Aaah… I loopove getting these advanced reader copies, but man I’m falling behind on my reviews 😳 I don’t stop reading/listening just sitting down to jot my thoughts is taking a bit 😬 I like Lucy and have read lots of her books. Some I love, some are more meh.. this one was great! Multiple POVs (turns out I really like that style), a mystery, old vendetta, people that seem random get connected at the end. Not many twists, but perfect pacing! I liked it lots :)

I've been a huge fan of every Lucy Foley book I've read and the Midnight Feast was no exception. The author is the absolute master of making you think you have the mystery figured out only to have it all turn on its head, twice. I'll admit, while I got a few bits right in the Midnight Feast, I could have never actually predicted the ending. I absolutely loved the setting as well. With two parts of society clashing together, the haves and the have nots. It was a great example of the privilege (and attitude) that comes with wealth, and how it effects those around you. I also liked the mystic element the author added in with the birds. This may have been my favorite novel by Lucy Foley so far.

The beginning of this book was very slow. This was at times, hard to follow. There were so many characters with two different lives. It did pick up around the middle but the end confused me again. It wasn’t terrible but not the best I’ve read.

THIS is what you call an impeccably written thriller. I can genuinely say that I saw none of the twists even remotely coming, but also they were right there in front of my eyes. As everything begins to unravel, you slowly see all the foreshadowing you missed earlier in the book. The attention to every detail was just perfect.

Foley also knows how to write multiple POV’s so well!! The reader isn’t confused and the pieces slowly, perfectly come together.

This read was everything I loved in her book The Guest List!

Lucy Foley just knows how to write.. She is an expert at delivering multiple point of views and this book was a great read from start to finish. An excellent book and it kept me up late into the night flipping pages to see what happened next. I cannot wait to read the next book she writes. Well done! 10/10!

Rating: 2.33 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 2.5/5
-Story: 1.75/5
-Writing: 4/5
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
-Mystery: 3.75/5
-Suspense: 1/5
-Thriller: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Nah

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

I have only read one book by Lucy and liked it enough to give this one a try. To say I was bored is an understatement. I didn't really enjoy the characters, except for maybe one group. The story part just fell really flat. I didn't care enough about the mystery for me to even really enjoy the story.

The Midnight Feast is reminiscent of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List in the best way. There are unlikable characters, unreliable narrators, and an unraveling mystery between multiple timelines and multiple POVs.

The story is set at a newly opened country estate for those looking for a luxury getaway and spiritual awakening. We begin the book knowing something has gone amiss but spend the time turning pages to piece the mystery together!

Reasons to read:
-mystery without much scare factor
-you like to read from messy characters
-multiple timelines and POVs
-locked room mysteries set over a short period of time

There was a lot going on here. I understand why Foley had so many characters telling the story, but it felt a little overwhelming throughout most of the novel; really, right up until the climax. There were plenty of twists and turns, lots of intrigue and multiple mysteries to unravel. The ending was spot on for Foley, but the lead up was not.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Lucy Foley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Midnight Feast is a multi pov story taking place during the grand opening of The Manor, A retreat getaway that Francesca Meadows created out of the ruins of her family's old estate. Through alternating timelines, you find out more about the seemingly strangers and how their stories interconnect in that fabulous way that Foley weaves her stories. I loved the story of the town legend and the mix of wealthy hedonistic characters and locals who are taking justice into their hands.

My only issue with the book is that it took a long time to unravel some of the things that happened, and because of the minimal context at first, it took a while for me to root for or invest in the characters. The mystery aspect was really well done. I still enjoyed and recommend this, but I think The Paris Apartment is my favorite Foley book still.

Lucy Foley has done it again!
Another thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
The cover is great and made me want to read this asap.
I will recommend to fans of fast paced thrillers.

Highly anticipated! Did not disappoint! Fast page turner! Highly recommended! Love Lucy Foley! Her books are always a must!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read. I had heard so much about Lucy Foley and this was my first introduction to her writing. I can respect an author that can take so many point of views and adapt them to one storyline. Getting the full background of each character was very important to the build up of the book. I will say that this one was more of a slow burn. It took awhile for me to get into the book because it felt like a slower start. About halfway in, everything started connecting and made up for the beginning, in my opinion. I suppose I am used to books that catch me right in the first or second chapters, so definitely stick with this one until the end.

Lucy Foley never misses! There is a familiar quality to this novel where I felt like I have read a version of this story before but Foley always imbues her plot with specific details that highlights the location, or culture of the setting. The location is incredibly important in all of her novels, but in this one, especially. It felt like its own character. I loved that aspect of it. Lucy Foley's books are always fun and I think my reading slump is officially over!

The Midnight Feast, authored by Lucy Foley, is a chilling psychological thriller evoking the eerie essence of the Blair Witch Project and M. Night Shyamalan, with an added touch reminiscent of The Great Gatsby. The setting is a coastal village in England called Tome, where tension brews between the local farmers, pub workers, and fishermen, and the wealthy family residing in The Manor atop the rocky cliffs. The Manor is preparing for its grand opening as a luxurious wellness retreat. Guests will pay a premium to stay in contemporary treehouses or forest cabins, enjoying amenities like personalized crystals, tailor-made wardrobes, exquisite cuisine, and breathtaking seaside views. The highlight, a grand event called the Midnight Feast, is scheduled to coincide with the summer solstice in just a few days.

Mystery and local folklore lend a macabre air to the setting. The Manor is surrounded by an ancient forest. The locals believe that the forest is protected by the Birds: dark, hooded creatures with horrid beaks and black feathers that bring justice to those who would wrong their own. Foley’s vivid descriptions of the forest, its darkness, its ancient curses, and the Birds gave me the creeps (in the best way). It would make a fantastic film.

“You see them,” she says, “don’t you?”

I take a step back from her.

“You thought you were the worst thing in the woods,” she says. “Didn’t you?”
The narrative unfolds through various perspectives, including Francesca (the owner), Owen (her husband and the architect behind the renovations), Bella (a guest), Eddie (a dishwasher), and an investigator piecing together the events after the feast. The plot weaves through time, with hints about the feast night’s occurrences initially emerging from a 15-year-old journal. The multiple perspectives and the fast pace of the events that unfold to the final page made this story riveting. What a page-turner! Plus, the final lines of the story are worthy of applause.

The most captivating part of the book for me is the insight into Francesca’s perspective, the undeniable villain. She is the epitome of danger, a graceful heiress with a hidden streak of spite. Her selfishness and shrewdness make her the standout figure of The Manor. You do not want to cross Francesca.

Then she turns and, for a few seconds, meets my gaze. There’s a trembling of something in the air between us. Her smile remains in place and she continues surveying the room. I dip my face beneath my hair. But she saw me, I’m certain of it. A shiver passes through me. It’s the feeling they say you get when someone has walked over your grave.
I loved to hate Francesca in this story and being inside her head made that all the easier.

I won’t say more about the story because I don’t want to spoil anything for readers. This is book is a good one! If you love psychological thrillers, dark mysteries, murder, uncovering old secrets, and a chaotic take on what happens when self-absorbed affluence meets grassroots justice, then pick up a copy of The Midnight Feast.

I got 63% through and gave up. I really enjoyed The Hunting Party, but this one just isn't for me. First of all... the birds. Ugh. Second, there were too many trails to follow. I thought about getting a notebook and taking notes of who was up to what, but I don't want my reading for enjoyment to be that complicated. For a thriller, there was only one "thrilling" moment before I gave up on the book. I wouldn't call it a slow burn. I would call it a no burn. For me, a good slow burn has to include at least one character I care about. There was no one in this book to care about. And did I mention the stupid birds?

Thanks netgalley for my copy in exchange for my review.

I tried but I just couldn't love this one. It was just a chaotic mess and I was bored. It started off really strong and I loved the vibe but I just lost interest in this book.

Her best yet by far - Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

4.5 rounded up

Thanks for ARC Netgalley. This was the August pick for my IRL Book Club. I’m such a thriller fan, yet this was my first Foley somehow. I really loved this one and can’t wait to dive into her backlist - let me know what your fav Foley is in the comments for me to prioritize.

Francesca has planned every small detail of the Manor’s grand opening weekend. Everything is perfect, and she knows it will be cemented as a top destination resort in rural England due to her precision. Her younger husband Owen has helped her with the Manor, but she doesn’t know the secrets he’s keeping. Francesca also hasn’t foreseen Bella from her past checking in, determined to confront her for her hand in a terrible tragedy in their youth. Meanwhile, Eddie is poor local boy working at the Manor, caught between the class divide in town and the hidden secrets they all have.

This was atmospheric, filled with folklore, and with class tension between the local blue collar folks and the rich guests. I loved the multiple perspectives and the dual timelines. I really was surprised by quite a few twists! I started reading this but switched to audio for the last few hours to finish before our book club meeting. While I recommend both formats, the multiple actors for the audiobook were fantastic and really highlighted the class differences with their accents. This is a perfect summer thriller!

✨Content Warnings: Murder, Toxic Friendship, Animal Death, Classism, Sexual Assault, Suicide Attempt, Drug Use, Mental Illness, Death of a Parent, Infidelity, Sexual Content

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley was a book I was looking forward to this summer, but it was a little disappointing to me personally. I thought the middle of the book dragged a bit longer than it needed to. I didn't connect with any characters, except for maybe Eddie. The beginning was creepy and pulled me in and the ending was pretty satisfying, but the middle just dragged and I wasn't too interested in picking it up.

The Midnight Feast is told from a few different POVs. There were a lot of characters to keep straight and a few of them were hiding their true identities. The switch from past (2010 when some characters were teens) to present and the addition of a teen diary from the past made things a little tricky to keep track of. First we have Francesca, the owner of the Manor resort. We meet Owen, Francesca's husband who is the architect of the resort. Next we meet Bella, who is one of the guests at the Manor's opening weekend. We also meet Eddie, a local resident who is working as a dishwasher at the resort, but aspires to be a bartender and Detective Walker who is on the case when people uncover a dead body in the woods on the property.

The plot was pretty good overall, but there were some questions I had - why didn't the characters recognize each other if they spent so much time together when they were younger. Why didn't Foley include more about the black feathers/birds. That was more intriguing than annoying Francesca. Why did Sparrow continue to hang out with Frannie when she knew Frannie was manipulative and her family was no good.

I do feel like this was my least favorite Foley book to date, but I have enjoyed her books in the past and I will plan to pick up her next book for sure.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of this. It was slow and the plot made zero sense to me. It was hard to follow and I hated almost all the characters!