Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list and is sold in a record-breaking 50 countries. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and garnered rave reviews from The Guardian, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and more. After living in London for many years, Alex has recently moved back to his birthplace, Cyprus.
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 Hardcover
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 Celadon Books
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
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 HARDCOVER
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Celadon Books
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements “Michaelides as a major player in the field” (Publishers Weekly). |
 HARDCOVER
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Celadon Books
The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive. |
How to be Creative
In a highly inspiring and motivational speech, Alex Michaelides considers the three key aspects of creativity that he believes are essential for any creative endeavor. Alex draws on his own personal experience, and his journey as a writer and a person - going back and forth between writing and the study of psychotherapy, as well as his career as a screenwriter, and his battles with self-doubt. Ultimately it was the decision to have complete creative control over a project and write a novel, that changed everything. The Silent Patient has sold in 50 countries, a record for a debut author, and went in the New York Times Bestseller List at number one, a first for a British debut novelist. For Alex, creativity is about transcending self-doubt and negative critical thoughts, and persevering, while staying true to who really you are. It’s about authenticity and perseverance. And that, as Alex shows us in this talk, truly transforms your life.
Entertainment Tonight calls The Fury a “Best Beach Read for Spring Break”.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides is featured on Most Anticipated Books of 2024 lists in Bookriot, TODAY.com, in Good Morning America, and in Good Housekeeping who ranks The Fury as number one on their most anticipated list.
Vulture includes The Fury by Alex Michaelides in their roundup of “6 Great Audiobooks to listen to this Month”
An exclusive look at The Maidens with ABC News.
Good Morning America interviews Michaelides on The Maidens.
How a Failed Screenwriting Career Forged a Best-Selling Author, The New York Times.
Start reading chapter one of Alex Michaelides’ novel The Silent Patient.
Check out Alex’s interview with The Bookseller.
Read Wall Street Journal‘s interview with Alex on The Silent Patient.
The screenplay of The Silent Patient in development with Plan B.
The Silent Patient named as a “Top 10 Thriller of 2019” by BookTrib.
The Silent Patient named as “Best Mystery & Thriller of 2019” by the Goodreads Choice Awards.
Shelf Awareness reviewed The Silent Patient and interviewed Alex Michaelides.
Alex Michaelides shares his five favorite movies adapted from thrillers.
Check out the behind-the-scenes of The Silent Patient with Publishers Weekly.
Read Publishers Weekly’s review of Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient.
Praise for The Fury
“Come for the setting, stay for the violent hijinks and narrative twists.”
– New York Post, "Most Thrilling Books of the Season Roundup"
“Twisty and elusive, Michaelides’ latest is a surprising take on a genre classic.”
– ELLE, "The Best (and Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024, So Far"
"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 Audiobook, Starred Review
“...A dazzling whodunit, much like his bestselling novels The Silent Patient and The Maidens. But The Fury sets itself apart by adding dose of Old Hollywood glamor and intrigue…like the love child between Sunset Boulevard’s Billy Wilder and Agatha Christie.”
– BUSTLE
“Alex Michaelides delivers a terrific spin on the Agatha Christie classic, And Then There Were None, with a dash of the film Glass Onion in his latest thriller...Readers who have enjoyed Michaelides’ previous books will find this one his best yet…”
– Criminal Element, Best Psychological Thrillers in January
"The Fury, like its beguiling narrator, is 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, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter
"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
"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. A tale of old friends and buried emotions ready to explode, all set on an idyllic island rendered so perfectly you can smell the jasmine, the ouzo and the Aegean Sea. The Fury will, quite literally, blow you away. Totally brilliant."
—Tony Parsons, author of Who She Was
"I recently read The Fury by Alex Michaelides, and it's great fun. It's a twisty, decadent murder mystery among fancy people, set on a Greek island — so yes, it will remind you a bit of Glass Onion, and by extension The Last of Sheila.”
—NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour on “What’s Making Us Happy”
"Michaelides wrote the huge best-seller The Silent Patient, so he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve with this new novel…Elliot Chase, our unreliable narrator, owes a bit to Tom Ripley; he might also remind readers of Barry Keoghan’s character in Saltburn."
—Vulture
"Michaelides’s deliciously twisty and fiendishly clever third novel takes the classic locked-room mystery and delivers a fresh spin on the genre... What sets the book apart is its innovative structure and the compelling voice of its narrator, Elliot Chase; wonderfully sinister and beautifully unreliable, he guides us – with sleights of hand aplenty – through this impressive and highly enjoyable tale of subterfuge, secrets and murder."
—The Guardian
"Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents...Recommended for all thriller audio collections. Listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up."
—Library Journal,The Fury audiobook starred review
Praise for The Maidens "Alex Michaelides’s long-awaited next novel, 'The Maidens,' is finally here...the premise is enticing and the elements irresistible."
—The New York Times
"Fans of The Secret History will fall hard for The Maidens, Michaelides’ dazzling chaser to 2019’s bestselling The Silent Patient, a challenging act to follow...Layered in dreamlike references to Greek mythology and ancient ritualized murders, this clever literary page-turner firmly establishes Michaelides as an unstoppable force in the thriller space."
—Esquire
"Elegant, sinister, stylish and thrilling, The Maidens answers the weighty question, how do you go about following one of the biggest thrillers of the past decade? You write something even better."
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End
"The author of the critically acclaimed The Silent Patient permanently cements himself as a top modern author with this new work, a masterful, slow burn blend of Greek mythology and a knife-edged plot...destined for the bestseller list."
—Newsweek
"Michaelides’ stage-setting skills are as masterful here, as they were in The Silent Patient (2019); another tense, cleverly twisted winner."
—Booklist, starred review
“Michaelides melds mythology and crime into a compelling page-turner.”
—Oprah Daily
"Michaelides has proven that he is no one-hit wonder and is well on his way to becoming one of the world’s most influential and well-read thriller writers."
—Bookreporter.com
"Stunning... The intelligent, cerebral plot finds contemporary parallels in Euripides's tragedies, Jacobean dramas such as The Duchess of Malfi, and Tennyson's poetry. The devastating ending shows just how little the troubled Mariana knows about the human psyche or herself. Michaelides is on a roll."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Enticingly dark and compulsively pageturning, this chilling novel takes readers on a suspenseful journey that's both terrifying and twisted... If you liked The Silent Patient, then you already know Michaelides's new book will be up your alley. With similar page-turning cliff-hangers, this utterly compulsive read will make you question which book you like better."
—PopSugar
"The Maidens is an intricately plotted, mystery-thriller for the discerning reader. It’s an atmospheric story set on Cambridge University’s campus merging cliff-hanging twists with artful suspense."
—The New York Journal of Books
Praise for The Silent Patient "Impressive first novel... with an ending worthy of a classic Agatha Christie mystery."
—The Wall Street Journal
"Superb... This edgy, intricately plotted psychological thriller establishes Michaelides as a major player in the field."
—Publisher's Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"Pulling off a novel where the protagonist stays mum isn't easy, but this impressive, immersive debut—Brad Pitt's company has snapped up film rights—establishes Michaelides as a writer to watch."
—People, Book of the Week
"Impressive debut...The Silent Patient is intelligent, imaginative and a terrific read."
—The Times (London), Book of the Month
"The Silent Patient may be a first novel, but it has the pace and finesse of a master."
—BBC
"That rarest of beasts: the perfect thriller. This extraordinary novel set my blood fizzing—I quite literally couldn't put it down. I told myself I'd just dip in; eleven hours later—it's now 5:47 a.m.—I've finished it, absolutely dazzled."
—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
“The Silent Patient sneaks up on you like a slash of intimidating shadow on a badly lit street. Alex Michaelides has crafted a totally original, spellbinding psychological mystery so quirky, so unique that it should have its own genre. I read it in two nights and savored every luscious word, every grim encounter, every startling twist. The pages will burn with the friction from your hands turning them.”
—David Baldacci
“Smart, sophisticated storytelling freighted with real suspense—a very fine novel by any standard.”
—Lee Child
"One of the most spellbinding psychological thrillers we’ve read in years. Beautifully written, exquisitely plotted, the story relentlessly pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the last shocking (and yet brutally logical) twist. This is an absolutely fantastic and extraordinary read."
—Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of the Pendergast series
“Alex Michaelides has written one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. The Silent Patient is a swarming, paranoid nightmare of a novel with an ending that is destined to go down as one of the most shocking, mind-blowing twists in recent memory.”
—Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter
The Silent Patient paints a picture, crawling into your soul in the very best way. Take a chance."
—Brad Meltzer, author of The Escape Artist
"Dark, edgy, and compulsively readable."
—Library Journal
"The Silent Patient isn't quiet at all. It loudly announces that Alex Michaelides is a new talent in the field of psychological thrillers."
—Shelf Awareness
—Booklist
"A taut, meticulously plotted and compelling novel."
—The Observer
– New York Post, "Most Thrilling Books of the Season Roundup"
“Twisty and elusive, Michaelides’ latest is a surprising take on a genre classic.”
– ELLE, "The Best (and Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024, So Far"
"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 Audiobook, Starred Review
“...A dazzling whodunit, much like his bestselling novels The Silent Patient and The Maidens. But The Fury sets itself apart by adding dose of Old Hollywood glamor and intrigue…like the love child between Sunset Boulevard’s Billy Wilder and Agatha Christie.”
– BUSTLE
“Alex Michaelides delivers a terrific spin on the Agatha Christie classic, And Then There Were None, with a dash of the film Glass Onion in his latest thriller...Readers who have enjoyed Michaelides’ previous books will find this one his best yet…”
– Criminal Element, Best Psychological Thrillers in January
"The Fury, like its beguiling narrator, is 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, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter
"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
"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. A tale of old friends and buried emotions ready to explode, all set on an idyllic island rendered so perfectly you can smell the jasmine, the ouzo and the Aegean Sea. The Fury will, quite literally, blow you away. Totally brilliant."
—Tony Parsons, author of Who She Was
"I recently read The Fury by Alex Michaelides, and it's great fun. It's a twisty, decadent murder mystery among fancy people, set on a Greek island — so yes, it will remind you a bit of Glass Onion, and by extension The Last of Sheila.”
—NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour on “What’s Making Us Happy”
"Michaelides wrote the huge best-seller The Silent Patient, so he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve with this new novel…Elliot Chase, our unreliable narrator, owes a bit to Tom Ripley; he might also remind readers of Barry Keoghan’s character in Saltburn."
—Vulture
"Michaelides’s deliciously twisty and fiendishly clever third novel takes the classic locked-room mystery and delivers a fresh spin on the genre... What sets the book apart is its innovative structure and the compelling voice of its narrator, Elliot Chase; wonderfully sinister and beautifully unreliable, he guides us – with sleights of hand aplenty – through this impressive and highly enjoyable tale of subterfuge, secrets and murder."
—The Guardian
"Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents...Recommended for all thriller audio collections. Listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up."
—Library Journal,The Fury audiobook starred review
Praise for The Maidens "Alex Michaelides’s long-awaited next novel, 'The Maidens,' is finally here...the premise is enticing and the elements irresistible."
—The New York Times
"Fans of The Secret History will fall hard for The Maidens, Michaelides’ dazzling chaser to 2019’s bestselling The Silent Patient, a challenging act to follow...Layered in dreamlike references to Greek mythology and ancient ritualized murders, this clever literary page-turner firmly establishes Michaelides as an unstoppable force in the thriller space."
—Esquire
"Elegant, sinister, stylish and thrilling, The Maidens answers the weighty question, how do you go about following one of the biggest thrillers of the past decade? You write something even better."
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End
"The author of the critically acclaimed The Silent Patient permanently cements himself as a top modern author with this new work, a masterful, slow burn blend of Greek mythology and a knife-edged plot...destined for the bestseller list."
—Newsweek
"Michaelides’ stage-setting skills are as masterful here, as they were in The Silent Patient (2019); another tense, cleverly twisted winner."
—Booklist, starred review
“Michaelides melds mythology and crime into a compelling page-turner.”
—Oprah Daily
"Michaelides has proven that he is no one-hit wonder and is well on his way to becoming one of the world’s most influential and well-read thriller writers."
—Bookreporter.com
"Stunning... The intelligent, cerebral plot finds contemporary parallels in Euripides's tragedies, Jacobean dramas such as The Duchess of Malfi, and Tennyson's poetry. The devastating ending shows just how little the troubled Mariana knows about the human psyche or herself. Michaelides is on a roll."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Enticingly dark and compulsively pageturning, this chilling novel takes readers on a suspenseful journey that's both terrifying and twisted... If you liked The Silent Patient, then you already know Michaelides's new book will be up your alley. With similar page-turning cliff-hangers, this utterly compulsive read will make you question which book you like better."
—PopSugar
"The Maidens is an intricately plotted, mystery-thriller for the discerning reader. It’s an atmospheric story set on Cambridge University’s campus merging cliff-hanging twists with artful suspense."
—The New York Journal of Books
Praise for The Silent Patient "Impressive first novel... with an ending worthy of a classic Agatha Christie mystery."
—The Wall Street Journal
"Superb... This edgy, intricately plotted psychological thriller establishes Michaelides as a major player in the field."
—Publisher's Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"Pulling off a novel where the protagonist stays mum isn't easy, but this impressive, immersive debut—Brad Pitt's company has snapped up film rights—establishes Michaelides as a writer to watch."
—People, Book of the Week
"Impressive debut...The Silent Patient is intelligent, imaginative and a terrific read."
—The Times (London), Book of the Month
"The Silent Patient may be a first novel, but it has the pace and finesse of a master."
—BBC
"That rarest of beasts: the perfect thriller. This extraordinary novel set my blood fizzing—I quite literally couldn't put it down. I told myself I'd just dip in; eleven hours later—it's now 5:47 a.m.—I've finished it, absolutely dazzled."
—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
“The Silent Patient sneaks up on you like a slash of intimidating shadow on a badly lit street. Alex Michaelides has crafted a totally original, spellbinding psychological mystery so quirky, so unique that it should have its own genre. I read it in two nights and savored every luscious word, every grim encounter, every startling twist. The pages will burn with the friction from your hands turning them.”
—David Baldacci
“Smart, sophisticated storytelling freighted with real suspense—a very fine novel by any standard.”
—Lee Child
"One of the most spellbinding psychological thrillers we’ve read in years. Beautifully written, exquisitely plotted, the story relentlessly pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the last shocking (and yet brutally logical) twist. This is an absolutely fantastic and extraordinary read."
—Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of the Pendergast series
“Alex Michaelides has written one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. The Silent Patient is a swarming, paranoid nightmare of a novel with an ending that is destined to go down as one of the most shocking, mind-blowing twists in recent memory.”
—Blake Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter
The Silent Patient paints a picture, crawling into your soul in the very best way. Take a chance."
—Brad Meltzer, author of The Escape Artist
"Dark, edgy, and compulsively readable."
—Library Journal
"The Silent Patient isn't quiet at all. It loudly announces that Alex Michaelides is a new talent in the field of psychological thrillers."
—Shelf Awareness
—Booklist
"A taut, meticulously plotted and compelling novel."
—The Observer