I truly wanted to love this book. I was HOOKED from the beginning. I enjoyed the narrator in the audiobook a lot. He seemed to make the story come to life. The perspective it was written in was interesting and intriguing. Where this book fell flat for me was the ending. I just wanted it to be different from what it was. I wanted more pizzazz like I feel the rest of the book had.

The Silent Patient is one of my favorite psychological thrillers, so I was very excited to have this opportunity to read The Fury. The Maidens fell flat for me, but I was hopeful Michaelides would rally to produce another story just as addictive as his first. Unfortunately, while this story has similar elements to The Silent Patient, including the characterization of the narrator, this was wasn’t quite it.

The beginning of the story dragged and it took me some time to get used to the narrative style. Though the pacing did pick up after the first 30%, I still failed to grasp the main point of the story. The entire plot went around in circles before finally making its reveal, and all the characters besides Elliot were extremely one-dimensional. I’ve also never been a fan of stories that move you forward, only to drag you back again. That may have worked for the movie Clue, but I personally don’t enjoy it when done in books.

While this story was not for me, I do think many people will enjoy The Fury for its literary cleverness and use of plot devices. I also hold out hope that a future book of Michaelides will capture me in the same way as The Silent Patient. If you enjoy stories with unreliable narrators and false finishes, I suggest you pick this one up and make your own conclusions.

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

I read this book in less than 24 hours. At first, it reads like an Old Hollywood story. At the halfway point, it reads like And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Then, at the end, it reads like The Cote Bastide by Truman Capote. If you like any of the above, you will absolutely devour this very well written thriller. I received this ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A story written from the perspective of Elliot (narrator) and his devotion to his friend and celebrity actress Lana. Then meet Lana's husband, Jason, her best friend, Kate, her son, Leo and a couple of other minor characters. Everyone,it seems, adores Lana and the story revolves around her. As events unfold of love, friendship and infidelity, the plot thickens. We are promised a murder, a real whodunit. The reader is sent down several rabbit holes with many possibilities of who is about to be murdered and who did it - right up until the end. I found the characters believable bu would loved to have heard more about Nikos.

I found it difficult at first to read this from the narrator's point of view and his style of talking, but once I got in the rhythm, it became easier. With a myriad of twists and turns, it leaves the reader definitely wondering how the book will really end. I found the book hard to follow since it went back and forth between time periods. It really did have the feel of the narrator talking directly to a companion over a drink. Perhaps if chapter headings indicated dates it may have helped keep it clear when something was happening.

I did remain engaged with the book and was anxious to get to the final twist (which was definitely a surprise. ending)



I was given this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The Fury is about a group of friends who take a break from the rainy weather of London to enjoy the sun and breeze of the Greek island, Aura. Lana, a retired and beloved actress, brings her husband, son, and some friends for an Easter weekend of fun, but tension arises and turns to murder.
This book was wild and so unique. I loved the voice of the narrator. He was filled with humor and I like how he talks to the reader. The book definitely kept you on your toes and it was hard to guess where it was going.
What I initially really liked about the book later turned into a point I wasn't sure about. Frankly, I was a little annoyed. The writer throws you around a lot. First you’re here, then you’re there. I think of it was “reader whiplash.”
I'm a sucker for an isolated locale, locked room thriller and this one was so much fun. I read this book the fastest out of any book this month.
I really liked the characters in this book. Most of them felt fairly layered. They were interesting.

The plot of this book was interesting, the style was harder for me to read, narrated by an unreliable narrator and a more dry style. A movie star, a man in love with her, her husband, son and close female friend go to a small Greek island she owns to get a way and someone ends up dead. A familiar plot but told in a different way. Multiple timelines and artistic leeway as the main narrator is a writer

After an amazing debut novel (The Silent Patient) followed by one I ended up pretty disappointed with (The Maidens), I wasn’t sure what to expect from Alex Michaelides’ next book. Although he still hasn’t topped his first book for me, I did find The Fury to be more enjoyable than The Maidens.

The way he’s structured it keeps things moving quickly, so much so that I was able to read this in one afternoon. I had mixed feelings about the characters, very much enjoying Lana but not feeling any sense of attachment to Elliot or Jason.

The biggest detractors for me were that, like in The Maidens, Michaelides relies on some pretty contrived plot twists in order to surprise you. Without trying to spoil much, the reveals about the main character also felt like what we’ve already seen from him before.

Overall, I liked this but it didn’t blow me away.

3 stars. Alex Michaelides has been hit or miss for me and this one didn’t quite resonate as well. I didn’t mind the slow pacing in the beginning. I was invested in the story but wasn’t a huge fan of the way the story would climax and then more or less rewind to fill you in on some detail. I also, generally, don’t vibe well with the “it could have happened like this..” subplots. They just felt a bit unnecessary.

The twists definitely lean into the realm of implausibility. Honestly, by the end I disliked virtually all of the characters.

Regardless, this was still a quick read for me and likely will be a hit with those who love their twists.

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

I had high hopes for The Fury, by Alex Michaelides. I absolutely love The Maidens. I think The Fury is a solid thriller, but I do not overly enjoy the unreliable narrator bit. The Fury did feel like an Agatha Christie novel with a modern twist, which is always nostalgically pleasing. I don't like getting to know the narrator and then finding out that he's really a twisted, evil person. It was well-written, and I think I'll recommend it because I want to know what my friends think of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Alex Michaelides once again proves his prodigious talent for captivating the reader. Whether the teller of this tale set out to include jaw dropping twists or not, there are true Michaelides worthy surprises in this book that is sure to be a bestselling beach read. The first names used for the starlets in this tale immediately bring to mind past real-life big names to mind back in the day, you cannot help but picture the famous women as having starring roles in this story, which makes the reading even MORE enjoyable.

I had a blast reading this book, and I consider it an honor to be able to obtain an advanced copy for review purposes.

Alex Michaelides hits a home run every time he releases a book and symbolically "steps into the batter box".

This has a similar narrative style of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone with the narrator talking to the reader directly and feels like Agatha Christie stories with the locked room mystery.

The first chapter is excellent and pulls you in immediately. It is very atmospheric, taking place mostly on a remote island off Greece. A group of friends are on a getaway to a private Greek island and one ends up murdered. The story is told in five acts with some sort of cliffhanger at the end of each section. The story is well paced with a lot of build up and has a fun ending payoff. But overall, I’m not sure how I feel about the ending.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I enjoyed it! I preferred this book over The Maidens but it still can’t beat The Silent Patient for me.

Alex Michaelides does it again with another crazy book from start to finish. But what made this book so intriguing was the fact that it was sooo different. Clever is the right word for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the layout of this book, as it was told like someone was telling you a story. And to make it better, it explores a “whydunit” format hitting on self reflection of past/present experiences. The setting (a secluded greek island) and all the characters brought this book to another level. This book was easy to read and hard to put down!

Be sure to add this book to your 2024 TBR- coming out in January! This is a hot thriller and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for sending this e-book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Celadon Books for this advanced copy.

This story unfolds layer by layer at the whim of our unreliable, self-indulgent narrator- who tells us at one point that all great plays come down to three words: motivation, intention, and goal. It is up to you the reader to discover if this has been achieved as you piece together each characters' motivations, intentions, and goals and whether they are altruistic or sinister.

The furies in Ancient Greece were goddesses of vengeance. Someone will find vengeance within this story and the path that leads them there is a path that becomes more twisted as the tale continues.

This was a fantastic read and I would heartily recommend this book to anyone. Well done yet again Alex Michaelides.

The Fury was an unexpected delight. It was quite twisty and unorthodox. The plot was rather slow at first, especially for a thriller and felt like trudging through character building and setup.

Around 50% things picked up nicely and had me hooked. As I have enjoyed his previous works, this book was no different. He has a unique way of twisting the narrative and leaving you feeling a little disoriented. I left this book excited and scratching my head trying to wrap around all the plot twists, in the best way. Not my absolute favorite of his, but it was worth the read and I enjoyed it.

— 4.75 ⚝

thank you to celadon books and macmillan audio for both an arc as well as an alc of this book. all thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

another unputdownable banger from the author of The Silent Patient and The Maidens, Alex Michaelides. holds for applause

he has mastered the art of compelling storytelling and the ability to write a gritty, atmospheric thriller with the most thrilling twists that, even if you see coming, fascinate you. I was not one of The Maiden loving girlies but this here thriller blew me away. This one will grip you and refuse to let go.

the writing was spectacular, almost poetic even. i loved that the book was split into acts like just like a play is. it was almost like a movie playing in front of your eyes and you are but helpless to sit and watch it, absolutely gobsmacked. excellent characterization, in my opinion, especially on the part of the main character, Elliot Chase. So cunning, witty and mysterious. He will definitely be haunting my every dream for weeks to come. Michaelides is definitely a unique voice in the genre of thrillers.

although The Silent Patient remains my favorite, this was an excellent, well rounded thriller that has unparalleled characterization, constant twists and masterful storytelling. the narrator's voice was so unique and nuanced, atleast for me. i am shocked at how much i enjoyed this. definitely a thriller to look out for and pick up in 2024. and you don't even have to wait long because it comes out on the 16th of January. Highly recommend picking up the audiobook, narrated by Alex Jennings. He did a wonderful job.

i've seen a lot of people compare thrillers to the popular, Knives Out. But this one is for the fans of Glass Onion, which i adored.

4.25

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!!

This thriller was truly fantastic and I really enjoyed diving into this world. Like so many others, The Silent Patient remains my favorite psychological thriller of all time. I enjoyed Michaelides' sophomore novel, The Maidens but it wasn't a complete love. The Fury felt like a complete step up and I had a hard time putting down this novel. This book published on January 16th and I highly recommend preordering this one!!

Fantastic literary thriller that reads like a Greek tragedy crossed with Agatha Christie. I was a huge fan of the author's previous books "The Silent Patient" and "The Maidens" but this one is the best of all! This is a mystery told in a very literary style. Our narrator is Elliot Chase and he is the ultimate unreliable narrator. Elliot is a playwright and a very clever, cunning and interesting man. Elliot reminded me of the character Addison DeWitt from "All About Eve" in that he was a smart, witty accomplished man who happened to be in love with a famous actress, one he couldn't get to love him back. In "The Fury", the actress is Lana Fararr, and Lana has invited a select group of people to her private island in Greece and one or more of them may be a murderer.

The Fury describes the furious winds that come up out of nowhere and hit the island but also the fury of a woman scorned, and the fury of love not returned. How these furies appear is a story told in five acts, with each act unraveling the true story bit by bit. We have some delicious characters here: Lana, her seventeen year old son Leo, her husband Jason, best friend Kate, devoted housekeeper Agathi, caretaker Niko and of course our narrator Elliot. I enjoyed the various characters especially Lana who was the opposite of the typical empty headed actress. The story will keep you guessing until the very end and even has some Easter eggs from the previous books. Bravo! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This is one of those books I was sooo close to loving but I just couldn’t get there. Like so many others, this was one where the premise was better than the execution. I didn’t particularly love the writing style, the narrator was a bit annoying and that style lent to more telling rather than showing. The characters felt one-dimensional as well. The story itself was fine but those things really took away from it for me. Normally I don’t hold thrillers to super high standards because I’m just there for a fun time, but seeing as this was an Alex Michaelides book I expected it to be better.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Enter the labyrinth of this taunting thriller at your own risk as the author immerses you in a narrative of deceit, vengeance, jealousy and madness. Follow the convoluted path to the climatic conclusion of a murder you know from the very beginning will be committed, but not who the victim will ultimately be.

Highly recommended. Please add it to your to-read list.

Thank you to @netgalley and celadon books for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Elliot Chase, the main character, is friends with Lana, a former actress. Lana owns a private island and invites Elliot as well as a few others there for a holiday. Seven people are on the island and within 48 hours, one of them ends up dead.

I enjoyed this book! I didn’t know what to expect but I remember reading The Silent Patient and was shocked as I read it, this book was similar. This book is set up like a play and broken up into 5 acts. A beautiful setting, past and present storyline and an unreliable narrator makes this story one wild ride.