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.

COMING 6/18/24

I am SHOOK. I DEVOURED The Midnight Feast (pun intended) in just over a day. This is Lucy Foley at her absolute finest. There were so many “OH MY GOD” moments where I had to stand up and walk and take deep breaths. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book in the moments I had to work and complete life duties.

Told in multiple points of view, The Midnight Feast alternates between the days leading up to the Summer Solstice, the AFTER, and the Summer of 2009. I was struck by how quickly I became enraptured with the characters, whether I loved or DESPISED them.

In Midsommar fashion (which is also alluded to in the book), everything goes so quickly from beautifully curated summer bliss to straight up demonic hell.

I don’t want to say anything else, because it’s better to just go in blind and be swept away. Watching the layers of these characters unravel to reveal their true selves was thrilling, especially Francesca, the Gwyneth Paltrow “Goop-esque” wellness guru. Just. Freaking. Genius.

You only have to wait a week, but if you love a twisty story, make plans to snag The Midnight Feast.

Lucy Foley loves an atmospheric thriller full of kind of bad people doing lots of bad things. And I am here for it. I really enjoyed this one. Its dark and twisty and I loved the ending.

The Midnight Feast was an excellent read. Lucy Foley always delivers and this book is not an exception.

Francesca Meadows has created an internet personality for herself as a "feel good guru" . Just become a follower and Francesca will teach you how to look better, feel better, and be a better person. This summer she is about to make her biggest dream yet come true. The summer solstice will mark the grand opening of "The Manor", an extremely posh, spare no expense resort in the idyllic English countryside built on the grounds of her grandparent's estate. Francesca promised to introduce her guests to the kind of wonderful getaway that she experienced there during the summers of her childhood. Of course it is sold out for months ahead of time. Every detail has been curated, even the guests have been screened and must fill out a questionnaire and a personal history. The locals are not as excited about changes to their village.

I believe I have read all of Foley's books and this may be my favorite. This was great twisty mystery and as always I immediately want to visit the setting! Thanks to Harper Collins, NetGalley and Lucy Foley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a Lucy Foley book, but this was probably my least favorite.

What I liked:
- the vibes were great. I liked the coastal small town, the expensive retreat, the solstice celebration.
- Lucy Foley does a really great job of writing from so many characters POVs and weaving her story.
- The last part of this book really saved it for me. I loved the reveals, and was really shocked by a couple of them.

What didn’t work for me:
- I didn’t love all the time jumps in this one. I kept getting confused where we were in time while I was reading.
- The way the flashbacks were done
- The first 2/3 of this book were pretty boring.

I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of The Midnight Feast from NetGalley and I was SO excited because I've really enjoyed Lucy Foley's other books, but this one fell really flat for me.

We follow Francesca at the opening weekend of her new spa/meditation like retreat/resort. The story is told from the point of view of four people, all bringing different information to the table. The story is told in alternating timelines and I did really enjoy how the past was shown. It was shown via journal entries from one of the main characters.

Ultimately, this book fell pretty flat for me. I felt myself having to put forth effort to keep going during the first half of the book where it felt like there was really nothing happening.

While I did enjoy the few twists and turns throughout the second half of the book, I was still felt feeling pretty meh about the whole experience. For me, I wanted more of certain elements. I wanted more history and reasoning behind The Birds. I wanted more from the flashbacks explaining more about the history of Tome.

::SPOILER ALERT::
I also felt like Shrimp's mother being the one killed was way out of left field. Not necessarily her being the victim, but her connection to Shrimp/Owen. It was literally NEVER mentioned that Shrimp was her child and then all of a sudden it's revealed and then basically like "okay so anyway".

Overall, I just wanted a bit more. Three stars but I will definitely continue reading Lucy Foley.

The Manor, a cliffside resort hotel for health and wellness that is tucked away in the little Dorset village of Tome and with the beach and forests on opposite sides, is having its grand opening this weekend. The three days of luxury, pampering, and spirituality at the retreat will culminate in a midnight feast on the day of the solstice.

However, soon before dawn on The Day After the Solstice, fisherman discover two horrifying things: a body floating in the ocean, and The Manor is burning high on the cliff!
After reading The Midnight Feast, I can honestly state that Lucy Foley is the queen of deception. The mystery was multifaceted, intelligent, and thrilling, and the twists and turns in the plot were greater than the trees in the book. That final one quarter is all I can't stop thinking about!

There were a variety of characters—some I liked, some I wasn't sure about, and a couple who were pure evil. They were all fascinating, three-dimensional, and captivating. I was shocked at how emotionally attached I became to some of these characters' circumstances and trauma—I even started crying a few times.

I love thrillers and Lucy Foley really knocked this one out of the park!

I have always found Lucy Foley books to be hit or miss for me. Some I have loved and others I really haven't liked but she is an author I have always found myself drawn to. So I decided to go into this one with an open mind and pretty much blind to what it was about.
I was grabbed straight away by the plot and I liked the writing style. It was easy to read and the story was all flowing well. I enjoyed the different POV's throughout the book and the characters were well defined and likeable. The tension was palpable and I got the sense that it was all building up to something.
However, I did begin to find the pacing was too slow for my liking. For the first 200 pages nothing really happened but the writing was keeping me intrigued and there was a definite feeling that something was going to happen.
One thing I didn't enjoy were the flashback/diary entry chapters. I know why they were there but I struggled to enjoy them.
This is one of those books that is atmospheric and the mystery was slowly revealed but by the end I was left with a feeling of 'is that it?'.
The reveals weren't surprising and it did all feel slightly flat. It started off well and had a lot of promise but ultimately this one was a bit too slow and drawn out for my taste. I just wanted more to happen!