I gave this one a lot more time and effort than it deserved but ultimately DNFed it about 170 pages in.

The premise was intriguing: a murder mystery with a wealthy, reclusive movie stars and her cadre of self-serving "friends"? Fans of Agatha Christie, Glass Onion, and murder mysteries rejoice!

However, the narrator (himself one of the island visitors when the murder takes place) keeps dangling the promise of the really exciting stuff just around the corner—for at least 170 pages. It's infuriating. He constantly alludes to the drama of the murder and the mystery swirling around it, then goes on a multi-chapter digression or finds some other way to derail the story. I'm all for a reliable narrator, or an unconventional style, or a twist on a familiar genre, but this was just poorly executed. Don't waste your time.

Some choice lines that lent to my frustration:
• "This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that's not quite true. At heart, it's a love story, isn't it? The saddest kind of love story—about the end of love; the death of love. So I guess I was right the first time."
• "Before I tell you about the murder, I have a question for you. Which comes first—character or fate?"
• "Before I can go any further, before I can reveal who committed the murder—and, more importantly, why—I have a confession of my own to make."
• "There was no boat; no intruder. No one else was on this island. No one, but the six of us. [New chapter begins] Perhaps this is a good place to pause—and take stock, before we proceed."
• "Finally, he deduces that, to everyone's immense surprise, the murderer is . . . Well—that's as far as I can go, for the moment."

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this, since I did actually enjoy this author's other two books, but this really didn't work for me. I was interested in the plot... an actress invites her friends to a "haunted" island and someone ends up murdered, but I really did not like the way it was written. Sometimes I do enjoy the "hello, I'm your narrator and I know everything that happens in this book but I'm going to tell you details along the way" but I don't think this author was the right person to write this particular story for me. I did not enjoy the narrator's voice and none of the characters really stood out to me as anyone. The thing I liked the most was the setting, but I do wish that this "haunted Greek island" was actually haunted or had some sort of supernatural thing about it that made it such a dangerous place to be. This book was less than 300 pages and only 7 hours on audio but it felt like I had sat down to read a 1000 page high fantasy novel with how slowly I moved through it. Normally something like this would only take me a few hours but this book took me DAYS to finish. My favorite thing about this novel was the multiple ties to acting. There was an abandoned ancient theater on this island, which was super super cool, the actress that planned this whole trip, and the fact that the book itself was written in acts like a play. I'm not sure if I'll ever give this author another chance after this unless he writes something that the general public is RAVING over

I have really enjoyed Alex Michaelides previous two books, he has a way of sinking you in the books to see what is going to happen, but this one I’m afraid to say was a slow burn, while I definitely think it paid off in the end it, the way the events played out it was slow and it took me a while to read. That why I gave this 3 stars instead of 4 but I would recommend giving this a read.

Lana Farrar no longer stars in movies, yet she remains a steadfast member of the rich and famous. Recognized everywhere she goes, she finds great joy in escaping to her Greek island with family and friends. A place to rest and recharge, fewer people clamoring for pictures or autographs.

Elliot Chase has had a troubled life. Desperate for love, attention, and acceptance, he finds himself just as infatuated with Lana as everyone else. As such, he is delighted to be included among those close enough to be invited to accompany her to the island.

However, when lies, jealousy, and secrets lead a fun getaway down the path to murder, we see that no one on the island is exactly who they seem.

The Fury is a fun murder mystery. While I personally found all the characters to have a significant ick factor (except Lana’s son - I liked him), that actually kinda added to the fun. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Alex Michaelides, Celadon Books and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I found this book a bit difficult to enjoy. I love a good murder mystery thriller, but at times this seemed like it was satire. I couldn't tell if the author was genuinely trying to write a murder mystery or poking fun at one. I do find the narrator very unlikeable, but I think that was the point. It has some twist and turns and was difficult to follow as the narrator seems to be struggling to decide where to take us. I made it through it without much trouble, but I am aware some people will find this off putting.

I think my overall rating is not necessarily because I love the book, but because it did get such a strong reaction from me. It left a mark and although I believe it was mostly anger I felt in the end it was still a strong emotional response. Will I be reading this again? No. Am I glad I read it? Yes. I feel like this will either be really highly enjoyed by some and hated by others. I personally think I will love to hate this book, but I don't think I will forget it soon either.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.

A twisty, slow burn thriller set on a Greek island. I was entertained throughout. Quick read. The timeline is almost on a repeating cycle where you discover different pieces as the plot evolves.

Not my favorite Michaelides but definitely worth a read.

Note: While not directly related to The Silent Patient or The Maidens, there were ties. One in particular is actually a massive spoiler for The Silent Patient. So if you intend to read both...make sure to read TSP first!!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS!!! I don’t know about you guys but I have been *impatiently* waiting for an Alex Michaelides thriller! From the first page, you won’t want to put this book down.

“This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart is a love story, isn’t it?”

What?! I couldn’t wait to dig in once I read that.

Michaelides is known for writing unconventional thrillers. His books are like nothing you’ve ever read. THE FURY was no different.

This was VERY character and plot driven so there was a bit to keep up with but the story was SO good. It takes place on a Greek island where one of seven friends stranded on a Greek island is murdered. This book unfolds in a five acts like a Greek tragedy while sprinkling in some huge twists throughout the story.

As a narrator you have Elliot Chase and you have no idea if they’re telling the truth. You have to read to find out!

Well done. Mr. Michaelides has done it again, provided a twisty suspense novel. I found The Fury to resemble an Agatha Christie novel. I enjoyed it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an eARC of The Fury in exchange for my honest review!

The Fury may be no The Silent Patient, but it remains a compelling and darkly atmospheric thriller that keeps me onboard the Alex Michaelides train. Now, there are some points where the plot wanders a little too much for my liking, where it dips a bit too deeply into meta territory as the narrator lays out the rules of storytelling and comes across as pretentious. But I still enjoy how slow-burn and moody this becomes as the pieces of the mystery gradually fit together and build up to a third act that pulls us through some good old twists and turns (there's one that does feel over-the-top, but, eh, I'm all right with that). I do want to warn you, though, that the very ending spoils The Silent Patient, so I'd strongly recommend reading The Silent Patient if you haven't yet. That's definitely one thriller you want to dive into without knowing what unfolds.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Fury 3.50 out of 5 stars, which I'll round down to 3 stars on Goodreads. This is my second-favorite Michaelides read so far—between The Silent Patient at #1 and The Maidens at #3. I'll continue to be keen for more of his writing.

I love the unique angles that Michaelides takes with his work. This one was a departure from his normal books, written in first person with an unreliable narrator. While I enjoyed the first person perspective, some of the exposition in this novel dragged on. Knowing that the narrator was meant to be unlikable, I still was looking for some area of redemption for him. While the characters were all pretty insufferable, the plot was interesting and there were plenty of twists that kept my attention.

We're getting there Michaelides. I keep waiting for another Silent Patient level novel from him...fingers crossed for the next one.

I couldn't stand the ending of The Maidens. I literally threw the book. Thankfully the ending of this one was much better. I saw some of it coming, but not all. I enjoyed the storytelling of this novel, but it did drag at times and I would feel myself becoming less invested. Thankfully I stuck with it because the last 50 or so pages were really good...but you are probably going to need to push through to get there if you are an action packed lover. You also need to be able to enjoy a book that doesn't have any likeable characters.

Overall, I give it four stars and recommend picking it up if you enjoyed his other books.

This was very slow, I didn’t connect to the characters, and the writing style was not for me. I really wanted to like it but just didn’t enjoy my time reading it.

This book was a bit chaotic although it grew on me. The story was interesting enough and I appreciated the quick pace. I enjoyed the twists that came with each part of the book and I was curious to see how it all came together.

I think this could've been a solid three star read. But that ENDING. Ugh just left me frustrated. I didn't really care for any of the characters emotionally, but the one who I had the most care for gets that ending? Not cool.

Books like this work best in my opinion when the reader at least feels satisfied the 'right' person got their just desserts. Or we can sympathize with the unreliable narrator. Neither were the case in this story and then it just feels like what was the point.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

It's been a couple days since I finished The Fury and I'm still taking time to appreciate all its depth. Alex Michaelides succeeded in writing a novel that evokes the coziness and character driven plot of Agatha Christie while still creating something new and interesting. Each twist was executed masterfully and there were layers of subplot that wove together perfectly.

If you've read his other novels and weren't so sure if you loved them, give Michaelides another chance. I was blown away by Michaelides first novel The Silent Patient but I found his sophomore mystery The Maidens to be confusing and underwhelming. In spite of that, I gave him another try and I'm happy to say that I loved The Fury.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this ebook.

This has to be one of the slowest thrillers I’ve ever read. I found it to be messy and all over the place. It wasn’t for me.

The Silent Patient started my reading journey during the early oughts of COVID and The Fury got me out of my reading slump. The author does a great job of making the narrator so cheeky and withholding of the presentation of the story. Just like The Silent Patient, you know the narrator knows much more than he’s leading onto.

This book has an interesting premise. It’s about a group of friends who are invited to a friends private island for the weekend. Murder and mayhem begin soon after their arrival. It is told from the point of view from one of the guests who is a playwright. I had trouble following the book due to the many distractions that the narrator had

I had a really hard time getting through this one. I loved The Silent Patient and The Maidens so I was super disappointed that this one didn’t do it for me.

Still processing 😯

It's certainly an unforgettable read. At its core, it's a story of love and betrayal set against the backdrop of a luxurious Greek island getaway. Lana Farrar, a former movie star, hosts her annual gathering for her closest friends, only for their retreat to turn deadly when a murder shakes their circle. Narrated by Elliot Chase, this gripping plot takes readers on a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. Certainly an interesting read though The Silent Patient remains my favorite of Alex Michaelides.

This is my second book by this author. Who in the PSY thriller reader community hadn't read the Silent Patient??

Was I worried this book wouldn't be as good?

Was it as good? Yes and no.

Is it beautifully written? YES, so props there.

Did I figure it out before I was supposed to? Sadly, yep.

All in all, still solid. Still worth reading. 3.8, rounded. Thanks!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.