This was a book that spoke to me, as I don't normally go for this type. But I was not disappointed, it was unexpected in all the good ways. And left me wondering what would happen next. Lucy Clarke is a fantastic author, I would read other works of hers, and reread this book any day.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Hike by Lucy Clarke in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I love anything by Lucy Clarke so was beyond thrilled to be approved to read this. This book is one that will keep you up late into the night turning the pages as fast as you can. So many twists and turns and lots of suspense. Believe me, you won't be disappointed with this at all!

I was excited to read this one because I am going camping for the first time and I knew this would get me even more excited. I love the idea of a hike gone wrong because of secrets and emotions running high.

I love books that are based around a group of girlfriends. Each character had completely different personalities, something kept them pulled together. I found Liz a bit selfish, Maggie was extremely selfless, Helena was still grieving the loss of her mom and a relationship, and Joni was a wildcard to me.

I found this book to be a rollercoaster ride that kept me guessing. I really liked the way the story ended up going and how things wrapped up.

Big thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam!
The Hike by Lucy Clarke is an intense psychological thriller that takes place in the Norwegian wilderness. The book follows four friends, Maggie, Helena, Liz, and Joni, as they go on a challenging hike that soon becomes a terrifying experience. What begins as a fun trip to reconnect quickly turns into a nightmare as the group's secrets and conflicts come to light, all while dealing with the harsh and unforgiving landscape. The detailed descriptions of the wild Norwegian wilderness create a spooky atmosphere, almost turning nature into a character in the story. The Hike is great because it keeps you hooked with a fast-moving plot. The characters are real and have their own baggage, which keeps the story interesting. Even though some might guess how it ends, the journey to get there is thrilling nevertheless. Overall, it's an enjoyable book for anyone who loves intense plots with a great atmosphere and a character-driven narrative.

Well-paced, interesting story. The book dragged a little bit for me in the middle but everything was tied up nicely in the end.

"The Hike" is a solid thriller. I hadn't read a survival story in quite some time, and Lucy Clarke sucked me in from the very beginning. The four friends are all interesting in their own way, which allowed me to care for their survival. Thrilling and surprising, the book is the nudge I need to read more from Clarke.


My sincerest appreciation to Lucy Clarke, G. P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions herein are my own.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This was a fast paced adventure mystery involving four friends that get together for a trip each year. This year is a hike in Norway that takes these ladies out of their comfort zones. As they are hiking they keep getting in to dangerous situations that end up being life threatening. Their friendships are put to the test, especially when they find out that there is something illegal and sinister going on in this small tourist town.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗸𝗲 by Lucy Clarke
Publish Date: April 19, 2023 by @harpercollins
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: Kindle ARC [ Gifted via @netgalley and @harpercollins ]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
WOWZA! I read so many thrillers that sometimes I go into a new one thinking I won’t be surprised - that it won’t impress me. But damn did this book knock my socks off. It was well-written, had excellent character development, and kept me guessing the entire time.

The story centers around 4 best friends who grew up together - and typically, when a thriller tells the story of friends, I tend to find that there isn’t enough character development because the author relies on the action and the plot to drive the story. This was completely different - it relied on the relationship between the friends, and the struggles each of the women faced individually to drive the story forward.

Interwoven within the story of the friends was a back-and-forth timeline of another woman’s story — I won’t say more so as not to give it away, but it was really well done, and I found that none of the story was far-fetched like some thrillers can be, and it kept me riveted the entire time.

As an outdoor enthusiast, I was excited to read this new thriller! I love to hike and camp and have certainly been on hikes that would have been optimal scenes for scary stories. I enjoyed that this story switched POV often so you really only get a chunk of the scene chronologically. It really helps to throw you off and keeps things confusing to the reader. What I didn't care for with this thriller is how slowly the first two-thirds of the book moves. I nearly gave up many times. In the end, there is excitement but it wasn't enough for me to justify the time put into the beginning with nothing happening. Also, there are just so many things that aren't necessary in this book or things that don't have anything to do with the story. All in all, The Hike wasn't a bad thriller or poorly written, but it's not one I'd recommend.

The Hike follows four friends who embark on what should be an exhilarating trek through the mountains of Norway. But as the group delves deeper into the wilderness, they find themselves confronting not only the challenges of the rugged terrain but also the secrets and tensions that have been simmering beneath the surface of their friendship.

Unlike many thrillers I’ve read lately, I didn’t see any of the twists coming in this one. After a slow beginning, it became a real page-turner, the pace picking up significantly as the story progressed. There was a portion of the book where chapter after chapter was a cliffhanger (pun intended), the rotating narrative adding to the suspense. Clarke keeps the reader on edge, with each character’s perspective revealing just enough to keep you guessing until the end.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Group, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another solid popcorn thriller from Lucy Clarke! I’ve been pretty open about my disdain for thrillers lately. Very similar plots and tropes, and they tend to be a bit over the top with twists. While The Hike *did* rely on some familiar tropes, Lucy’s writing and characterization are solid. It’s a fairly small cast of characters and I won’t lie that I predicted *most* of the twists and bad dudes, but I don’t need to be flabbergasted with every book I read, and definitely prefer the plausible versus the TWIST YOU’LL NEVER SEE COMING!

The Hike is about four long time friends that head off for a girls trip in wild Norway. The 4 day hike goes a bit sideways pretty quickly and there is definitely some suspicious circumstances.

I found the book to be a bit of a slow burn. I’m good with those but I know that many others don’t vibe well with the slower pace, so be wary. There is some twisty stuff and allusions to possible craziness, but the first half is more so for expanding on characterization. I loved the (imagined) setting. Norway is soooo beautiful so this was a fun world to build in my mind.

I did find the side characters to be a bit cliche, but that’s somewhat expected when they don’t get expounded upon too often. The ending went a bit over the top, but I enjoyed it.

As a major acrophobic I have to be honest that a solid third of this book had me with *sweaty palms* and having to take breaks occasionally. Overall, I feel like that shows how well the book is paced and how absorbed in the story one gets.

I definitely recommend this for my thrillers crowd. If you take The Descent and subtract the caving and monsters aspect and throw in some sketchy Norwegians then you’ve got this book. It’s nothing particularly novel, but definitely scratches that twisty, thriller itch.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 close friends are headed on an annual girls trip, giving them the opportunity to catch up and escape the trials and tribulations of their daily lives. For a change from their usual relaxing, beachy destinations, they decide to tackle an adventurous hiking trip in Norway. Upon arrival, they quickly meet the locals who give them ominous warnings about the dangers associated with taking this specific hike but decide to soldier on. As they navigate the challenging terrain, it forces them to navigate their true relationships with each other and the internal struggles and dark secrets they are keeping to themselves while also navigating an unexpected threatening situation that puts all of their lives in danger.

This book was a fun popcorn thriller and I really enjoyed the dual storylines that took place in the book. The back stories of the 4 women held my attention and I thought it was interesting how they all had vastly different relationships with each other even though they all felt that they were a fairly cohesive friend unit. The addition of the mystery behind the events occurring while they hiked added some more depth to the story. This book fits the category of entertaining beach read!

#TheHike #NetGalley
Awesome.
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 is a well written book with lots of twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for giving me an advance copy.

I'm a huge vibes gal, and as soon as I saw this book I knew it was a must read for me. A hike into the wilderness, a creepily realistic built-in atmosphere, old friends, old secrets, and an unfortunate death... BUT, this was ridiculously familiar and predictable. Although the backdrop and potential were both right there, this somehow ended up a huge miss. Why is there so much unnecessary chatter? Literally just talking, not even relevant speech, just talking. Where is the action? Where is the dread and the terror? I was bored to death. Taking out half of the random thoughts in this probably would have made it more "readable." Very disappointed.

Meh. This one tried to do too much. Not bad, but could’ve been better.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just what I needed to read while I was on vacation hiking in the national parks. I really enjoyed the characters, their backgrounds, and I was rooting for each one of them. The story line kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I liked the back and forth between the two timelines and was kept guessing who was found on the ledge in the prologue. And not knowing which of the Norwegian characters that the encounter on their trip are dangerous or who to trust kept it interesting as well. I will definitely be picking up more Lucy Clarke books in the future.

Annually, four best friends convene for a joint vacation. This time, Liz, feeling adrift in life, opts for a grand adventure to rekindle their spirits. They embark on a mountain hike in Norway, fulfilling a pact made by Liz and Joni during their school days. Each friend faces personal battles, and as they mingle with the locals at the lodge before their four-day trek, they soon realize they aren't the only ones who head into the wilderness.
The narrative capitalizes on the fear of isolation and disconnect from civilization. Navigating through uncharted terrain and combating unanticipated weather, they find themselves stalked by someone. Cut off from the world with no means to call for aid, they must depend on each other for survival. It's a compelling read, deserving of a solid 4 Stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Based on the premise, I truly thought that this was going to be something I would enjoy, and at times, something would begin to happen that was on the brink of okay, but this book, specifically the pacing and the constant rambling, needed a good edit. There was just SO MUCH useless information. And it wasn't to drag out scenes and add tension; instead it was absolutely boring and pointless description just to add unneeded words and page count. It took entirely too long for the women to go on the hike in the first place, and once there, it was just constant bickering and fighting with nothing to add a mystery or thrilling element. Just ladies with blisters finding anything and everything to argue about.

Unfortunately not a single character was likable or had any redeemable factors. I feel like sometimes awful characters can still add so much to the story, or make you root for one outcome or another, but not in this case. I truly didn't care who lived or died, who took drugs, who slept with who, who got lost, and whatever else petty drama or encounter they could dig up along the way. I just wanted it to end.

Super twisty, suspensful, page turner! I didn’t see the end coming, but it was so satisfyingly full circle.

A fairly fast paced read about four women who trek out into the wilderness to climb a mountain in Norway - what could go wrong?

The plot definitely kept me reading and the short chapters were a bonus too!

Enjoyed how everything wrapped up in the end.