The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. I have loved every book this author writes, and she exceeded all my expectations with this book. I loved the short chapters, the multiple povs, the non linear time line. This book had me hooked, from the opening chapter. A posh retreat for the uber wealthy at a seaside manor. The perfect place for secrets, lies, and murder. Set during the summer solstice with local lore of large terrifying birds doling out vengeance as the backdrop, this book will give you gooseflesh. It's a connect-the-dots of characters and everyone has a dangerous secret. I couldn't put this book down. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book. I cannot wait to get a hardcopy and revisit the Manor via audiobook. This book will give you veritable shivers. Five stars all around.

Honestly this book fell a little flat for me. It was hard for me to get into and I had a hard time finishing it. I really enjoyed other books by this author but this one was not a favorite for me. I will say it was well written. I will definitely continue reading books by Lucy Foley as I enjoy her as an author, this particular book just wasn't my favorite.

This author has been compared to Agatha Christie and while I can see the similarities, she is no Agatha in my book. However, she is good in her own way, and I really enjoyed this one. Lots of good solid characters, a good storyline and a mystery that I couldn't wait to see how it unraveled.

I read this book because I have enjoyed Lucy Foley’s previous books. In general the setting of the posh ecofriendly resort carved out of a beautiful former (very troubled) family estate to be depressing. I can see this story and the characters clearly - like it’s a new streaming series. And it will probably be a fun one. As a book it all felt kind of obvious and I couldn’t wait to finish it so I didn’t have to read it anymore.

♡𝐞𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰♡
2 🌟
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𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 :
•suspense | thriller
•multiple POV
•multiple timelines
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𝙳𝙽𝙵 @24%
𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝙱 𝚄 𝚃 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 . . . 2🌟
I'm super confused, I feel like there is too much POV! So I can't get a good understanding of what's going on or happening. I will re-read once the book and audio are released.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 June. 18
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Thank you, Netgalley, and William Morrow for the (eArc)-eBook for my honest review.

First of all I would like to thank Harper Collins Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I am not sure if it was the authors writing or the storyline but unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I did almost DNF a few times but decided to finish the story. I did not feel a connection with any of the characters and found the story to be very slow and a little confusing with the many different POV’s. Sadly, I would not recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. I am a massive fan of Lucy Foley and loved The Guest List and The Hunting Party, and this one lived up to those (and some). Foley is the queen of the multiple-POV/dual timeline story and The Midnight Feast delivered. The short chapters made the book fast-paced, and I flew through it. I read the digital version, but this would be fantastic on audio (with four different narrators). The town in which the book took place (Tome) was almost a character; it was such an immersive read. I love all the twists and turns and thought the ending was perfect -- it was truly great until the very last page. This would be a great vacation read, and I definitely recommend you pick it up this summer! It’s out in a few weeks (June 18), so preorder now!

The Midnight Feast by @lucyfoleyauthor 🛖🍄‍🟫🪶

I had no idea where this book was going at first and was just hanging on for the ride. I started piecing it together and then couldn’t put it down.
I loved that there were so many narrators and how the connections were made along the way! It was so different in the setting/atmosphere and including old folklore vibes. The ending really wrapped this thriller up nicely like a perfect puzzle🌲

This was my second book by this author and I am fearful that her writing style just isn’t for me. I had a hard time connecting with the story and the characters. I did like the use of folklore, but felt it was underdeveloped.

2.5 stars

Thank you so much to @WilliamMorrowBooks and net galley for sending me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to get it in the mail because I love a good thriller. I’ve read a few of Lucy Foley’s books so I was interested to see what this one was about.

When I get an ARC, I will always be honest with you guys. This one unfortunately did not work for me so I had to DNF. Although the premise seemed exciting, there were a few issues I had with the book. There were too many POVs and timelines to keep track of, everything got confusing. I also thought that the story behind the “birds” was a little random and cheesy. This book unfortunately did not capture my attention and I dnfed around 155 pages. I was really looking forward to it but I didn’t think that the writing style was for me. I still think that many people will still enjoy this one, so let me know if you guys like it. ☺️

This books comes out June 18th, so if you are interested, make sure to snag it! 🌲

Lucy Foley's books are either a hit or miss for me. And The Midnight Feast was unfortunately a miss. This book was very confusing. The start had a lot of info dumping and it was hard to keep track of it all. It felt like too much info at times.

None of the characters stood out for me. It was hard to keep track of who was who. I truly couldn't tell them apart for the better half of the book. I did enjoy Francesca a little bit more than the rest. I found her whimsical, weird, and harsh. And the tension between Francesca and Bella did feel very real. Feeling the tension between them made the story more interesting because it made me push through the story.

Now the ending was predictable as most thrillers are. But this one just felt not finished. I don't know exactly what it was but it just didn't feel like it was over.

Lucy Foley is a great writer, but I think this book isn't her strongest. I would high suggest checking out her previous work before this one!

**Features:**
- Locked room murder mystery set in England with a dose of local folklore
- A toxic friendship and other secrets of the past come to haunt the present
- Explores themes of class as well as the social tension between luxury resorts and the communities they are placed in.
- Told from multiple perspectives with short chapters

Right after opening, the new luxury resort called The Manor burns to the ground with bodies in its ashes. Many mysteries surround The Manor and its dark history but one thing is certain; owner Francesca Meadows did not keep the Birds happy. This locked room murder mystery is a fun read, but definitely not one of Foley’s best. It is told from multiple perspectives and jumps between the day leading up to the fire, the investigation, and diary entries recording events that occurred 15 years prior. Everything is tied together in satisfying ways and it is paced very well, but it just wasn’t a standout for me. This book has great summer reading vibes and is an easy dip into this genre. However, readers who get overwhelmed by a large cast of characters and/or avid readers or the genre looking for a big surprise probably should avoid this read.

**Pro: Intriguing setup**

The Manor is Francesca’s dream finally made a reality. She has turned the land she has inherited into a luxury wellness resort with no expenses spared. However, not everyone is pleased with the resort’s opening. Between the townsfolk who Francesca has plowed over to achieve her vision, a dark past she has tried to bury, and her dismissal of the Birds, Francesca has plenty of enemies lurking in the shadows. It is no surprise when The Manor comes burning down right after its open, but the question remains: who is responsible?

This book is very atmospheric and has an intriguing setup. From the very beginning, Foley does a phenomenal job showing the opulent atmosphere of the manor and how at odds it is with the world around it. Not only is it closed off to the locals, but the forest around it even seems to reject its presence. This story does a great job highlighting the negative impact resorts like The Manor can have on the communities around them and the tension created when very different worlds clash. One of the character’s through whom’s perspective the story is told, Eddie, finds himself in the middle of that clash and I found his chapters the most compelling as the story moved forward. There is definitely a lot of missed potential overall, but I was really intrigued by what this story tries to do.

**The Breakdown: Told in snapshots**

This story is told from 5 main perspectives. Though this can be a lot to follow, the perspective only changes at the end of a chapter and it is clear who it is switching to for the next one. As a result, each chapter is pretty short and we are able to see what is happening in different places at the same time. Because the time span of the present storyline is very short, I think switching the perspective really helps with pacing and provides a lot of detail in a way that feels natural. It also makes the time jumps easy to follow when they occur as well. However, I think this structure also hinders some of the storytelling.

The short length of each chapter makes them feel like snapshots into these characters’ experiences that we then have to piece together. Where this provides a lot of information about what is happening plot wise, it seems to limit the ability to develop other story elements. For example, the characters tend to stick to a given archetype in a way that almost makes them seem like caricatures at times. Part of this is simply that the character has to establish themselves very quickly, so they repeat certain ideas and actions that are the touch points of their archetype and don’t quite have enough time to grow from there before the chapter ends. There are clearly pieces we learn as the story progresses, but there is very little subtlety that makes the characters feel unique and ‘real’. In a similar fashion, we don’t get to engage deeply with some of the interesting themes this story presents. In all, I think having a little more time with each character and seeing them interact beyond their direct circles more would have helped flesh out this story better.

This is the third Lucy Foley book I have read, it wasn't my favorite but I would recommend it. There are multiple POV's and timelines that jump back and forth a couple days. It all centers around Francesca and the fancy Manor she has created on property originally owned by her grandparents. We learn through "Bella" and her diary about her relationship with Francesca fifteen years ago. There was obviously something that happened there back when the girls were teenagers but it takes a long way into the book to know exactly what that secret was.

On the opening weekend of the new resort there are a lot of local people not happy about her new venture, we know the obvious reasons about the lack of access but we just don't know the personal reasons until much later. I have read a few reviews where people gave up on the book, don't do that! it does take a while to get into all the happenings but Foley does an incredible job of bringing everything and everybody together. There are so many aha moments, I couldn't help but think about the work that went into bringing it all together.

I couldn't put the book down for the last 40%! Francesca is NOT a very nice person and her comeuppance was very satisfying. There is definitely a bit of class warfare going on.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I guess I am not a fan of Lucy Foley's writing. This is the second book I have read from her, the first being The Paris Apartment. The concept of the book was cool but I was not a fan of the execution.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC! Loved how this story brought together a fifteen year mystery a forklore and throwing in some birds to bring revenge on one crazy entitled woman. This page turner was hard to put down and last quarter of the books was throwing in so many plot twists that you may get whiplash! Always enjoyed Lucy Foley books and this one has become one of her top favourites! Set in an idyllic countryside resort by the ocean the stage is set for murder and mayhem!

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

SYNOPSIS: Secrets. Lies. Murder. Let the festivities begin…
The Manor is a stunning luxury resort, nestled in the Dorset coast, ready to welcome its guests for the opening weekend.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness and secrets are bristling in the woods.
Old friends and enemies are among the guests.
On the evening of the Solstice soiree, candles barely lit, a body is found.
It all began with a secret fifteen years ago. The past has crashed the party.
Everyone has an agenda. Everyone has a past. But not everyone will survive… The Midnight Feast.

MY REVIEW: I LOVED THIS BOOK! Lucy Foley is an auto read for me and The Midnight Feast did not disappoint. I was hooked from the start; Foley ropes her readers in with an ominous prologue detailing a folklore of the small seaside town of Tome. The story unfolds through multiple povs and timeline jumps from the past, before the solstice, and after the solstice. I loved how the past timeline was told through journal entries because you can hear an authentic teenage voice come through!

Attentive reading is bountifully recognized in this dark and twisty thriller. This book was so fun to read because as Foley weaves her story you are transported right to the epicenter of it all. Her atmospheric writing style gave The Manor and The Woods a chance to come to life, making you believe you are there along with all of the guests watching the horrors unfold. This book also had a lot of characters, but each had their own story to tell, adding depth to the many layers unfolding. I also love a thriller/mystery where all players have a motive, making the book all that much more fun to read!

As each character tells their own stories, Foley builds the perfect amount of suspense and intrigue just before the biggest twists come to fruition. This was a fun puzzle to sort and guess my way through with many twists being a complete jaw-dropping shock. The ending was very satisfying as all secrets come together from the past in the present. If you love twisty, dark and creepy vibes, fueled by revenge, with a hint of magical realism, I highly recommend this book!

4.5 (rounded down)/5!!!!!

THE MIDNIGHT FEAST 🕯️
Lucy Foley

🌟 rating: 3
🤓 read if you like: multi POV, short chapters, murder mystery, alternating timeline

as one of my most anticipated 2024 releases, i jumped at the chance to read this book! fans of this author will be happy to hear she sticks to her signature style — there’s lots of characters who all have a secret, and chapters are quick & engaging. it’s easy to follow and understand despite all the characters and their different pasts. Foley has a knack for writing a multi POV thriller — not many authors can do it as well as her 👏🏼

as for the story itself, it fell flat for me. i was bored most of the time and just couldn’t get invested. i thought the “birds” storyline was unnecessary and odd… it didn’t add anything to the story for me.

Foley’s books are super buzzy and popular, so i’m sure this will be a 2024 read for many! it wasn’t my favorite, (i prefer THE GUEST LIST), but if you’re a fan of Foley’s, you may want to pick this up when it releases on 6/18 🩷

I really enjoy Lucy Foley’s writing style so I was excited to read an advanced copy of her latest. The Midnight Feast indirectly and directly references other mystery and thriller/horror works (Midsommar, The Birds, Blair Witch). At the beginning it felt Agatha Christie to me with everyone getting setting up in their role at the bougie summer solstice hotel opening and then it transitioned to a parallel “what really happened to them in the woods” mystery. The three timelines with flashbacks to teenagers, multiple POVs, and pagan mythology all also gave me Yellowjackets vibes. Overall a “fun” mystery with many twists and connections (and I only saw some of them coming).

I am not sure what to say about The Midnight Feast, by Lucy Foley. It is an interesting read but not compelling. The Midnight Feast was mostly short chapters, which makes it easy and fast to read, and although there are many time jumps, it was not difficult to follow the changes. Much of Foley's novel is focused on social class and the choice by the wealthy to simply dispose of the local town people, who are of a different social class. Lots of characters, who sometimes posed confusion. How the town chooses to fight back is part of what makes The Midnight Feast work.

The plot was actually rather straightforward, in spite of the time jumps. With small exceptions, the characters were just not that interesting. What about Jake? is the question I kept thinking. He is really the only character whom I found compelling but he is not there, not present for most of the novel. It is always a problem when characters do not seem to matter. There are just so many characters who are throw away, which makes it tough to choose a character who does matter. Readers need to be invested, either in a character or in the plot. When I can put down a book with only 12 minutes left in it, the novel is just not that compelling. The twist at the end is my favorite part.

I will look for other Foley novels. Perhaps The Midnight Feast is just an aberration. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to read and review. The above comments are my honest assessment.

It’s givinggggg dark academia??? It gave a bit of a spook factor so maybe a sprinkle of horror. It’s not exactly what I was expecting when going into this book. There were so many twists and turns I felt like I was on a complete roller coaster.

Starting out, the story took off with the grand opening and I immediately had a million questions. There were multiple stories joining together to piece together one great mystery. I wish I had the physical copy because annotating would’ve made it a bit easier to follow. It definitely had a shock factor but there was about 30% that I felt like it was just droning on trying to wait for the ball to drop.

I would definitely recommend buying a physical copy to read along with if you are an audiobook reader or keeping notes if you are an e-book reader. Lucy Foley is masterful when it come to connecting multiple POV but it can get a bit overwhelming if its not something you are used to.