreat with famous friends takes a dark turn. Narrated by the enigmatic Elliot Chase, the story transcends genres, seamlessly blending Greek tragedy, love, mystery, and intellectual stimulation. The murder that occurs amidst the island's harsh weather conditions leaves the friends marooned, realizing the killer must be among them. Michaelides skillfully transitions between genres, from complex melodrama to psychological mystery, culminating in a heart-stopping thriller. Elliot's unreliable narration adds intrigue, and the Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery, rich in twists, unfolds against an atmospheric Greek backdrop. The Fury is a satisfying and compelling read, showcasing Michaelides' storytelling prowess and ability to deliver a multifaceted narrative that captivates readers from start to finish.

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Thank you NetGalley and celadon books for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the silent patient but this book I struggled with. The plot was slow and I think there was a lot of potential but this didn’t meet it for me.

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Greek gothic, with the wind/ weather being so personified, blowing an ominous tone through the course of the story and lending its nickname the title itself.

I saw previous mention this to be a slow burn but I tore through it. The unique unreliable narration, now what I consider to be a hallmark of Michaelides writing, drove the story as well as the suspense did. I found it to unpredictable and uniquely crafted, another 5 star from one of my favorites!

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Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This one was just mediocre to me I really disliked the way the story was told from someone else’s point of view. I disliked the way they skipped around and got ahead of themselves when telling the story just to go back and correct themselves. Seems like a lot of unnecessary words just for the sake of filling up space. Altogether I just didn’t enjoy this one.

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Thank you NetGalley and Celadon books for an ARC. I was so excited for this book because silent patient was such a good thriller and his second book was just meh so I thought this would be his redemption. After finishing this, I’m disappointed.

The main character, Elliot, is an extremely unreliable narrator and seems like he has so much beneath the surface but it’s barely revealed and just feels like there’s so much character building missing. All the other characters could have used some more character building, as well. I didn’t feel connected to any of them when reading.

The tone of the story is as if Elliot is talking to the reader and it is great, but the excitement and twists are missing. I finished this book feeling disappointed. There is also a spoiler for silent patient so I hope no one reads this first and ruins an amazing thriller for themselves.

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What to expect:
-unreliable narrator
-jumping timelines
-drama/play references
-chaotic friend group

This book was a wild ride. I love both of Michaelides’s other novels, and it’s safe to say I love this one too. It felt like a fresh take on the classic “murder mystery” with an unreliable narrator taking you through various twists and turns. I really enjoyed the narrator breaking the fourth wall and talking to the reader and that it was broken into different “acts.”

I didn’t care for the characters in the story as much as his other books, and the beginning felt a little bit slow, but I attribute a lot of that to introductions and setting up the story. The second half of the book was very quick and chaotic, and I found myself very invested, mostly due to the well-executed set up in the first half.

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This book was suspense perfection. It will surely be a huge hit! Very dark and twisty. It kept me guessing. I loved the narrator. I particularly love character driven books. This story was a perfect mix of plot and character. I’ve had another book by this author on my shelf and will be reading it soon thanks to this book. Thank you NetGalley and celadon books for letting me read this book early!

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Alex Michaelides' books seem to generate strong opinions. I have not read The Silent Patient and liked The Maidens. I like The Fury as well.

We hear the story from one narrator and, as expected, things may not all be as they seem. You're not going to find many characters to root for here. I enjoyed the non-linear timeline as a way to reveal the plot twists, although there was probably one too many twists for me. The stucture of the book kept things moving, even without too much plot to drive it forward. I was interested the whole way through.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for a free copy of #TheFury by Alex Michaelides. All opinions are my own.

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I was kind of disappointed by this one. I loved The Silent Patient (the epilogue of this one gives away The Silent Patient so if you’ve haven’t read that, beware) a few years ago, thought The Maidens was good, but not as good as TSP, and then came this one. It was all over the place - the narration was so slow in the first half but then when the ending came everything seemed to happened all at once. I also didn’t like the kind of yo-yo storytelling or the extremely unreliable narrator. I usually don’t mind an unreliable narrator, but this one just made things confusing. Characters weren’t really likable and the twist was absurd. I was disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC!

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Frenemies, lovers, and friends all on a private Greek island lends itself to a Greek tragedy (the story is even broken up into 5 Acts). All told by one unreliable narrator, there are twists and murders and the story keeps the reader on his/her toes (although some twists are a bit predictable). The story is about a famous retired actress, Lana, her best friends Elliot and Kate, and her husband Jason who has betrayed Lana by sleeping with Kate. All the players (including a few others) have been brought to her private Greek island for a weekend of revenge.

I was so excited to read this one (my daughter and I had been discussing how much we wanted to read it), the Silent Patient is the easiest recommendation to make when people ask for a great book. This one drew me in immediately, I even put down the other book I was reading because I needed to keep going on this one; but I felt let down in the end. I just felt it didn’t deliver the twists I was hoping for. It was entertaining but not the thriller I expected.

I switched between audio and the actual book (actually between the physical and ebook - I went to all three on this one when my kindle died) and the audio was totally engaging and I actually could have done this 100% on audio. But I was hoping for the “wow” twist at the end and it was just a regular one. I will absolutely and excitedly read his next one - I enjoyed the read entirely, I think the Silent Patient just blew me away and I want to be blown away again.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC to review

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I enjoyed this book. I liked it more than the maidens and a little less than the silent patient. The twists are a bit predictable if you read a lot of thrillers but overall it’s a fun read

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Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of “The Fury” in exchange for a review.

If you’re into a solid story with an unreliable narrator, this is for you! I know I’m not alone in saying that The Maidens is as a disappointing follow up to the stellar Silent Patient. While I maintain that you can’t beat Silent Patient, this book was much better than The Maidens! The book was engaging and I flew through it.

Again, it’s got a stellar unreliable narrator as well as good twists. I’d give a solid 3.75 ⭐️

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Michaelides is back with The Fury! The Maidens was a bit of a comedown after a tremendous debut with The Silent Patient! The Fury is back to form and a great thriller. The chapters are snappy and short which make it easy to keep going throughout the 5 acts! I enjoyed the format and twists!

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The Fury starts off with a slow burn but in the second half destroys everything you think you know ow with some well timed twists and secret revelations. All is not what it seems in this creatively written story of love, betrayal, and murder. I listened to the audiobook and also at times switched to reading the book. I enjoyed the narrator, I was easily able to connect the main character with his voice.

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Follow, if you will, a story about Elliot Chase. Our fearless narrator and writer of our story has something he wants us all to hear.

Playwright Elliot Chase is the unreliable narrator of this story, painting for us a tale about a group of friends trapped on a private Greek island dury a Fury.

The story is broken up into acts, making it reminiscent of a play. Fitting for Elliott, as well as for his friends, two of which are also stars in their own right. The biggest of these stars is his best friend, Lana Farrar. What happens on the island is a story to surely have you guessing until the very last page.

For me, this was a very slow burn. It took me a long time to get into. Each act essentially takes you backward in time to see more of the story and everything that takes place as the narrative unfolds, which can, at times, be confusing. The last 20% of the book moves much more quickly in pace and was interesting in how it brought each narrative and character's motivation into the ending. I rounded up from 3.5 stars because despite the slow pace and sometimes meandering narrative, the twists were quite enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and author Alex Michaelides for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Publication date: January 16, 2024

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