Greek islands getaway goes from delightful to deadly in Michaelides’ latest
‘A celebrity and her famous friends spend a weekend holiday on a private Greek island” sounds like the makings of a Mamma Mia! type rom-com. Instead, seven people are trapped on an island when one of them is murdered — not exactly the “love story” promised in the introduction to Alex Michaelides’ newest thriller, The Fury.
A murder mystery in five acts, The Fury plays out as masterfully as a classical Greek tragedy, complete with idyllic scenery, a touch of superstition, a hint of mythology and a cast of complex characters. His third novel, Michaelides follows blockbusters The Silent Patient and The Maidens with a compelling psychological thriller that blurs the lines between love and hate, fame and infamy, admiration and obsession.
When Lana Farrar receives news that knocks her entire world off its axis, she decides an escape to the Greek islands is the balm she needs to soothe her aching heart. A world-famous actress, she’s beloved and recognized wherever she goes even though she’s long been retired — a dose of solitude on the private island refuge she built with her late husband sounds like exactly what she needs to re-centre. On a whim, she invites her two closest friends, theatre maven Kate and playwright Elliot — the story’s narrator — to join her family on the island for the Easter holiday.
Wolf Marloh photo
Alex Michaelides’ latest is a compelling psychological thriller with hints of Greek mythology.
Located in the Aegean Sea near Mykonos, Aura is paradise on Earth, with flourishing gardens, ancient ruins and a stunning estate. The island’s only inhabitant is caretaker, Nikos, a recluse who normally shies away from human interaction but has a soft spot for Lana. Nearly perfect in every way, the island’s only downfall is the sometimes-vicious wind, often called “The Fury” for how destructive and sinister it can be during a storm, cutting Aura off from the rest of the world.
Lana, joined by her gold-digging husband Jason, teenaged son Leo, friends Kate and Elliot and her assistant Agathe, arrive on the island to balmy spring weather — warm enough for picnics on the beach and afternoon swims in the Aegean.
But the sunshine and warmth can’t melt the icy tension between Lana and her crew.
Jason is stressed over a business deal gone bad, Kate is on edge (and on drugs) fretting over her role in a highly anticipated stage production of Agamemnon, Leo is angry with Lana over a fight about his plans to become an actor and Elliot can’t seem to stop goading both Kate and Jason into bickering.
The island escape Lana had hoped for isn’t quite what she expected; even still, she tries to make the best of it. That is, until the weather takes a turn for the worse, the wind turning furious, seeming to match — and even influence — the moods of the island’s temporary inhabitants.
What starts as a fun evening digresses into a night of revelation and ruination, as truths come to light and relationships fall apart, culminating in a dramatic murder — a scene somewhat befitting a weekend populated with actors and playwrights.
The Fury
Fans of Michaelides’ previous two novels will enjoy nods to characters featured in both The Silent Patient and The Maidens and will be treated to his signature style of mixing Greek mythology with murder and intrigue. Michaelides has crafted yet another twisty mystery for an audience notoriously difficult to surprise, with The Fury delivering a thoroughly shocking record of events. While readers may not expect the ending, they can absolutely expect a deliciously mind-bending thriller sure to have them questioning the narrator and every single character’s motives until the very end.
Katrina Sklepowich is a professional book lover who runs a blog at LiterallyKatrina.com when she isn’t working as a communicator at RRC Polytech.
Credit: Greek islands getaway goes from delightful to deadly in Michaelides’ latest
