What a wild ride! I really like how all of his books so far have had some connecting thread between them. If the mystery itself wasn't enough, that connection makes his books that much more fun!

This book went so many different ways, none of which I saw coming! And the end left me questioning how real any of it was. It was a fantastic ride and I cannot wait to read his next book!

I absolutely loved "The Silent Patient." I tolerated "The Maidens." This one felt so far off from what I've gotten used to by Alex Michaelides that it wasn't the book for me.

"The Fury" is an artistic thriller that relies heavily on an unreliable narrator and is told through shifts in time. The artistic element was so strong, with the majority of characters having their foot in the door of plays and acting ventures. It should have read to me like a Greek drama but instead it fell all over itself and tried too hard to make that point come across.

What worked for me in "The Fury" was the beginning of the narration. I enjoy having an unreliable narrator to an extent but as the story went on, it became more obnoxious. Maybe the choice of having Elliot as the narrator was for a certain meaning, but his character itself rubbed me the wrong way several times. I did also enjoy using the idea of performing a play for the story on the island.

Unfortunately, the rest fell flat for me. Michaelides' style of writing is so well done but this one felt sloppy. Again, because it is told through the narration of a character, that could also be a reason why the writing felt different but the character itself was not interesting or relatable enough to truly get me invested in the book. The story itself was done well but I personally felt something more was going to happen and it just never did. It was a lead-up to a very disappointing conclusion for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC copy in exchange for the honest review!

Michaelides hit a three-pete for me. This was a fantastic read. Set on a private Greek Island nothing is as it seems. With an unreliable narrator, and a murder where everyone has a motive this is a great mystery. And just when you think you have things figured out there is another twist. Brilliantly plotted and written this author is one of my auto buys -

This book takes you on a journey with the elite people of Hollywood. A playrwright, a retired actress, her son, housekeeper and husband, the isolated young groundskeeper and a current actress all converge on the island for some rest or is it more than that?This book reeks of privilege and greed, and what people will do to get what they want. However the narrator states that it's a love story and it is in a way, a dark, twisted one perhaps or is it just obsession?

I have really enjoyed all the books that I've read from this author. This book was very atmospheric and I enjoyed the setting immensely. However, it was a bit all over the place. It was definitely an interesting concept and I liked the unreliable narrator, it just felt somewhat sloppy.

Before I get into my review, there are a couple of things I would like say right away.

1. Suspending my disbelief with a book is something that I don’t struggle with (to an extent), as long as the plot comes together.
2. This is the first Alex Michaelides book that I’ve read so I came into it with zero expectations.
3. Apparently there’s a spoiler at the end for the other books, it didn’t ruin anything for me personally, but I did see that mentioned in other reviews.

This book was a wild ride. Right off the bat, the narrator lets you know that they’re unreliable and that you will need to suspend your sense of disbelief and it’s important to keep that in mind throughout the book. The premise itself is what drew me in. A private Greek island? Retired movie star? Secrets? Murder? Say less. I felt that the book was well-paced and the twists were revealed at just the right time. I don’t read too many thrillers/murder mystery books because I have found that a lot of them have predictable plots or insufferable characters. That was definitely not the case with this book. I did think I knew what was happening at one point, but then another twist I didn’t see coming was revealed. It was a fast and fun read, it was entertaining, it was full of intrigue. Was it the most believable/realistic plot? Absolutely not. But, I never expected it to be. I would recommend it, just don’t go in expecting it to be like the author’s previous works so you can go in with an open mind.

Thank you to @netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I truly enjoyed this book so much! What an amazing book to start the year off with!
I switched back and forth from reading to audio but I enjoyed the audio more. The narrator just added something to the book that I enjoyed!

Wow! I really enjoyed this book!!!
This was a slow burn in the beginning. (Which usually i don’t love but god it worked so good).
I thought it was slow until I got half way through it then the book and then i was hooked. I was super intrigued and fell in love with the story and the character’s.
I thought I had the whole book figured out but I did not see the twists coming at the end, literally love when this happens in a book. I’m a huge fan of this author and will read anything he writes! Looking forward to his next story.

I couldn't even finish this. I was really interested in the beginning but I couldn't stand the break in the 4th wall. It might just be me but I don't like this in books.

This was neither my favorite nor least favorite by Michaelides. I think what he does well here is an unreliable narrator that you’re not sure if you like or not (not unlike my favorite of his, The Silent Patient-which frankly set my bar for the author incredibly high). I think where this book lacks is in pacing and I found one of the main characters a bit insufferable insofar as the fickleness she was portrayed to have-but perhaps that was just a choice I didn’t love. Overall I thought the twist was pulled off decently (I had a feeling the narrator had done a bad deed but not the one he did).

This is not a whodunit.

This is a story of love.

The Fury follows the retelling of a murder, narrated by an erratic character who was close to the victim. Alex Michaelides created a cast of characters fitting for this outlandish tale you won't believe until you reach the end. From page one, you are guessing who murdered whom. Everyone has a motive. Everyone has a secret.

In true Michaelides fashion, the reader is kept guessing and mentally maneuvering plot twists and turns. And again you will find how he weaves in characters from his prior works. Truly, another suspenseful masterpiece.


Thank you to Caledon Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. It was a pleasure to read and review another thrilling masterpiece from Michael Michaelides.

Alex Michaelides has the trippiest, twistiest writing. Once again I don’t know how I feel or what just happened after finishing one of his books. I’m just over here like 🤯

This book is a murder mystery set on an island. But not the fun whodunnit kind, more like the kind that dives into the inner workings of the characters minds and lives and uncovers their twisted pasts little by little. The plot jumps between the current happenings on the island and the characters’ lives on different parts of the timeline. It does still have a murder that you need to figure out, but as Elliot, the narrator, takes us through the story, the characters’ lives outside of the island gain a big part of the focus. It’s hard to describe the plot, but that’s the best I’ve got.

This is not a traditional thriller, and it’s mostly slowly paced, but it’s definitely not a mild story, especially as it progresses. There are triggers of alcoholism, cheating, stalking, bullying, mental illness, and child abuse.

Overall, this was a very well-written book, with plot twists that you don’t expect, and even a vibe twist if that’s a thing. I recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of a slow psychological thriller, especially fans of The Silent Patient. It’s a completely different book, but there is a connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The drama!! I’m not just talking about the plot, but the characters too. This book is truly unique starting from the first character interaction, who is also the narrator. It felt like the beginning of Aladdin in which the narrator is trying to bring you into the story almost conversationally. Making you an ally or a conspirator to the madness he’s about to drop on you. What could possibly go wrong when a reclusive but very famous movie star and her friends go to a private Greek Island on holiday?! Turns out quite a bit!
I could not put the book down mainly because I wanted to get to the excitement. It took quite a bit to get there (at least 2/3 of the way through the book). Given such a slow start, the end was twisted, fast paced, and shocking. I loved it and my jaw was on the floor by the end! I don’t know how I can simultaneously like and admonish a character so much all at the same time.
I liked reading the book in ‘Acts’ seeing as our narrator is a playwright. The characters were vibrant and the setting was mysterious and beautiful. I really enjoyed this story! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was so excited to pick this book up because of how much I enjoyed The Silent Patient by this author. There are some similarities between TSP and this book, namely: the unreliable narrator & the multiple plot twists. Much like TSP, I saw some of the plot twists coming but not all of them.

The Fury is told from the POV of our unreliable narrator, Elliot Chase, as he is recounting the story of how Lana Farrars was murdered. I understand that it was intentional, but not a single character in this book is likeable (likely because we are looking through Elliot’s lense) and while that typically doesn’t bother me, these characters were a bit grating to me at times.

This timeline jumping murder mystery is probably the slowest ‘thriller’ I have ever read. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you, future reader, should know this is not an action packed book.

All in all, I’d land on a 3.5 stars, but since that isn’t an option on NetGalley/Goodreads I will round up to 4.

“𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅’𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆,
𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔”
𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑨𝑴 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑬

I bet you have been seeing this book everywhere lately, it is one of the most anticipated 2024 releases and oh boy, it lives up to expectations.

If you are looking for an average fast-paced whodunnit thriller, keep looking because this is not it. If you are anticipating the return of “Silent Patient”, you are bound to be disappointed. This book is a masterfully written, clever tale of love and maybe murder. What makes it unique is the way the story is told. We have a narrator with strong personality that walks us through the plot from his POV and he might just become the most hated book character of 2024. This book is different from other Alex Michaelides’s books but it carries along his signature style and I would still recognize this prose and setting among other copy and paste thrillers.

Despite the fact that I found myself disengaged at times when the story kept going back and forth between the past and the present, the ending was rewarding enough to add this to my pile of worthy thrillers. Not many authors are brave enough to step away from standard thriller/mystery book formula and I sure appreciate the ones that do.

Is it a murder mystery or love story? You decide.

Lana Farrar, a famous ex-movie star, finds her Greek island trip with her friends uprooted by a recent murder. With an added twist, she isn’t the narrator.

I haven’t read The Silent Patient, but I read so many good reviews, I just had to get this author’s ARC. It is unfortunate that this book was a bit of a miss for me. The narrative is slow, and the meta commentary made my reading experience unenjoyable. It’s just not my taste. The mystery itself is solid, but I would have enjoyed it more if it was written differently. Thankfully, I will still give The Silent Patient a try. Take my review with a grain of salt, it’s purely personal preference.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC.

In The Fury by Alex Michaelides, I found the plot to be intriguing, but the execution lacked depth. The characters felt one-dimensional, making it difficult to connect with their struggles. The pacing was inconsistent, leading to moments of confusion. Additionally, the resolution felt rushed and left loose ends, leaving me unsatisfied. While the premise had potential, the overall experience fell short of my expectations, resulting in a two-star rating.

thank you to @celadonbooks for the gifted arc of @alex.michaelides’s latest!

lana farrar needs a vacation. desperately. enter her best friends, elliot & kate, ready at stage left to join her & her family on their island in the aegean. all’s well… until someone dies.

as most thrillers do, this story starts with death. where it diverges is the way that it all unravels. told from elliot’s perspective, the story is told quickly but it’s contextualized slowly & steadily. told in layers, this story leaves the readers constantly questioning who did it & why. the twists have twists & i was left wondering almost until the very end. i enjoyed the unique narration style & appreciated the callbacks to michaelides’s previous work. if you’re on the fence, i recommend giving it a shot!

and if this review left you wondering what the vibes are/if it’s worth the read, here are some photos from my trip to mykonos in 2017. greece remains one of my favorite places i’ve ever traveled to 🥰

the fury is out now!!

**4.5-stars**

The Fury, the latest from Alex Michaelides, is a unique and unsettling Tragedy from which I couldn't look away. This kept my head spinning all the way through. We love that!

I've thoroughly enjoyed this author's previous novels, so had been highly anticipating this. I started to see some early reviews though that made question if I would like it. Luckily, I found this to be engaging and intriguing from the very start. Our narrator, Elliot, addresses the fact that he is our narrator. It's like we are sitting with him, having some drinks, and he is telling us a story from his life.

I absolutely adore that kind of narrative. It always makes me feel like I am actually a part of the action, or more fittingly in this case, of the friend group.

Elliott relates to us the details of an ill-fated trip he took with his best friend, Lana, a retired movie star, her husband, Jason, their mutual friend, Kate, also an actress, Lana's son Leo, an aspiring actor, and Lana's assistant, to a remote Greek island for a weekend getaway.

We know what starts out as a beautiful holiday, ends up to be anything but. The group gets trapped on the island due to high winds. Emotions and tensions are running high. The claustrophobic nature of their excursion becomes palpable. This strain could be blamed for the violence and death that ultimately occurs, couldn't it? Or is something much deeper lurking under the surface that leads to the bloody and chaotic conclusion?

Y'all, I was absolutely swept up into this story. I know that some Reviewers have mentioned that it was slow for them, but I didn't have the same experience with it. I had the audiobook and listened to the first 70% just while adulting, doing my cleaning and other errands, one Saturday.

I was obsessed with learning all I could about the characters and couldn't help but continuing on. The narrative structure is out of the ordinary, but I loved how it was done. Michaelides kept me guessing. It also should be noted that I am a huge fan of unreliable narrators and Elliott fits that moniker to a tee.

I wouldn't say this is a simple story to read, and I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. I can also see how some may find it slow. There is quite a bit of develop in the beginning, building out our group and their relationships.However, for those who enjoy some mental gymnastics, mixed with great character work, an unreliable narrator and tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, this is sure to be a success.

If any of these descriptors are buzzwords for you, give it a go. You may like it, you may not, but either way, it's sure to be a memorable experience.

A few other aspects of this book that worked for my tastes were the remote location, particularly the fact that it is set on an island, I live on an island, so tend to love to see that, the cast of unlikable characters and the teeny bit of character crossover from The Maidens and The Silent Patient. No, you don't need to read either of those novels prior to reading this, but for those who have, those little name drops can be a lot of fun.

While this doesn't have the same level of mystery as The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it did sort of remind me of that in some ways. I think the vibe of mild confusion mixed with enjoyment is quite similar. If you enjoyed that one, you may enjoy this as well. Overall, I think this is just so fun. It's clever and engaging and yes, also a tad confusing at times. I'd definitely read it again, maybe try and pick up some subtleties I might have missed this time around.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a great reading experience for me and I'm happy to have a copy on my shelves.
I can't wait to see what Michaelides comes up with next!!

Alex Michaelides does it again. A remarkable mystery of human relationships and tragedy. Rightfully one of the most anticipated books of the year, Michaelides does not disappoint.

An unreliable narrator sidles up to you at a bar and wants to tell you a story. He conveys his character's shortcomings throughout that story, which has movie stars, a beautiful Greek island, lots of drugs and booze, jealousy, and *murder*. Oh yeah and it's by Alex Michaelides, the wizard behind The Silent Patient. Yes please and thank you.

The story zigs and zags, loops forward and back and forward again. It's dishy, it's salacious, it's gossipy. Elliot (our narrator) is debauched. He's a playwright, and it's unclear how successful or well known he is. He does get himself invited to the island getaway. The island setting is over the top - isolated, luxurious, well-appointed, desolate. It was fun to be on the island with Elliot and the rest of the cast: Lana the movie star siren, her husband, her son, Kate her frenemy the stage actress, and Agathi and Nikos, the locals who become part of the small circle.

The Fury kept me guessing, and delivered. I like being in this eerie and strange universe that Michaelides has created.

My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC. The Fury is available now!