I loved this! Out now!

I love Lucy Foley's ability to take many, seemingly unconnected characters, and wind their stories together over the span of a novel. This takes place over a few days leading up to "The Midnight Feast" on the solstice at a new resort. This gave similar vibes to The Guest List which I also loved.

A favorite of this author's writing for me is the sense of foreboding; we know something bad is coming (there are "After" chapters so we know someone d!ed) and the journey of getting there is full of twists! The mysteriousness and darkness of the story was really great for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars!

I was so excited for this one as it was one of my most anticipated releases, but it didn't hit the mark for me. I loved the dual timeline and getting to go between the past and present. I loved the setting for this book, and I would find myself enjoying it in the summer. The author is fantastic about being very descriptive and I found it easy to picture every scene. I had a hard time keeping up with all of the characters, and because of that I didn't emotionally connect with them. I think I would've enjoyed it more so if there wasn't so many povs. I really liked the character, Eddie. Also, some of the plot line had holes for me or wasn't very believable. There were a lot of scenes that noted birds or the bird feathers, and I thought we would've delved more into that. I was so intrigued but, in the end, I wish it was explored more.

I know several others who enjoyed this book more than me and I am a Lucy fan, so I will still highly recommend you give it a try!

Lucy Foley grabbed my attention with her previous books including The Guest List and The Paris Apartment. I was so excited to read The Midnight Feast! I jumped in with high expectations.

I didn’t find this one as gripping as her others, though this may have had something to do with my mood and not the actual book. I just had a hard time getting into this one, though I loved the premise.

Take a look:

It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered.

THE FOUNDER * THE HUSBAND * THE MYSTERY GUEST * THE KITCHEN HELP

It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…The Midnight Feast.

From the author of The Guest List comes another locked-room mystery where not everyone will make it out alive. At the opening weekend of The Manor, a luxury resort in an ancient forest, the guests each have their own agenda. On the guest list: the founder, her lover, the mystery guest, the kitchen help, and the detective. All have their own secrets and by the end of the weekend, a fire will break out and several people will be dead.

The Midnight Feast was simply a hot mess; a failed attempt to replicate the magical locked room vibe of her hit The Guest List. The problem with The Midnight Feast is that you hate almost every character. Worse, the characters are all supposedly tied together from their teenage years but somehow none of them recognize each other. Add in tons of clunky timeline shifts and you have the recipe for a complete waste of your time. I'm seriously annoyed with myself that I didn't DNF this one.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC of The Midnight Feast. This story started a bit slow but quickly moved into character and setting development. Once clear, the story captured my attention until the very end. Frankie and Bella's storyline in the flashbacks emphasized how actions of rich and entitled kids can lead to terrible consequences covered up by their family. This story includes disingenuous reinvention, family relations, bribery and ultimately revenge. It is a great read that will keep turning you around in different directions as you try to piece together who caused a death and a fire.

I've been on the fence about this author for awhile - I really enjoyed The Guest List, but I couldn't stand The Paris Apartment - so I approached her new book with a grain of salt and tempered expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Midnight Feast is a fun summer read, centered around The Manor, an old family estate on the Dorset coast that's been converted to a posh new-age wellness retreat hotel by heiress to the family fortune Francesca Meadows and her architect husband Owen Dacre. Tension abounds: the construction project and the co-opting of the surrounding wilderness have put the wealthy owners in conflict with the local residents. There are dark secrets tied to the mansion's past and the owners' relationship with the community. One of the guests at the hotel's inaugural weekend celebration seems to have a more sinister purpose for her visit. And local folklore warns of The Birds, an avenging force of nature (or something more) that dispenses their own form of justice from the deep, dark woods.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, bouncing back and forth along the timeline, but it's not difficult to follow. The characters are messy in a mostly enjoyable way. Francesca is a carefully crafted, ethereal, woo-woo and "good vibes only", Instagram filtered creation who's, of course, much darker underneath. Owen is a brooding but talented architect who's both obsessed with and a bit confused by his wife. Bella is a woman on a mission, in disguise - what exactly is she planning to do in her quest for retribution for past wrongs? Eddie is a sweet 19 year old local farm boy who's taken a job as a dishwasher at the hotel, although he knows his family and community will disapprove of him siding with the enemy. And DI Walker is the detective investigating the mysterious incidents of the hotel's fateful opening weekend, who may have secrets of his own.

The book is picturesque as hell. Between the lush hotel setting, the spooky forest and cliffs, and the dark pagan atmosphere, the ambience comes to life on the page. I thought the characters were quite interesting, even some of the unlikeable ones. The pacing and tension were compelling and I felt engaged in the story throughout.

I did feel that some of the narrative threads were resolved a little too neatly/conveniently toward the end, and some of the twists felt a bit silly. It seemed unbelievable that people didn't recognize each other after 15 years, and some characters made odd choices that didn't make a lot of sense. But overall, it was a fun summer book and I couldn't put it down.

I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This one was a difficult read for me. As I find with most Lucy Foley books, there are too many POV's, characters and things going on that it feels a little all over the place.

When you see that Lucy Foley has written a new suspense thriller, your expectations are naturally going to be high. So, when you begin reading and realize right away that this book is not going to be for you, it can be pretty disappointing. However, I plowed through this novel, but did not find it improving the further into this mystery I delved. Unfortunately, this book is, quite frankly, a mess. There are entirely too many POVs, and the storyline in neither clear or linear. The book is all over the place with so many people, details, and storylines, that I could not keep it straight. A huge miss for me, although it is clear that while I disliked this novel, many others enjoyed it.

I have read all of Lucy Foley's mystery books at this point and was really excited to check this one out. I loved the title which brought to mind sinister banquets in the woods and so when I got approved for the arc I shrieked with excitement. I will admit to being a little hesitant going into this one because Foley's last book "The Paris Apartment" didn't quite hit home for me. That being said, I really did enjoy this one. It's definitely a slow burn with a ton of characters to keep track of, but it all meshes together at the end so seamlessly. The overall ambiance of the setting in this book really conveys that eerie manor house surrounded by a cursed forest vibes that the title gives off. I really loved the element of local folklore and how that played a part in the overall mystery.

Overall, this book was all about "rich people problems" and the consequences of actions made. I really enjoyed it and while it doesn't replace "The Guest List" as my favorite Lucy Foley book, it's definitely a close second.

Lucy Foley does it again. She’s a master of making multiple POV narratives read smoothly and setting up little traps and tricks in her stories, and THE MIDNIGHT FEAST is no exception. If you’re already a fan of her work, you’ll like this one. If you’re new to it, grab a snack and settle in for this thriller that packs a punch and more than a few surprises. Only TW: birds!

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was a slow burn. I was kinda thinking it wasn’t what I thought it was but then when i started to read the passages in the diary- it wasn’t a slow burn but instead it became quite the opposite. The POV are told so well and understood from each person. I can’t decide who I liked more. It was definitely a great read and I would’ve never guessed the ply twist! Do yourself a favor and read this one- you’ll love it!!

While there were a few moments where the pacing lagged slightly, and some minor plot points felt a bit underdeveloped, these do not detract significantly from the overall experience. “The Midnight Feast” is a well-crafted mystery that will leave readers eagerly turning pages and contemplating its nuances long after the final chapter.

If you’re a fan of suspenseful, character-driven stories, this book is definitely worth adding to your reading list. Four stars for a captivating and memorable read!

I have a full review on my youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBNv3fxek8kUsGlRUdeNo6g?view_as=subscriber
I LOVED this book. I am so grateful to the publisher for sending over a copy as it was one of my most anticipated thrillers of the year and it did not disappoint. I loved everything about the book, especially the short and intense "chapters/povs" It really had everything I wanted in a thriller! Highly recommend reading this.

I am a fan of Lucy Foley and was excited to dive into The Midnight Feast. She did not disappoint with this fast paced, imaginative unique storyline!

What I loved about this read:
- short chapters
- easy to get to know the characters
- eerie atmosphere
- storybook fable laced into current time
- an almost believable creepy supernatural vibe
- amazing descriptive writing

What I least loved (but didn't hate)
- the ending...lol...it was a bit of a hmmmm "as if" but I went with it anyway lol

It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at… The Midnight Feast.

If you are looking for a quick psychological thriller to fly through, pick this one up. It is attention holding and easy on the eyes! Four solid stars!

Lucy Foley does it again. An atmospheric suspense set in the most amazing (creepy but opulent) location, with an abundance of local lore. It all comes to a head leading up to the solstice feast.

I loved the deception, the lies, the folklore, and all of the back stories. I loved the short chapters, the dual timeline (past and present), and the diary that read like an epistolary. And I LOVED the twists in the last 10%.

It’s the grand opening of the Manor hotel where you can expect top quality food, comfort, mystery and a bit of murder.


And a whole lot of BIRDS!

I really do love Lucy Foleys writing but the birds was just not it for me! The suspense and mystery aspect was 10/10 and I really enjoyed all the characters, even the despicable ones.

Just as I expected Lucy Foley delivered a well-thought-out rollercoaster for me to ride. I enjoyed every moment I had to untangle the web she had so intricately woven for me. The gut-punch ending she had so beautifully laid out had me second-guessing everything I had read and thought I knew up until that point. Also, how is she so good at writing unlikeable characters? Almost makes me want to like them. Almost.

“Because the Birds are like Nature. And Nature always finds a way.” *chills*

“What’s with all the old birds in here this evening?” HA!

This was a fun and twisty, fast-paced read about some good old-fashioned teenage summer fun gone wrong in a town that pins the superstitious small town locals against the rich. There were some nods to pop culture like Hitchcock’s The Birds, the horror of Ari Aster’s Midsommar, the eat the rich and dull, jealous, plaything vibes of Saltburn, and even the Pagan, superstitious, forest worship we see in Lottie’s compound in the Yellowjackets series.

I loved the multiple perspectives and time jumps and wondering whodunnit. As usual, Foley describes the atmosphere so well that you feel like you are a guest on an eerie cliffside (think The Guest List meets the woods😍) I read one forest scene that was so tense that I jumped and screamed when my husband startled me. 😅 Highly recommend this one!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

It's summer solstice in Tome, Dorset - perfect timing for Francesca to open her new luxury wellness hotel. The place is sold out, the welcome weekend has been planned to perfection and Francesca is feeling very zen. But, as different POVs are heard, and their reasons for being at The Manor are revealed, the veneer of opulent tranquility begins to crack and peel; chapter by chapter, person by person, 'When you open up the past like this, it can have repercussions you never imagined'. Add together the rising tide of animosity flooding from the surrounding locals, unhappy with being cut off from the ancient forests and access to the beach and the hottest summer weekend on record, truly becomes scorching.

This is my first Lucy Foley book and I readily enjoyed the rapid pace of tension and complexity building. Using multiple points of view, journal entries, and pre-event as well as post-event timelines, keeps the reading a pacy, page-turner. I did slightly grumble at the way the ending wrapped up, but with so many threads to cast off, it's hardly surprising. Part mystery, part thriller with horror and folklore elements, this book is bound to keep most readers entertained.

Meh… it was a decent book. The first half of the book was very slow for me-but the second half picked up some speed and made up for what the first half lacked! Had an interesting twist at the end but nothing I was totally shocked about. I did enjoy most of the characters and how life turned out for them! 3.5 stars for me.

She’s done it again folks!

In the Midnight Feast, the setting is a new luxury beachside wilderness retreat’s opening weekend. Quickly, there is more to the Manor - and its owner - than meets the eye. Our main characters are mysterious childhood acquaintance, local boy working at the hotel, the heiress herself with hints of darkness, the husband and architect of the Manor, and the detective in the aftermath. The story revolves around the 2 days leading up to the Midsummer (yes, think Midsommar!) Midnight Feast, and the day following. Riddled with elements of local lore and folktales, maybe even a cult?! Gripping, mysterious, and itching to unravel the mystery. The ties that bind the characters is fascinating and nothing can stay buried forever.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced copy through Netgalley.