"The mountains are brutal. Impervious. They don't care who is broken and bloodied. They don't care for weeping or joy. It is why people lose themselves out here. There is no judgement. You can be anyone in the wilderness."

This is the kind of thing that makes me question people when they say their favorite hobby is hiking. Or camping.

Four lifelong friends — Maggie, Helena, Joni and Liz — have planned an annual vacation together since they were eighteen. A chance to get together and have fun, relax and take a break from their chaotic adult lives. This year, it's Liz's turn to pick, and instead of choosing beachside resorts and relaxing spa weekends she does the unthinkable — booking a backpacking trip in the Norwegian mountains. Beyond the obvious pitfalls of not being outdoorsmen (women actually), the trip seems to go according to plan until the four friends find themselves stranded out on a desolate mountain. No cell service. Lost. And they are definitely not alone.

For how short this book was I was considerably shocked at how much conflict and character development Lucy Clarke managed to pack into the chapters. From each woman's perspective, we got to see their personalities shine, and see how they each dealt differently with the struggles in their lives, and the very real and terrifying things they encountered while on the hike.

This is definitely a classic popcorn thriller — something escapist and totally binge-able in one sitting which I most definitely did. Definitely makes me want to reconsider the camping/outdoorsy trip I'm going on this weekend. ;)

The Hike is set to be published on August 29, 2023. Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, NetGalley and the author for the digital advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This titular hike is taken by four childhood friends who present to the outside world as Liz Wallace the shiny happy doctor mom-wife who can do no wrong, Maggie the self-doubting single-mom artist, Helena Hall the self-reliant career woman, and Joni Gold the world's sexiest rock star. But their planned Norwegian hike will prove way, way more than any of these British BFFs bargained for, and the secrets that each of them harbor will come to light along treacherous rock-lined fjords of danger.

There were little discrepancies that might only ring wrong to an American ear: a child with a wobbly front tooth speaking in articulate, adult diction "Will this have fallen out by the time you're back?" and another 6-yr old terrified in a power outage, cowering in the dark, alone and stumbling, "calling out her father's name" rather than "Father" or "Dad" or "Daddy" etc. But none of that diminishes the mastery of this thriller; the characters and their foibles are so real, the dramatic setting (emotionally as well as geographic) is exquisitely rendered, and the high stake suspense had me gasping out loud again and again!

As someone who myself survived marital collapse and infidelity with sanity intact, and credits that wholly to the healing powers of rage walking around London, I love Dr Liz's explanation "the science of why walking healed- something to do with decreasing activity in the part of the brain responsible for negative thoughts and rumination, instead activating a rest-and-digest mode". I loved this book, can't wait to read more by Lucy Clarke, and when this inevitably gets adapted to film, I'll buy a ticket with pleasure.

Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Hike.

Lucy Clarke is yet again delivered another great thriller! Who doesn't love a girls trip gone wrong as long as it's not your girls trip? This one had me on the edge of my seat. I would have been able to devour this in one sitting if it weren't for those pesky kids. Joking, sorta... This was a page turner that kept the suspense at the forefront.

Four friends take a girls trip to Norway of all places. It's not the destination that some would have chosen, but with it being Liz's turn to pick, she is even able to get their jetsetting rockstar friend to join them. The night before the big hike reveals some secrets about some of the locals. With an ominous warning to turn back around at the start of the trail, the friends may just end up wishing that they would have heeded the warnings that were so often spoken.

Thank you NetGalley and Ms. Clarke for giving me the opportunity to give an honest review of "The Hike." I was excited to get to read this story, since I have really enjoyed other books written by Ms.Clarke. That being said what in the Daisy Jones Ozark loving story this turned out to be. First, I found it very slow.I felt like I was climbing Mt.Blarfell waiting for something exciting to happen. It finally picks up after I am 70% through the book. The story focused so much on the four women, and suddenly you are slapped with a bunch of characters and a mangy dog. I found the story rushed and it needed more back story on the other characters in play.

This book was enjoyable but it also did not wow me. A solid 3 star review. This book follows a group of friends who go on a yearly vacation together and this year one of them decided to pick a multi-day hike. When they get there they find out that someone had gone missing on the hike and the story flip flops between the friends hiking and rescuing a missing hiker. There are some twists and turns and the story was not as predictable as many in the genre. A quick and pleasant read.

I received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lucy Clarke. She is always able to write novels that I completely devour. Easy #5starread for me! Four women hiking an extremely difficult trail, each with their own secrets and constantly being watched by locals. I felt nervous while reading which makes for a great thriller. The shorter chapters had me not being able to put the book down.

Each woman was very interesting and going through unique life situations that only make a four day hike even more filled with tension. This was a book about female friendships and how the friendships can overcome any obstacle. Also, please take me to Norway someday. It sounds beyond beautiful.

This was a thriller for the ages! Kept me on the edge of my seat. I love a book that keeps me turning the pages! Lucy Clarke rocks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC of The Hike by Lucy Clarke.

Lucy Clarke can paint the picture of an atmosphere - that's for sure. I really enjoyed her novel "One of the Girls" and this one painted a different atmosphere. This story played out really well, I did not anticipate the end twist. I will say, the worst part for me is that I basically found all of the friends in this novel insufferable. And I wish Liz grew a backbone.

3.5/4 Stars.

This was SO MUCH FUN! I loved the atmosphere and pretty much any books that pits character vs nature will hook me in immediately. Four friends reunite to do a hike in Norway, against the advice of even the locals. Sign me up! And then, something fishy is going on with said locals. Even better! I truly could not put this down and didn't want it to end. Thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Hike
🗓️ 8/23/2023

No help.
No cell coverage.
No one to hear them scream.

Burned-out by both her marriage and work, Liz is desperate for an escape. More than that, she craves an adventure, a total reset. So, when she plans a vacation with her three best friends, she persuades them to spend four nights camping in the stunning mountains of Norway. Following a trail that climbs through lush valleys, towering peaks, and past jewel-blue lakes, Liz is sure that the hike is just what they need.

But as they stride farther from civilization, it becomes clear that the women are not the only ones looking to lose themselves in the mountains. The wilderness hides secrets darker than they could ever have imagined, and if they’re not careful . . . not all of them will return.

This was my first Lucy Clarke read and I was hoping for more. I did enjoy that it was told from multiple POVs and the short chapters made it a quick read. I never had that “I can’t put this book down” feeling. Many of the characters were unlikable and the plot twist that turned in the last third of the book didn’t hold my attention. Clarke’s ability to set the scene allowed me to visualize the Norwegian mountainsides as if I were on the hike with a group of friends.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

#thehike #netgalley #arcreview #netgalleyreview #newrelease #2023release #suspense #thrilled
#norway #friendship #betrayal #bookstagram #kindlereads

3.5 ⭐️

This books was an absolute page turner! It reassured me in the fact that I will never do an extended hike ever again. 😂 while this book is my first official Lucy Clarke book, it will most definitely not be my last.

Four friends get together every year to take a trip to a destination chosen by one of them. Most of the trips, if not all of the trips up to their current on have been spent sipping cocktails on the beach. However, this year they are hiking in the Norwegian mountains! Some friends are far more prepared than others but no one is ready for the trip they embark on. Secrets. Death, Horrible Weather.

It’s a relatively fast paced thriller that will keep you sucked in from start to finish,

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Lucy Clarke and the publishers at Harper Collins for the ARC of The Hike. All opinions of this novel are my own.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the e-arc!

Last year I read Clarke's new release, One of the Girls and I loved it so much that when I saw that there was another book to request, I quickly jumped at the opportunity. Personally I love Clarke's writing. I really liked the Norway setting and prose but I felt the story drag and there were too many characters.

This is a fast thriller that keeps you on your toes waiting for the next twist. It is a read in one sitting kind of book because you can't put it down, those are my favorite. The atmosphere is good and adds to the mood and overall vibe of the book. This is a great entertaining read!
Thank you to Lucy Clarke, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Friends Maggie, Liz, Helena, and Joni set off on their latest adventure – hiking Blafjell Mountain in Norway. Each carrying their own baggage, both of the literal and physical variety, they begin their four-day journey. Their biggest problems are their baggage and their blisters until the weather shifts, they make a discovery, and things get…complicated…

Ok, so this one is a survivalist thriller. I liked it. I was entertained. I just didn’t love it. Liked that the book was divided into four days with each of the characters having a sub-chapters within the days. The first 20-25% of the book, I had to force myself to read. A lot of time spent introducing the characters and their personalities, which was necessary, just not the action and thrill I was looking for. The rest of the book was non-stop thriller action (yes, please). And the ending, well, I found myself wanting to hit the “bs” button as in, that would never ever happen.

Many of their problems were due to being novice hikers who shouldn’t have been doing that hike without the proper training and equipment, so I found myself annoyed with them for that.

If you need a quick read that doesn’t require a lot of devotion from you, this could be your book.

3

Thank you to @harpercollins and @netgalley for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and really kept me guessing until the end! I thought there was just enough character development to where I felt I really knew them by the end. I did not see any of the twists coming!

3.5⭐ rounded up. I finally read my first Lucy Clarke book and it was a fun popcorn thriller. Definitely liked it! It took a bit to get exciting, but at like 20% starts to get really good. Four women go hiking in the wilderness for 4 days in Norway. They each have their own issues they are dealing with and Liz asks them to go on this trip. I thought it was very atmospheric and Clarke did a great job of giving you a quite real picture of where they were. While on the trip they hear of a woman that has gone missing in the area. Then the action starts. Good twists too. This was a quick, entertaining read!

Out August 29.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own! My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon once it publishes.

This book centers around four friends who embark on a challenging hike as part of their annual girl's trip. All of the main characters seemed like people I have met in real life at one point or another. The women, their struggles, and the dynamics of their friend group all felt very real. It seemed like most of the book was focused on character background, relationships, and development, with most of the "thrill" not coming into play until the last quarter or so of the novel.

A lot of the suspense-building in the first half was driven from the group's complete lack of hiking knowledge and experience, which wasn't necessarily my favorite, but effective. Their irresponsibility just made me so irrationally angry. Was it one of their bodies at the bottom of the ravine? It could be as NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I really couldn't believe these adult women were choosing to hike essentially no preparation. Like of course it's going to be suspenseful reading about someone hiking a mountain when they aren't prepared to hike a mountain.

Overall, this was an average read for me! The friendships and dynamics of the friend group were definitely my favorite. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a thriller, especially if you're used to the genre, but dang, parts of that ending really took me by surprise. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Liz is desperate for an escape from her rocky marriage and what better way to do that than hiking in the remote Norwegian mountains with her 3 best friends. Without cell service and only the packs on their backs the 4 friends embark on a life changing adventure that will not only test their friendships but test their will to survive.

Wow, what a thrilling wilderness book! This book is told from multiple POVs which makes each chapter a cliffhanger that you must keep reading. This book centers on female friendships and delves into each character’s backstory. Clarke was able to paint a beautiful picture with her descriptive writing that makes me want to visit Norway but maybe not hike.

I went into this thinking I was going to love it. I was expecting suspense and twists. But everything just felt flat. I didn’t feel any connection for the characters. It almost felt like the author didn’t care for her characters at all. They were all very annoying or just basic. I don’t think I liked a single character. When we first met them and learned what they were all struggling with I was excited, thinking this was going to be a very interesting story of them working through their issues. But, they basically just complained about their lives and then argues a ton with each other. The story felt very rushed and the ending was very anticlimatic. I wish there was more suspense around them being followed. It

This book was so good! I was hooked from the very first page. The book switches from each of the girls’ point of view and I loved each of their back stories. I simultaneously never want to hike again and also desperately need to book the next trip to Norway and wild camp for a week. Thank you to @penguin group, @putnambooks and @netgalley for my early copy.