The Fury - Alex Michaelides

Thriller

Rating: 8/10

Elliot is going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard before.

It is a tale of murder. But that’s not quite true. At its heart it’s a romance. Or a story of lifelong friendships. Truthfully, it’s about the death of all that. So, maybe I was right about the murder thing.

It’s really all those things, to varying degrees at moments you won’t be able to predict. The joy of the read is that you will never quite know which of the stories you are getting.

Lana is a reclusive movie star who escapes her fame every year, inviting her friends to an idyllic private Greek island. The stunning sunshine is dimmed when one of the guests turns up dead. What we are left with is half a dozen people trapped on an island and at least one of them is a killer.

This novel follows a recent trend I have noticed. One where the narrator is speaking directly to the reader. Offering up a perspective that is meant to provide either transparency or obfuscation. Done well, as it is here, it adds a vague sense of discomfort, which can engage the reader in a way that deviates from the norm. You almost feel as if you are sitting in a bar, enjoying a cocktail while an engaging storyteller sets the stage for all that’s about to unfold.

My advice? Drink up.

Book Pairing(s): The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay, Girl Gone Mad by Avery Bishop