I really enjoyed this book! The plot/setting/characters were entertaining. Definitely going to check out more Lucy Foley novels.

3.5/5 I've seen a few DNF reviews from people saying they couldn't get into this book and I definitely agree this is a slow burn. I started and stopped this book a couple of times before I finally got into it, and once I did, it all came together into a satisfying ending. I think my main issue with the story was that the setup of all of the characters takes too long and you don't really know where things are going. Then, once you figure out how everything is connected, it ends up being a pretty quick read. Overall, give this book a chance if you like this author, but go into it knowing that you'll be in the dark for awhile.

thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have loved both books I read from Foley prior to this (the guest list and the Paris apartment) so I was ecstatic to receive this ARC. One thing I have always admired about Lucy Foley’s writing is that she always pulls you into the world of the novel. There is a lot of set up and many flash backs, but these things help paint a clear picture for the rest of the story to unfold. If you enjoyed The Guest List by Foley, you will likely enjoy this one as well. The book is well paced and incredibly written.

Whew what a ride! I devoured this book. This was much better than The Paris Apartment, and I would argue this was better than The Guest List. Probably Lucy Foley’s best work yet! The pacing was perfect, we had likable and unlikable characters, and the twists were twisting.

Francesca Meadows opens an upscale resort for society’s elites on the family land she recently inherited. She is confident this resort will offer the rest, relaxation, and spiritual reset her guests are searching for. But, between the locals being unhappy about the resort, glimpsing faces from the past, and strange things happening that relate to the local lore, memories from summers past become harder and harder to burry.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title!

This book kept me guessing the whole time and I loved how the story lines wrapped up. Pacing was a bit slow in the middle (felt like it could have been ~50 pages shorter), but it picked up at the end.

If you like Foley’s other books and/or books about mysterious acts of vengeance happening to rich snobs, then this deserves a spot on your TBR.

Please note: the books does contain an on-page sexual assault

4.5 Stars!

Admittedly, this book had a bit of a slow start for me - but once I got through everyone's initial POV's I was HOOKED.

This book follows a cast of characters who are all apart of the grand opening of "The Manor," a super elusive resort marketed to the uber rich. But there is a dark and mysterious history surrounding the Manor and its Guest.

Lucy Foley does an amazing job twisting in folklore, Midsommer vibes, and a cast of characters who keeps you wondering "who done it" and trying to discover the full story. I think what truly drew me into the story was the summer journal entries. Reading that POV and getting the history of the characters really helped with filling out the story.

The last third of this book really sold me - I couldn't put it down because I NEEDED to know what happened.


Thank you to NetGalley and William Marrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was in my most anticipated for the month because Lucy Foley was one of my favorite authors. But unfortunately, I was so bored by this story. It was told in at least 4 points of view (I lost track) and the characters were just so unlikeable.

This newest offering from Lucy Foley is a fabulous locked room mystery set within the confines of a luxury seaside resort. There is murder, manipulation, blackmail, and class struggle in the opening weekend of The Manor, complete with an ethereal Gwynyth-Paltrow-Goop-Goddess proprietor and the titular masked midnight feast. The characters are mysterious while also being relatable, or in some cases - detestable. Foley has once again written an atmospheric page turner.

I usually really enjoy books by Lucy Foley but this one was not for me. It didn’t hook me at all in the beginning and I was bored and confused. It started feeling like a chore to read so I unfortunately DNF for now.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This is a very classic Lucy Foley mystery/thriller. Multiple POVs, competing timelines, and closely interlinked backstories tie the novel together. The Midnight Feast, perhaps, has the most surprises of the ones I've read.

But, I can't say I fully liked the book. The setting and imagery are perfect. A GOOP-like woman resurrects her family's mansion as the next big thing in posh resorts. But, the mansion is full of secrets and powerful forces beyond her control. The woods surrounding the resort are magical, perhaps mystical, and governed by The Birds, a powerful and vengeful group who make right those who wrong Tome.

My enjoyment of the story was strangely U-shaped, however. The start and ends were disappointing, the start because of how slow it is to unravel, and the end because of the series of twists and wrap-up of the mystery. Had the middle's pacing, suspense, and imagery held, I'd have liked the book a lot more.

* Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

This is solidly between a 3 and a 4, but more towards the 4 so I will leave the rating there. Dual timelines, no one is who they currently appear to be, nasty unredeemable characters, small country town being taken over by rich city snobs, this book has all of that. It also has a lot of twisted mystery and is almost to the point of overly confusing. It is one of those books that maybe I should have started a spreadsheet on the characters at the beginning and added a column with years and done some math. Instead, I followed along with the story, rolled my eyes and the overthetop opulence and snobbery of Francesca, chuckled with the sly references to The Birds (both Alfred Hitchcock's movie and Daphne du Maurier's book), and enjoyed the train wreck.

Let me start by saying I wanted to DNF this book no less than five times. I only finished it because it was an eARC I was reviewing, so that is the only reason it has a star rating at all. It took me just over a month to finish this. There are entirely too many POV and one of them is a summer journal that doesn't say who wrote it, though you do figure it out early on. Not only are there a lot of people to keep track of, but the there are multiple timelines so it's jumping back and forth between some of these people in those timelines. It was just super confusing and not a fun time. At the beginning it seems like there might be something cultish or satanic going on, but by the end the explanation of it is vague and lacking any traction in this storyline in my opinion. I feel like this was prepping up to be a revenge story which none of the people really got their justice or got a very anticlimactic justice. I was so bored through majority of this book and just didn't have the desire to keep reading it. This was just not it for me.

Thank you NetGalley & author for an ARC of this book. #netgalley #themidnightfeast #lucyfoley

I love a Lucy Foley book. It’s never quite my favorite, but I’m enthralled. I am such a fan of the quick POV switches, the flash backs and forwards, and never quite knowing just what’s going on. Definitely creates suspense - plus, having one character so deeply unlikable was great. It’s fun to hate on a character so much, especially when bad things start to happen.

Thank you for the opportunity to have this book as an ARC, greatly appreciated. My Review: Enter Francesca's Manor, then clear all the spider webs that might confuse your reading trek. Frankie and Bella, Jake, The twins, grandfa, Eddie, Michelle, Owen, the love of Francesca's, create a web of secrets that might not be easily followed. No spoilers here.
You will need an open mind, and ability to get mismatched times together.
This story tells about the lives around Francesca, in youth and in adulthood. There are
secrets that will come up as a past event, and then get back to present time. Take a breather and compose these changes into your own mind.
Characters are well pictured. Everyone is connected to each other one way or secret way.
There are murders, hatred, revenge and hardly any love between main characters.
I was not too happy to read this novel, as it kept me confused most of the time.
The story is thrilling and at times scary, and would be interesting with less back and forth with times. Therefore I will wait for the next novel by Ludy Foley.
There are murders, hatred, revenge and hardly any love between main characters.
I was not too happy to read this novel, as it kept me confused most of the time.
The story is thrilling and at times scary, and would be interesting with less back and forth with times. Therefore I will wait for the next novel by Ludy Foley.

It took me a while to just get in the groove and figure out what was going on and why. Feeling a little disappointed at first but then once it HIT it HIT strong! This book was a vibe! I thought it was a very unique story with lots of interesting characters! The setting was very intriguing. It was dark, unearthly and creepy! The best part of the book was the tension in the second half of the book. That’s when this book launched to another level-it was fast paced and had lots of juicy twists I didn’t see coming!

That being said, the first half was hard for me to get through and after reflecting on the book as a whole, I was left with one big question that made this book kinda flop. I don’t want to give spoilers..so DM me if you want to chat about it!

But I do recommend picking this one up! Especially if you are a fan of Lucy Foley!!

Special thanks to @NetGalley and @WilliamMarrow for this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review!

Lucy Foley is one of my favorite authors for a reason and I LOVED this book! Her writing is just perfection, setting up the atmospheres and the characters in such a way that they are almost completely intertwined and seem a part of the setting itself. The characters are amazing and both so vivid but also still shrouded in secrets; like a picture that is ALMOST clear, but still with blurry edges or a suspect shadow.

And the storytelling itself is brilliant. The way we don't know exactly what the mystery is or what the big DRAMA that has happened, only that something big has happened and we have to pick up the pieces of the past that have been scattered until the big reveal of both the crime AND the reveal. I am equally drawn to visit The Manor and terrified of the woods and past surrounding it. A seemingly cute town with it's dark side that I am still a bit afraid of. So many small shocks along the way that the narration just kept trucking along and I had to hurry to keep up because we are barely given time to digest. I love love love the way this author writes and weaves and story and I cannot wait for more!!

Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast is an atmospheric locked-room murder mystery set at a luxurious retreat called The Manor, nestled between the Dorset coastline and an ancient forest. The story centers around the grand opening weekend, which quickly turns dark when a fire breaks out, and a body is discovered. Foley’s signature multi-POV narrative unfolds through the perspectives of Francesca Meadows, the founder; her architect husband Owen; a mysterious guest named Bella; and Eddie, the kitchen help. The narrative also includes diary entries that reveal secrets from 15 years ago, adding depth to the mystery.

The novel’s setting is wonderfully creepy, with the dense forest and local legends about vengeful birds adding an extra layer of unease. Foley’s ability to create a sense of place is one of her strengths, and she uses it to full effect here. The twists and turns kept me engaged, with a few surprises that genuinely caught me off guard. However, the story took a while to get going, and the diary entries, in particular, felt repetitive and dragged down the pacing.

One of the main issues I had with The Midnight Feast was the characters. Many felt underdeveloped and unlikable, making it hard to connect with or care about their fates. The complexity of the multiple timelines and perspectives sometimes made the narrative feel disjointed and hard to follow. Despite these issues, the final third of the book ramps up the suspense and delivers some satisfying revelations.

In comparison to Foley’s previous works like The Guest List and The Paris Apartment, The Midnight Feast didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While it has its moments of tension and intrigue, it ultimately fell short of my high expectations. If you’re a fan of atmospheric mysteries and can handle a slow burn, it might still be worth a read. For me, it was a mixed bag.

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

If you go down to the woods today
You better go in disguise
If you go down to the woods today
Beware of a big surprise . . .

It’s opening night of The Manor and everything has been planned with extra attention to detail. The linen-clad guests are imbibing in signature cocktails and enjoying the entertainment. But, just beyond the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds lies a forest bristling with secrets. And when a body is discovered the next morning, the woods just might hold the answers.

The premise of the latest Lucy Foley thriller sounded so intriguing, and while it was a good page-turner, it was not my favorite of hers. The book is told from multiple points of view, which in the beginning made it difficult to settle into. I struggled to engage with any of the characters, so that may have made this book just feel “meh” to me. My curiosity for what was happening on the premise was what ultimately kept me reading.

While this may not have been my cup of tea, this locked-room murder mystery is perfect for fans of The Yellow Jackets and M. Night Shyamalan films.

Thank you to Lucy Foley, William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

This was another solid mystery from Lucy Foley! The setting was very atmospheric and rich- both in the environment and the cast of characters. There were multiple POVs, short chapters, and jumping timelines which I enjoyed but was also frustrated with. This structure kept the story moving but it did make it a little difficult for me to get invested. The payoff was eventually worth it as things were finally revealed and the story became more linear! I particularly enjoyed seeing how it all came together in the end.

If you’re a fan of Foley, you will enjoy this one! It’s a good twisty mystery to keep you company at the pool this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.75 stars rounded up!

The Midnight Feast
By: Lucy Foley
4 stars

First, thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC! I loved The Guest List and enjoyed The Hunting Party from Foley so when this came to me I was so excited. I will say it started a bit slow for me, while there were not as many characters to keep track of as The Guest List it was still enough and the flashback journal entries added another element.

But I loved the mystery in the thriller and trying to piece together who was behind it all! Francesca is the quintessential snotty, high class woman who is into crystals, mediation and deep breathing and curating a one of a kind experience for her clientele at the Manor. And then you have Owen, a brilliant architect and husband to Francesca, who doesn't seem to quite fit into her world but dotingly does as she asks.

And Eddie...he is an awkward 19 year old trying to figure himself out and finds himself working for Francesca. He lives in the town but no one knows that he comes from one of the farming families.

Bella who seems like any other guest but we soon learn she is more than just the single woman in her Hutch. And the flashbacks just add a whole other layer to some of the characters that just makes you want to keep reading and figure out this mystery.

I loved the twists and turns Foley took us on and I did not see the ending and connections coming but they were oh so good. This was a great summer thriller and another great one from Foley.