Thanks to William Morrow for an advanced copy of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley.

I loved locked room murder mystery books so was looking forward to reading The Midnight Feast. This has such a dark and fascinating setting. The setting was my favorite part of this book and I can see it being a great movie or tv show.

This book starts slow, but by about 50% it starts to pick up and you finally understand the different characters and start understanding more. There is a lot going on and once the book makes sense it goes by quickly. I liked the short chapters. I loved the diary entries from the past and the setting of The Manor. There were some funny parts and I really liked Eddie.

The ending was different than I expected and is what bumped this up to a 4 for me.

The pacing of The Midnight Feast is not what I expect from Lucy Foley. Multiple POVs meant to slowly unveil a complex plot instead often feel like they’re hindering progress.

Despite the pacing issues, Foley still turns out a well wrought and engaging thriller. But maybe I’m just a sucker for evil goop(esque) wellness weirdos in my fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Such a masterfully crafted thriller, with elements of Gothic horror! If you are a fan of mystery novels, this one is a great pick! I had wanted to read a Lucy Foley book for a while now since it is quite popular on Bookstagram. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me early access to this one.
Set in rural Dorset, UK, this story follows several central characters that are involved in various capacity in the grand opening of the hottest new wellness hotel/retreat. When Francesca Meadows, inherits her Dorset family Manor after the death of her grandparents, she decides to turn the place where she vacationed every summer in her childhood into a hotel. She does not anticipate that her mysterious past will come gatecrashing the grand opening, in the form of one of her hotel guests, her husband and one of her hotel staff, and threaten to unearth some secrets that she rather remained buried.

The story is beautifully structured, revealing just enough to keep the reader hooked. The characters are vividly portrayed, with the main antagonist is deliciously detestable. Some of the misdirections can throw the reader off quite a bit, but it all comes together in the end quite nicely. I was quite proud of myself for guessing the twist at the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this murder mystery, and would definitely recommend it to all lovers of this genre.

4.5 /5

Overall rating 3/5

I know a three out of five might seem like a low rating but I would say it’s a decent one because this book was decent. Don’t get me wrong I love Lucy Foley and I was super excited to receive this ARC for review. The concept of weekend retreat murder mystery with the classic whodunnit and all the twists is just screaming a good time. I must admit it was a good time…. A good time at the end when I finally understood what was going on and wasn’t forcing myself to read. I think it was the pacing of this book that made it a tedious read and fixed it as a book that was just decent to me. Francesca was outright evil, Owen was tragic, Bella was a twist and we all need a guy like Eddie in our lives. Characters were phenomenal and even the tension of who the Birds were (absolutely loved the ending reveal of why they are called the birds) was enough to keep me going but again the pacing was what really let me down in this one. Definitely not my favorite Foley book but I am glad I was given the privilege of reading this ARC. Hope someone else can find more joy out of this one than I did.

Lucy Foley does it again! This is a very twisty story, with many surprises I did not see coming, and a satisfying ending. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded down

Lucy Foley has been a hit or miss author for me, sometimes tending to go way overboard on the multiple POVs, so I was nervous when I saw this one also had multiple POVs and time jumps, afraid it would get messy. This one was the perfect balance of POVs and timelines, with present day characters being artfully revealed as who they really are one layer at a time.

Francesca Meadows is the granddaughter of the late Lord of "The Manor", who has inherited the sprawling estate on the Dorset Coast and turned it into an upscale boutique hotel. Reinventing herself from the bored, posh teen who used to look down on the locals when she spent her summers there, she is now a phony, Gwyneth-like wellness guru you love to hate. The locals have not taken kindly to her grand plans, but she has continued to steamroll ahead, culminating in a grand Midsummer feast opening weekend. But her secret past has been brought to her doorstep, saboteurs are afoot, and she begins to see that the local folklore of The Birds, meant to keep the villagers honest with their vigilante justice, might be very real after all. I loved the twists in this one, with some reveals actually taking me by surprise, and how it was nearly tied up with everyone who deserved it getting their just desserts. We all talk about favorite first lines in a book, but this one's last line...🙌🏻🙌🏻😘🤌🏻 So relatable as a woman, if you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.

3.5 stars rounded up --

I have read several of Lucy Foley's other books, and while this book was really good, it fell a little short compared to her other mysteries.

Told from multiple perspectives, along with flashbacks, it does bring some drama and twists. The first 1/3 of the book is really hard to get into, but then it picks up once you start getting the flashbacks and is hard to put down.

First there is Bella, who you think is just a regular guest, but then we see flashbacks and entries in her journal, it becomes clear she is more than just a guest. Then there is Francesca, who I didn't like from the beginning. She is the owner/inheritor of the property and the resort. Owen, who is married to Francesca is the architecture mind that builds most of the resort. Someone, unknown, led Owen to meet Francesca to be part of building the resort and sends Bella a tip that the big party would be happening. Trying to figure out how they are all tied together was fun, and every-time you think you have it figured out, there is another twist to the story.

I do feel like two specific things were never truly explained, and I would have liked to have gotten a little more insight into Bella's life between the flashbacks and present time.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks @netgalley for a copy of this book. This book is set in a small beach town in England and it's about the opening of The Manor which is a brand new high end resort. This story is super slow with the set up and you know what happens because the time line jumps around from day before, the day after and the journal entries from the past. I like all the connections with each character and how the story unfolded. It's atmospheric with the isolation and the birds. Everything happens the past 100 pages and that was when it picked up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advance copy of The Midnight Feast.

Lucy Foley has redeemed herself with this one. After being disappointed with her previous book, The Paris Apartment, I was looking forward to this one. We follow Francesca Meadows, a wealthy heiress who has built a fancy hotel/wellness center on her recently inherited land in rural England. As in all of Foley’s books, we get multiple POVs. While the ending may have wrapped a bit too conveniently, I still enjoyed it overall.

This book was…strange. I have enjoyed most of Lucy Foley’s books - I like the multi-pov with slow reveal of key plot points that she specializes in. This one fits the formula, but is a lot stranger than the others (except maybe the Paris Apartment). I think I enjoyed this one as well, although I saw more of the twists coming this time being familiar with Foley’s style. It’s fast paced and I was able to finish it in a couple days, and I did feel a compulsion to keep reading to figure out what was going on.

Francesca has worked tirelessly to open what is rumored to become the hottest new retreat, The Manor, outside of a small coastal town of Tome. While the high society of London is excited for the resort, the locals are less than thrilled. Land that has been open to the public for years is now cut off, including some premiere beach. As the guests begin to arrive for the grand opening weekend a number of incidents begin to wear on Francesca. Local legends tell of a group called the Birds that once ruled the woods. Are they to blame for the series of blemishes to the festivities? Is it locals angry about the development? Or is it something else?

I love Lucy Foley books, not many authors can pull off multiple POV so smoothly. Add in multiple timelines and you're guaranteed a great ride. The characters were all well rounded and relatable. As a reader, you wanted to know their story as well as the bigger picture. The twists and turns were fun and the spooky Birds vibes were top notch. The final twist was such a chef's kiss the climax.

I have to admit this one started off quite slow for me … then the action started to pick up and I got really pulled in to the story… then all the pieces came together in ways I wasn’t expecting at all ! I would put this more into the mystery category than thriller ; something to note if thriller is more your jam . The story is told in multiple POVs and timelines … and there are a lot of crows 🐦‍⬛

3.5 ⭐️

So I already knew what to expect from a Lucy Foley book -- I'm going through a big thriller phase and she's obviously a big name right now. This one worked really well for me. I loved the cast of characters, I loved how much I hated the bad people, and I loved the supernatural elements.
I don't always like it when there are such short chapters that keep cutting the action. Right when something was about to happen, we'd cut scene again. It worked this time! I found myself anxious and needing to know what happened.
Some of it was a little predictable, in a good way. This left me satisfied and excited to see what Foley will do next.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Francesca has turned her grandfathers estate into an exclusive zen resort. While undergoing construction she made enemies of the local people. The locals will do everything they can to ruin the exclusive resort for Francesca and the rich visitors. Not only are the current residences upset with her but some enemies from her past show up to uncover a secret murder.

The story is told from multiple POVs. I enjoyed reading all of the characters perspectives and the journal entries from the past. It was interesting to see how each character intersected with the others.

The Midnight Feast has very short chapters. Typically I like short chapters (especially with little kids running around the house) but the chapters were so short that I felt like I was unable to get into the story. The chapters would switch between characters and journal entries so quickly that I was unable to connect with the characters or the story. I never felt invested in the plot. I contemplated stopping a few times but ultimately kept reading.

Unfortunately I found the plot to be boring. There’s a lot going on in the book but it didn’t grab my interest. Overall the pacing was off and the story felt choppy. Unless you’re a die hard Lucy Foley fan I’d probably pass on this thriller.

4stars
This is the first book i read by lucy foley and to say im shocked is an understatement
this book follows Francesca who decides to turn a manor into a massive hotel but the people nearby aren't happy much because weird things start happening
There are many POVs in this books which i enjoyed
it kept me hooked from the first chapter , im a big fan of mysteries but honestly this book made me crazy i didn't know what to think anymore and i was just there for the ride waiting for everything to make sense
i loved the suspense in this book i will definitely go back for more books of the author

As always, Lucy Foley creates a tightly woven mystery that showcases bad people, a locked room and twists. As I was reading, I couldn’t tell where it was going to go but as I saw it unfold, I appreciated the way Foley pulled it all together. I really enjoyed this.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it was just not for me. Lucy Foley has a very magical writing style in this book, in the way the story is told, but it was just too slow to hold my attention. If you enjoy slow burn stories, you may like this one. I am only leaving feedback per Netgalley requirement.

I've said it before, and I will say it again, but Lucy Foley can do no wrong when it comes to writing suspenseful, jaw-dropping mysteries. Just when I thought I had it figured out and couldn't possibly be surprised by another reveal, I was, and I loved every single page. With a bit of the supernatural, but not in an over-the-top kind of way, Lucy Foley's cast of characters (none of whom are particularly likable). are secretive and compelling. The dual timelines are perfect for letting the story play out with clues being slowly revealed, and the ending was everything I wanted it to be.

Fans of domestic suspense will thoroughly enjoy this riveting story. Foley has crafted an irresistible narrative that blends the present day with a dark, dark past. Her cast of characters, especially Bella and Francesca, crawl out of the pages and into your brain until you can’t stop turning pages just to find out what happens.

What really hooked me here was the dual narrative of the secret-in-the-past plot line that binds Bella and Francesca and the creepy parallel story featuring a local legend of menacing birds. Twists and turns abound and I admit to a couple parts where I wanted to throw the book against the nearest wall because the tension was too much.

This will make a fantastic summer reading experience but I might recommend saving it for spooky season in the fall. It will definitely make my list of haunting reads in October.

I loved Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party. I had trouble with The Paris Apartment and her lastest---The Midnight Feast. I think I remember liking The Guest List---but I honestly cannot remember.

Here's the thing--I think she is a good writer with interesting plot ideas. But, for the most part, her thriller books are just paced too slowly. This is sadly the downfall in her latest, The Midnight Feast. It has all the making for a great thriller: a creepy old mansion, a dual timeline, a witchy vibe, and characters returning to the "scene of the crime." Sadly, none of it works together, and it is just so damn slow.

I'm giving it three stars for its cool plot setup and potential. But I need to stop jumping whenever I see she has a new book---I keep expecting another The Hunting Party.

On another note, there is an audience for Foley's books---just not me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.