Note: Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Guest List is amongst my favorite locked room mysteries and Lucy Foley's latest novel delivers in the same manner. It's been a while since I've read a well developed, twisty mystery and I was pleasantly surprised by this. I've read many novels with similar tropes recently and I think this once was executed much better in comparison. You've got a breathtaking destination with spooky local history, characters with ulterior motives, multiple timelines, and everything wrapped up nicely in the end. I thought I had the author's twists/writing style figured out by now since I've read 3 of her other novels, but I was truly surprised with some of the twists. This will be a great vacation read when it comes out on May 15, 2024.

I'm very excited to see that they're already talking about developing the novel for TV.

I was so excited when I received the approval for this arc! Lucy Foley has been on my tbr for a while now and what better way than to read a highly anticipated book of hers as my first!

“The Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley was such a fun read, kept me intrigued from start to finish. I quickly added Foley to my favorite thriller authors quickly.

The multiple view points is one of my favorite ways to read any novel, being able to know what different book characters are thinking and their secrets is always so much fun.

The beginning was a bit tough for me to really get into but once I did I couldn’t put it down.
Excited to read more of Lucy Foleys novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC copy of The Midnight Feast.

This was a weird one, and not in a particularly good way. There was possibly one likable character that I rooted for (Eddie), while the rest ranged from unlikeable to downright insufferable. I found the switching of timeline confusing and difficult to follow. Also, almost the entire book it is hinted that something supernatural is going on with the birds, which I guess was in an attempt to be scary, but it just ended up feeling like a dumb horror movie.

I did feel like the ending tied up all of the plot points nicely and I felt as satisfied as I could with the conclusion but overall, not one I would recommend.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Honestly, I struggled to get through the first half of this book. The second half was better, but still not amazing. This was told from multiple POV’s and I’m not sure there was a single character I liked or was rooting for (maybe Eddie?). The whole “bird” aspect really threw me off and just made the story kind of weird. I know it all comes together in the end, but still wasn’t my favorite part of the story. The ended had lots of little twists that were built up to and the last third of the book read quickly. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it so I gave it 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Guest List is the only book of hers I’ve liked. This one had too many characters, too short of chapters. I was 50% in and couldn’t remember who was who. I wanted to love it, but I just wasn’t drawn in like her previous book.

Yesss, Lucy!

I haven't read anything by her since The Hunting Party, and she is on a whole other level now. This book had a good beginning, a slightly saggy middle, and an absolutely breakneck third act. As soon as the dominoes began to fall, there was no way I was ever going to be able to put this book down until I was done.

Cannot wait to see where she goes from here!

This book is a delicious, dark, twisty read, with a release date perfectly-timed for summer. I loved the dual timelines (15 years ago versus present day), the mystery of the dead body that isn't identified until the final chapters, and the push and pull between the haves and the have-nots. Just when I thought all the twists had been revealed, I stumbled across another one. The characters are conflicted and every last one of them have secrets and shades of darkness in them. I imagine seeing this in a LOT of beach bags this summer.

Lucy Foley is a queen in the thriller genre and The Midnight Feast did not disappoint. This book was fast paced and the plot was gripping from end to end. The story is centered around the opening of a wellness retreat happening on the spring solstice. The story is told in different timelines and in multiple POVs, which keeps the story engaging and is written so well that the reader is not left confused where and who they are in any given point. The plot twist was well written and you find yourself really invested in the characters as the story continues.

I will not be able to stop recommending this book and I want to Thank NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

Lucy Foley is truly a master at the thriller genre! I could not get enough of this book and was non stop reading to see where the plot was headed. Centered around the grand opening of a wellness retreat and the spring solstice. The story goes back and forth between the events of a past summer, the current time leading up to the solstice party and the tragic finding of a body post solstice. This hold had multiple POV where all the characters are interwoven now and in the past with a twist at the end that had my jaw on the floor. Could not recommend this on more once it comes out in June!!

An eery, gripping, twisted thriller with such vivid imagery that it feels as though you‘re a guest at the Manor.

Revenge is a dish best served fiery hot, it seems.

Francesca Woodland, lifestyle guru, has turned her grandparents‘ estate - a sprawling resort along the British coast, hemmed in by thick, ancient woods - into an exclusive, luxurious escape for well-to-do guests. And now The Manor, as it is newly called, is about to host its formidable opening weekend, which just happens to fall on the day of the summer solstice. But once the guests start to arrive - among them mysterious Bella, who seems to have an agenda of her own - Francesca‘s carefully laid plans seem to go up in smoke. Meanwhile, as the reader quickly learns, a day after the solstice, a body is found on the beach near the Manor, the estate itself engulfed in flames.

Working both backwards and forward in time, and connecting various different narrators - Francesca; her husband Owen, the architect of The Manor; Bella; the detective investigating the body on the beach; as well as a local young man, Eddie, who works as a dishwasher at The Manor -, Lucy Foley proves once again how talented she is at weaving different strands of narrative into one compelling, page-turning story.

The different perspectives by the various narrators were extremely well done and their unique voices very authentic. The local folklore integrated into the story added an extra layer of intrigue and eeriness. There were many formidable twists, too, and I thoroughly enjoyed the slow unveiling.

Fast-paced, clever, and extremely vivid in its descriptions - I could picture the Manor so well, and would actually love to see this book made into a movie! -, this highly-anticipated book will no doubt be one of this year’s standout thriller releases, and deservedly so.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„The Midnight Feast“ is slated to be released on June 18, 2024.

TW for sexual assault.

This was the first book I’ve read from this author and oh my gosh I loved it! It kept me on the edge of my seat!

This book was hard to get into and the numerous POV and changing timelines made it feel somewhat disjointed. I also had a hard time relating to or rooting for any of the characters.

Lucy Foley is truly a master at the thriller genre! I could not get enough of this book and was non stop reading to see where the plot was headed. Centered around the grand opening of a wellness retreat and the spring solstice. The story goes back and forth between the events of a past summer, the current time leading up to the solstice party and the tragic finding of a body post solstice. This hold had multiple POV where all the characters are interwoven now and in the past with a twist at the end that had my jaw on the floor. Could not recommend this on more once it comes out in June!!

this is probably my favorite Lucy Foley book yet!!!!! i devoured this book in one single day and stayed up wayyyyy too late to finish it ( so worth it though!!!!) highly recommend!!!!!

Loved it!!! I've read most of her books. Another fast-paced psychological thriller from Lucy . What I love about her books are the twist and unpredictable ending. She creates heart palpitations, trying to solve the twist til the mind blowing ending. She knows how to deliver this and more. You believe you have figured it out then another twist. I highly recommend.

The start of this book really confused me. I felt like maybe I had read this book before and then I realized the setting and premise seemed really similar to The Club by Ellery Lloyd. However, once I got into this story it was completely different and not similar at all.

This book had a ton of crazy twists and turns, but overall I really enjoyed it. I figured some of the twists out but I really did not see the end coming! The last probably 25% of the book was a huge payoff and I could not put it down.

I really enjoyed the folklore aspect of this book, that made it really interesting for me as a reader.. trying to figure out who actually believed what and who was responsible.

This is the third book I have read by Lucy Foley and it was definitely my favorite!

Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and Lucy Foley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

As always, Lucy did a great job of pulling me in from the very beginning. The alternating dates and points of view were intertwined in a way that I was able to follow the storyline. The backstory was well-developed and also engaging! Another griping murder mystery/psychological thriller that I will happily suggest to all of my friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

After the letdown that was “the paris apartment” it’s nice to see that Lucy Foley is back! The entire time you think you’ve got it all figured out but that ending was not what I was expecting at all!! The story is told in multiple POVs, timelines, and journal entries but it flows really well. The chapters read pretty quick which makes it one of those books you have a hard time putting down. This is a great read for a lazy afternoon or by the beach.

I’ve really enjoyed Lucy Foley’s previous novels. Unfortunately, I was just never able to lose myself in this one. I think the premise (a retreat for the wealthy with a focus on new age healing and mystical ideas) just didn’t appeal to me and that made it difficult get into it.
The writing is still top notch and I look forward to her next one to drop in a year or two.

3.5


Francesca Meadows has inherited her grandparents manor and decides to turn it into an oasis of sorts. Bella is a guest staying at the manor who has come not for the spectacle but for Francesca to finally admit what she’s done 15 years ago when they were teenagers. Eddie is an employee, a dish washer, who is more connected to the story than we believe. Owen, the husband of Francesca has secrets about who he really is.

In traditional Lucy Foley fashion the multiple POVs, the shocking twists, and the connection that all the characters have with each other just creates the best story. The atmosphere is spooky and eerie with the legend of The Birds that the townspeople all fear. I love a past/present timeline and this delivered- journal entries from the past, time at The Manor, and then the aftermath of the Summer Solstice. My only complaint is that the beginning was slow and I wasn’t really invested until about 50% but I couldn’t stop reading once everything started to come out and the connections were being made.

The last few lines of this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, let's take a step back and explain the premise. It is the opening weekend of The Manor, a rural, expensive, bougie paradise brought to life by Francesca in the middle of old forest filled with a lot of local folklore. This book is told in multiple points of view- Francesca, her husband Owen, Bella- the only guest staying alone, and Eddie- a local somewhat secretly working at the Manor. The story is told in a few days span with Before the Solstice and After the Solstice, following the police who are investigating when local fisherman find a body. Who's body is it? What happened on the Solstice? And is there any truth to the mysterious folk tales told about the forest?

I loved this book! To help put my review in context- I did love Lucy Foley's The Guest List but didn't enjoy The Paris Apartment as much (but I did find it entertaining, just not a 5 star read for me). I loved delving into all of these characters and figuring out each of their mysteries and secrets. The strange folk tales were a great touch. I couldn't read this book fast enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!