Appreciate the ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. First heads up, do not read the epilogue to this book if you have not read The Silent Patient as there is a major spoiler. I didn't mind the Agatha Christie - esque locked room mystery - there is a reason these work. However, this felt predictable and more importantly, the unreliable narrator format was unbelievably annoying. The story had so much potential and just never really revved up and got going. Shifting timelines can be irritating as well. Nothing really special this time.

I went into this book prepared to be underwhelmed, in that not only have my bookish friends been less than impressed, but I may be the only person on the planet who did not like The Silent Patient. I know. 🤷🤷🤷

"This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that's not quite true. At it's heart, it's a love story, isn't it?"

FML, I'm already confused and I haven't even opened the book. These were my thoughts before starting the latest by Alex Michaelides.

This year I've decided to read more book blurbs, so after reading the blurb my initial thoughts were followed with...oh my gosh, NOT ANOTHER PRIVATE ISLAND MYSTERY WHERE SOMEONE GETS WACKED AND EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT??!?? 😭😭😭😭😭😭 I've read this story 12 times.

So, it may come as a surprise that I really liked this book. It was slow, but it all came around for me in the end. The first third of the book is just introducing the characters. The middle third is the murder and then the final third solves the mystery of whodunit. There were some plots twists that I did not see coming, which I always appreciate.

This was a quick read at 300 pages, with short chapters and I thought the writing flowed really well. It kept me engaged and that is a win for me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the ARC.

Available 1.16.24

I was happy to have the opportunity to read this ARC just before its January 16 release date. I’d read The Maidens and The Silent Patient, and I like the author’s style.
I liked a lot about this novel:
Agatha Christie vibes, set on a remote island where SOMEONE on the island is the murderer.
The setting as character: pivoting between the island, and the theater world of London.
The unreliable narrator: Elliot, a tortured and dysfunctional would-be playwright.
The structure: The narration unfolds in five acts, like a Shakespeare play. Each act adds a new twist to the story, almost like going from a close-up camera to a wide-angle lens, adding layer after layer of detail.
The limited cast of characters: the movie star, Lana; her best friend, stage actress Kate; her son, Leo; her husband, Jason; Lana’s long-time housekeeper, Agathi; the island’s caretaker, Niko–each has a plausible motive for murder. This book kept me guessing until the end!

A masterpiece! Alex cannot write a bad book! I am so excited for all of my friends to read this because it was AMAZING!

The story begins with an introduction from the narrator Elliot Chase, a former actor and play writer who has a story unlike any other that he needs to share.

Lana Farrar, a retired movie star, is feeling tired of the gloomy England weather and is desperate for a change. She decides to invite a few of her closest family and friends (including Elliot) to her private Greek island, Aura to celebrate Easter. The island is known for its dangerous high winds and the group ends up stranded there over night. By the end of the night someone will be dead, and the question won’t be who, but rather why.


I really enjoyed this and flew through it! I loved the setting on the Greek island, it ended up being a great beach read while I was on vacation. I liked this one way more than The Maidens, but not quite as much as The Silent Patient. This will be coming out January 16th and it’s definitely worth the read!

Read if you enjoy:
- short chapters
- murder mysteries
- unreliable narrators
- stories that keep you guessing
- drama and scandals

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I trudged through half of it and then it got a little more intriguing at the halfway point because I wanted to know how it ends, but I thought the ending was unsatisfying and made most of the characters truly truly unnecessary.

We have an unreliable narrator who is one of the characters, part of a group of friends who all travel to a private island, Aura, in Greece. This book is under 300 pages, broken into 5 acts and short chapters so it was quick read. But also, it's quite slow-paced and jumps around timelines a lot. I also did not like a single character. For all I care, they could have been stranded in Aura forever, <spoiler>maybe that's how it should have ended!</spoiler>

Two things I appreciated about it:
1) it does use foreshadowing quite well and the chapters are organized very purposefully into the five different acts
2) the free psychoanalysis/therapy - this Mariana person is quite interesting

Recommended to those who like to read about actors/Hollywood life and like tales told by unreliable narrators.
But if you're looking for a really exciting, thrilling, fast-paced murder mystery - look somewhere else.

I really enjoyed The Silent Patient but not so much The Maidens so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this book, but it turned out to my favorite of his 3 books. The unreliable narrator was unlikable in the best way. He reminded me of Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby. Michaelides brings the Greek island setting to life beautifully. There were many twists and turns, some predictable and others not, and I flew through this even though I wanted it to last much longer, I just couldn’t put it down.

4.5/5 stars!

Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis - Former actress Lana Farrer is one of the most famous people in the world. Each year, around Easter, she invites her friends to her private Greek Island. The friends find themselves trapped over night. One of them is found murdered. Elliot Chase tells us the story of what happened because he was there.

Review: I will be honest up front and say that I was very nervous about this book. I've read both the Silent Patient and Maidens and while I didn't hate either, they're not necessarily books I'm jumping to recommend to my friends. I am so glad that I gave this book a chance. While there were times that I thought it dragged a bit, by the end I understand why it had to and honestly, this is one of the more unique books I've ever read. I'd definitely say that, if like me, you didn't love Michaelides' two other books, this just might be worth giving his writing another shot.

Boy was this a fun read. My first 5 star of the year?! As someone who loves the Theatre and Movies, The writing and the plot, were very theatrical. I felt like I knew this story well, then out of nowhere, a twist, then another, it knew how to keep you on your toes!

We are told from the beginning, that this is a story of love and murder, from a very charismatic narrator. As a group of friends, including a famous movie star, and basically a group of friends who are all obsessed with her, travel to a Greek island for a fun getaway, the story we think we are going to get, doesn’t go according to script. The wind picks up and blows what we think we know, into the sea.

I’ll be honest, I couldn’t put it down. With such short chapters, the narrator knew how to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to turn that page as quick as possible. And that ending?! I don’t want to spoil anything because I hardly knew anything about it before, and I’m happy I kind of went in blind because it took me on a journey!

Thank you Celadon Books, the Author and NetGalley for the gifted ARC for an honest review.

After reading The Silent Patient and seeing this on NetGalley, I knew I had to request the ARC for The Fury.

I love how Alex Michalides’ books keep you on your toes, not really knowing where the story will take you. You think you know what really happens, then you’re surprised at the end with a huge twist.

The Fury was definitely similar to The Silent Patient in that way. I found myself making several different predictions throughout the book that ended up not being right. I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters in this book, but I suppose that was purposeful. The story was intriguing. Breaking up the parts into acts was a tad confusing, but it helped move the story along by adding different aspects of the story in each act. The first act was very slow, so a tad hard to get into, but after the second act, I felt like I couldn’t put the book down, which was really similar to how I felt reading The Silent Patient. Then of course, the twist at the end I did not see coming. And loved the nod to TSP in the last chapter.

I'm giving The Fury 3.5 stars! I think this was an easy read with an entertaining story. If you enjoy mystery, who done it, thriller reads, definitely add this to your TBR!

This is a story of love, secrets, and a murder. Elliott, the narrator, tells the story. But can the reader trust Elliot? Is he a reliable narrator? Or is he only telling the version of the story he wants the reader to know? The story is about movie star Lana Farrar, whom Elliot becomes close to. Elliott shares the
events that happened involving lies, love, and, ultimately, a murder. As the reader follows the story, it unfolds, revealing so many twists and turns your head will spin.
The story unfolds quickly, but the reader only has Elliot’s version. As a reader, I began questioning whether Elliot was telling what occurred or whether it was one of his scripts. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book

I received an ARC via Netgalley for this book set for publication March 2024!
I read Alex Michaelides' other works and really enjoyed them. I wasn't sure that I would still enjoy his style since I've increased my scope of reading a lot more in the past few years. I was pleasantly surprised that he is still a fun, fast-paced, writer that doesn't come off as corny or unoriginal.
This is giving White Lotus meets Only Murders in the Building. I loved the unlikeable narrator the whole way through-- my only slight critique is that the narrator was pretty long winded in his breaking of the fourth wall. Other than that, I chewed through this book quickly and didn't find it corny. The plot twist did bend my brain in all the right ways!

I'm sitting here, trying to process how to write this review. True to the author, it keeps you hooked until the end. Told from an interesting perspective, using a narrator who is also personally involved in the story. I just kept trying to figure out the characters until the very end. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

3.5 ⭐️

Overall I liked this book. It was slow to start for sure but about half way through I was sucked in. There were multiple twists (some I predicted, others I did not). I loved the short chapters and the setting. The character whose point of view the story was told from was untrustworthy and unlikeable. I was a little confused by/ disliked the point of view at times and how the character would go off on tangents or jump around time wise but otherwise found the POV interesting and unique.

THE FURY by Alex Michaelides
Publication: January 16,2024 by Celadon Books
Page Count: 320


Michelides fashions a classical greek tragedy melodrama with elements of a locked-room mystery. The book centers around the almost omniscient but unreliable narration of a central character, Elliot. He is one of many in the sphere of prematurely retired Hollywood starlet, Lara Farrar at the age of forty. She puts out an invitation to her closest confidantes to join her for a “get-away” from the dismal British weather, on her secluded Greek Island … a gift of her first husband,Otto Krantz… noted Hollywood producer. She will be accompanied, reluctantly by her attractive , gun loving husband, Jason Miller and her son Leo, a product of her first marriage. She will be told once on the island, of her son’s desire to be an actor … and desire to apply to acting school, against his mother’s wishes. Another of the active players in this melodrama is Kate … an actress with a failing career, and her best friend … and behind her back, having an affair with Jason. In fits and starts we learn of the narrator’s painful and damaged childhood .. forever affecting his outlook at life and his career path. Elliott intermittently refers to the eventual murder of one of the guest… shrouding the name of the victim and murderer in motive and opportunity. Much is made of the isolation of the island, which is further mystified by the intermittent furious wind … hence one meaning for “The Fury.” Supporting characters are Agathi.. her longtime assistant, cook, and even babysitter, along with the live-in caretaker, Nicola, who sports a long time crush for his employer, Lara.
Michaelides weaves a complex tale with multiple twists and unexpected reveals to enhance and escalate the mystery and suspense. After one of the island’s occupants is murdered, it is obvious that one of them is a killer. Various elements of psychological thriller and romantic tragedy intertwine to lay down the foundation for this cat and mouse mystery. Mixed emotions of friendship, love, and revenge lead to the ultimate resolution. Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

This book was suspenseful, atmospheric, and twisty - aka everything we look for in a bingeable thriller!! similar to his other books, there's lots of Greek mythology (which I’m obsessed with) and even had some details from previous books in it, i absolutely loved Theo's involvement in the epilogue. It was definitely unlike any thriller i've read before and definitely recommend to put on ur tbr

Can I just say how much I loved this book. I am a big fan of Alex Michaelides and was so excited to have the opportunity to review this book. 

This story follows Elliot, an unreliable narrator who is recounting a murder during an island getaway to an isolated Greek island. There are some meta moments where the narrator mentions things that he shouldn't know or breaks the fourth wall with regard to what a murder mystery should be like. I personally really enjoyed this commentary and it was really different from the many thrillers/mysteries that I've read. I always like to gauge a book by how well the twist is pulled off and if I am caught off guard and I did not expect the twist that came and was satisfied with the outcome. 

I also really liked the easter eggs with references to Michaelides' other characters. I would very much recommend that you read at least The Silent Patient first, because it seems that the events in The Fury take place after those in The Silent Patient. It's not necessary to understand The Fury, but might be potentially spoiling to The Silent Patient otherwise. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books!

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous...or one rich and famous and the circle around her who wants to be. Elliot (the most unreliable narrator of all time) weaves a story of how one fateful night on a Greek isle turned deadly. It wasn't just the Fury, the wild wind of that part of the world, that is causing trouble to this cast of characters, but the double and triple crossing of these so called friends.

First of all let me say that I was really excited for this one after reading The Silent Patient last year, so I had high hopes thinking I would love this one. Had it been written in any other style, I think I would have, but the purposeful use of an unreliable narrator who insists he won't insert himself (and then repeatedly does) and rambles for pages and pages, was lost on me. I almost had to DNF this book because I couldn't stand Elliot, but persevered in the hope that at least the shock factor that typically comes at the end would be worth it. To me, it was not. By the end my brain felt like it had been caught in the fury and I was just ready for these people to get off the island and into some therapy. While I think some people will love this book, it was not for me.

I had high hopes for this book as I really enjoyed The Silent Patient; unfortunately I found that this one fell flat. I really didn’t enjoy it due to the slow pace, unlikeable narrator and underwhelming plot.

Content Warnings:
Death, Gun violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Violence

Minor Content Warnings:
Alcohol, Bullying, Mental illness, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Wow, what a unique book! I’ll admit, I’ve never read a book like this before. It’s written like a playwright and it has a slow, yet consistent build to an exciting ending.

The first thing I thought when I started, is that people are going to think the beginning is too slow and possibly abandon it. The first few chapters move like a snail, but I promise that it does pay off. I love when an author takes time to build an intricate story that actually surprises you in the end.

Michaelides clearly has a talent for writing. His books are all written so elegantly and it makes for a great paced novel that sticks with you after you’ve finished it.

My advice to anyone who reads this, BE PATIENT. Yes, the beginning is slow, but the train definitely reaches the top of the hill and the ending is pure momentum with lots of twists.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Fury!