Every time I dive into one of Lucy Clarke’s novels, I cross my fingers and hope that it’s going to be just as good as the last one of hers that I’d read. And yet again, I was thrilled to find that The Hike somehow managed to live up to all of my rather high expectations.

In each book I’ve read by Clarke, I’ve always been particularly blown away by her deft ability to build consistent and ever ratcheting suspense. This time around, not only was that true, but with each revelation, something else was twisted to reveal a new puzzle filled with just as much intensity. This managed to create an ebb and flow to the unease that kept me on tenterhooks throughout. Even better, it meant that not once was I able to guess where this one was headed.

Speaking of the plot, well-written and beautifully organized, this multiple POV storyline took me on quite the ride. Starting off with a buildup that felt a tad more like women’s lit than thriller, the slow burn quickly caught fire into a rip-roaring explosion of suspense. And the further along the hike the women got, the higher my heart rate seemed to rise.

If I had to name my absolute favorite part of this book, however, it would have to be the relationships at the center of the plot. A tale of reconnecting friends and life’s unexpected turns, it was heartwarming but also filled with true-to-life problems that occur when you put more than two people together in a friendship. And, ultimately, this led to plenty of plot charging drama that put the thrills in thriller.

The only minor issue I found as I flew through the pages was within the near perfect climax. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before, the wonderfully long, drawn-out crescendo managed to maintain quite the adrenaline fueled scene. And while the vast majority of it hit just the right chord, there were pieces that rang with a bit too much melodrama. Don’t get me wrong, I could easily see it playing out just the way it was written, but, nevertheless, it felt a bit over-the-top all the same.

Ultimately, however, I was thoroughly hooked from the very first page. A quick, easy read imbued with plenty of foreboding, compelling yet complex group dynamics, and characters who will make you wonder who to trust, I just could not get enough of this one. In fact, it would make one heck of a thrilling movie or TV series, so I’ll be crossing my fingers on that score. Done and dusted, this one was an absolute home run for me and I cannot recommend it enough for all of you out there looking for your next great read! Rating of 4.5 stars.

Trigger warning: drug use, death of a parent, landslide, drug addiction, pregnancy, infidelity, mention of: cancer

Helena, Maggie, Liz, and Joni have been friends since childhood. Even though their paths in life went in different directions, they remained friends, and even go on a vacation each year together. This year it’s Liz’s turn to make the decision, and craving a change she plans a four night hiking trip in the beautiful mountains of Norway. But soon they realize that the beauty of the mountains are hiding a deadly secret, With the novel being told in the 4 different POVs, I felt it did a good job of not just building the suspense but the relationship between the friends. This was a quick thriller, that kept me guessing. Lucy Clarke is now one of my must read authors. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Fast paced, keep you on your toes, chilling book with a beautiful backdrop of Norway.
If you have read and loved previous books by Lucy Clarke you won’t want to miss this one!

Very suspenseful- will keep you guessing! A story told in 4 different POVs of four friends in very different places in their lives. Never a dull moment in this book!

Another winner from Lucy Clarke! She knows just how to draw the reader in with fully-developed characters and their backstories, and weave together a high-stakes story that left me reading nonstop until I finished.

This is a great story of female friendship, and how even though old friends can know each other inside and out, there's lots that they don't really know at all. I appreciated each of the women here, and found it easy to relate to each of them with their own stories. They are all likable in different ways, and the drama that ensues with this story feels like it could happen in real life, making the story that much more dramatic.

Lucy Clarke is one of my go-to authors, and she didn't disappoint with her latest release. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before publication.

Oh does Lucy Clarke have a way with taking a what should be fun and exciting girls trip and turning it into a thrilling nightmare. If you enjoyed reading her previous novel One of the Girls, you will love this one. I was especially impressed with the environment and that’s what I was first excited about, I mean come on a backpacking trip through the mountains? Turns deadly ? YES, gimme more Lucy.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Clarke wrote one of my favorite books from last summer, so I was very excited to get a copy of this one. It has an interesting premise (four girls hiking a mountain in Norway with a murder involved) and I was anxious to see how this could be made into a thriller since they stay in pretty much one location.
Lucy did a good job building suspense and I felt the anxiety and tenseness that the characters were feeling while reading. There were different story lines that I thought made the story flow nicely. This was a solid read with good writing and complex characters. I gave it three stars because I wasn't absolutely in love with the story, but I still enjoyed the characters and flew through it in 24 hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I really wanted to love this book. However, it was slow. Each character has a really interesting backstory. I feel that the book really focuses on the back story versus moving the plot along.

Four friends go on their annual girls trip, but instead of their usual beach and sun getaway, it's a hiking trip in Norway. The beginning of the book was very slow and I wasn't really into it, however once the actual hike began, the pace and action of the book picked up. Despite the slow start, it is a fast read with multiple POV and interesting characters. Overall, I liked it.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Helena, Maggie, Liz, and Joni have been the best of friends since they were young, growing up in the same small town and dreaming of the things they would do when they grew up. And despite the odds stacked against childhood friendships lasting, the girls stayed close well into adulthood, even agreeing to go together on vacation once a year. This year, it's Liz's turn to plan their trip, and all four of the girls are in desperate need of a getaway and a change of pace--Maggie struggling to stay true to herself as a single mom working hard to get by, Helena tired of the sameness of every day and worrying over a potential lifestyle change, Liz with her stagnating marriage and home life, and Joni with a life on tour as a rockstar that she's realized may have done her more harm than good. Of course, while Liz is excited, hiking Blafjell mountain in Norway isn't on the other girls' lists of favored destinations, but they make it there all the same and are excited simply for the time together. Until disaster strikes, leaving the friends alone on a suddenly dangerous path with no way of contacting anyone for help and no way to get back home unless they conquer the treacherous path up Blafjell mountain laid before them.

I was first attracted to this book because the premise reminded me at least somewhat of one of my favorite horror movies, The Descent, and while it was obviously not a dead ringer for the supernatural horror flick, it did come very close in spirit. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters, flaws and all, and seeing how messily their relationships were woven between the four of them and how they came together to try and persevere and survive despite that. The mystery was interesting enough if a bit predictable, the story was well paced, and I had a really good time reading this one. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a bit of a slow burn thriller with a lot of growth and struggle for the characters both physically and emotionally.

Four life long friends meet for their annual girls trip. Usually this trip includes laying on the beach, sipping drinks but this time it’s hiking a mountain in Norway.
I actually really liked this book and flew through it pretty fast. Every mixed point of view flowed great. I didn’t find myself dreading a certain point of view. It was a good break from the scorned wife or predictable romcom I’ve been reading lately! This is my Lucy Clarke read and I will definitely be finding more.
Thanks Netgalley, Lucy Clarke, and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC

This is a great read for fans of Lucy Foley, Sarah Pearse, and Ruth Ware. There is a strong sense of place in the remote mountains of Norway, where four friends embark on a hiking trip in lieu of their usual beach vacations. The four day trek is challenging for experienced hikers, which none of the four women -- Liz, Helena, Maggie, and Joni -- can claim to be. With short chapters, strong characterization, and growing suspense as the trip goes wrong, this is an entertaining survival thriller. There is also the mystery of whose body is found at the very beginning of the narrative, and plenty of suspects are introduced. A solid read that worked well for me. Thanks for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

To be honest I originally thought this was a book by another author I had read before based on the cover art (very similar) but realized it was by a different author - but what a good surprise. This was a very fast pace book for me - the point of view is written from several different characters and jumps a bit in timelines - the chapters were short which pulled me in because as each character took over from chapter to chapter you learned more about the history of the main group of 4 women on the hike, secrets they are keeping from each other and how they react to one another as the hike goes on. The author throws a few red herrings in which heightened the need for me to keep reading to find out who, what, where, when of certain secrets some of the characters were keeping. Throw in a couple twists and you have a nice solid read. I am rounding up but this is a solid 4.5 for me and a book I would definitely recommend to others to read and I can't wait to read more from this author

Synopsis: Four lifelong best friends embark on an adventure in the mountains of Norway, but only three of them will return alive.

Thoughts: This was my first time reading Lucy Clarke, and I will definitely be checking out her other books! While I really enjoyed this book, I wouldn’t call the first three quarters of the book a thriller. The slow pacing allowed for a lot of introspection into the relationships between the four friends, and I thought the female friendships were very well written and intriguing. The pace ramped up for last fourth of the book and I was definitely on the edge of my seat at that point. I also really loved the backdrop of the Norwegian mountains that provided a beautiful, yet unsettling, setting for the story.

Read this if you like:
🏕️ slow burn thrillers
🏕️ hiking/camping
🏕️ dual timelines
🏕️ atmospheric setting
🏕️ friendship drama

Lucy Clarke does not disappoint! This one had my glued to the edge of my seat from the beginning. I found it fast paced and difficult to put down. Great read!

Thank you so much @lucyclarke_author, Netgalley & @putnambooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had all the things, remote location, suspense, straight up terror (from being lost & storms), toxic relationships, female friendships, & having really no idea who can be trusted.

It gave me the same kind of feeling Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins did. Like I was right there in this awful situation with them. I’m not outdoorsy unless it involves laying by the pool or taking a walk in a NEIGHBORHOOD (😅) so you would literally never find me on a hiking trip but this book will make people that like hiking second guess themselves next time because YIKES. 🏕️🥾🙅🏻‍♀️

Definitely enjoyed this one & I am excited to read more from this author!

Lucky Clarke truly never disappoints! Another 5 star novel. Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

The hike takes us along as four old friends get together for an annual trip. For this years trip, Liz is in charge and chooses to bring her friends on a four day hike in Norway. Upon arrival they learn that there was a mysterious death on the same trail last year. They also get news of bad weather but continue on anyways. The book takes us through each characters internal conflicts as they conquer the mountain, while they suffer the physical demands of a hike that they weren’t all prepared for.
I found the book to be short but engaging. It took me about 4 hours to read and kept me entertained through out. It had a couple of good twists at the end and I think the story was told nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for an uncorrected copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. There was a lot to enjoy in this on! Loved, the setting, the hike, friendships, conflicts, drama and suspense! This book had it all! Slightly slow start but the characters and setting kept it going! This is my first Lucy Clark book and it won’t be my last!

Talk about thrilling! Holy crap. When I tell you I was sitting at the edge of my seat, especially towards the end of this book…. I mean, this book takes place hiking on a big ass mountain. You know some sh*t is gonna go down.
The scene was set beautifully and the story was actually pretty realistic, which I appreciate a ton. I almost felt like I was on the hike with them, that’s how immersed I was in this book. You really think you know what’s going to happen, but you don’t.
The suspense. The tension. The twists. The drama. Just beautifully done. Absolutely brilliant. 5/5 for me.