I would give this 4.5 stars if a half star was a thing! The Hike was a first class thriller, that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The pacing of the story, with short chapters told from Multi Point of View, almost always ending in just enough of a cliff hanger, kept me reading into all hours of the night, flying through the story.

The Hike revolves around 4 girlfriends who set off on their yearly girls trip, only this year the plan is to hike on of the largest and beautiful mountains in Norway. This trip is frowned upon by 3/4ths of their party along with all of the locals they encounter, but since it was Liz's year to pick, all four of them set off on adventure that will ultimately change their lives.

Each of these 4 ladies brings something of their middle age lives as a burden on the trail: marriage problems, babies, divorces, addictions, and even issues they have with one another, but together, they have to put those things aside and fight for their physical lives as they find themselves hunted by someone or something that doesn't want them up on the mountain.

This story is a beautiful nod to friendships, and I greatly enjoyed that age of the MCs, being in their 30s. I enjoyed their relatable issues. Character development was top notch. I felt like I had an acute sense of every player in this story.

I enjoyed The Hike greatly, and would recommend it to anyone who loves adventure, nature, and/or thrillers.

This book completely devastated me. We find out right in the beginning that there is a woman's body on the side of a mountain and that only one other person knows how this happened. This story follows four women who are all struggling with some aspect of their life. They go on annual vacations together and this year it is Liz's turn to pick the location. Liz and her friend Joni have always dreamed of hiking Blafjell, a mountain in Norway since they were young. This book takes us on their adventure of personal struggles, adversaries on the mountain, and the strife of handling all that Mother Nature places on them. The whole time while I was reading, I was trying to figure out which woman is the one on the side of the mountain and who did this to them. At one point I wondered if one of their friends may even have done it. This story was a page turner, and by the end I was left completely shaken by the outcome.

This book started off a little slow, but as we got into the actual hike, I found that I was holding my breath waiting to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and getting to know each character individually and as a group. There was one phrase repeated throughout the book that really started to irk me, but I can look past that because the rest of the book was quite enjoyable.

I am surprised with how much I enjoyed this thriller! Though this was quite slow in the beginning, the pace really ramped up half way through. The four friends are an interesting group with complex relationships that I did enjoy reading about. I also loved the almost creepy atmosphere this was set against.

While I don't think this was too surprising with its twists, there were still some that I wasn't expecting.

This was a fun and fast paced read and I'm exited to pick up more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Another entertaining read from Lucy Clarke! She is such a solid author. Her stories are well plotted, with interesting characters, stunning settings, and twists you don’t see coming. The Hike is a perfect example of why I love this author. The friendships between the main characters were relatable and just tense enough to keep me riveted. And now I’m desperate for a Norwegian adventure! 4 solid, dependable stars. I will read anything Clarke writes!

I thought Lucy did a great job at the character development in this one. You got a great look at each of the four friends who are all so different and by the end, you were rooting for them so hard. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about hiking, mountain landscapes, childhood best friends, and personal development. This made me excited to read more by her!

As per usual, Lucy Clarke did not hold back on delivering the suspense her readers are accustomed. The latest of Clarke’s novels held my attention to the very end. I usually prefer first person narratives, but Clarke’s writing is so effective that the multiple point of view approach did not bother me in the slightest. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone in need of a good mystery thriller to bring with them on vacation.

The Hike is a fast paced thriller focused on a group of friends trying to survive a hike in the mountains.

The four women have been friends since childhood and now take turns choosing a holiday each year. This year, Liz chooses a four day hiking experience, thinking completing the hike wi help her mental health, which is suffering in the wake of a trial separation. The other three woman have their own issues- singer Joni is struggling with addiction, Helena is still in the shadow of grief after her mother’s death, and Maggie is saddened to be away from her young daughter for the first time. When things begin to go awry on the hike, past resentments begin to boil over in the friend group.

The storytelling was compelling, full of great descriptions of the hike itself and excellent dialogue between the characters. The locals at the lodge add some great flavor to the story, making us unsure if we could trust any of them.

The dynamics between the friends were the best part of the book for me. These women have known each other since childhood, and seeing how their relationships evolved over time was interesting. Each woman had her own secrets that came out during their journey.

There is something about a survival story that is just tense and thrilling to read. These women aren’t mountaineers, they are just regular people hiking a trail who get stuck in a bad position. It feels like it could happen to anyone, making for a great entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fast-paced survival thriller about four friends on a hiking holiday together in the wilds of Norway. Maggie, Liz, Helena, and Joni were all strong characters, and this book did a great job alternating among the women. From the start, we know there's a dead body, but we don't know whose or how it happened. The friends have plenty of backstory, secrets, and personal challenges, and the short chapters kept me turning the pages. The story did get a little over-the-top towards the end, but it was still a really fun ride. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for a digital review copy.

Four friends decide to set off into the Norwegian wilderness for their next girls trip instead of their usual beach or city vacation. Each of them is facing a hardship in her personal life; a trial separation for one, an early pregnancy with an unknown father for another, addiction for a third. As these secrets come to light, among other big twists, the women's place in one another's lives seems as harrowing as their adventure into the unknown.

The Hike was a lot of fun, with plot twists and enough interpersonal drama to keep readers excited. I felt like it dragged a little though, maybe around the 60% mark. There are some locals who are introduced, and they all seem relatively interchangeable, to the point where when the 'Big Bad' was revealed I had to go back to remind myself who that was. The interplay between the four main characters was strong, however, and I felt that things tied up very nicely.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of the Hike from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book : The Hike
Author : Lucy Clarke
Pub Date : 29 Aug 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This read was quite the thrilling adventure & I thought the location was such a fun setting. The setting takes place on a large mountain in Norway where one of our characters Liz chose that years trip to happen (annual girls hike). I love stories about a group of girlfriends especially when that group has some kept secrets from each other and they have to work through those together...or not. Each of these characters are so different from one another and each bring something to the table.

I def loved how fast paced of a read this was and how easy it was to follow along with the story. I didn’t see the ending coming that was one thing I loved (it’s always such a bummer when you’ve guessed it before the end). I will absolutely recommend this to my book friends who I feel would love this type of book/setting etc. I cannot wait for this books release in August.

Synopsis: Four close friends reunite for their annual girls trip. Only this time, instead of a beach vacation, they are set to hike a treacherous mountain in Norway. From the start we know that one person does not return alive and with many secrets exposed, the big question is who can it be ?

Thoughts: This book follows a similar format to One of the Girls, Clarke’s previous novel, but ultimately it fell a bit flat for me. I enjoyed the slow burn suspense, alternating POVs and interesting cast of characters. The audiobook also made for easy listening! However, the ending and plot twists were a bit too over the top/ silly. Also, how can a group of friends go on a trip like this with zero training, prep, or equipment?!

Thank you Putnam/ PRH Audio for the ARC and ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

This books follows four friends on a yearly vacation. On this particular trip, the foursome are going on a four day hike- much to the dismay of most of the group. On this particular hike in Norway, a girl previously had gone missing and her disappearance haunts the current visit. The book goes back and forth between the four friends and the different day of the trip. I will say I was not expecting the twist and overall really enjoyed this book!

Four lifelong friends embark on a challenging 4-day hike in Norway, each with their own secrets and personal issues. Some are more eager to get on the trail than others, but when they hear about a missing girl who looks strikingly similar to Maggie, things take a sinister twist. But we know not everyone will return alive! What exactly happened up on that mountain trail? The pace of the novel is slow initially but picks up considerably once the hike has got underway and then it varies from a brisk walking speed to hurtling pell mell down the mountainside. This heightens and deepens the group dynamics which are in constant flux with moments of joy and liberation which contrasts effectively with the building fearful dread and suspense. None of the characters are especially likeable but this adds to the plot rather than detracts with some of the Norwegian characters giving cause for concern and worse. #NETGALLEY #THEHIKE

The Hike by Lucy Clarke follows four lifelong friends Liz, Maggie, Helena & Joni who go on a hiking holiday to Norway.
I loved setting, as it added some great atmosphere to the story.
The friendship dynamic is what I loved most about this book. Four very different women with four different motives for taking the trip.

“ If the mountains had taught Liz anything, it was never about reaching the peak. You climbed—and kept climbing - to push through the struggle and experience the glimpses of beauty along the way. For how the climb made you feel.”

This was a fast paced, well written thriller with several twists. I’ve read several of Lucy Clarke’s books and loved them but this one really touched me.

I would like to thank @Putnambooks
@netgalley for the eARC!

This is very fast paced and suspenseful! It had great twists and multiple POVs to keep the story moving.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this was an interesting thriller. Though it used some stereotypical tropes, I thought the setting was unique and the plot was fast-paced. There was a cast of characters that were believably suspicious so I wasn't able to easily predict the ending, and I thought the depiction of complicated friendships between older women with starkly different personalities felt realistic.

This was a fun thriller that pleasantly surprised me! I love an ending that takes me by surprise and this one was a doozie!

Four childhood friends meet for a trip every year, but this one is quite different. All of them are confronting serious problems in their everyday life and Liz decides to pick a difficult hiking trail as their vaca. Everyone is very hesitant but they all show up and begin the hike.

Things inevitably go wrong between some sketchy locals and tensions between the friends. Things go totally wild and the friends end up solving quite a few mysteries during their journey. This was a quick read but action packed!

Lucy Clarke’s last novel - One of the Girls - was my FAVORITE thriller of last year. So to say I was excited to read this one is an understatement.

Short Synopsis:
Four best friends go on an annual trip every year. This year’s it’s Liz’s turn to plan and she picks a four day/night hike in Norway. If that doesn’t sound scary enough, things also start taking a turn.

My Thoughts:
I love how the author has so many different POVs and they truly feel different and well thought out. After a strong beginning, the middle and end of this book fell flat. I think I just had high expectations and wanted more. I did enjoy the ride though.

I will say one of the characters HATES camping, hiking and the outdoors and I loved and related to her chapters the most. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

The Hike
Lucy Clarke
Pub Day: Aug 29, 2023

3.5 Stars

I love a good fast paced thriller with twists you don’t see coming, and I was very excited to get to read this one before it was published. While I only got one of those checked off on my list I still enjoyed the book. This is my first Lucy Clarke, and I will be checking out her back list now.

Synopsis:

Four friends embark on a journey to find themselves and one another, they get more than they bargained for when someone ends up dead.

My Thoughts:

The beginning pace of the novel is slow- it takes a while for us to meet and learn about each character and their place in the group, we do get multiple points of view from the women and another POV. Each character has flaws and arent particularly likable. I couldn’t relate to them really, and honestly if my life long friend chose an extreme hike (when we weren’t hikers) I would pass on the annual trip. I felt that Liz we a bit selfish on choosing something so technical when none of the other ladies were truly up for the challenge. They each had their own things to overcome, but also things don’t end up being a nice holiday. Set on a fictional mountain in Norway, they embark on a difficult climb and run into some inclement weather and something more sinister.

In the end they did conquer the mountain and a lot more than that.

I honestly can say that I didn’t see the ending coming, Im not particularly a huge fan of the reveal, but the last 40% had a grip on me and I had to keep reading to know just how it would end. All in all I enjoyed the book and if you like mystery/thriller types with big build up than you should pick up this book.


What you will find in this book:

Death
Murder
Drug Use
Secrets
Pregnancy
Twists
Grief
Suicidal Thoughts
Infidelity

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for e-copy ARC for honest thoughts. #TheHike #NetGalley