Alex Michaelides took the psychological thriller world by storm a few years ago, publishing “The Silent Patient.” It was hard to avoid seeing his book, and, being a psychological thriller aficionado, I had to read it. I loved it. Later, I enjoyed his next book, “The Maidens.” Again, a college setting is one of my favorite novel backgrounds.
“The Fury” is a psychological thriller told from the perspective of a main character, Elliot Chase. At first, he reminded me of Truman Capote and his outsider position in the high society circle. Elliot is a successful playwright, close friend, and companion of a beautiful Hollywood actress, Lana. Lana has left the glamour of the silver screen but now has everything one can dream of – a devoted husband, a long-time female friend, and Elliot, who will do everything for her. She even owns a slice of paradise – a private Greek island where she invites friends.
However, as it often happens, there are troubles in paradise. Not all guests are who they seem to be, and Lana has hidden motives. Similarly, Elliot is not just a friendly observer who, as a writer, may want to gather material for his next play. Things develop as in a Greek tragedy, with modern twists. With Elliot’s words, the author brings the famous Greek philosopher Heraclitus’s words to life: Character is destiny. Eventually, the murder has to happen.
The audiobook I listened to was read by an excellent British actor, Alex Jennings, who brought Elliot Chase to life. It was like sitting in an armchair and listening to an exciting stranger tell his story. Eventually, his story becomes less cozy and more alarming – but fascinating to the point that I felt sad when it ended. Hopefully, Alex Michaelides has already started working on his next book.
THE FURY, by Alex Michaelides, Macmillan Audio, 2024
Infinite Books 
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