The Fury by Alex Michaelides

The Fury

by Alex Michaelides

*** THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SILENT PATIENT ***


'Infinitely thrilling and delicately crafted, the plot keeps everyone guessing until the very end, with an unscrupulous villain to underline just how good it is. DO NOT MISS IT' Daily Mail

'Deliciously twisty and fiendishly clever. A highly enjoyable tale of subterfuge, secrets and murder' Observer

‘My favourite Alex Michaelides yet – the undisputed master of the twist’ Lucy Foley
The king of all unreliable narrators, enough twists and turns to power two novels’ David Baldacci
You'll think you know where it's going and you couldn't be more wrong’ Linwood Barclay
‘A very special book and highly recommended’ Janice Hallett
‘A masterclass in suspense’ Steve Cavanagh
‘A glorious triumph - just brilliant’ Stephen Fry
‘The best novel yet from Alex Michaelides’ Sophie Hannah
Even better than The Silent Patient… Alex Michaelides is a magician’ JP Delaney

*****

'There were seven of us in all, trapped on the island.
One of us was a murderer . . .'

On a small private Greek island, former movie star Lana Farrar - an old friend - invites a select group of us to stay.

It'll be hot, sunny, perfect. A chance to relax and reconnect - and maybe for a few hidden truths to come out.

Because nothing on this island is quite what it seems.

Not Lana. Not her guests.

Certainly not the murderer - furiously plotting their crime . . .

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I'm going to tell you a story unlike any you've ever heard.


BESTSELLING AUTHORS ARE ALREADY FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE FURY
The Fury is a masterfully woven story of Shakespearean twists and Machiavellian turns. A Greek Tragedy in the guise of a postmodern thriller. Do not miss this one’ Holly Jackson

A classic, twisting, brilliant murder mystery. A wonderfully drawn cast of characters with a motive to kill for, in a location to die for, keep you guessing until the shocking finale. Clever, and fiendishly fun’ Chris Whitaker

‘A very sophisticated book which takes the format of a classic murder mystery and elevates it to something very devious and clever indeed. The narrator is fabulous - I was throughly gripped’ Harriet Tyce

Endlessly evolving, wildly entertaining, and like the very best fiction, impossible to pin down. Just when you think you have it cornered, it moves, impossibly and with stunning flourish, toward a devastating finale. The Talented Mr. Ripley for our time’ Blake Crouch

Alex Michaelides is the grand master of the modern mystery. The Fury reads like Hitchcock with a heart, or Agatha Christie running amok on a wind-whipped Greek island. The Fury will, quite literally, blow you away. Totally brilliant’ Tony Parsons

‘One of those rare books where really nothing is as it seems. As usual, Alex Michaelides does not disappoint’ Ragnar Jonasson

Glamorous, sinister, and endlessly surprising, The Fury reads like Agatha Christie and Patricia Highsmith took a Greek vacation together and decided to write a book while there. It's twisty, twisted entertainment’ Riley Sager

The Fury, the instant New York Times bestseller, January 2024, and Sunday Times bestseller, February 2024

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

3 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

They say that love and hate are more similar than we'd like to believe. But what about murder? Can a love story turn into a murder story? Where is the line, and what does one do when they cross it?

Lana Farrar is a famous actress – she's also a recluse. Now retired, she prefers to spend her days away from the world. Sometimes, that means tucking away in her London home. Other times, it means heading to the island of Aura. However, isolation does not equal safety.

My Review:

I've heard SO much hype about Alex Michaelides. Despite this, I've only read one other novel by him (I think). I want to turn that around by diving right into The Fury. That said...this was perhaps not my best choice?

The Fury had potential. I love that it played around with the lines of love, friendship, and betrayal. It made for an interesting mix, especially when throwing so many arrogant and self-obsessed characters into an isolated situation.

My biggest problem is perhaps also the biggest success of this story: Elliot. As the primary perspective, he's...a lot. He's a dramatic, arrogant, and narcissistic butt-head, to put it lightly. He made my skin crawl. Worse, his biased storytelling made it harder to appreciate what was happening.

Still, I must admit that I love this story's creative format. I think I could have lived with the frustrating character(s) had the ending been more satisfying.

Highlights:
Mystery/Thriller
Trapped on an Island
Unique Characters

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 11 March, 2024: Finished reading
  • 11 March, 2024: Reviewed