While the premise felt promising, the story fell flat. I enjoyed each P.O.V. and couldn't wait to see what happened and then as the story went on, it became a little too dull for me. I started caring less and less and the conclusion just seemed forced. It wasn't horrible, I liked the first half a lot. Unfortunately, the rest was just an average read. Three Stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC.

Probably not fair to the author to come to this right after reading Rebecca Makkai’s latest, but as so many thriller writers remind us (Megan Abbott, Tana French, even Megan Miranda), you don’t have to settle for pasteboard prose. This is bad writing.

I enjoyed Lucy Clarke's last book and was excited to receive an ARC of her new one, The Hike. It did not disappoint! Four friends, all in different stages of life, head to Norway to hike up a mountain - what could go wrong?!

This was a wild ride! Multiple POVs usually aren't my favorite but I liked getting to know all the characters through their own voices. I didn't connect with a couple of them (ugh, Joni), but they were still integral to the story. Toss in a bunch of secrets, a remote setting, and a few red herrings, and I could not put this book down! The creepy, stormy, and unpredictable setting really added to the story. The first half was a bit of a slow burn to set everything up, but the second half flew by. I guessed one of the twists and the ending was a little unbelievable, but I'd absolutely recommend this one when it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

This book is about a group of girl friends who travel to Norway to go hiking. Once they get to the cabin and start their four day adventure they discover that a former female hiker went missing on the same trail that they will be taking. They realize there are similarities between her and them and chaos ensues.

I enjoyed this book! I really love eerie settings and there is nothing creepier than being alone in the mountains and trying your best to survive. I also really enjoy books with multiple povs. It kept me engaged through out the book.

It was also refreshing to read about women with real life problems, the characters in this one are really good.

While I felt like it moved slower than I would have typically liked, the cliffhangers left me needing to know what happened next.

Without giving anything away, I was a bit let down and confused by the ending but I wouldn’t let that sway your opinion on the novel. It is a good read.

Overall, the detail to the scenery, the good characters, good plot twist and a unique story make this one that I will recommend to all my thriller besties!!

Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for letting me read this one.

Thank you Penguin Group, Putnam, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I first read Lucy Clarke last November when I picked up "One of the Girls" at the library on a whim. Her writing is my favorite kind of thriller writing in that it is the perfect pace to keep the plot moving and keep me guessing. I loved the descriptions of the setting and as a backpacker myself how the elements of hiking were incorporated. I did find some plot points to be predictable, which upon reflection took away from the story a bit. I would say that there were some similarities to "One of The Girls", especially with a group of women going on a trip together and things going awry/murder lurking. I would like to see her next book not centered around this kind of story. Overall, a fun, not too scary read that I would recommend to light thriller readers. Will definitely pick up the next Lucy Clarke book that comes out.

This book was SO FREAKING GOOD! Four best friends going on a 4 day hike in Norway to escape. Only, there's a killer on the loose. I don't want to reveal much more but one thing I can guarantee is that you'll love it!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Hike - Lucy Clarke

The Hike is a golden STAR of a novel that spans the gamut of human emotions as four forever friends make the most terrifying journey of their lives.

Four women bound in friendship, reconnect so they take a special camping trip through Norway (a trip that ultimately takes them through the woods, to the ocean and even over a mountain).

During their journey, they encounter a few men, some that they initially judge as potentially evil who turn out to be friendly, as well as others who seem friendly but turn out to be evil.

While reading this story, I kept thinking about the inequality that exists between women and men. in this story, as in real-life, even when a group of FOUR women go camping they have to be constantly on the lookout for sources of potential danger, in other words, when they are approached by ONE man, they must first determine if he is a threat.

MEN hiking who encounter a lone woman will not fear her. Even ONE man encountering a group of FOUR women will have had a MUCH different experience, fear certainly will not be a part of the equation. It is a pity that as women we are forced to always live as potential victims, we must wear that lifelong concern as we navigate through our lives...

If you are a fan of psychological fiction, you just HAVE to read this novel, if you do, you are in for a TREAT!

Until next time, women, remember, carrying a gun (or some other form of protection you know to safely use) when traveling to a remote location is a great equalizer. 😘

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Four longtime friends decide to travel to Norway to hike for a friends trip. Liz, Maggie, Joni, and Helena all feel different levels of excitement about the thought of a challenging mountain hiking and camping trip, but ultimately agree to go. In the lodge, they learn about a missing female hiker who was lost on the same hike they are planning. While on the trip, the women find out surprising things about their own lives and the lives of the people they’ve met on the mountain. Things quickly unravel and it becomes a scramble for survival.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful thriller! I have read and loved Lucy Clarke’s prior work, and this was different from her other books but still had me eagerly turning pages. A creepy, stormy mountain setting was the perfect way to set the mood for this survivalist thriller. There are many untrustworthy characters, mentions of supernatural feelings, and surprising discoveries to keep the plot moving and twists coming. If you enjoy suspenseful books and authors like Megan Miranda and Mary Kubica, you’ll love this book!

Thank you to Lucy Clarke, GP Putnam’s Sons, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is about 4 childhood friends that vacation together each year with each taking a turn choosing a venue. This year Liz chooses Norway for a 4 day hike up the challenging mountain Blafjell. Maggie, Liz, Helena and Joni set out on this new adventure, hoping to escape each of their own current struggles at home…But what they didn’t plan on was finding a body…and possibly a murderer on the trail…This was a beautiful backdrop for a novel with crystal lakes, massive mountain ranges, and lush uninhabited forests. What a suspenseful, gripping read. I gave this novel 4 solid stars.

As an avid hiker myself, this was such a pleasure to read! A mix of nature and gripping storytelling, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all flawed, real, and interesting which made the climax and conclusion that much more satisfying. Looking forward to reading more from Lucy Clarke!

💭Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the short chapters with cliffhangers. The cliffhangers helped to keep me engaged and turning the pages late into the night. The author did a great job making everyone look like a suspect. I read this book in 24 hours. I just had to know how it would end. I felt like each of the many characters brought something to the story. The book is dual POV with each of the four main characters having their own perspective shared.

I liked how the story ended. It wasn’t predictable. I really didn’t see it coming, but it really was the perfect ending for the thriller.

If you enjoy stories about friendship, betrayal, and murder then this is a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a pretty good book. I did not expect the ending at all. There were quite a few surprises and not everyone us who they seem to be.
Great thriller.

Another good effort by Lucy Clarke. Loved the vibe of this, the characters made the story interesting as well. Thriller readers will love this one.

A solid 3.5. It didn’t become a page-turner that I expect from most mysteries/thrillers until the 75% mark.

At times, the writing style made it hard to distinguish between any of the women except for Joni, especially in the beginning. I also noticed the frequent use of very specific words such as “sluice” which took me out of the story a bit.

It took me awhile to piece together the different storylines, but I thought it was clever and done well. A bit too much exposition in the beginning, but once you get past that the storyline does pick up. I did empathize with Joni, but I was still annoyed at her most of the time. I was not expecting the ending and my jaw dropped.

I would recommend this book to mystery fans and especially to those looking to get into the genre.

Liz and her friends choose a get away every year. They have traveled to beautiful places and spent lots of time near pools and oceans. Liz, however, chooses a hiking trip on a mountain in Norway that is somewhat significant to her and way out of the comfort zone of her friends. Right away there are problems and misunderstandings in the new culture and the women discover that a well known young woman went missing on the trip they have planned a year ago. As they begin the trek, they begin to see some of the villagers in the forest. Why are they following them? What will happen next ?Follow these friends as they reveal their secrets to one another and attempt to survive THE HIKE!
#penguingroup #LucyClarke #TheHike

Liz, Helena, Maggie and Joni have been friends since secondary school and now that they’re adults with busy lives, they get together once a year to go on vacation. Usually they’re poolside somewhere with drinks in their hands but this year it’s Liz’s then to choose the destination and after her recent troubles at home, she needs something different. She decides they’re going to hike a huge mountain in Norway in hopes that it will help her clear her head. Some of the locals aren’t very welcoming and some warn of the quick change in weather on the mountains but the four friends start set out on their trek anyway. The journey is hard and treacherous, secrets are exposed and not everyone makes it out alive.

i definitely felt a full range of emotions with this book: happy, sad, mad, hurt, anxious, and there were a few times i felt genuinely creeped out! getting to read from all four women’s perspectives really did make it so easy to feel like you knew each one and the different things they were all going through. the atmosphere was also really easy to picture yourself in because it was described so vividly. there were some different twists but none of them were especially jaw dropping. one tiny pet peeve is that when there’s a word or a phrase that an author uses thats kind of out of the ordinary, when it’s used once it’s creative, twice and i’m sort of like “okay there it is again” but any more than twice irritates me lol the phrase of “lactic acid” burning or building in muscles was used FOUR times!! lol but overall i did enjoy the read it just didn’t fully WOW me.

Thank you netgalley and Putnam Books for the ARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first Lucy Clarke read, but definitely won't be the last! The Hike has multiple point of views of the four friends hiking together, which I'm a fan of this format, plus a fifth sprinkled in and I was excited each time one of the chapters popped up. I have been lost hiking before, so that definitely added to the suspense for me having experienced a taste of that type stress.

This was a quick read for me, about a day, which is my favorite kind of book because it keeps me turning the page. Lots of twists and turns, plus with four lifelong friends there are plenty of secrets and drama! I relate, on some level, to all four women, which definitely kept me reading to see what was coming next. An engaging, vacation gone wrong thriller with plenty of gasps, twists and stunning scenery along the way.

I liked this book even better than her others. Great atmosphere (Norway) with descriptions that make you feel like you are right there with the characters, going through their trials. I love survival reads and this was part mystery, part survival thriller, with suspense and twists along the way. I did not see the ending coming. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! #TheHike #NetGalley

Lucy Clarke has written another thriller. I read this in three days and couldn't wait to finish it. Strong female characters face their modern world problems on a dangerous hiking expedition where the weather turns. What a perfect recipe for disaster. This book makes me want to travel to Norway! Some sacrificed their life on that mountain. Well done!

This was a quick read that was a solid thriller (it reads like a mix between a murder mystery and a survival thriller). The setting is a mountain hike in Norway and the atmosphere is very present in the story. I felt like the four women in the main group were distinct individuals and I cared about all their POVs, which really made this a more enjoyable read.
I liked it a bit more than One of the Girls but that’s probably just because I love climbing thrillers!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!