"Alex Jennings' impeccable accent keeps the already propulsive novel quite engaging, and moving like a steam train about to run you over."—Vulture
"Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents...listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up."—Library Journal
"Jennings confidently, confidentially embodies [the ensemble]: elegant Lara, gruff Jason, earnest Leo, biting Kate, protective Agathi, unassuming Nikos. Elliott, of course, gets star billing . . . and Jennings ensures his twists, pivots, and falsehoods are marvelously played out to the didn't-see-that-coming final scene. The please oh-please pièce de resistance would be to put Jennings on screen in the inevitable celluloid adaptation to come."—Booklist
"Alex Jennings' reading, with its measured pace and conversational, almost confessional tone, perfectly captures Elliot's personality, as well as the varied voices of the small cast of characters. Listeners will be loath to press pause on this entirely unpredictable tale."—Bookpage on The Fury (Starred Review)
This program is read by Alex Jennings, who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He is also known for his role as Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, in the Netflix series The Crown, along with his roles in The Queen, Lady in the Van, and The Wings of the Dove. He is a three-time Olivier Award winner and has been nominated for a BAFTA.
A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder — from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient
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.
A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.
"Alex Jennings' impeccable accent keeps the already propulsive novel quite engaging, and moving like a steam train about to run you over."—Vulture
"Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents...listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up."—Library Journal
"Jennings confidently, confidentially embodies [the ensemble]: elegant Lara, gruff Jason, earnest Leo, biting Kate, protective Agathi, unassuming Nikos. Elliott, of course, gets star billing . . . and Jennings ensures his twists, pivots, and falsehoods are marvelously played out to the didn't-see-that-coming final scene. The please oh-please pièce de resistance would be to put Jennings on screen in the inevitable celluloid adaptation to come."—Booklist
"Alex Jennings' reading, with its measured pace and conversational, almost confessional tone, perfectly captures Elliot's personality, as well as the varied voices of the small cast of characters. Listeners will be loath to press pause on this entirely unpredictable tale."—Bookpage on The Fury (Starred Review)
This program is read by Alex Jennings, who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He is also known for his role as Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, in the Netflix series The Crown, along with his roles in The Queen, Lady in the Van, and The Wings of the Dove. He is a three-time Olivier Award winner and has been nominated for a BAFTA.
A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder — from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient
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.
A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.
Critiques-
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December 18, 2023
Shades of Agatha Christie and Sunset Boulevard color this outstanding psychological thriller from bestseller Michaelides (The Maidens). Among the frenemies who gather for a weekend at a lush Greek island owned by former movie star Lana Farrar are Lana’s second husband, Jason Miller; her son, Leo; theater actor Kate Crosby; two servants; and the book’s unreliable narrator, playwright Elliot Chase. At the outset, Elliot tees readers up for “a tale of murder,” that is also “at its heart... a love story.” Shortly after arriving on the island, the group is trapped by unrelenting wind (in Greek: menos, or “the fury”), and before long someone is killed. Elliot then winds the clock back, delving into each attendee’s place in a thick web of jealousy, ambition, and infidelity. As he builds toward the bloody opening incident, he dwells on each character’s personality and flaws, revealing himself in the process, from his painful childhood that pointed him toward love of the theater to his complicated relationship with a much older, wealthy author whose death was gossip fodder. Michaelides keeps readers on deliciously unsteady ground throughout, ratcheting up the tension until he arrives at the final series of reveals. The result is a character-driven, atmospheric delight. Agent: Sam Copeland, RCW. -
Olivier Award-winning actor Alex Jennings performs this story of murder on a remote Greek island. Famed actress Lana Farrar invites her family and close friend to her private island for Easter break. But what starts out as an idyllic vacation ends in murder. The novel is told from the perspective of Elliot Chase, a playwright who is Lana's closest friend. With his ear for dialogue, Jennings captures the expressions of the characters. But while he knows his way around a wide range of accents, Jennings's stiff performance of exposition and descriptions detracts overall. The plot twists and backtracks, often predictably, dampening the suspense. K.D.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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Starred review from March 1, 2024
In Michaelides's (The Maidens) latest novel, listeners get front-row seats to a tale of murder and love, told by unreliable but delightful narrator Elliot Chase. Elliot shares a story about his dear friend Lana, a retired movie star who has invited her closest friends and family on a quick getaway to her private Greek island. Overnight on the island, someone is murdered. Elliot willingly provides the details of how and why the murder occurred, all while embellishing a tad, as good storytellers often do. As always, Michaelides creates dynamic characters with complex flaws and weaknesses and explores the psychology of motivation, manipulation, and desire. Although slower in pace than his previous novels, this latest is still a fun and dramatic thriller. Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents. Jennings's Elliot is entertaining, and it is obvious that Jennings himself is a seasoned performer. VERDICT Recommended for all thriller audio collections. Listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up.--Lacey Webster
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
