This book is a wonderful addition to the many mysteries and thrillers that are arriving on our shelves! Middle-aged marriages are tough, it's great to read about how you're not alone.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. First, I would like to say the cover is gorgeous, and it is what drew my attention to this book.

The Hike is a story about 4 friends who go on a hiking holiday together. I was intrigued by the story line, and really wanted to like the book, but it was not my cup of tea.

I found the timeline of the story confusing. The book had multiple perspectives, and some of them were hard to follow. One of the character’s perspectives was in a different verb tense from the rest, which was very distracting. Also, I thought this book was supposed to be a mystery/thriller, but most of the book was about the friends and their hiking adventure. It felt like the thriller part was shoved in at the end and didn’t make a lot of sense.

Although this book wasn’t my cup of tea, I was never bored while reading. Also, it was a quick read, and I was able to finish it in a couple days.

Part of me wondered if it was smart of me to read The Hike (tagline: “There’s a killer on their trail”) while I was camping and spending a bunch of time, well, hiking. I’m pleased to report that rather than causing nightmares while sleeping in my tent or making me check behind me constantly while hiking, The Hike kept me turning pages quickly while I sat by our campfire.

I really did enjoy this thriller. Our story revolves around four women who meet up for an annual trip. This time, however, instead of going somewhere tropical to relax, Liz convinced them to do a four-day backpacking trip, climbing Blafjell Mountain in Norway. We begin the book knowing that a woman was found dead on the mountain and work through the book to figure out who and whodunnit.

I think the strength of The Hike is that rather on focusing exclusively on plot and plot twists, it spends an equal amount of time developing characters and their relationships. By the time you’ve reached the end of the novel, you know these women well. You understand their complicated relationships and have watched them grow both individually and as a group. I felt that this lent a bit of depth to this thriller, giving it a bit more substance. Sure it’s a page-turner with a killer on the trail, but it’s also a story about female friendships.

You too, can read this when it’s published on August 29. Perhaps take it to read on a late summer camping trip?

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Hike.

I've read the author's previous book and the premise of The Hike was intriguing (I enjoy hiking in beautiful locales/countries) so I was pleased my request was approved.

The author did a great job building the setting, the beautiful majesty of the Norwegian landscape; its cold, beautiful and desolate, isolated setting.

Sadly, I wasn't a fan of The Hike for a few reasons:

1. All four women are very different characters but stereotypically, each of them are facing personal issues and angers flare as the hike progresses

2. Lack of suspense and urgency since the majority of the narrative is the hike, and their internal dialogue and turmoil each is facing with their families, personal lives, etc.

3. Leif and the friends' POV chapters were written in different tenses and that was distracting. I'm not sure why the author chose to go in that direction.

4. The drug plot felt tacked on especially when everything is revealed in the end, and Karin's storyline is wrapped up

5. I was hoping for a supernatural twist to the narrative, or, a more plausible one than the drug plot

6. I didn't connect with any of the characters. I didn't dislike them but I didn't care about them and wasn't invested in the outcome.

7. It took too long to get to the end

Overall, the writing was fine, minus the confusing POV writing tenses, and the lack of consistency in how the locals are portrayed, switching from speaking great English to broken English, then adding Norwegian words to remind the readers where we are.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of The Hike in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like I was constantly on the edge of my seat for this book, but not in a good way. I felt like I was always anticipating that something would happen and then it just…didn’t. The characters were also really bland and lifeless which I think added to my less than excited attitude towards this book. And the ending left a lot to be desired.

Unfortunately I don’t think this one was for me, but I could see other people definitely enjoying it

I was beyond geeked when I was approved for The Hike by Lucy Clarke! A huge thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for granting me access! Last year while on family vacation, I stayed up through the night finishing One of The Girls. This year, we are back in the same house and I stayed up late once again to finish Clarke's most recent book, The Hike.

It's Liz's turn to pick the girl's trip destination and to everyone else's disappointment Liz has decided to take the girl squad hiking in a remote area in Norway. Walking brings Liz peace she is desperately seeking while her life seems to be crumbling around her. Her marriage is barely hanging on by a thread, so Liz needs this trip with her friends to walk and feel the calm that walking brings. The quartet hasn't been reunited in awhile and while Liz would love it if Joni could make it, she's not surprised when she doesn't hear from her. Liz, Maggie, and Helena take off. Each woman with their own secrets gnawing at them.

Once at the charming lodge, the girls are surprised by Joni who has made it! Together the women embark on their adventure. Maggie feels uneasy with the hike, Helena is preoccupied by bigger things, and Joni is escaping her superstar life.

I enjoyed the timeline shifts and the multiple perspectives for each woman. I found myself most drawn to Maggie's character who felt genuine and warm. I also liked the complexity of Helena's character. This is another solid read by Clarke. My only complaint is how things wrap up. I feel like the puzzle pieces don't actually fit together but rather belong to different puzzles and were forced together. The way things play out feels a bit too far-fetched and felt a bit forced connecting the stories together. However, this book was propulsive along the way and I was so deeply enmeshed into the story, it was a fun ride!

Liz, Maggie, and Helena head off on their yearly vacation to hike in Norway. They haven’t given up hope that the fourth member of their group, Joni will join them. But only Liz is trained, and only Liz knows why they shouldn’t forge ahead. There is no cell phone reception, no other hikers, and they have nothing, except for what they can carry in their packs.
None of their lives are perfect, but they will be pushed in ways they could not have imagined when they started this hike. The location came to life through the author’s words. These friends were all carrying a lot of baggage(not only in their backpacks), but in their personal lives. Secrets and resentments might just fracture their long time friendships.
Told from the four women’s perspectives, and by Leif who’s chapters are titled, ‘The Search’ (so we definitely know that something will go wrong). What happens on this hike will be slowly revealed. Friendship, drama, secrets, lies, a beautiful, but potentially deadly location, combine and kept me turning the pages. Publication is at the end of August, and I think this would make a great end of summer read, maybe at the beach? Or, oh, I don’t know maybe on a hike!

I had a great time reading this book. The description intrigued me and I can say I did enjoy the read. I love the idea of four friends going on vacation each year as a way to solidify their friendship. Plus a creepy vibe from the mountain they set out to hike? Yes please! I think the beginning started off a bit slow but picked up with a little drama here and there in the lives of the friends. I feel like I could see the climax coming but was still a bit emotional at the end. Overall a likable read I would recommend to a friend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75) from me!

I'm incredibly grateful to have received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. To be honest, I didn't anticipate becoming as deeply invested in both the story and the characters as I ultimately did. Initially, given the prologue, I expected a typical whodunit thriller, but to my pleasant surprise, it evolved into a character-driven survivalist tale infused with thrilling elements.

The narrative revolves around four lifelong friends who embark on a hiking adventure in Norway. Each chapter switches perspectives, allowing us to delve into the minds of these four women.

The story takes a bit of time to gain momentum as the author introduces the main characters and explores their personal struggles. However, once the setting shifts to Norway and particularly during the challenging hike itself, where numerous things start to go awry, I found myself completely engrossed, unable to put the book down.

What I truly loved was the level of depth the author bestowed upon each character. The time spent on their development early on in the book fostered a sense of investment and led me to root for all of them throughout their journey. The vivid nature imagery and detailed descriptions further enhanced the reading experience, enabling me to feel as if I were right there with the characters, facing the trials of the hike. The story possesses a cinematic quality, and I could easily envision it adapted into a compelling movie.

However, my main critique pertains to certain chapters feeling fragmented. While I appreciated the brevity of the chapters, the transitions occasionally felt abrupt for my taste. Additionally, as the plot intensified towards the end, I found that the distinct voices of the women became somewhat diluted, making it challenging at times to discern whose perspective a given chapter represented. Furthermore, around 80% into the book, I sensed the plot dragging on longer than necessary. The ending, although bittersweet, didn't entirely resonate with me. Nonetheless, overall, it was a solid read.

First 80%, 4.5 stars. Last 20%, 3 stars. You know those movies where you yell at the screen, “Don’t go out there alone”? But then they always do? This is that. A page-turning, entertaining thriller with immersive descriptions that make you forget you’re reading. The mountains are described like a character. But man, I never want to hear the phrase “lactic acid” ever again.

‘The Hike’ is part character study, part adventure, and fully engaging. We follow these friends who reunite, each with separate emotional baggage, to revel in each other’s company along with wading through their issues while hiking in the mountains. At times, it seemed that the handling of each character’s problem, dilemma, or emotional turmoil was slowing the stories pace. Luckily, the adventure - and the fact that we knew something terrible happened - propelled the story to it’s climax. Knowing what we were to discover only added to the anticipation of finding out who this tragedy befell, how it happened, and importantly, who caused it. Quite a journey.

I was a HUGE fan of Lucy Clarke’s previous book, One of the Girls so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Hike. While it didn’t resonate in the same way as her previous novel, Clarke continues to write compelling thrilling tales and the complexities of female friendships.

The Hike follows four lifelong friends who are attempting a difficult hike in the Norwegian wilderness. Told in varying timelines and perspectives, readers find out early that a female’s body has been discovered in a ravine. But who is it? How did they die? Who is the killer on the trail?

The Hike wasn’t the twisted complex story I was looking for. However, it was a great popcorn thriller! The setting was perfection and the added layer of surviving in the elements with a killer on the loose was a fun twist. For those who prefer adventure, check out The Hike!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy!

I enjoyed the Norwegian mountain setting and the dynamics of the friend group as they embarked on their trip. A few points in the last third stretched credulity for me, but overall it was a fun read!

📚Book Review 📚
The Hike
by Lucy Clarke
Pub Date 8/29/23

Liz, Maggie, Helena, and Joni have been friends since young children. Each year they take turns choosing a destination. This year Liz chooses the Norwegian wilderness.

Each women has their own personal journey and this hike will challenge themselves and in their relationship with each other. The locals have warned them about the mountain and told them about a women, who looks a lot like Maggie, that was never found.

I was hooked and invested right away. I liked the different characters and their point of views in each chapter. A nice ending and good escape book.

Thank you @netgalley @lucyclarke_author and @putnambooks for an electronic book ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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#reviewer #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #kindlebook #ebook #arc #books #read #netgalleyreader #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyarc
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A survivalist mystery told from multiple points of view, The Hike by Lucy Clarke is an easy-to-read thriller that takes place in the Norwegian wilderness. The unique atmosphere makes this story unique compared to other thrillers, and after a bit of a slow start as you get to know the four main characters, the story unwinds more quickly as their hiking begins and question of 'how many women will come back from this?' lingers in the reader's mind. Recommended for those looking for an isolated mystery novel with a focus on female friendships. Thanks to Lucy Clarke and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC through NetGalley.

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-Arc! I have a planned review of this on my Instagram and will also review on Goodreads once I get to this read. Until then I am giving a star rating as a placeholder on Netgalley. Stay tuned for my in depth review on all my social media platforms!

I enjoyed The Hike, as I do most Lucy Clark books. I saw some complaints about the end but I’ve got no problem with it or the book @ all. It’s a fictional book, to be read for entertainment. The last 25% of it, I could not put it down, was so intense & suspenseful. I did keep getting a couple Norwegian male names interchanged but I’m just not familiar. This is a great story, I enjoyed it more than her previous two even. 4 solid stars!!

This book gave me so much anxiety. I loved it. I'm not sure if I have any desire to go hiking any time soon though. I enjoyed trying to figure out if the narrators are unreliable or not. It was quite a ride. I can't wait for this to come out, so I can read it again.

***Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.***

This was a hike! Such a fantastic read. Couldn't put it down and the twists weren't obvious. Loved the writing style and really enjoyed this book! 4.5/5

4 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Lucy Clarke’s newest release. I have some other Lucy Clarke titles on my TBR, but this one was my first. Four women embark on a hike for their annual girls vacation, but they encounter all kinds of obstacles on the way. This was a very quick read, the chapters were only a few pages each, and differed between the four women. I didn’t guess the “twist” but I wasn’t necessarily shocked by it when it happened. Overall a solid read, I will definitely be checking out some of Clarke’s other titles!