Ayy, I liked this one a lot. It was very twisty and lowkey spooky at points. The relationships were believable and the pace was thrilling. Also, that cover is 💯
10/10, would recommend to others.

3.5 ⭐️

This was a very slow start for me; I thought it dragged through the first half of the book. Luckily, it did start to pick up and it kept my interest through the second half of the book.

This book follows four women (each of whom are at very different stages of life). Each year, they meet up and go on a friendcation. Usually it’s at warm, beautiful places where they can sip on cocktails and catchup. This year, however, Liz just needed a change and planned a hike! The girls were all less than thrilled by this. For starters, none of them are overly athletic- where do they start?

The location they decided on, it turns out a woman had gone missing on the trail a year prior. Vanished without a trace and there’s a good chance the person responsible might still be out there and hiking that trail. Are these women safe on their own?

Lucy Clarke's Lucy Clarke book The Hike The Hike by Lucy Clarke seemed to me a fictionalized version of 4 friends coming together and having feelings that came and went being good and bad. Liz, Joni, Maggie, and Helena seemed to set off on vacation every year. This year Liz decided to do something that was lacking and that was to go to Norway and climb a mountain. Things get complicated with the group and get very bad at a time I'll let you decide. There seem to be books about hiking in Norway a lot this year but you would be foolish to let this one go. I liked it and recommend it without any reservation.

I loved One of the Girls last year, so I was really excited to see The Hike on NetGalley! It did not disappoint. You can always expect greatness from Lucy. I really enjoyed how there were different perspectives on the plot, as well as the different intersecting plot points. There was character conflict & history which added to the thrilling story.

The Hike is Wild meets The Guest List. three storylines meet in the middle to weave everything together. I promise you’ll be turning the pages as fast as you can to find out what happens.

highlights:
- picturesque norway (albeit not a real hiking trail)
- mix of murder mystery & thriller
- told from four perspectives

This was a very propulsive read. I looked forward to picking it up and finished it rather quickly. I really enjoyed the setting and characterization in this novel. I would absolutely read other Lucy Clarke books. That said, I had a few things I wish were - in my opinion - better. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so hiking and backpacking is basically a language here. While the setting of a mountain hike is wonderful, I felt it a little light on specific details that would've felt more true. (One of which is I found it very hard to believe 4 women with zero hiking experience would go backpacking on a dangerous mountain.) I also found the women to be a bit too catty to be believable. My last issue is a minor one, but one that often has me put a book down because it pulls me from the story and that's word tics, words that are used too often that they end up standing out. The word "glance" and its iterations are in this book far too often. (I'd also argue the word "strode" is overused as well.) I really eish an editor had noticed this. Otherwise, good book, happy to read, loved the setting - which is my favorite thing when I read a novel.

✨RATING: 4⭐️

✨REVIEW: How can you go wrong with a first liner like that?! Hooked me for sure! Between the short chapters and prologue like that, I was flying through this. I NEEDED to know and had SO many theories as I read. I only put it down one star because the ending wasn’t as expected. I personally felt as though the writing changed towards the ending and it wasn’t as I had hoped. However, the fact that it kept me on the edge of my seat and I never wanted to sleep while reading it - definitely a strong 4⭐️

✨PROS: multiple POV, short chapters!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

🚨WARNING: Potential triggers include drugs/addiction, pregnancy, divorce discussion

Nice, quick thriller set in a beautifully described location.
There were many twists and turns that had me guessing until the end. I didn't see the end coming, which is always a nice surprise. I hate when I figure out a plot too soon. Thrillers are always hit or miss with me, but this one had me guessing for a while. I feel like I got to know the four women, but I only on a superficial level, even with the insight into their thoughts.

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing. The setting is wonderfully described and the characters are likable yet still flawed as humans are. Part thriller and partly contemporary fiction about adult friendships. I definitely recommend this book!

DNF at 30%.

None of these characters caught my attention, and all of them honestly annoyed me. The build up to the actual story was taking too long so I would put this book down for long stretches of time and finally just decided it wasn’t worth my time to pick it back up again.

I loved it! The characters and their friendship were delightful. They were well developed and individualized and each had strengths and flaws. The setting was well fleshed out and described to create a visual setting in my mind. The story flowed well. Of course there were some unrealistic parts but that’s what makes it fiction. Ending was satisfying. Despite the challenges they faced, I want to go for a hike!

I enjoyed this book and there were definitely a few twists that I was not expecting. I never at one point picked someone I thought was the killer, but I liked that the suspense was still there and I was surprised. A good book for someone who enjoys a good friend group from different stages of life coming together with their own baggage and getting closer than they probably imagined. Would recommend!

Slow burns are a hit or miss with me, the beginning was really slow with a lot of build up but after about the halfway point I flew threw the rest! Isolated thrillers have been taking over my bookshelf and they are easily becoming my favorite! While there were multiple POVs in this read she does a good job of keeping the characters relatable and well developed, so even though there was a lot to keep straight it wasn’t confusing. I’ve seen a lot about this author since reading this book and look forward to giving some of her other books a try. Thank your to Putnam Books and NetGalley.

I read One of the Girls from Lucy Clarke last year and enjoyed the premise and writing. While I didn’t enjoy this book as much, it was still a good light suspense.

The tension between the friend group early on and their backgrounds helped to grow the anticipation and angst, which I enjoyed. Multiple POV allowed the reader to hear the different perspectives from each of the MCs, most of which aren’t all that likable tbh (except for Maggie).

The first 25% of the book was strictly focused on the characters and it took awhile to get to the good stuff. The pacing was a bit off for me here. The chapters are short, which is why I read the second half in one sitting. I wasn’t exactly surprised with how the ending played out, but I didn’t expect all the twists that went down. I would recommend to those looking for a light survivalist type thriller.

Really enjoyed this novel. Story was very interesting and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

Lucy Clarke does it again with an unputdownable thriller! It’s definitely a slow-burn with the first 50% preparing your for the last half. But, you can feel the tension building little by little! Clarke did an outstanding job with this one.

Great thriller. At this point, the disjointed-timeline-to-create-confusion thrillers are so pervasive that the trope seems outdated. However, in this instance it totally works. From the early pages of the novel, readers know that a woman is dead, but since there are 5 characters...you don't know until the end who it is. Meticulously constructed, and filled with stunning vistas in an unexpected setting. Genuine and nuanced depictions of the complexities f friendship.

Ugh Lucy Clarke has done it again! Suspenseful, unputdownable, truly gripping story with characters that are so well developed I'm sad the book is over and I won't know any more about them. 5 stars!

SYNOPSIS:
- Maggie, Joni, Liz, Helena. Four women, who have been friends since high school, go on an annual trip together. This year, they are going to Blafjell Mountain in Norway (a factionalized location).
- At the beginning, a body is found at the bottom of the mountain. Who died? What happened?

MY THOUGHTS
- Unique premise.
- Atmospheric thriller.
- Isolated setting added to building the tension.
- Moderately paced.
- Multiple POV story (told from each of their perspective)
- There are many side characters. I enjoyed the twists & red herrings.
- Clarke does a great job with character development and humanizing them. They are all flawed, but also relatable and likable.


TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Atmospheric thriller about 4 friends on a hike that goes wrong

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It will be published on August 29, 2023.

3.5/5⭐️ I didn't dislike this book. I enjoyed a lot of it, but it was also hard to follow at some points. First things positive: I loved the plot with the four friends, the holiday, and the eerie feeling that surrounds the hike. I loved how their lives are all so close together and they've been friends for years. I love that they all have secrets and things going on that is baggage on this hike. <br /><br />on the other hand, I was a little unsure what was going on at points. There were 2 stories going on; one a year ago and one present. the past story was kind of relevant but also not really necessary. The book while also short and quick felt slow and (respectfully) a little pointless. I feel like it ended right back where it started.

From the opening pages of this book, right through till the end I felt myself drawn right into the lives of the characters and the setting of the book. Sprinkle in a little mystery, some sinister details, some shady stuff going on and it winds up being a fabulous ride of a story.

I so enjoyed getting to know Helena, Maddie, Liz and Joni as they embarked on a hike in the mountains of Norway. They each had a great back story that I felt the author had fleshed out well. I was definitely invested in their lives and felt their emotion throughout the book. One of the best parts of the writing for me was the authors ability to place me in the forests and mountains of Norway. When I can see clearly in my mind the crystal water of the sea, the foggy mountain paths, the rocky trail days after I finished the last page, I know I’ve read a book by a very talented author. That was my experience with this one!

I highly recommend this book to lovers of suspense, friendship, and outdoor adventure. This was a really great read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book.