Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC of this book to review.

With flavors of both Midsommar and The Menu, Foley's The Midnight Feast was a whirlwind read for me - finished in less than a day - and deliciously satisfying. With equal parts secret society/cult story, revenge plot, familial secrets, culture and class clash, murder, and a dash of youthful romance, you're in for a ride.

The story centers on the opening weekend of a posh hotel/retreat set in the English countryside. Francesca Meadows is the crystal-toting, natural-remedy-hawking. linen clad, entirely zen proprietress and she has a vision of relaxing perfection for her extremely wealthy guests. Think pagan chic paired with "forest bathing" - as she'd put it. She's turned the manor she inherited from her grandparents into a high-end resort. At a hefty price, her guests are treated to every luxury and she has something big in store for a midsummer solstice celebration. A return, in some way, to her youth's midnight feasts: times where she snuck out late at night and got up to what she'd thought of as some fun.
But the rural community surrounding the hotel remembers young Frankie and her family. And not fondly. They've upset The Birds, a mythical group of local lore and superstition, and these shadowy entities are out for vengeance.
There are secrets buried in the grounds of the hotel and Francesca hasn't entirely distanced herself from her inner Frankie, try as she might to put on a fresh face. Her past comes rushing to her and secrets long-buried are bound to be uncovered before the festivities end.

Narration alternates between a couple of characters as well as 15 year old journal entries. I found most characters to be fairly fleshed out (some more than others) and the revealed connections between them all to be really well done. Of the narrators, Francesca and Bella, in particular, have really clear voices - even if I rolled my eyes at Francesca and found her intensely unlikeable. Owen felt a bit lacking in comparison, as did DI Walker (though I think the latter was by necessity).
There's no rushing to solve any mysteries; Foley lays her revelations out carefully to keep you guessing and reading. I found myself anticipating certain plot twists as I read and being happy when my guesses were confirmed and intrigued when I was shown to be off the mark and led to guess again. The story's resolution was strong enough, and satisfying enough, that any points I may have seen as weakness in the storytelling or style were forgiven upon finishing. That, and The Birds made for a compelling thread throughout the story.

I look forward to reading more reader reactions upon its official release!

I started out being unsure of what I thought of this book. But as it picked up I got more and more into it. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded and the way it was told. I liked reading from different character points of views and I really loved the twists! I did not see them coming and those are my favorite kind.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So good!!! I think my favorite so far from #LucyFoley. Her characters are always so delightfully despicable, but not in an annoying way…more like a guilty pleasure. Especially when they get their comeuppance 😈

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. I have to say I loved the guest list but was so disappointed with this one. The pacing was way too slow, I found myself falling asleep every night trying to read it which is crazy for a thriller. Once I got to 80% it picked up but all the twists were really ridiculous. It was simultaneously predictable and so outrageous that it was ridiculous. Would not recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced readers copy!

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
Say hello to your next Summer thriller!!

THE MIDNIGHT FEAST was the binge worthy, edge of my seat book that I needed after a month long slump! Lucy Foley is back with a fast paced thriller! Foley is masterful with her locations in all her books and this one may be my favorite yet!

The Manor includes seaside cottages, top notch food and drinks, a crystal infinity pool, luxury spa all only for the elite. Money is not an issue in this sophisticated and stylish location. Yet the locals resent The Manor and the land that has been taken from the locals and the immaculate woods that should not be disturbed due to the folklore around The Birds. The Birds are said to wrong all the rights and more…is it true?

The truth of the Folklore is tested when within 36 hours there is a fire, a body and guests who seem different. A gripping thriller with multiple POVs and with secrets that will keep unraveling! A who dunnit thriller that keeps you on your toes! Those twists 🤯 I was unprepared 😂 THE MIDNIGHT FEAST is one that you need to grab this summer.

*I received this as an arc from Netgalley.

Who knew so much could happen in one weekend. I caught myself throughout wondering different things and trying to guess who is who and what is going on and I actually didn’t get any of it, which I love! I loved that as connections came throughout the book it was actually surprising and a “ahhhh” moment. Great job and definitely would recommend! I save my 5 stars for the books that really blow my mind and while this one was good and surprising, it didn’t have that 5 star factor for me but definitely still a great read!!

Love the writing style and how it was told through multiple POVs. It really allowed me a full glimpse into the story but was also surprised by the ending. Very well done.

I gave this 3 stars because I couldnt finish it. The writing felt like it was trying way too hard to be something it wasnt. People go into Lucy Foley's books looking for an easy thriller read. This book felt like it was trying to be a modern classic or something.

Foley is back with this one! Paris Apartment wasn’t my favorite but Midnight Feast packed a punch. I thought the story was well thought out and the characters were a mystery but unwoven at a great pace. I started to really get hooked when the diary entries started and then I couldn’t put it down. It’s a great book to read in one sitting and have you guessing the whole time! I love some of the big reveals and was definitely surprised by one of them!

I have read a few books by this author and have always enjoyed them. I thought in the beginning of this that i was going to have to DNF because i was just not vibing with it. Then i got a little further and found myself tearing through the pages well into the evening. I'm glad i stuck it out bc this is the type of book i always enjoy...it's my "bread and butter" if you will. I'll definitely be recommending this book to others!

Lucy Foley does it again.

Page-turning, thrilling action driven by characters as deep as the night is dark. All twists not being equal, she manages to feed one just enough to stay hungry - until the truth is revealed and the action drives at a pace to be feared.

The Midnight Feast will surely reside atop her already steep pinnacle of work.

A special thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance copy of this novel.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC!

This was my first Lucy Foley book and it will not be the last. I loved the writing style and it played out like a movie in my head. I loved the multiple POVs and the timeline shifts. Overall a very solid book.

The past always catches up to you, no matter who you are or how you reinvent yourself..

Francesca has inherited her old family manor and turned it into a woodsy retreat for the rich and bored. Despite construction still underway, everything is going according to plan and they're booked up for the summer solstice weekend. Sure, the locals aren't happy about the blocked access through the woods, or how Francesca's been taking their land to develop her resort. But it's all fine, money fixes everything, right? Until one guest starts snooping around and Francesca realizes she's not who she's pretending to be. In fact, Bella is the past coming back to bite Francesca 15 years later, and it could ruin everything. But Bella isn't the only one who isn't exactly who they say they are. Oh, and The Birds are watching. Just like they've always done.

This book is told from multiple POVs where we're given pieces of the full story through the perspectives of multiple characters, as well as diary entries from 15 years prior. The story is very compelling, and I FLEW through it. I love Lucy's writing style and the way that she keeps you guessing what's going to happen next. You can start to formulate an idea of what may happen, but just enough information is withheld from you to prevent you from coming up with a full-on theory. This was a great mix between a thriller and a cozy mystery that I think fans of both genres will really enjoy.

My only complaint is that on top of the POV changes, there are also timeline changes--the diary is 15 years in the past, and we also get the characters POV "Before the Solstice" and "After the Solstice" all jumbled together which was confusing to navigate for the first 50 pages or so--so be careful keeping your timeline straight. And everything DOES wrap up into a very neat bow that many will consider unrealistic. However anyone who has lived in a small town knows that while the drama may be realistic, the way it all comes together is very valid.

This was such a great read from Lucy Foley, and I can't wait for her next one!

I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured the Guest List so was really excited for another by the author, but sadly, this one was a bit of a miss for me, ultimately falling a short.

Pros: As usual, Lucy Foley is fantastic at juggling both multiple POVs and time frames whilst still keeping the story flowing well and building the atmosphere. Her writing style is easy to read, and the book was a great page turner.
Cons: I predicted almost all of it/ it played out exactly as a I expected, which is a huge letdown. The fun of a thriller is guessing, guessing again, and being wrong both times, and this just didn’t have that. It also felt like it dragged in the middle, with a lot of unnecessary repetition, especially around the folklore aspects.

Overall: not bad, not great

This is the PERFECT summer thriller. The cottage core turned horror was so fun to read about. I love the amount of foreshadowing and was very surprised by all the twist and turns and hidden connections. As all of Lucy Foley's books this was such a good time and so fun to read. I can't wait to recommend to all thriller fans.

Lucy Foley always provides the twists and turns needed for a good thriller. I loved reading along different POVs to figure this one out. Thank you for this ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc of The Midnight Feast, in exchange for my honest review.

Every time I read a Lucy Foley book, I think I have all the surprise twists worked out and I’m surprised I was able to predict them. Then she hits us with twists I would have never thought of in a million years. She truly is a master of her craft and this book confirms I will read absolutely anything and everything she writes.

I could feel the tension throughout the entire time I was reading this book, wondering how the characters were connected to one another. Foley’s settings always feel like their own character in the story, with The Manor and its surrounding woods seeming to come to life when interacting with each person who enters. I thought I would get confused that the book switched back and forth before the day before the main event, the main event itself, and the day after, but it was fairly easy to keep track of where I was in the story. The one thing I would add to this book would be a chapter from Michelle’s perspective at the end, just to really tie in her connection to what happened.

I really enjoyed the story but the writing style was not for me. I love Lucy Foley books, but this one was a miss for me.

My brain struggled to comprehend the writing. The multi POV got very confusing and I also found it difficult to connect with the characters.

Whatever you do- do not upset the birds!! In "The Midnight Feast," a multi-perspective thriller, readers are drawn into the enigmatic world of The Manor's grand opening weekend. As the story unfolds, we're introduced to Eddie, Bella, Francesca, and Owen, each harboring their own secrets and agendas. A fire, a corpse—seemingly disparate events—yet all interconnected in a web of intrigue. Lucy Foley masterfully crafts a tale where mystery lurks around every corner, revealed through the intricate layers of each character's past and present.

As a newcomer to Lucy Foley's work, I approached this book with high expectations, considering her reputation for delivering top-notch thrillers. However, while the story had its merits, it ultimately left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed- leading to the 3.5 star rating.

One of the main challenges I encountered was the frequent shifts between past and present timelines, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the narrative. Keeping track of the numerous characters and their evolving identities proved to be another hurdle, causing some confusion for me along the way.

The initial pacing of the book felt sluggish, with an extended buildup that took up a significant portion of the story. It wasn't until the final quarter that things began to fall into place, compelling me to read through to the end in a single sitting. Prior to this, progress through the book was slow, requiring me to read in intermittent chunks over a period of two weeks—quite a departure from my usual experience with gripping thrillers, which I typically finish in just a few days.

I’m sitting on my couch in shock and feeling so fulfilled. As someone who has read three other of Lucy Foley’s book, this is perhaps tied for my new favorite with The Guest List.
As a Christian (and certified scaredy cat) I was a little nervous going into this book as it had a much darker feel to it with the setting, journal entries, and legend of “The Birds.” But I felt that in the end, the explanation of The Birds made complete sense and it was… dare I say… wholesome?
As the story really began to unfold and secrets were brought to the light around half way through, I couldn’t read fast enough. As is the case with other Foley books, the hidden relationships and connections never cease to make me literally gasp out loud!! I felt that the “time jumping” from the day before the solstice, day after, and journal entries from 2009 (along with the multi POV) made for a fast paced read.
I will definitely re moment this to friends and colleagues!!!