This third novel from Michaelides, after The Silent Patient and The Maidens, again showcases the author’s narrative skill, placing his characters this time on a lush, isolated Greek island. Unfortunately, the characters and plot didn’t grab me. Rich “Hollywood-types”, infighting, and the flow of the story lacked the mystery and suspense elements I sought in my reading. But maybe others will revel in it.

Hmm, better than The Maidens but not as good as the Silent Patient. The setting of the Greek island was lush and honestly I want to go there. The “twists” because the narrator was purposefully unreliable got kinda of annoying by the third or fourth thing that didn’t actually happen. I wish we had spent more time with Lana and Kate and I think i would have been more invested and their story and friendship. Honestly, by the finale I was just ready to be done with the back and forth of who died and who did it. The book finished and I thought “oh okay.” and put it down and walked away.

I loved the Silent Patient and was really excited to read this one. This one was uniquely told by a character who talks directly to the reader. An odd quirky man played the unreliable narrator. It was interesting and entertaining but didn't quite live up to my expectations. I did love the brief cameo from The Silent Patient.

The Fury was an interesting read that immediately peaked my interest. The writing style was so unique in that the main character was so conversational and convincing that it felt almost as if a friend was telling you a story.

The twists and turns were satisfying and exactly what I would expect from Michaelides. And bonus points for an ending that isn't exactly what you're expecting. At times it felt a little long but ended strong as the pace picked up during the final act of the book.


I'll definitely be recommending this book to all my mystery and suspense-loving friends.

Having read The Silent Patient, I was looking forward to another intriguing book from Alex Michaelides but it was not to be. Do not go into The Fury thinking it’s going to be a similar read because it’s not; it’s very different.
Elliot, the narrator of our story, is a bit smarmy and at times I liked him and other times I felt sorry for him. But I never really felt I got to know him throughout the book.
A group of friends, Elliot included, travel to a private Greek island for a few days of R and R. The only way to get to this island is by boat. Tension runs high after everyone gets settled in, the games begin and of course, they can’t leave. All the while, Elliot is telling the story, letting us know that most of the so-called friends don’t really get along. I didn’t really connect with any of them and began to dislike Elliot and his constant chatter.
For me, this was a disappointing read. Although there was an element of suspense, the story seemed to be disjointed and didn’t flow smoothly. The best part was the final third of the book…some unexpected twists.
I give it *** 1/2 stars.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the eARC and to NetGalley.

After loving Silent Patient, I was really looking forward to this one. It fell a bit flat in character development and formulaic plotting. The format and play structure was unique and enjoyable, but not my favorite thriller

Having loved THE SILENT PATIENT, thought THE MAIDENs was ok, I wanted to read Michaelides new book, THE FURY, to see if it would capture’s my attention like his first book did. I thought it was going to do so until it didn’t.

Elliot Chase, the writer, is the narrator. The setting for most of the book is set on an island. Right from the beginning, it was difficult to figure out which character the reader could believe. Stories keep changing! Lana, an actress decides she is inviting Kate, also an actress who has had an affair with her husband, Jason, their son, Leo, and Elliot to spend Easter on an island that was given to her as a wedding present.

The story just gets to weird for me. It is like Elliot, as the writer, is writing a script of what happened on the island over and over again about the murder that happened. I don’t want to say anything more as it is confusing as to what the reader is supposed to believe. You will need to decide for yourself. My thanks to BookishFirst, NetGalley, and Celadon Books for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

This was a fun twisty thriller. The writing style took just a little bit to get used to but was enjoyable. Just when you think you have it all figured out another twist is thrown at you. The Fury was a solid 4 star read.

What a ride! This twisty thriller seems to be an homage to Agatha Christie and it works! Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC. Alex Michaelides is a talented author. I adored The Silent Patient, felt less passionate for The Maidens and now The Fury unfortunately did not resonate with me despite its beautiful scenery.

This was fine, just like The Silent Patient was fine. It was a little slow-moving, but i didn't think it was horrendously slow.

Slower pacing than I anticipated, but I loved the narrator’s style and the setting. Characters were well developed and easy to follow in this twisty murder mystery

While this was good, just wasn’t great for me.

Being a big Silent Patient fan, was super excited for this one and it just fell a little flat for me.

Elliott Chase, quite a character for sure. Definitely an unreliable narrator and wordy with some flare. Lana was likeable enough but not really relatable. Kate and Jason, insert eye roll. Leo, Lana’s son, would have liked a bigger part from him.


The ending just had me sitting there like what in the actual…..didn’t find it enthralling as some others but more of like what was the point. To each their own.

Not sorry I read it, had me thinking about it some when I wasn’t reading. Probably won’t make my top 10 list though.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon books for advanced electronic reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I've loved his other two books & wasn't surprised I loved this one too. It wasn't like his others, the writing style was a little different but that what makes it awesome. It kept me engaged, on the edge of my seat. He has a way of making his stories atmospheric, the character development was awesome, the twists & turn were a roller coaster.
Thank you for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for sharing this book with me early to read and review. This book wasn’t my favorite but I do love bits of it and know others will too!

This was a fun twisty story with a possibly unreliable narrator, several different timelines, and multiple perspectives. The characters, including our fascinating narrator, are all suspicious with hidden motives. There were plenty of twists and the ending was a shock. I really enjoyed this. While I’m not sure Alex Michaelides will ever top the unparalleled “The Silent Patient”, this one comes pretty close.

Omg! There were so many twists and turns and plot twists. I loved it. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This has got to be one of the slowest thrillers I’ve ever read. There were too many characters at first and I couldn’t tell who was who. They were all so unlikeable. I was really hoping I would like this one but I just couldn’t get into it. I did finish it but I couldn’t tell you what really happened as it was so confusing.

Thank you for the ARC copy.

This book dragged for me. The narrator (writer) was so annoying and the storyline overall was confusing. Unlikable characters and drawn out storyline made me frustrated. Liked the twists at the end.

The Fury is an exquisitely told thriller that I loved watching unfold before me. Because this thriller references Greek tragedies, and is told in the format of a Greek tragedy, it does require some work from the reader. Which means it takes a bit for the story to emerge, but once you understand what is happening you are firmly in the story’s grip and are in for one twisty ride.

The Fury follows our narrator, Elliot Chase, as he tells us the story of a murder that took place on a private Greek island. The island is owned by a withdrawn ex movie star, Lana Farrar, who invites a couple of close friends to join her family to spend Easter there, where several events lead to a murder. And the murder is where the story truly starts and the aftermath is the bulk of the story.

Greek tragedies are told in five parts which Michaelides does here. However, one of the hallmarks of a tragedy is that their is a chorus. And it took me a bit to figure out why there was constant interjections from our narrator, Elliot, but I think these interjections are playing the part of the chorus. Which did take a bit for me to get into it but once I got into the flow of the story I stopped finding it annoying. But the constant interruptions did feel a bit heavy handed at the beginning.

There were 7 characters that were on the island and this book centers around all of them. We had the lusted after movie star, her teenage son, a shady husband, a constantly under the influence actress, two people who work for and are devoted to the movie star, and Elliot. And I chose to not use their names because they are basically just the trope I described them as. Which works well within the confines of this novel due to the framing narrative the story is told with.

I have mentioned more than a few times that I love authors that play around with language and format which Michaelides does perfectly here. As soon as I began reading this story I was captivated by the storytelling and loved the experience of watching this story unravel. I did guess more than a few of the twists but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment at all.

I throughly enjoy Michaelides writing and how he is constantly trying to do something different with his books. He also has the added easter eggs of all his books being set in the same universe which makes it a fun thing for faithful readers of his books. Sadly, based on past precedent, we have at least another two years until we get to read what he comes up with next.