Lucy Clarke is becoming an auto buy author for me. I loved this book. I loved the dynamics between all the friends. The secrets that each of them held back and then how they revealed themselves. Throughout the book, I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was so wrong. These four women are strong and stronger together, even with all their baggage. Their hike together brought them to their limits and that was before the villains even showed up! Great book

This is such a fast paced and enthralling thriller. Our family does ALOT of hiking so I kind of love that whole adventurous/outdoorsy part of this book. I also loved the POVs all four friends and the concurrent storytelling from another POV as well.

I love thrillers where you don’t know who the ‘victim’ is until the end. It keeps you on your toes and trying to figure out who it is and who did what to get them there. There are a lot of great twists and turns and unexpected secrets that come along that really keep you wanting more and more.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and also got a copy on audio and the narration was fantastic and I would highly recommend it.

This book had everything I love in a thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat, binge reading because I needed to know what was going to happen! Four friends, who meet up for an annual trip, go on a four day hike in Norway. I loved the dynamics of the friend group and how they all came into this trip with secrets or baggage. And the atmospheric setting had me wanting to go to Norway.

I loved all of the misdirection that made me unable to put everything together on my own, but it still all made sense after it came together. This is a binge worthy thriller, that kept me reading to find out answers. I cannot recommend it enough.

First sentence: Her body lies broken on the mountainside.

That's an attention grabber! Having enjoyed "One of the Girls" by Clarke, I had an idea of the suspense to await me in "The Hike." I have to say, I enjoyed that the book didn't follow the standard 4 girls go in and 1 comes out trope.

Brief synopsis: No help. No cell coverage. No one to hear them scream.
Burned-out by both her marriage and work, Liz is desperate for an escape. More than that, she craves an adventure, a total reset. So, when she plans a vacation with her three best friends, she persuades them to spend four nights camping in the stunning mountains of Norway. Following a trail that climbs through lush valleys, towering peaks, and past jewel-blue lakes, Liz is sure that the hike is just what they need.

"The Hike" blended a murder mystery that kept you guessing right until the end. The possibility of supernatural elements at play added further to the tense atmosphere and backdrop of the wilderness. With alternating chapters giving us a backstory of the characters, we get to know the four women as people with doubts and insecurities.

This is a mystery thriller with a real focus on female friendship and relationships. The setting really enhances the strain and tensions in the group and mirrors the isolation and rawness that is revealed by the women via the trip. Clarkedemonstrates that sometimes a vacation away from the everyday doesnt always go how you thought it would.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a mystery thriller that engaged me and will those who pick up this book.

THE HIKE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🥾As someone who really enjoys both hiking and thriller books, I was so pumped for this one! As peaceful as hiking in nature can be, if you’re alone or in a smaller group, it can also be scary (is someone hiding behind that tree and gonna pop out and get me?!). That was the vibe I was expecting for this book but it wasn’t really the vibe I got from it.

🥾Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Four lifelong best friends set out on a multi-day hike through the Norwegian mountains. They’re expecting a blissful trip but they soon discover something in the wilderness that will change their lives forever.

🥾There were definitely some moments in this book that had me on the edge of my seat! While I did predict the ending/who the “bad guy” was the author’s writing still gave me the creeps which is always a plus in thrillers! Some of the characters made choices that made zero sense to me (why wander off alone when the group just decided to stick together for safety?!). However, this was still a solid read overall in my opinion. Not my favorite thriller ever but still worth checking out especially if you enjoy hiking and/or thrillers set out in nature.

This was ok. Took me a while to get into it but I enjoyed the end. Wasn’t my favorite book as parts of it were boring especially in the middle but towards the end it got better and I enjoyed the ending. The characters were ok. Didn’t love them but didn’t hate them.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The Hike is about 4 lifelong friends who go on a non traditional girls' trip hiking in Norway! This is definitely not my type of trip, but I really enjoyed learning about each character as they went on this trip/hike. You get to really see who everyone really is deep down inside (when you read it, you'll know what I mean), as they are faced with adversity on what is an incredibly difficult path to travel, both physically, and emotionally.

The scenes were easy to visualize, and I felt like I was part of the quad.

I truly enjoyed this thriller! Lots of twists, gut wrenching developments, and enough loops to keep you guessing. I was pretty close to figuring out how the end would go, although the finale was not at all what I was expecting. I have read other thrillers, and the events in this one, are memorable.

This was my first by this author, and I will be on the look out for other titles!

I just reviewed The Hike by Lucy Clarke. #TheHike #NetGalley

If you're looking for a solid thriller - I recommend! I rated a solid 3.5.

First off I love Lucy Clark books and this one was no different. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity t read this book in exchange for an honest review! The setting in this book is perfect and I lived the character develop. This book will keep you hooked as you try to sort out secrets and deceit. Definitely a fun read.

Maggie, Liz, Helena, and Joni are four best friends that reunite each year with a vacation to reconnect and relax. This year however, they are trading in cocktails poolside for hiking boots in the Norwegian wilderness. As they begin their adventure tensions run high as they struggle to make it to their destination. They believe bad weather to be the only danger in their path but little do they know there is something far more sinister lurking in the woods. The discovery of a body throws the women in the midst of danger as secrets between the friends come to light None of them are safe from anything or anyone, not even from each other.



I really enjoyed how this one was written and what made it stand out to me compared to other books with similar tropes was the friendship between the four women, there is careful detail that really makes you feel the connection they all have. This was fast paced and filled with suspense, I really enjoyed the setting and the detail which allowed you to picture everything perfectly in your mind. The book is written in multiple POV and it flowed effortlessly and was very easy to read, each chapter states the name of the character’s POV. I enjoyed how the main focus of this book was the friendship between all four women, the good and the bad. All four women are flawed giving them a realistic feel, the book also give you the feeling of not knowing who to trust which really added on to the suspense. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title is now available to purchase.

The Hike by Lucy Clarke is my second book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Each character's flaws were relatable and both complimented and conflicted with their group, setting up really good tension and moments where you were left wondering what could happen next. The first 25% I thought was a little slow, but the rest really wove together in such a great, simmering way. The ending left me a bit teary eyed and emotional. Really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this advance copy.

Four friends set out on a hiking holiday, which is drastically different than the sun and booze trips they usually take. Only Liz, the one in charge of choosing this years trip, seems to be very excited about it. But the others go along, anxious for time away and time together. Against numerous warnings from locals, the ladies take off to climb a mountain. What they run into is not only the elements, but secrets that people will do anything to protect.

This was a pretty good suspenseful book. It was told in a way that made me want to keep reading to find out what the women would face next and how their friendship would continue to evolve.

The Hike
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Lucy Clarke

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Penguin Group and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: No help.

No cell coverage.

No one to hear them scream.

Burned-out by both her marriage and work, Liz is desperate for an escape. More than that, she craves an adventure, a total reset. So, when she plans a vacation with her three best friends, she persuades them to spend four nights camping in the stunning mountains of Norway. Following a trail that climbs through lush valleys, towering peaks, and past jewel-blue lakes, Liz is sure that the hike is just what they need.

But as they stride farther from civilization, it becomes clear that the women are not the only ones looking to lose themselves in the mountains. The wilderness hides secrets darker than they could ever have imagined, and if they’re not careful . . . not all of them will return.

My Thoughts: The four friends like to meet up for holidays through the years. Liz convinces the friend group to go hiking for four days in Norway, providing the most beautiful landscape for an adventure. Soon into their hike, they realize they may not be alone, being on the lookout for weather issues may not be the only thing they have to pay attention too. Each lady carries her own secrets and personal issues and the others are not aware of the secrets buried deep. Things really begin to take a creepy turn when someone is reported missing that looks exactly like one of the foursome. Will the hike be as fulfilling as the ladies hope? Or will things go south on the mountain?

The beginning is slow with character build ups, divulging their secrets, and laying out the groundwork for the hike. There are also two plot lines occurring at the same time that will eventually merge together. You have Maggie with a daughter at home and just a pure heart. Helena finds out some news right before the hike that has her preoccupied. Liz brought everyone on this hike because she needed a break and didn’t have a discussion on the holiday with the others. Then we have Joni, famous music star, who has done some questionable things. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, emotion, and intriguing. Not all of the characters were likable, which played into the plot well. There were personal conflicts within each lady but also within the group, but there were also those golden friendship moments that were endearing. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, action packed, and kept you engaged. The characters were slowly built up with their backstories and the plot was delivered excellently in twisty layers, and the ending was not what I expected. I do love how the author spins a mystery into a mystery. The author does an amazing job at describing the mountains in Norway, really makes you feel like you on the hike with the friend group.

This was more of a survival thriller which was a nice break from the domestic or psychological thriller. It was still compelling, twisty, and keeps you guessing, although there was some predictability. I would say once you get at about the 25% mark, it really picks up and has some excellant action related moments. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I would recommend to other readers looking for something different.

I tried this on audio and kindle and just couldn’t get into it at all, I didn’t connect with any characters or what was going on

❤️ Book Review ❤️

The Hike
By: Lucy Clark

Read if you like:

📚 Short chapters
🔥 Fast paced
👯‍♂️ Friends connection
🍀 Nature

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Four lifelong friends meet every year to go on a long weekend getaway. Their usual cocktail by the pool is replaced when Liz decides this year, they will scale a mountain in Norway. Some are prepared for the hike and others are not, but none are prepared for the harsh conditions and mysteries surrounding the mountain.

This book is fast paced and could be read in one sitting. The setting is great and there's a good deal of drama to keep the papers turning. I really enjoyed this book; although now, any dreams I had of hiking and camping in the wild have been replaced with dreams of staying home, cuddling with my cats, and eating tacos.

Maggie, Liz, Helena & Joni. Old friends bound by history, adventures, old secrets. And now, bound by murder.
They lace up their hiking boots for the adventure of a lifetime in the Norwegian wilderness: a place of towering mountains, glass-like lakes, log cabins and forests stolen from a fairytale. It’s the perfect place to lose yourself – until a broken body is found at the bottom of a ravine. Somewhere out there, someone knows exactly why a woman has died. And in this deep, dark wilderness, there’s a killer on the trail . . .

Lucy Clarke knows how to write a suspenseful thriller! This was a page-turner that I could not put down. It was full of drama and twisty storylines.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was fast paced and so good! I couldn’t put it down. I really disliked the characters, but it didn’t stop me from loving the book. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

I think I hated all of these characters haha. However it was in a way that I wasn’t rooting for any of them, but they also didn’t make me angry just being them.

Strap on your boots for this fast paced story. Lots of twists and turns. Plenty of things going on to keep the pages turning.

The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Liz, Joni, Maggie and Helena have been best friends ever since they were kids attending the same secondary school in their English town. Throughout the years, as they’ve grown into adulthood and gone off in different life directions, they’ve done their best to not only stay in touch but to support each other through life’s travails. A large part of this includes going for an annual vacation together, just the four of them, to recapture the energy and joy of their youth.

This year, it’s Liz’s turn to choose their holiday destination. As a recent convert to the benefits of walking, she decides she want to drag everyone on a grueling four-day hiking trip up a Norwegian mountain:

QUOTE
Liz being Liz, she wanted to understand the physiological benefits of walking, so she’d dived into the research. She discovered that regular walking improved the immune system, lowered cholesterol, and strengthened feelings of well-being. She shared these findings with her patients. “I’m prescribing you a daily walk.” It was simple, free, doable for most. Life-changing in some cases.

Right now, Liz needed <i>life-changing</i>.
END QUOTE


Liz is a GP in the very same town she grew up in. She married her childhood sweetheart and has twin children, but has grown dissatisfied with the sameness of her everyday life. While in the full throes of an early mid-life crisis, she asked her husband for a trial separation. To her horror, he readily agreed. Given her recently developed belief in the curative powers of walking, she’s decided that a challenging hike in less than optimal conditions is the perfect way to sort out her troubles and regain clarity.

Her friends are both far less athletic and far less enthused, wistfully mentioning previous holidays relaxing on the beach. Single career girl Helena has at least packed appropriately, even as she grieves her late mother and worries about potential changes in her own daily life. Divorced mother Maggie is panicking at leaving her daughter Phoebe with her estranged ex for the first time ever, and has done even less than Helena to get physically fit enough for the hike. Rock star Joni is still on tour, but an epiphany regarding her self-destructive lifestyle has her abandoning her commitments in order to surprise the others at the Norwegian lodge from where they’ll be starting out.

As the women set out on their hike, old resentments begin to simmer back up to the surface, while new and unexpected dangers come to the fore. The locals are not slow to warn them of the potential hazards of their route:

QUOTE
“Is Blafjell…dangerous?” Maggie asked.

“All mountains can be,” Liz said crisply.

Vilhelm nodded at Liz, then made to move away as if dismissed.

“But there’s something about Blafjell, isn’t there?” Maggie called after him.

Vilhelm hesitated. Quietly, he said, “Some locals think that there is…an energy about the place. A sense of something larger than us.” He spoke only to Maggie. “A vibration, if you will. This one knows it. Hackles go up. Ears pinned right back. Starts to whine. Dogs can sense the other.”

Maggie’s skin grew cool. “The other?”

Vilhelm looked directly at her, his gaze clear and intense. “Something beyond the limits of our understanding.”
END QUOTE

Even with shadows of the supernatural and the much more concrete concerns of bad weather dogging their heels, they press on. Never mind that another hiker, who looks eerily like one of their own party, disappeared here almost exactly a year ago. Perhaps the greatest danger to their friendships, however, lies in the dark secrets they’ve been keeping from one another.

This suspenseful novel chronicles what happens when people are thrown into physically and emotionally dire situations they’re in no way prepared for, as the hazards of the trail combine with the sinister intent of all too human antagonists to challenge our four friends beyond their greatest limits. Not all of them will survive, but this page-turner deftly chronicles the fallout as it navigates back and forth through time and space while racing to its thrilling peak.

Based on the synopsis, I was expecting some Midsommar-esque scary vibes from this vacation thriller, but unfortunately that’s not what I got.

The Hike is a great thriller for people who are looking for something that’s light on scares and violence, but big on secrets and drama. It was a quick read that built tension in a way that has you turning pages and questioning who to trust. It personally didn’t work for me, as I wanted a little more from the mystery aspect (which didn’t kick in until like the 70% mark).

Don’t let my opinion dissuade you though! I think this will work for many people, I just wanted something a little ~darker~.

The Hike is out now. Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.