4 stars

Another win for Foley. I dont think this woman can miss. She knows how to write a totally engrossing “locked room” mystery/thriller.
As always there are plenty of twists to be had, and characters you can’t trust.
I loved it.

The Midnight Feast is a locked room murder mystery set at The Manor, which is an expensive retreat set in the English countryside. Francesca is the owner, along with her husband/architect Owen. Guest Bella is another POV as well as 19-year-old Manor worker Eddie. The story has multiple POVs and short chapters, but is actually more of a slow burn than I would have liked.
It's essentially a revenge story, with diary entries telling what happened in the past. There's also a touch of Pagan folklore (the "Birds") that doesn't really make any sense until the very end.
There were some interesting twists and turns, and it was altogether an interesting story.
Recommend if you like Foley's other books.

I absolutely love this multi-point-of-view in classic Lucy Foley fashion with twists and turns and a creep factor through bird references and the woods. Definitely a slow-burn, but one that makes you turn the page. "The Midnight Feast" will be the perfect summer read on the back porch or by the pool. Personally, I cannot wait to revisit this novel on audio.

What’s not to like about a book with a decade old murder mystery, pagan vigilantes, a seething take on wealthy wellness spaces, and tons of suspects? Told in alternate perspectives, The Midnight Feast is a fun twisty read. Lucy Foley is great at crafting a wild thriller with multiple twists, and this book is true to her abilities. It will be a great summer read for fans. Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital review copy of this amazing thriller.

Lucy Foley’s books have been hit or miss for me and, unfortunately, this was a miss. The best word I can use to describe it is chaotic. There was a general plot that I could mostly follow but there were so many characters, a lot of whom did not matter. Then there were the dual time periods. The past scenes were written in journal format, which actually would’ve worked pretty well if there weren’t so many extraneous plot points. The strangest and most disturbing part of this was the whole “birds” theme. Honestly, Foley could’ve forgone this altogether and it would’ve been much better. It distracted from the point of the overall plot and was completely unnecessary. Hoping her next book is better.

Not Foley’s best—but definitely captured my attention from start to finish. I could see this being popular, especially with Saltburn being such a hit (this feels semi-adjacent). I think The Birds were too confusing a concept that felt so abstract until they weren’t. I was worried we were getting into magical realism/sci-fi (a la The House Across the Lake), but it ended well and I definitely grasped the concept of The Birds by the end.

"The Midnight Feast" is a captivating novel delves into the secrets of The Manor, a luxurious resort with a dark past, where a locked room murder mystery unfolds over a momentous opening weekend.

As the story unfolds, Foley masterfully weaves together the intricate lives of her characters, each harboring their own clandestine agendas and closely guarded secrets. Against the serene backdrop of The Manor, an luxurious estate nestled in the idyllic Woodland Hutches, Francesca Woodland reigns supreme, her pristine facade concealing a labyrinth of dark mysteries. Alongside her is Owen, her younger husband, ensnared in the allure of her otherworldly charm but oblivious to the storm brewing beneath the surface as his own secrets threaten to surface.

But the tranquility of The Manor is shattered by the arrival of Bella, a mysterious figure from Francesca's past, determined to confront the ghosts that have haunted her for fifteen long years. Meanwhile, Eddie, a nineteen-year-old kitchen helper, finds himself caught in the crossfire of the brewing turmoil, torn between his loyalty to his new job and the tumultuous dynamics of his own dysfunctional family.

Foley's characters are so vividly drawn, so achingly human, that you'll find yourself utterly immersed in their struggles. Whether it's the conflicted Owen, the determined Bella, or the resilient Eddie, each character leaps off the page with a vitality that is truly electrifying.

So far, it might me my favorite Lucy Foley's book. Highly recommended for anyone craving a gripping and immersive read.

I really wanted to like this one but none of these characters were really likeable and the toss in at the end didn't really hit for me. Francesa was just such a flat character that when SPOILER happens, I wasn't shocked or awed. This is a fast read but just not well executed.

Lucy Foley keeps getting better and better. This is probably my favorite of her novels. She has an ability to weave together a compelling story with multiple threads that make it impossible to stop reading. Her pacing is breakneck and her plotting is tight. Thriller fans will be delighted by this tale of revenge, wellness gone wrong, and final accountability.

One luxury resort for the rich to go to escape reality. The locals hate it. I loved the creepy folk lore of the woods and the birds, the multiple points of views and a weekend where nothing goes as planned.

This is a locked room thriller that was a slow burn. The guest list is still my favorite by this author but this is the same concept.

Frankie thinks she can get away with anything because she is rich but she may have finally met her match.

I found The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley a fast fun read. I finished the book in two sittings.
This is a twisty tale about the opening of a new very elite spot. Not everyone is happy about this and opening night doesn't go very well!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this digital ARC.

The premise for the book was a good one; however, so many people being on scene that had "reinvented" themselves was a little unrealistic. Just the right touch of mystery and intrigue. I enjoyed this book overall and was surprised at the ending!

Another propulsive thriller by Lucy Foley. I loved the characters, the scenery, how I was pulled into the story from beginning to end. Will be recommending to readers!

Reminiscent of Lucy Foley's The Guest List moreso than The Paris Apartment, this is a fast-paced thriller/suspense novel. As with some suspense novels, the ending twists are revealed in the last four chapters/perspective changes, and give the reader enough closure and hints to make you want to go back and re-read the book. I will say there is less "lust" than The Guest List and more family drama, which I think functions well here.

Lucy Foley is back at it! The Midnight Feast is her latest twisty mystery set at The Manor, a luxury resort on the English coast. Francesca Meadows is hosting opening weekend of her luxury resort on the weekend of the Solstice, despite the angry locals. Opening weekend isn't as peaceful as lifestyle guru Francesca would like it to be and it only gets worse when the past continues to bubble to the surface.

Foley is an expert at creating unique voices to fill her pages, that make you want more and more! The inclusion of occult separates this from her other works, but it doesn't quite have the tightness and gratifying end like The Hunting Party and The Guest List.

4.25/5 ⭐️
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise....

This book was captivating from start to finish. The story is a simple thrilling mystery, but told from a new interesting perspective - specifically from five perspectives. The interconnections throughout the stories left enough breadcrumbs to keep you intrigued, while also not giving too much away. I loved all of the bird references, the creepy feel from the scenic woods, and how the folklore from the town could be a great story by itself.

My one complaint is that I wish there was more about the vague magical elements, and I would love a sequel about the birds!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Not quite as good as the Paris Apartment this does have some of the same quirkiness that I enjoyed the last time. Let’s just say that no one, absolutely, no one, is who they seem which makes a fantastic ending. Spooky setting, unpleasant history among different characters, assumed names….and birds. And some really unlikely characters. I can’t write more or I’d give away the plot.

This is another winner from Lucy Foley. Francesca Meadows, a carefully “curated “ lifestyle guru, is about to open her dream resort. She has transformed her family estate on the Dorset coast into the most exclusive retreat for A listers and wannabes. It has all been curated with a capital C, down to the selection of crystals in each room. There is even going to be a midnight feast on the solstice. The locals are not as thrilled. And the mythic creatures purportedly dwelling in the ancient woods on the estate may not be either. Fifteen years ago, when Francesca was called Frankie, she hosted midnight feasts. Those feasts had a darker tone. The past may be about to catch up with Frankie/Francesca.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eGalley of this title.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Midnight Feast.

This is a generic revenge story about something terrible that happened in the past.

Told from four perspectives; the mystery guest Bella, the founder, Francesca, of a hoity-toity wellness spa, Eddie, a staff member, and Owen, Francesca's husband, we see how these four different people are linked to a tragedy a few decades ago.

Sadly, the narrative is tedious and a long, boring slog to get through; exposition from each person, how they're feeling, what's happening.

There are flashbacks to the summer where everything changed but that takes too much time to build up and readers don't see the big revelation until the last few chapters.

The writing is good, but the story lacks suspense and urgency and takes too long to get to the point, and none of the characters are compelling or interesting.

Not even the revelation is shocking; it was just meh. Oh, this happened? So what?

There are a few twists but nothing you can't see from a mile away.

I was more intrigued by the folklore surrounding the woods and the rituals the locals believed and participated in.

At this point Lucy Foley books are like pizza or chocolate to me, no matter what I know I’ll enjoy it.

I’ve read and loved The Guest List and The Hunting Party by her and this latest mystery from her doesn’t disappoint. With her characteristically strong sense of place Foley takes us to the opening weekend of an ultra-exclusive woodland hotel in the Dorset countryside. The views are stunning, the rooms absurdly expensive, and the guest list highly curated. But this idyllic retreat isn’t as picture perfect as it seems to be and by the end of the festivities it will all come out.

Told in Foley’s characteristic “cast of characters, point of view” style the story that unfolds is immediately arresting and twists and turns through several satisfying arcs before the shocking resolution. Compelling and propulsive, this book was a delight to experience.