If you loved “The Guest List,” you’ll love “The Midnight Feast”! Lucy Foley has bested herself!

You’re invited (for a very steep price) to the grand opening of “The Manor,” presented by influencer Francesca Meadows, for a summer solstice celebration, held at midnight, themed “pagan chic”, in a “woodland” near the Dorset coast (unfortunately on a disputed public footpath where ancient ley lines converge), with “woodland hutches” and “woodland spirits” (the drinkable kind, probably laced with CBD oil). Among our narrators:

Francesca — the owner who inherited the estate, determined to make her resort the coveted destination of millionaires
Bella — a guest with a grudge
Owen — Francesca’s new younger husband and the architect who “woo-wooed” the property from a rundown mansion into a forest-bathing masterpiece
Eddie — the dishwasher, Dorset local farm boy, with dreams of being a bartender, whose own family has a lot of secrets
DI Walker — the detective who’s trying to figure out what happened (obviously, something happened)

The multiple POVs and shifting timeline are interspersed with chapters called “The Day After the Solstice” and “Summer Journal.” And the Hitchcock moment is when there are multiple warnings “Don’t upset the Birds” amid inconspicuous sightings of misplaced feathers, a murdered cockerel, dark flocks of crows, and costumed interlopers with beaks.

The characters are incredibly well-drawn and multi-layered. Francesca is the central character of mixed layers — serene and angelic to most anyone who sees her; ruthless underneath while trying to create her “vision” (even as her assistant thinks Francesca is going for a “Midsommar” vibe without knowing how that movie ended).

Owen is far more than Francesca’s boy toy. Bella has a memory she wants publicly unearthed. Eddie is eventually caught up in family secrets he doesn’t even know about. There’s a constellation of locals, past and present, who weave in and out, adding more context little by little. Plus this is really a good, um, commentary (?) on the ultimate ultra rich “wellness” nature resort experience (“White Lotus” on the English coast).

Foley is the absolute master of multiple points of view. Each character slowly contributes to the puzzle and mystery grows and grows until you can’t put the book down. I had no idea how it would end, so I raced to the last pages to be rewarded with more twists. 5 stars! Another masterpiece for Foley who absolutely owns the multi-POV mystery genre.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors mentioned, but there is the Tree with a Hundred Eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO I did love the superstition about not cutting down elder trees because it’s bad luck if the Elder Mother doesn’t give permission. The trees get cut down, and Mother must be furious…

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I feel so bad leaving this review but it was such a disappointment. Honestly I really wanted to DNF but pushed through it as I enjoyed The Guest List. I felt like I spent half the time confused with all the timeline changes and multiple POVs. I think the story would’ve been more enjoyable if it was a bit shorter and they left the birds part out of it. I will say that I definitely did not see the final twist coming.
If you don’t mind lengthy books with multiple POVs and timelines that switch a lot, you will probably actually enjoy this book alot more than I did.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for this pre release copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the first third of the book but then I was distracted by the many points of view and time frame changes. But near the end, I was glad I had continued reading. It was a satisfying read. I loved the twists at the end!

This was SO GOOD. Probably my favorite thriller I've read in the last year or so. So many twists I did not see coming. I liked this a lot more than The Paris Apartment. The Guest List is sitting in my TBR pile, so I can't compare to that one. If you are new to Lucy Foley, I would say start with this book if it is released already.

Timeline switches between past and present tense, but it all adds up. That last paragraph though - didn't even expect that! It made the book that much better. If I say any more, I'll probably give too much away.

There are a few triggers that might want to be mentioned some readers, specifically rape. It was a part of the storyline and wasn't just thrown in there.

One lingering question I have that didn't really get answered in the book, well enough for my liking :).

Is this the same Lucy Foley that everyone loves and raves about?? This was *so* terrible this was the first ARC I’ve ever had to DNF. The writing was so, so, bad. I don’t need to be reading Nabokov when I’m reading a thriller but I want something to not feel like a bad YA chapter book. The layout and constantly changing POV made the book feel so choppy and messy, and honestly, I couldn’t even care enough about any character to dislike them.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Well, this was weird. Very weird. Not sure why "the Birds" were even part of this story. I could have done without that whole plot line and enjoyed the story more. Seemed like it was supposed to be scary but it was just...weird. And some of the story felt like a bad soap opera. I had to skim through A LOT of this book. The characters were awful except for Eddie and Jake. But I will say, the ending (last 10%) was great and pulled everything together like I was hoping it would. Sadly, my second disappointing book following The Paris Apartment, which I hated. Loved The Hunting Party and The Guest List. I guess Foley is now hit or miss for me.

Francesca Woodland inherits The Manor from her grandfather and turns it into a resort for the privileged, shutting out the locals from town and Ignoring the local legend of The Birds. Guests are invited to an opening weekend of festivities and to celebrate the coming solstice. The book is told in two time lines, one before the solstice and the other after the solstice. The book also ties mysteries from 15 years ago to the present events, revealing that everyone is not really who you think they are and which of them are carrying the darkest secrets.

Another twisty-turny, weird, surprise of a book from Lucy Foley. It took me a while to get into this. In fact, I almost DNFed it, but didn't and I am really glad I didn't. Thanks for the chance to read it!

Lucy Foley never disappoints! Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy, which I devoured in a weekend. An English Manor, a Solstice celebration, secrets from long ago, and captivating characters! It was a twisty ride that kept me guessing!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. I really enjoy Lucy Foley’s books and this one was no exception. This book had a bit of everything…lies, secrets, revenge and mysterious local folklore that kept me guessing until the end.

Francesca Meadows has built an exclusive luxury resort called The Manor but opening weekend of this picturesque woodland resort, is anything but picture perfect. The story is told from multiple viewpoints as we uncover all the long buried secrets.

This book hooked me from the beginning and kept me wanting to turn the pages and unravel the mystery as quickly as I could. It was a great read with jaw dropping twists!

Thank you Netgalley, Lucy Foley, and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was WEIRD! Like other books by Lucy, this book is told in the perspectives of multiple characters that are navigating through difficult events in their lives, both past and present. This book was a little tough for me to read at times and I started to give up. However, I kept reading in hopes to find out more about the characters. There were some odd topics discussed and irrelevant characters that just added fluff and chaos to the book. I am glad I have read others by this author and will continue to read her books. If you are just getting into this author, read some of her other books first as I enjoyed them much more.

This was a wild ride.

Read it if you like:
-darker mysteries
-locked room mysteries
-reading from different perspectives

It was darker than I anticipated, which I didn’t love. There was so much going on. It was a little chaotic but I loved that. There were characters I hated and characters I loved. It took me a minute to put some pieces together. Count on Foley for a decent mystery read every time. I would recommend this book with the warning of some darker themes. I received this as an ARC but all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you to Lucy Foley, NetGalley, and William Morrow for the ARC.

Another excellent mystery from Alice Foley! Loved the setting, the characters, and the spin. Lots of potentially guilt parties out for revenge!

This was a 3.75 stars for me. I struggled through the first 1/2 of the book with alternating timelines and pic’s and many characters . It was difficult at times to keep the characters straight. The end of the book I really liked and was full of twists and tied the whole story together. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and William Morrow for the digital arc !

I actually really liked The Guest List and The Hunting Party, so I was looking forward to this one. I wanted a multi POV murder mystery in an entertaining and interesting setting. However, this was honestly very bad, and I pushed through half of it before I couldn’t read any more pages. The characters were cartoonish and unlikeable, there were sexual scenes with weird vibes, and there was a weird aspect of the book about a bird-themed society that made it hard to take seriously. Part of my dislike of this might have been personal taste, but I would definitely not recommend this. It felt a bit messy, and based on other reviews I know there are elements introduced later in the book that are also frustrating.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC and review honestly.

3.5 *
Typical thriller structure - multiple intersecting timelines with more than one good twist. I liked a lot of the imagery about the Manor, the woods, and the midsommar party. A bunch of interesting characters as well. Thoroughly entertaining and a good pace.

I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of 1 because I finished it. But. I only finished it to be a able to give it a review on NetGalley.

This book was a mess, by 20% I knew I wanted to add it to my DNF. By 60% I was speed reading every 10th word just to finish. Not a single character was likable, believable, relatable. The story line felt messy as well. I have read other books of Lucy and will most likely, maybe, read another one. This book is based around a bunch of characters that knew each other as teenagers, fast forward like 10-15 years and no one recognizes each other? Weird. I grew up in a small town, you would definitely remember people after that amount of time.

Opening night for an historic mansion, turned luxury hotel is the perfect place for a reckoning.

Multiple POVs weave together a twisting story leading up to the summer solstice party. Secrets are threatened to be revealed, in this latest thriller by Lucy Foley. The plan has been set, but by who and will it go as expected?

No matter what you do, don't upset The Birds.

Lucy is a master of switching multiple POVs that leave the reader on their edge of their seat. It amps up the pace and the reader cannot help but continue turning pages.

That's what this book tried to do, but it was like running in slow motion. I felt like I should be excited. Each chapter that ended, every time the POV switched I felt I should be eager for more. In reality, I wasn't sure what I was hoping to find out. I wasn't sure what the point was of this story. The premise was weak.

The idea that 10-15 years later multiple people from the past would get together and not recognize one another was another huge weak point of the story. I'm not spoiling anything, as the reader learns this early on.

What Foley does do well in The Midnight Feast is some characters were bold, well written, distinct and excited me. I enjoyed getting to know some of them. On the other hand, some were loose. Didn't stick with their morals.

This isn't my favorite Foley book. My advice, if this is your first time reading Lucy Foley, put it down now. Read from her back catalogue first, starting with The Guest List or The Hunting Party. I'm on a 3 star streak from Lucy lately, so I'm hoping her next book brings some more stars.

Amazon Link The Midnight Feast By: Lucy Foley

***Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley and of course, Lucy Foley, for a  copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing on June 18, 2024.

My first Lucy Foley book and definitely not my last!!

Francesca Meadows has re-designed and newly reopened The Manor, a luxury social hot spot for the most elite of clients. Set atop a beachfront cliff and surrounded by quiet woods.
Told from multiple character points of view, bouncing between the ominous present day and the haunting past.
Such a gripping storyline as thrilling events unfold amidst reveals of the dark truths each character has been hiding all these years.
A slow burn start but a necessary one as character building was key. Really enjoyed this one!

This was my first Lucy Foley book ever and I am now going to add the remainder of her books onto my tar list!! I loved following the story and experiencing all the twists and turns in multiple POVs. Francesca was a great character that I loved to hate! All her crazy hippie-dippie cultish vibes were very interesting! There was some slow points, but that ending made it all worth it!!