I really enjoyed this one! Four best friends are on a multi-day hike, some not prepared for this type adventure, and the book takes you through their four POVs. There is also a fifth perspective called "the search" where you know something has happened to someone... It is not until the very end that everything comes together and the ending was not what I expected. It is also a quick read, which I always appreciate!

None of the characters are really likeable and I wasn’t a fan of the setting. It felt slow paced and I don’t think it will be memorable for me. I liked the way it was told in multiple POVs and the audiobook narrators did well.

With Nordic folklore touches and a friendship group holding onto guilt and secrets, it was no surprise to me that The Hike was an instant, could-put-down win for me. It starts out with one of the best opening sentences and from there it is as twisty as you think it will be. Who's body is on the mountainside? What are the four best friends keeping from one another? And why do they keep seeing people from the small Norwegian town on the mountain after they've been told there's a storm?

The Hike was just incredible, a novel that features four women I sympathized and connected with, understanding the lifelong bonds we hold onto and the lifelong resentments we often keep close to our chests. I understood immediately their happy, freeing hope of girl time over vacation and knew quickly that a hike would only lead to bad. They're all in it for the wrong reasons and it is in our trials that we show who we really are. Mix into it the Norwegian mountainside, Nordic gothic folklore, and villagers that warned of a storm, but somehow keep ending up on the same trail? Something is up and Lucy Clarke writes a story here that will have you reading well into the night.

The Hike is a fast-paced thriller that I think readers are going to devour.

This is another good one! Lucy Clarke has a great formula that is similar in her books, but each is different enough that it's intriguing. This one was fast paced thriller, and I felt invested in each character. There was one "twist" that I figured out very soon in the beginning, but it didn't ruin the story at all.

Overall, I would recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Lucy Clarke for an eARC of The Hike!

I can always count on Lucy Clarke for a fast-paced, destination thriller. The Hike takes place in the mountains of Norway and Clarke provides vivid descriptions of the lodge, the wilderness, and the strenuous hike her characters embark on. I enjoyed reading about each one's struggle and journey.

Clarke executed the multiple perspectives very well. Often times it is difficult to balance the characters and stories bleed into one another. Clarke did a wonderful job giving each character their own voice so it was easy to tell whose POV I was reading.

I also enjoyed the twist towards the end. I won't say more other than that I wasn't expecting it, but Clarke did a great job of setting it up and it totally made sense!

One criticism I have is that a few of the characters were a bit whiny and inconsiderate for my taste. While I could tell they meant well, I found it very hard to relate to Maggie and Liz personally. Liz's idea to take her friends on a four day, super strenuous hike... No way! She obviously knows their fitness levels and that is a tall order - especially with the way this mountain was described and each person having ZERO experience. On the flip side of that, part of me wanted to tell Maggie to either suck it up or speak up. I get that she was stressed being away from her child for the first time, but she was so unprepared for the journey - she really should have said she couldn't handle it and stuck to her guns.

In the end, I always enjoy a fast-paced adventure thriller and I'll give The Hike 3.5 stars rounded up!

3.5 out of 5

Childhood friends Liz, Helena, and Maggie are preparing for their annual girls trip. They are deviating from their usual beach holiday and will instead be tackling the Norwegian mountains. Not everyone is excited about this trip and each woman will be carrying more internal baggage then external.

Upon arrival, things begin to take a strange turn. The locals share that Maggie looks identical to a Karin, a woman who disappeared under strange circumstances a year prior. Then there is the arrival of Erik, brother of Leif, the lodge caretaker. Finally, Joni, who is the fourth member of the friend group arrives unexpectedly after leaving her band mid-tour.

The book has a slow start, I found myself putting it down and picking it up over the course of a few days. There is a lot of background detail on the main characters, which helps the reader understand their frame of mind going into the hike. As the story progresses, additional details are revealed.

There is a major revelation 3/4 of the way into the book, I didn't find it to be a thrilling twist, more of an "ah-ha" moment where. The ending was a bit over the top, it left you feeling like one of the characters was trying to redeem themselves, but it fell flat.

Overall, this is a decent read. It is different from the usual domestic thrillers which have been filling my kindle. I felt it had a lot of potential. but at the end I was a bit disappointed, however that will not stop me from checking out other books by this author.

Many thanks to Thank you Harper Collins UK, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC.

I’m on the fence with this because I enjoyed part of it a lot but also had issue with other parts. I generally liked the first 2/3, but it started to fall apart. It reminded me of those Spanish thrillers that are half thriller and half melodrama. The ending felt kind of Scooby Dooish in that every character was comejow connected to the mystery. I know it’s a small town but come on.

The drama between the friends felt forced, and the epilogues just felt unnecessary. So 4 stars for the first 65% and 2 for the rest?

My Rating 4/5

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I loved the premise of the book. Liz, Maggie, Joni and Helena go on a yearly girls trip and this year they are doing something different. Instead of going on a tropical vacation where they spend time at the pool, they are going hiking in the Norway mountains. Told in alternating perspectives, this gripping thriller explores the wild side of female relationship and the transportive power of the wilderness. The book started off a bit slow but half way through I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out the ending. I would definitely read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This story went in a completely different direction than I was initially expecting! There were so many different characters at play and I loved it all taking place on a long hike in Norway with friends that get together every year for a girls trip. The story and characters were complex and it really held my interest throughout! I wasn’t able to predict what happened at the end,l with all the twists and turns! I would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers and mysteries set on a vacation!

A fast paced thriller with a setting in Norway and four friends on a girls get away. I liked the complexity of the characters and the well thought out plot. Overall an enjoyable read.

3.5

This was a solid thriller that incorporates a survival plot that feels like watching a movie! If you like your thrillers with high stakes and lots of action then I think you will love this!

The characters were great and dynamic. My favorite was Liz! The characters and story were easy to follow.

I love Lucy Clarke’s writing. She is an autobuy author for me. She describes the Norwegian mountains in this story with so much detail that I felt like I was on that hiking trail with them.

The only thing that didn’t work for me was the plot in the last 20% of the book. It wasn’t the ending that I expected though which in thrillers is always a bonus!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Clarke, and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P Putnam's Sons for the gifted copy!

The more I think about this one the more disappointing it becomes. This felt like a story told from the perspectives of side characters. The four FMCs were generally unlikeable and used to tell the second, more exciting story that they “stumbled” into. I would have preferred that story vs the one of the four hikers. Without revealing any spoilers, the death at the end was also highly unsatisfying and felt like a “well, someone has to die so let me just throw that in here” type death. I hated it in the story — and then the book just ends!!! Honestly the last 4-5 chapters really ruined the whole thing for me, though it was slow moving to begin with. Not the thriller I was expecting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

An enjoyable thriller. Four life-long friends go on vacation to hike in Norway with lots of back story, conflict & layers. Add in a missing local woman and bad weather. I enjoyed the complexity of the friendships but the ending was just ok for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I read & loved Lucy Clarke's last book, "One Of The Girls" so I was super excited to read her newest book, "The Hike".
I found "The Hike" to be an addictive thriller that was full of tension & suspense. It had alot of twists that kept me guessing to the very end.
I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for her next book.

The Hike was fine but nothing memorable and I think within a week I’ll struggle to remember any details. I’m always drawn in to stories that start with a group of friends go hiking/camping and don’t all come back. So maybe I’ve read too many of them but this just felt like nothing that hasn’t been done before.

I also have a tough time buying how the final conflict went down and also some messaging that bordered on victim blaming. Not a fan.

Thank you to the publisher, PRHaudio and Netgalley for the advance reading and listening copies.

The Hike takes readers on a thrilling journey into the untamed wilderness of Norway, where four friends seek an escape from their troubled lives. Burned-out by the demands of marriage and work, Liz persuades her friends to embark on a four-night camping adventure in the majestic mountains. The promise of a reset and the beauty of the Norwegian landscape draw them in.

The book excels in creating an atmosphere of isolation and unease. The remote location, lack of cell coverage, and the ever-present sense of being alone in the wild contribute to a palpable tension. As the group ventures deeper into the wilderness, it becomes evident that they are not the only ones seeking solace among the mountains.

The story is packed with suspense, and the author effectively keeps you guessing about the hidden dangers lurking in the woods. The secrets concealed in the wilderness are darker than anticipated, adding an intriguing layer to the plot. The tension and the feeling of being watched build steadily, creating an eerie and gripping narrative.

The Hike is a thrilling adventure into the unknown, blending elements of suspense, isolation, and the mysteries of nature. It's a captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy tales of survival and the dark secrets hidden in the wilderness, this book is worth the hike.

3.5 stars! Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Wow what a ride! I love Lucy Clarke and The Hike is no exception. Fast paced thriller that surprises from beginning to end. Great setting for the book and an amazing cast of characters. I highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review.

Girl trip gone wrong? Heck yes! Join four friends who go on a yearly holiday as they find out that if the people won’t get you, nature will. Throughly enjoyed this book even though the beginning was a bit slow. I liked being able to read about all the characters perspectives. All of them were well developed.

The Hike, by Lucy Clark, is a character-driven, slow burn thriller about four friends who take an annual trip together. These longtime friends reconnect each year at an exotic locale to catch-up on one another’s lives and spend time together.

This year it’s Liz’s turn to chose, and she plans a hiking adventure to the remote mountains of Norway. This expedition is far more daunting than their usual trips, but Liz has her reasons. The women are all reluctant, but it’s hard to say no to Liz and the chance to be altogether. And each woman needs a getaway for their own reasons.

Each of these four friends has struggles they they are dealing with in their lives, secrets they are keeping from one another, as well as some personal issues and resentments between them. Despite all, their foursome has history and they maintain a relatively unified bond.

I was caught up in these characters’ lives and I enjoyed the insights into their inner thoughts, the introspection, and assessment of their lives and reflections on their choices. I was also intrigued to see how the impending
journey would play out. The plot is wrought with tension and trouble and a distinct sense of foreboding.

It definitely had some plot points that felt implausible and situations that felt unrealistic. I’m not sure who would sign up on a rigorous hiking adventure without specific planning and preparation, or without responsibly checking the conditions and
risks. Regardless, I was fairly captivated by the tale and appreciated the contemplative conclusion.

Like Lucy Clarke’s previous stories, The Hike is atmospheric and suspenseful. I found this story to be eerie, entertaining, surprisingly reflective and a fun and engaging read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy of Lucy Clarke's The Hike.

When I read the premise of The Hike, I was really excited to jump in. Lucy Clarke's multi-POV style is very similar to Lucy Foley who is one of my favorite authors. I found myself devouring each perspective from Maggie, Liz, Helena, and Joni. I was left guessing to the last minute who was the killer with a final twist surprising me in a good way. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Lucy Clarke.

CW: Drug use, descriptions of high-risk sexual behavior, on-page physical assaults and dangerous wilderness-related activities.