Lucy Foley is an auto-buy author for me. This one did not disappoint! She has a fantastic way of weaving together stories from multiple perspectives, and creating deliciously evil characters. This one takes place in a luxury retreat center in the woods where some weird things are happening after dark. This will be one to read this summer!!!

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

I usually really like Lucy Foley’s books but this was not a winner for me. I followed along fine, and I predicted some of the twists before they were revealed but it was just a weird storyline. Honestly the best way to describe it in my mind is trippy which seeing that a lot of the time the characters were on something, it makes sense.

Thank goodness for the half to quarter of the book that finally made things interesting because it wasn’t looking too good for me at the beginning.

It took me A WHILE to get into this one. I almost stopped reading after about 40% but I love Lucy Foley books and I knew it just had to get better, and it absolutely did.

The way everything came together in the end was so clever & it was a page turner those few chapters.

What a ride! A lot of characters and story lines to keep up with in the beginning, but definitely worth it to keep going.

Grateful for the opportunity to read this one!

This book had a completely different plot and storyline than any other Lucy Foley book. I was super excited to read it, but the book kind of fell flat. This felt like a forced read on my end and I considered DNF'ing it a few times. The fact that Lucy Foley tends to throw together a good ending kept me going. The last 20% of the book saved this for me, but not sure it would be in the top contenders for me to recommend.

Excited to see what Lucy releases next!

2.5, rounded up to 3
My Summary:
A woman comes back to a town and manor that has haunted her for a long time. She wants to make sure that certain people don’t get away covering up any more crimes. Boy, does she succeed, but not in the way you’d expect.

My Review:
I’m not quite sure what to say about this one. If you’ve seen the movie Midsommar..that’s what it felt like reading this book. It felt like a fever dream, some sort of haze. It was unsettling, which I think is the point. I think it was too unsettling for me though. Too far out. None of the characters were likable. The plot was great though; a good amount of twists that were all believable. Definitely a thriller, more horrific than her other works though!

You’ll like this if you like:
-Ayahuasca
-luxury retreats in creepy settings
-crystals

Similar titles/vibes:
-The Troop
-Ninth House
-The Atlas Paradox

Lucy Foley has done it again. She entertains us with her imagination that plays out perfectly as a movie in your heard. If you’re a fan of her past work, you’ll absolutely be pleased caressing the lovely cover between your fingers!
This was a 3.6 read for me

One of the most anticipated thriller's from best selling author, Lucy Foley - Francesca and Owen cordially invite you to the grand opening of an exclusive resort touting a holistic- themed experience. Booked solid, everyone is thrilled to be part of the savvy festivities. Everyone that is except the locals who want no part of this venture. This novel is told from multiple POVs, each a fully developed character which was easy to follow along. Short chapters made it easy to continue to turn the pages. Definitely a go-to read!

My favorite Lucy Foley book! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow

Set at the opening weekend of a fancy wellness retreat, a group of visitors and area locals deal with a present day murder and how it’s connected to secrets from the past. The woodsy, seaside atmosphere was perfect for the small town, folklore inspired mystery. So many twists/reveals got me good! It’s not a perfect book and actually kinda dumb in many ways, but I had a blast reading it.

3.5 stars rounded down

What to expect in this book:

-Atmospheric read
-Multiple POV
-Slow burn mystery/thriller
-Locked door thriller
-Seaside manor house setting
-Summer solstice

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

Thoughts

Lucy Foley is one of my favorite mystery authors and as soon as I saw that she had a new book coming out in 2024, I knew this would be one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I have read her four most recent novels and loved them all, with The Paris Apartment being my favorite. As usual, this book features several characters with overlapping storylines and back stories, however this book felt the most different from her others to me. Francesca Meadows has created a mysterious and exclusive retreat in the cliffside residence of The Manor. She has spared no expense or effort in preparing it for their opening night on the Summer Solstice. Riddled with folklore and local tales, The Midnight Feast at The Manor is said to be the event of the summer and every has come ready to celebrate. However, as old friends and enemies gather on this night, the ancient forrest is full of secrets and as of the following morning, police become involved as there has been a body discovered. Told from various points of view before, during, and following the solstice, The Midnight Feast draws readers into a secret that is fifteen years in the making.

This story gave me vibes of The Village. There are mysterious within the small town of Tome and the forest that for years locals have been afraid of. When after fifteen years, several characters reunite for an evening of debauchery and celebration, it feels like the fantasy of it all ends up being much different than I would have imagined. Without spoiling for potential readers, the atmosphere or environment plays a large role in this novel and I felt immediately drawn in and intrigued by this pagan group known as "The Birds" that play a major role in this story. I enjoyed elements of this, but by the end found this plot line to be a little disappointing. Also, Lucy Foley always brings multiple characters together that seem to have nothing in common all to reveal the connections that are hidden under the surface--so I was not surprised at the connections that were ultimately revealed, however, I found some of these aspects to be unbelievable given the short amount of time that had passed since they had last seen each other.

I think this is an entertaining read and enjoyable, but not my favorite of hers. I think the setting makes this a great summer time read and will transport readers (and hopefully make them grateful to not be a part of The Manor or the midnight feast!) I recommend to those who are looking for an intriguing and mysterious read.

The Midnight Feast

This book reminded me of Nine Perfect Strangers, and White Lotus, mixed with the strange masked people from Riverdale. So, it had some pretty unique characters and vibes.

Read if you like:
⭕️ Closed circle mystery
🏨 Newly built Hotel party
📔 Journal entries from past
🔗 Linked characters
🤫 Secrets

This was a very quick and easy read. There were quite a few characters’ points of view, but not too many that it made it confusing. I really liked how it was set up, the short chapters, and the tidbits you got out of each character throughout the story! The end was the perfect climax /resolution and the final sentence made me smile.

I enjoy the consistency of Lucy Foley stories. Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the digital ARC!

4.5 stars rounded to 5! I enjoyed this one immensely. Multiple POV pieces can sometimes be overwhelming, but Lucy Foley is one of the best at writing them. While there were several characters and timelines, it didn't feel like there were too many, nor did it seem confusing. I did enjoy how she tied the timelines together and the characters. There were a few small details that I didn't expect to occur. The setting itself is well described, and I did like the basic premise of this new upscale retreat having its opening weekend against some backlash from the community. Initially, I thought we'd be dealing with more supernatural elements based on the description, but I was proven wrong...and happily so! This book may be my new favorite from this author!

Did I squeal and run to my Kindle the minute I received the "approval" email? I sure did! I love Lucy Foley's books; and this one is not an exception. She is a master of the multiple POV narration and the twists... *chefs kiss.* She continues to exceed my expectations and I cannot wait to see what she releases next.

I jumped into The Midnight Feast...and jumped back out. I couldn't find my groove. Maybe I was thrown by the lack of characters? Had my lucky streak come to an end? Not to worry, I jumped back in and following those first few chapters, I was fully hooked and committed. The story was masterfully written; peppered with folklore...it really was perfection.

The story centers around The Manor, a luxurious estate hidden in Woodland Hutches, designed to provide an escape for the uber privileged. Owner Francesca Woodland is preparing to host a summer solstice feast at the Manor, however her plans are derailed when a ghost from her past appears, looking to confront an event from years prior. Finally, Owen, the much younger husband of Francesca, is so taken with her, that he doesn't see the dark secrets she is harboring, and vice versa, putting their future at risk.

Murder, mystery, and fire...this book is full of the twists and turns that Foley is known for. She once again has hit it out of the park. You will not regret this read!

Huge thanks to William Morrow, NetGalley, and Ms. Foley for this ARC.

The Manor, a hotel/wellness boutique that used to be a historical home, is not liked by the town. Some freaky things start happening and it was reminiscent of an old "Birds" tale. I thought including folklore in the story was interesting but the story never hooked me like some of Foley's other books have. This overall was just OK for me, personally. I had a hard time following what was going on and I was bored with it overall.

A special thank you to William & Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am a huge Lucy Foley fan and have always enjoyed her books, but I just couldn’t get into this one. The multiple POV was extremely confusing to follow, when the setting and point in the story were constantly changing too.

I was flipping back and forth every page I read to try and make sense of who it was that was talking, and what they were talking about. The beginning of the book alone had several different narrators, characters from a ship passing by, and an illegal hiking group as well.

I feel like the potential for a good story is definitely in the book, it just wasn’t for me, I had to DNF it.

Absolutely looooved this book!! Lucy Foley does it again! I got about 45 pages in and started to worry a little that I wouldn’t get into it, but man, she fooled me! The arc of the different characters, the slow burn reveal of how they are all interconnected?!?! Absolutely magical. I was so impressed by this novel and the ways it had you guessing and discovering right up to the very end! This is why Foley is an all-time fave thriller writer for me!

The Midnight Feast is a well written mystery by Lucy Foley that I did not feel met the heights of The Guest List, in my opinion her best book. The setup is interesting but overall the story I feel never is as interesting or thrilling as The Guest List or The Paris Apartment.

Lucy Foley has done it again!
A great tale told in dual timelines and multiple POVs. In the present, we have the owners and the guests at the opening of The Manor. In the past we get to read through the dairy of a young girl. The characters were well developed and the scenes were perfectly sey.
The best thing I liked about the book was a character revelations! They were timed perfectly, and were unexpected. This book kept me on my toes, and kept surprising me till the very end.
A true mystery/thriller genre that keeps you engaged with the twists!

Usually I absolutely love Lucy Foley's books, but this one fell a little flat for me unfortunately. Some parts were on the slower side and some of the jumping back and forth and between characters, got slightly confusing. I do like how her characters always connect into one much bigger picture, but this bigger picture wasn't as much as a shock as it has been in other books! It was still a good read and I definitely recommend giving it a try!

Lucy Foley never fails to entertain and keep me guessing. I really enjoyed the setting and ambiance of the hotel and nature. Always 5 stars for me!

“The Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley is an atmospheric novel that blends suspense, drama, and richly drawn characters.

Foley’s prose is paints vivid scenes and the dynamics between the characters are compelling, with interpersonal relationships that are as intriguing as the central mystery itself.

One of the standout elements of the book is Foley’s skillful pacing. She knows exactly when to drop crucial hints and when to escalate the tension, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The twists and turns are well-executed, often surprising but not contrived.

Overall, “The Midnight Feast” showcases Foley’s talent for crafting thrillers that linger in the reader’s mind long after the final page is turned. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a suspenseful story.