Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC!!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a tiny bit predictable in some parts but overall a fun read!!

I love hiking, but I didn’t like this book. I thought the premise was neat, but the way it was carried out was absolutely ridiculous and required me to suspend too much disbelief.

Instead of the female friendships coming across as sincere and heartfelt, their bonds felt contrived and shallow. The book was predictable and absolutely dry.

I can’t say I recommend it at all.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Personal policy dictates that since this title received a rating of three stars or lower it will not appear on social media or bookseller websites.

This was a good, quick read. I kind of figured out what was going on in the beginning (not the big reveal but one piece) and kind of eye rolled.

The pacing was great and I loved the atmosphere. I love a good girls trip turned sour story.

recently read The Hike by Lucy Clarke and I saw it described as a popcorn thriller and honestly that's a good way to describe this. It's a book about 4 friends who take a girls weekend to go hiking in Norway and find themselves in for more than they can handle when there is also a killer on the trail.

It was a quick read but I was annoyed at most of the book since these 4 women should have never been backpacking. Especially not on a trail that was described as infrequently hiked and a challenge when you could tell they have never camped. There is a difference in hiking, camping and backpacking!

So if you're looking for a thriller with a great atmosphere but is more of an easy-read entertainment check this out.

Its a story about 4 lifelong girlfriends who decide to go hiking in a remote Norwegian mountain with terrible weather. There is also a killer on the loose hunting the women.

I like books like these and I certainly enjoyed it. But you had to suspend belief quite a bit in reading of this book. Sometimes that takes you out of the story you are reading. eg. the weather was terrible and one of the friends knew about this early on, yet decided not to share this info w her friends and put their lives in danger.

Having said that, I finished the book and will look forward to reading more from this author.

When you plan a trip with your three best friends, you would naturally gravitate to a warm, sunny location, right? Not for Liz and her best friends. Instead of relaxing on the beach, Liz, Maggie, Helena, and Joni will be hiking in Norway. Most of the women are hesitant to attend this trip - but for all the wrong reasons. Their trip starts on the wrong foot and continues in chaos until the end. As they continue their ascent up the mountain, they all begin to wonder who they can really trust. Do they trust each other? Do they trust those who are supposed to help them in a dangerous situation? Do they even trust themselves? By the time the women leave Norway, their entire lives are going to be changed...and maybe not for the better.

I was instantly hooked as this was giving me a She Started It vibe. I kept guessing, not knowing what mishap was going to interrupt their trip next. However, around 80%, I found myself becoming disinterested in what was happening. There was so much build-up for the big twist and it just fell flat. I was looking for something more shocking and wow-worthy. The twist is a good one but it just seemed kind of rushed and not very fleshed out. Also, the very last chapter does not wrap things up in the way it should. It leaves the story on a small cliffhanger that isn't necessary; none of this is addressed in the "afterward" section of their stories as well. Maybe I went in expecting too much. It's a solid story but prepare yourself for a not-so-crazy ending.

If you enjoy a good atmospheric thriller, this is a good one. 3 best friends decide to go on a hike in Norway for their annual summer vacation. They don't expect their friend Joni to come as well since she is always on tour, but at the last minute she shows up with hiking boots and a backpack ready to go.

I've read some other hiking adventure books, and they always creep me out. I don't like the feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere without help if someone gets hurt or bad weather comes in or there are weirdos hiking out there with you. I love the suspense as the 4 women hike up this mountain. They are not really cut out to be hiking and there are just too many questionable people at the lodge and that they encounter on the trail.

This book had a fast-paced feel and moved along quickly jumping between POV's. An entertaining thriller that will keep you feeling the suspense.

Liz, Helena, Joni, and Maggie have been best friends since high school. Every year they get together for a week long vacation to take a break from their busy lives and catch up with one another. Usually their trips involve pools and cocktails, but this year they’re embarking on the adventure of a lifetime! They’ll be backpacking for four days along the Svelle trail and climbing the tallest mountain in Norway called Blafjell.

What could happen when four inexperienced hikers take on the biggest, most challenging mountain that’s known for severe weather and mudslides? They run into danger around every corner.

Just when they think they’re safe, a killer emerges out of the fog. There’s no where to run, and nobody can be trusted. How will they survive?

I read the first chapter few chapters on Friday night and felt overwhelmed with the amount of characters. I woke up early Saturday morning to dive back in, and didn’t stop until it was dark outside. Around the middle of the book, I was able to figure out all the characters and fell in love with each of the women even though they were totally clueless when it came to survival.

A thought that crossed my mind while reading:
I’m in my 30’s and the last thing I want to do is drink a bottle of wine, a glass of champagne, and beer the night before climbing the tallest mountain in Norway. I’d be dead in bed, not climbing a mountain. 😂

Four best friends from childhood set aside one week a year to meet up and vacation together. This year, it was Liz's turn to choose the destination. Tired of their usual sunshine and cocktail infused beach trips she decided on a real adventure. Liz, Maggie, Helena and Jodi would hike and wild camp in the mountains of Norway. As the group sets off with heavy packs on their backs each woman is also carrying a burden of their own - Maggie anxious about being separated from her daughter for the first time, Jodi dealing with her struggles with addiction, Helena recently dealt life-changing news and Liz a marriage on the rocks. The women, each with different levels of preparedness walk their way through the wilderness towards their goal reaching the summit of Blafjell Mountain. But there are dangers lurking in the woods and Blafjell has claimed lives before. When hikers return to base camp reporting a body found, a search begins in the ravine and for a killer hiding somewhere out in the wild. I am so grateful to have been sent an advanced copy of "The Hike" by Putnam Books and NetGalley because I couldn't put this one down. Each of the characters gives you love/hate vibes, the setting is pure anxiety inducing and I couldn't wait to figure out what really happened out there on the mountain. Not a chance would I be found doing what these women were brave enough to attempt but I enjoyed Lucy Clarke taking me along on their adventure. Thriller/Mystery fans add this one to your TBR list.

Thank you, Netgalley and Putnam Books for the #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Hike was such a page turner for me! I now have a new go to author. Although the beginning of the book was slow, it picked up pace and had twists that I wasn’t expecting! Definitely recommend!

Four friends take on a challenging 4-day hike in Norway, with each woman bringing her own secrets and DRAMA to the trail. To add to the tension, there is a missing hiker and a murderer on the loose!

The drama unfolds as the friends begin hiking on a treacherous trail, not realizing the dangers that lie ahead. Soon, one of them goes missing and the women realize they are being chased by a killer. But can the women put their differences aside long enough to help each other when it really counts?

This was my first Lucy Clarke novel and I enjoyed it enough to want read more of her work. The author does an excellent job setting up the drama by providing the reader with a glimpse into each woman’s life. The tension builds so that by the time the four women are ready for their hike, you know something is going down!

I checked out the audiobook as well the digital book. The audio is excellently narrated by David Johansen-Menkin, and Stephanie Racine. The ‘locked room’ setting, growing tension, missing hiker, and a natural disaster all combine to make this an excellent read (or listen) for suspense lovers.

Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review:

The Hike starts off at a slow pace as all of the characters are introduced. In school, Liz & Joni wanted to climb to the top of this mountain in Norway. Now grown up, they are totally unqualified to embark on this difficult hike alone. My practical brain kept thinking, "Why are they doing this without an expert guide?" It bothered me how stupid they all were. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with any of the characters and felt they deserved whatever happened to them. While the plot seemed so unrealistic, I did appreciate the sinister, uneasy atmosphere the author created. I would have preferred reading this during the winter in front of a cozy fire. It was a quick read but unfortunately fell flat.

This book was so good!! I have been a huge fan of Lucy Clarke and this was one of her best. It was captivating from the very beginning and kept my attention from the first page. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Lucy Clarke!!! She is now a go-to author for me. The Hike was the perfect thriller that made me want to continue to read into the middle of the night.

3.5 stars. Doesn't a 4-day hike up a mountain trail in the Norwegian wilderness sound amazing? (Yeah, not a fan of the setting.) Four lifelong friends embark on a challenging 4-day hike in Norway, each with their own secrets and personal issues. Some are more eager to get on the trail than others, but when they hear about a missing girl who looks strikingly similar to one of the ladies, things take a sinister twist. There's also a killer on the trail with his own secrets who will do just about anything to keep them hidden.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-arc.*

This is another great thriller by Lucy Clarke! I went between reading and listening to this book, which I loved because I got the best of both worlds. The narrators of the audiobook were great and created such a suspenseful listening experience. I read the last 70% of the book in a day because I could not get enough. I loved watching the tension between the long-term friends change and seeing how they preserved through the challenges. I was on the edge of my seat and several of the twists left me with my jaw on the floor. If you are a fan of Darcy Coates, Dead of Winter, you are going to love this survivalist thriller!

****Many thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the gifted physical copy and @prhaudio for the ALC in turn for my honest review.

I will posted my review on Instagram (@thriller_book_sisters) on 8/28/23.

A girls’ getaway gone wrong. Four women go on their annual vacation. Best friends since high school, they each take a turn picking a destination for their trip each year. This time it’s Liz’s turn to choose. Wanting an adventure and something to distract her from her failing marriage, she chooses a wild hiking and camping trip through the gorgeous mountains in Norway. Her friends aren’t very enthusiastic and didn’t prepare for such a strenuous trip, but they go along. Upon arriving at the mountain lodge, they discover a woman went missing a year earlier in the same mountains they intend to hike. Lots of anxiety and tense atmosphere! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The beginning was a bit slow but that’s to be expected while we learn about each character and their lives. About 20% in it starts to really pick up. I was honestly not expecting all of the twists and was a bit shocked! This really was a good reminder of why I don’t want to ever go hiking haha! This was my first book by Lucy Clarke and I’ll definitely be checking out her other books. If you enjoy survival thrillers this is definitely one you should check out! Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC! My thoughts are my own. 4 stars from me!!

Thank you, Netgalley and Putnam Books for the #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

📖: The Hike
✍️: Lucy Clarke
🗓️: August 29, 2023

I love a good survivalist thriller and this one seemed to fit the bill. I liked the story and characters for the most part, although I had a hard time keeping the four women straight for the first half of the book. It was also a slow build to the action while each woman’s background was introduced. Once the hike was under way though, the pace sped up quickly and didn’t let down. Overall, this is a solid popcorn thriller about friends with secrets that I’d recommend to fans of the genre.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Helena, Maggie, Liz, and Joni are four childhood friends who’ve taken turns picking out where they go for their annual girls trip, and this year, Liz has decided they’re going to hike a mountain in Norway. Checking into the hotel at the base of the trail, the women learn of the disappearance of a woman on the same mountain — one who looks a lot like Maggie.

Each of the women have personal problems back home distracting them, in addition to some conflicts amongst themselves that they’re dealing with, which just adds to the tension. Ratcheting up the drama is the challenge these four inexperienced hikers take on what does not appear to be a beginner’s mountain, during less than ideal weather, with the mystery of the missing woman not far from their thoughts, and a few shady characters lurking about as well.

Faraway locations, lifelong friends, narratives filled with secrets and tension, I can always count on Lucy Clarke to write a book that makes for a great summer read, and this one doesn’t disappoint!

G.P. Putnam’s Sons via NetGalley kindly provided me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If my friend invited me to a girls' weekend and then announced we were going on a four day hike, I'd be finding new friends! However, this group of friends go along and venture into nature sorely prepared for what is waiting for them. I'm not going to spoil by saying what exactly is waiting, I'll just say they have quite an adventure. Fun to read about but my next girls' weekend will definitely be at a nice, safe resort! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.