“This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?” The Fury has everything I look for in a thriller – a fresh voice, an unreliable narrator, and twists and turns at the end that makes my heart pump faster. I absolutely loved The Fury with its sinister and endlessly surprising atmospheric style. Thank you to @celadonreads, @macmillianaudio, and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC.

In The Fury, Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex-movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape to her idyllic private Greek island to spend the Easter holiday. This year Elliot Chase, Kate Crosby, Jason Miller, and Lana’s teenage son Leo are all taking the trip - a trip full of drama, secrets, jealousy, and obsession – and it’s a trip that will change their lives. A murder will take place and with the harsh weather conditions, all friends are marooned. There's no evidence of a stranger, no path of escape - so the killer must be among them. Yet the motive remains elusive and as the veil of friendship begins to fall away deep truths are revealed. What seems to start off as a masterful Greek tragedy turns into a gripping psychological thriller that will grab you and not let go.

I’ve read so many other reviews comparing this book to the Alex Michaelides’ other works, The Maidens and The Silent Patient. Trust me, you must give this book its own free space and come to it without any preconceived notions and just surrender yourself to this intellectually stimulating thriller. Told in an Agatha Christie murder mystery style, you’ll find it compelling and entertaining. The cover alone leads so much to the story. The fact that Greek evil eyes are a symbol to ward off negative energy caused by jealousy is a telling clue right from the start. I especially loved the nod to The Silent Patient at the end of the book. If you jump into The Fury, I think you’ll enjoy Alex Michaelides and his fresh ever evolving voice.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was pretty long and drawn out the first 60-70% promising you a murder. The beginning explained the characters and backstories/connections. We have 7 characters: Lana (who is an ex-movie star) Kate, Agatha, Jason (married to Lana), Nico, Leo and Elliot who is the narrator of our story. I thought it was different how Elliot talked to the reader. So we are promised a murder on an island, and once that happens it’s interesting to see how it all plays out and how each character responds to the murder. I liked how this book was divided into acts. That was another unique aspect. As per our author’s usual endings, it was a knock your socks off type. Didn’t see that coming and I enjoyed it. The ending definitely made me like the book more.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC audiobook.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audible. I’ve never listened to an audible before and this was the perfect book for it. I don’t think the book would have made as much of an impact by just reading it. The author was phenomenal at using the 5 senses to make you feel like you are actually there. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to picture the setting without reading it because I’m a visual learner, but the author’s ability to make you feel like you were actually there was great. From the beginning I had the feeling that Elliot was crazy and/or incarcerated and that Lana’s death had been faked, but even that did not prepare me for the twists and turns that occurred in the book.

Really enjoyed this book and recommend it be listened to with audible!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This is my favorite Alec Michaelides book since The Patient. There is so much scheming and lying. And it is all done in a delightfully psychotic way. It is difficult to explain how unreliable everything and everyone is in this story. I was constantly waiting for the next bomb to go off. This book will keep you completely fascinated until the very last word.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Alex Jennings (Narrator)
Colleen Chi-Girl's Jan 12, 2024
**** FOUR STARS
Bookshelves: 2024, audio, crime-mysteries, netgalley, contemporary, england, greece

There is no doubt that Alex Michaelides is an incredibly bright and talented writer. I loved the Silent Patient and became an instant fan. This novel/thriller is quite different in every possible way, so be aware and don't expect the same 'ol same 'ol.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for this ARC opportunity of which I truly enjoyed.

The setting is a Greek island with a famous movie star, Lana, and her "friends". There wasn't one person that I would want to call a friend or even hang out with. I found myself thinking that one character or another had better vibes or appealing characteristics, but the twists, turns, and reveals, within this clever thriller had me disliking all of them, singly, and all at once. The setting the author created was fabulous....he knows the Greek islands. The narrator, Alex Jennings, did a great job as the snobby and unreliable character, Elliot Chase.

Here's the publisher's blurb: This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered. But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

I enjoyed The Fury by Alex Michaelides! This is one of the twistiest thrillers I have read. The story features a dual timeline and is told by an omniscient narrator. The main character seemed likable at first but slowly started to make my skin crawl as I got to know him more. Most of the characters were problematic in one way or another. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the novel that is quite at odds with the beautiful setting on a Greek Island.

I thought the narration by Alex Jennings was fantastic. Sometimes a dual timeline in an audiobook can be hard to follow but I didn’t have that problem at all.

Some of the twists and situations were a little far fetched and I was a little confused by the ending. However, I didn’t was to turn the narration off and I was dying to see how it would all turn out!

I rounded his up to 3 stars

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I wanted to so much like it. I just couldn’t get behind the authors writing style for this one. Maybe it was the narrator he was so flat and lacked any kind of personality. I love audiobooks so much and this one just did not do it for me. I know I’m in the minority.

The Fury is a slow paced thriller with unreliable narrator Elliot Chase. Close friend to Lana Farrar, a former movie star turned recluse, Lana brings her closest friends to her Greek island every Easter to avoid the dreary English weather. What started out as a trip amongst friends slowly turns into a play where breadcrumbs are dangled through each act.

After reading The Silent Patient, I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Fury because TSP wasn’t my favorite, but I really adored Elliot Chase in The Fury so I’d definitely rank it higher. There are twists and turns, there is a lot of foreshadowing, but this is a slow-burn thriller. I found the last fifty or so pages to move the story along quite a bit.

I thought Alex Jennings did a fabulous job with the narration!

3.5🌟
Lana Farrar is one of the most beloved film actresses. She’s invited her closest of friends to join her on a remote Greek Island. This getaway will be chock-full of intrigue…unrequited love, betrayal and possibly even murder.

Though filled with seriously high drama, it was a very slow moving story. But I knew I was in for a great ending…and yes, it does live up to the hype!

After being lulled in by this story for so long, I nearly had to backtrack and re-listen to the ending as it was a complete deviation from the flow of the book to that point. (Sometimes you just need a little extra patience!) An extra half star for the ending alone!🙌

I listened to the audio which came in at just over 8 hours. Narrated by Alex Jennings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio 🎧

Alex Michaelides excels at spinning Greek history into each book. I love the eerie air of every novel. While not as good as Silent Patient, I liked it a lot more than The Maidens. I wish there was more character background showing the true nature of each character.there are some details but it was more “fade to black” than proven.

Listening to the audio, it’s told in a conversation style. I really enjoyed it! Probably more than a physical read.

In all, it’s a solid 4 stars. More drama than thriller.

Elliott Chase tells us the tale of a murder on a remote Greek island. Lana, a famous ex movie star, goes on a secluded trip with two of her best friends (one of which being our narrator), her husband, and her son. All is well until gunshots fire and a body is found. The biggest question isn’t WHO got shot but as to WHY they were targeted.

I’m convinced that I’ll love anything that Alex Michaelides writes. His writing style is what I love most about his books. You can definitely tell that he wrote this one and The Silent Patient even though they have total different plots. His writing style is so captivating and unique.

This book follows a very non-linear timeline. Elliott takes us in the past quite a bit, right when readers are on the edge of their seats. I feel like this was necessary in order to get the level of character development that it did achieve.

The Fury is a bit slow paced, but this actually didn’t bother me. I was so invested in the characters that it didn’t matter. The short chapters also made this a quick read, despite the pace of the writing.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy plays, theater, and Nick Caraway from The Great Gatsby. I swear Elliott Chase and Nick Caraway are the same people😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. A masterpiece. This book was intriguing. It seemed to start off slow for me but then it picked up and all I can say is: Wow!

Elliot Chase is the narrator and he just may be unreliable, hard to say. The story focuses on Elliot and his close friend, reclusive movie star, Lana Farrar. Lana invites Elliot, her husband Jason, her friend Kate, and her son, Leo, to spend a weekend at her Greek island. Elliot has a plan up his sleeve in response to a shocking revelation. When the plan goes wrong, it goes very wrong.

I really, really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator was terrific. Terrific is an understatement in this case. This work was phenomenal. The characters were hateable in the very best ways and I loved Elliot as the narrator of the story. Getting a glimpse inside his mind and thoughts during the story was so intriguing. Go get a copy and take a listen when it comes out on Tuesday!

3 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a twisty suspenseful mystery set amongst the rich and famous. Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. When she discovers one of her inner circle has betrayed her, she invites them to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. She's hoping to call out the betrayal and let the person squirm before she bans them from her life. While on the island a strong wind storm, called a fury, envelopes the island. The storm is the perfect setting for a mystery - and maybe even an unexpected death.

I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator did a great job. The book is the epitome of an unreliable narrator. He delights in leading the reader down a path to wonder whether it's real or not. The narrator jumps back and forth between multiple timelines. While he always announces it, it still gets a bit confusing, especially while listening to the book. I tried very hard to find a character to like, but was hard pressed to do so. They are all unlikeable in one way or another.

I think it may have been because I listened to the book instead of read it, but I felt like it went on and on and was far too long. I got tired of all of the backstory on the characters and felt certain things could have been omitted and not been missed. I kept waiting for something big to happen and had to wait until the end for a payoff. Overall, this was an entertaining book, however the jumping timelines, confusion, and length were drawbacks to the story.

I was provided a complimentary copy of an audio book by NetGalley and MacMillan Audio. All opinions are my own.

Short synopsis: Elliot Chase recounts the story of a vacation on a Greek island, when someone winds up dead.

My thoughts: The story was told in a unique way, it was if Elliot was telling the story to a friend. Each of the characters were unique and unlikable in some way or another, definitely untrustworthy in nature!

This was such a slow burn for me. Id have liked it to flow a little quicker. But the narration was very well done.

Read if you love:
- Greek settings
- Slow burns
- Unique storytelling
- Past/present time frames

Famous movie star Lana Farrah invites her friends on an impromptu trip to her island in Greece. Among the group is her friend Elliot , the narrator of our story. Immediately Elliot tells us that there is a murder, that he is delivering the truth as best he can but he was not always present to witness all of the conversations and actions of the guests. Regardless he is going to tell us what exactly happened on the island and who is to blame. This leaves the reader wondering if Elliot is reliable and what happened on this island that led to murder?

I really enjoyed the way the story was told. I listened to the audio version so it worked really well as the narrator was directing some of the story to the reader. I wasn’t sure where the story was going just that someone was murdered and we were slowly recounting the events that led to it!! This is a slowly crafted thriller. We are given bits of information—deceptions, secrets, alliances. For me all of the characters were pretty unlikable. I wasn’t really rooting for anyone by the end. I liked the story but felt it fell off of the rails a bit at times, a little repetitive and clunky. That said I still enjoyed it. I love the writing style of this one, just wish it had flowed a little better.

3 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley and Macmillan audio for this audio arc. In 2018, I came across Alex‘s first novel, the silent patient. I was blown away, and absolutely loved his psychological thriller. Then I read his next novel the maidens. It was still pretty good, but not what I was expecting compared to the silent patient. I’ve been seeing the rant and rave with the fury, and I’ve been dying to get my hands on it. I was so excited once I found out, I received the audio version of this book. I finished it in a few days, and I overall enjoyed it, but not as much as the other two. It was a little hard for me to follow along with all the characters. Sometimes it would switch between different characters or narrators , and trying to solve a mystery while also trying to figure out who is speaking was a little difficult overall, I’m glad I listened to it!

Thank you netgalley and McMillan audio for the opportunity to listen to the book.
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I feel like I fell victim to the hype of this book. I literally didn’t enjoy any part of this book. The characters were unlikable (and not in a good way), the plot was slow and confusing, and I didn’t like how the story was told by the main character.
This was a big miss for me.

Wow wow wow. Saltburn girlies, rise up! I listened to this in one day because I found it so fun. I don’t read a lot of mystery books like this, so maybe my opinion is skewed, but I loved the cheekiness of the unreliable narrator. I was entertained with each layer of the story revealed. And the narrator for the audiobook was great.

All in all, a fun murder mystery with some dark reflections on the human psyche.

I was interested to read this book as I enjoyed The Silent Patient very much.
The Fury is presented as a Greek Tragedy in five acts ripe with allusions to the classics. The beauty of this idea may have been more fully realized if written faithfully as a drama, and I found myself wishing it had been. In this novel, we have Elliot Chase, our incredibly unreliable first person narrator with moments of direct, one-sided conversation with readers, as he tells a story of murder and love. I badly wanted to love this book. I have tickets to see the author promoting The Fury on tour in a few weeks, and I am still very much looking forward to the event. The premise of this novel was so promising. As I read, however, I found the structure, as well as the narrator's unreliability, to be increasingly problematic. Early and often, Chase acknowledges his own faults as narrator, a self-awareness that should make him charming, even forgiveable, but as he questions a reader's opinion of him, I found myself coming to a less favorable judgment. I lost trust in his ability to tell the story accurately from nearly the moment he began, vehemently protesting he would do his very best to tell the story as it happened, but not living up to his own promises. It made it difficult to understand what story was being told. My favorite part was the ending. Though there is a reference to a character in a previous novel, the connection would not be clear without prior knowledge of that book, and I found it to be a satisfying conclusion to the twisted currents within the novel.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator for this novel, Alex Jennings, is an exceptionally skilled voice actor. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to his narration.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy to review.

A secret island, different people and a murder mystery that keeps you wondering until the end. I loved the way this author made every character come off the page. Until the very end I want sure exactly who was murdered and why. This author can spin a tale like no other. I loved it.