My name is Elliot Chase and I am going to tell you a story unlike any other.

It is a story about a murder. Or perhaps that is not entirely true. Because essentially it is a story about love, isn't it?

Lana Farrar, a former movie star, invites her closest friends every year to spend the Easter holidays on her idyllic private island in Greece. However, this year the group is trapped on the island due to the wind, which the locals call "messy."

And while the seven friends spend their days having fun, a night arrives that ends with one of them dead. Only one of the remaining six can be the culprit. What hides behind old friendships? What motive could the perpetrator have?

A mystery filled with twists and surprises, culminating in an unforgettable climax. You may think you know what has happened. But you're wrong...

A fantastic new thriller by Alex Michaelides, the internationally bestselling award-winning author.

Never start a book talking about the weather. Who said that? I don't remember – probably some famous writer. Whoever it was, they were right. The weather is boring. No one wants to read about the weather, especially in England, where we have so many discussions about it. People want to read about people – and generally, in my experience, they skip the paragraphs with descriptions.

It’s good advice to avoid talking about the weather – and now I am ignoring it at my own risk. An exception that proves the rule, I hope. Don't worry, my story does not take place in England, so I'm not talking about rain here. I draw a red line at rain – no book should ever start with rain. Without exception.

I am talking about wind. About the wind swirling around the Greek islands. The wild, unpredictable Greek wind. A wind that drives you crazy.

The wind was fierce that night – the night of the murder. It was strong, furious – it slammed against the trees, swept across the paths, whistled, lamented, snatched away all other sounds and quickly made off.