UPDATE: I reread the novel in audiobook format, and I'm changing my rating to 5 stars.

Michaelides has made a name for himself writing very twisted, unpredictable and addictive mysteries. It is hard to believe that this is only his third book. Our narrator is Elliot Chase, who breaks the fourth wall and tells us readers what happened when he traveled to his friend’s private island. From the beginning, he makes clear that there was a crime, but that this is not a whodunit but a whydunit. Following the usual path of classic murder mysteries, there is an isolated island with a small cast of visitors/suspects and it is soon clear that there is no one else. But then the twists keep coming one after the other. At some point it seems like the author is close to jumping the shark and some turns were preposterous in retrospect. However, I was so involved in the plot that I didn’t even notice. Most of the characters are unlikable. The narrator is also unreliable. As he says from the beginning, he doesn’t lie, but he hides some facts until the plot exposes them. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the previous novels because, in retrospect, it seems to be trying too hard to surprise the reader. It is still an entertaining, addictive book.

Note for the audiobook format: Alex Jennings does such a great job as a narrator, that I changed my rating to five stars. He is funny, entertaining and sounds just like Elliot should, but also nails down the accents and distinctive voices of all the rest of the characters. If you can, go with the audiobook, the production value and performance is worth it.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/# Celadon Books.

3.75 stars

Intriguing. Dramatic. Unexpected. Not quite the story (genre or specific details) that I was anticipating, but it was interesting nonetheless. The writing style was fun at times, and others it felt unnecessarily cheesy. I haven’t read anything else by the author yet, I don’t think, but I’ll be curious to see if this is the usual storytelling method or a choice unique to this particular book.

**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!!

A closed-room murder mystery, told by an unreliable narrator, set on a Greek island owned by a famous actress.

I like the anticipation and puzzle of a closed-room mystery, and this story with its twists and turns will leave you guessing until the end.

Overall, this book did not grab me in - I am not sure if it was the audio narrator, the unlikeable characters, or the slow, meandering storyline. Even though this wasn’t my favorite mystery, I am still looking forward to reading The Silent Patient which has received so many rave reviews.

Upon starting the book, we meet Elliot, a man who offers us a chair to tell us a story. Elliot tells us a story of how a famous actress that he knows was killed. Elliot is unreliable, making the reader question if what we are hearing is true or not. He also talks about himself in the 3rd person, which may make readers not want to read the book. The book had a slow start that was a little hard to get through. The ending was good, with a few twists that I did not see coming. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Just be aware that there is a spoiler for The Silent Patient at the end of the book. Maybe read that one first is spoilers aren’t your thing.

Thank you to Caledon Books and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

The book was engaging and interesting from start to finish. The narrator was also well spoken and really caught your attention while reading the story.

Michaelides took a risk with the format of this one and I am still trying to decide if he pulled it off. The story is being told by Elliot who talks to the reader as if to a friend. This makes for a slow pacing - which isn't always a deal breaker for me even with thriller/mysteries, but I wasn't as drawn in which is what usually makes me ok with a slower pace. However, the last third of the book does pick up and there are some twists I didn't see coming. I listened to the audio of this book and I did like narration. I give the book 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook for review.

WHAT DID I JUST LISTEN TO!?!

Phew ... what a ride this book is! I absolutely loved the narration by Alex Jennings (I KNEW I recognized that voice!!!) and I loved how the story felt like it was being told directly to me - just like two friends sitting in front of a fire. The setting is perfection - a Greek tragedy set against the private island owned by a famous actress; it's just rife with intrigue. This book is such a roller coaster with twists and turns you will never see coming. It was almost frustrating how masterfully Michaelides weaves this tale and never lets your figure out the dramatic conclusion. I especially loved the shout-out at the end to The Silent Patient and The Maidens!

If you forget the narrator is telling you a story, don’t worry, he’ll remind you. A lot. I gotta be honest. It’s giving nineties M. Night Shyamalan vibes. The fans will dig it, though.

This book wasn't awful, certainly better than The Maidens, but not nearly as good as The Silent Patient. I'm all about a good unreliable narrator, but I'm also not about so much foreshadowing. So balanced out, this is a solid 3 star read for me. Good, worth reading, but not great.

Our narrator, Elliot Chase, unfolds a tale of deceit, deception, and murder. It takes place mostly on a remote, privately owned Greek island called Aura. Close enough to Mykonos for an evening out, but far enough that when the intense winds, nicknamed "The Fury" come up, those on Aura are stranded. When Elliot joins six others on the island for an Easter holiday, it quickly becomes apparent that there is much more going on than initially meets the eye.

Elliot tells the story from his first person account, which only worked part of the time for me. I had difficulty grappling with his omniscience and almost gave up because of it. Others assured me that it would eventually make sense--and they were right, it does. I tried very hard to figure out how it could work, and wasted a lot of energy on it. So if you have a logical brain that is forever trying to puzzle things out, rest assured that you can let that go and just join the story for the ride.

I liked the twists, they were unique, but the melodrama is HIGH. If you are a fan of the theater or are a theater geek, this is the book for you. The theater references and the actions of the characters fit right in with that crowd and those themes.

You won't be waiting long for the twists, there are a good number of stops and restarts from a slightly or completely different lens, which I liked because it kept me on my toes. The characters are wholly unlikable, there's not one good guy in the bunch, but it didn't bug me as much as it would have with a different plot.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator perfectly captured Elliot in all of his questionable glory.

Be forewarned, there are some Easter eggs and spoilers for Michaelides' first two books here, so if you haven't read them (and plan to) then definitely read those first.

I saw so many friends who enjoyed it.
This book was not for me. I didn't enjoy that the narrator was speaking on everyone's thoughts, because he was also a character himself & it was separated strange to Me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, MacMillan Audio and Alex Michaelides for both digital and audio galleys of The Fury in exchange for an honest review.

I think everyone was beyond excited when we learned that Alex was releasing a new books & I was right there with them!

The title, the cover, the synopsis - just the fact that it is Alex Michaelides - made this a MUST READ book for me.

This story was full of twists and turns with Elliott Chase as our narrator. The media would lead us to believe that one of Lana Farrar's Easter weekend getaways on her private Greek Island resulted in a tragic death that still gets talked about to this day. Elliott is here to set the record straight and tell us what REALLY happened that weekend on the island.

It was a bit slow for a while, during the character introduction and development stage. I would have liked that to go a bit quicker as slow set-ups usually turn me off quick. But, I refused to give up on Michaelides.

Once the story finally got going, I was fully gripped. I enjoyed the Glass Onion type concept of having a scenario presented, but then going back and presenting the same scenario from a different perspective. Showing us that "what you see is what you get" is not necessarily accurate.

All of the characters were absolutely horrid, as they were intended to be. They were written to perfection.

The second half of the book is definitely the best part of it. The twists just kept coming all the way to the very end and the end was a jaw dropping twist that I did NOT see coming!

Silent Patient fans will love the author's subtle nod to it.

The slow first half of the books is really what kept this from being a 4.5 or 5 Star book for. With that said, if had been any one other than Alex Michaelides, I probably would have DNF'd it well before the halfway mark due to the slow pacing.

Overall, I rate this 4-Stars and will happily recommend this title.

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
TW: PLEASE CHECK
Spice: Closed Door
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 [3.75/5]
Format: Audiobook
Review written by: M
*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review*

I want to start this review by saying this is my first Alex Michaelides and I truly was intrigued by his format and style of telling a story. The narrator did a fantastic job of selling the character.

You have been invited by Elliot Chase to enjoy a drink and let him tell you the story of love and murder. The story of Lana, an ex-movie star, inviting her closest friends to her private and isolated Greek Island for some R&R. All is going well until hatred soon starts to rear its ugly head and things get out of hand, culminating in murder.

The format and way in which this book was written was extremely enticing. I heard it as an audiobook format and the narrator and script made me feel as though I was listening to a friend recount the story of what happened on that isolated Greek Island. I do want to mention that this was not a linear plot line, they do circle around quite a bit.

The psychological drops of the inner child were fantastic. I think that is something many people can relate to and therefore props to the author for making the reader stop and think of their own life/traumas therefore relating and forming a stronger connection with the narrator Elliot.

I had two issues with this book. The first being the pacing. The stark contrast between the slow and repetitive 2/3 and fast 1/3 was a bit too jarring for me. The second issue I had was that I felt as though there were too many carrot dangling moments. We kept being told we were about to get information only for us to continue to wait. Once I received the wanted information it has lost its power slightly.

I did enjoy the overall story and listening to it, however I don’t think I would re-read it. Also, I am dying to read ‘The silent patient” now.

I love the author, and have loved both of his previous books. I liked this book but did not love it.

The second half of the book was great. It told an intriguing, surprising, entertaining, and really wonderful story. The characterization was fascinating, the twists were surprising but had me kicking myself for not seeing it coming, which is the best kind of twist. It was thrilling, it was a little heartbreaking, and it was all-around wonderful. I just wish the first half of the book had the same energy.

That said, the first half dragged and spun around in circles going over things too many times, backtracking and rehashing and giving away plot lines without explaining them. I understand the intention was likely to keep the reader engaged and in suspense, but I do not think it was intriguing enough to keep my interest during several chapters of the narrator going off on a tangent. By narrator, I do not mean the audiobook reader, I mean the narrative voice telling the story. It was too in-your-face with the constant reminder that he was speaking directly to me, the "reader". It was mentioned and brought attention to too many times that the narrator was a part of the story but not the main part, and that he was telling it from an omniscient perspective. The overexplanation was grating and broke my attention from the story at least three or four times.

If I read this book without knowing the author's other work first, and holding it in such high regard, I would have quit this book forty percent through. I am glad I stuck it out, because it got so much better, but I only wish it was excellent throughout.

This book was not what I was expecting. A literary narration of a murder that started slow, but kept me going to the end. Twist after twist that I didn't see coming. The evolution of the main character was so well done. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook.

I enjoyed the first person narrator telling this story of murder on a Greek island. The storyteller, Elliot, reminds me of Nick Caraway in The Great Gatsby. This murder mystery thriller was too slow for my liking.

I agree with the current Goodreads score, which is 3.65 stars. I loved The Silent Patient and DNF'd The Maidens, so I was very curious to read this book. Like many have said, it was a slower pace to begin with, but it didn't take too long for me to start enjoying the book and I felt like the end of the book had lots of twists and turns that made up for the slow pace. I loved the way the narration broke the fourth wall and was self-aware of the story structure. I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator added a lot of personality to the story.

Heads up: there's a spoiler for The Silent Patient in the epilogue.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The production of this audiobook was top tier. The narrator’s voice was fantastic, their acting skills were outstanding, and their pace was perfect. It checked all of the boxes for me in an audiobook.

Sadly, the story just wasn’t for me, but maybe in a good way for you? I absolutely adored The Silent Patient so I may have jumped into this book with a little too high of expectations, but I had no idea I was going to follow the most unreliable narrator I’ve ever read in my life. Some people may really enjoy that, so I will recommend it with caution, but I however, did not enjoy at all. All of the backtracking the story did made it very confusing and annoyed me to no end.

I did enjoy how unpredictable the story was, though. So many twists and turns that I wouldn’t be surprised if it wins the Guinness World Record for the most unpredictable twists. I just found the story layout and the “well, that’s not exactly true” moments to be extremely annoying.

I will not be writing a bad review on any of my social media accounts, and I will be leaving the rating section on Goodreads blank.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be an early reader!

In all honesty, I struggled with this book. The narrator did not bother me, but keeping up with all the characters and storylines was a bit much at times. The slow pace of the book offered opportunity for my mind to wander as I listened, causing me to have to rewind several times.

I loved the Silent Patient and felt it was more of a phycological thriller. Don't let this be your first Alex Michaelides book. While not terrible because Michaelides does explore themes of love, obsession, and revenge to keep readers guessing, it just doesn't reach the level of The Silent Patient in my opinion..

Thank you to Celadon, NetGalley and Macmillan audio for my ALC. All opinions expressed are strictly my thoughts.

I haven't read any other books my Alex Michaelides before, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great story, kept me entertained, and also kept me guessing until the end. I can't wait to read more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. This was my first NetGalley audiobook, and the narrator was great.