Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I wanted to like this book but it just wasn't for me. The story was a little too weird for me - especially the parts with the birds. I did enjoy all of the twist and turns the story took.

I did not finish reading this book.

The book was told from many, many perspectives and I had a very difficult time keeping up with the storyline. I read about 30% of the book and had no idea how the characters connected and was bored with the story line.

I have read other books by this author that I have enjoyed so I just think that this book just wasn’t for me.

Lucy Foley's 'The Midnight Feast' had a lot going for it. The premise – a secluded island, a group of strangers, a storm, and a mysterious host – promised a deliciously suspenseful read. Unfortunately, the execution falls short, leaving the reader feeling more like they've been served a bland, lukewarm dish than a thrilling culinary masterpiece.

The biggest issue with the novel is its predictability. While the setup is intriguing, the characters and their motivations are painfully transparent. One can easily guess who is hiding the darkest secrets and who is destined to become the next victim. The tension, which should be building throughout, feels artificial and contrived, rather than organically generated by the plot or character development.

Opening night at the Manor, and you know Lucy Foley is going to deliver an amazing novel full of twists and turns, and a dead body. I absolutely loved this book with multiple POVs (which I do not find difficult because Foley eliminates that confusion), and never knowing who the "bad guy" was. I definitely did not trust anyone in this book. I have read a few books by Lucy Foley and this one was up there with the better ones! As I am finding with her books, you have to be a bit patient for some of the twists to iron themselves out, and I am not mad at it. I definitely recommend this to thriller fans!

The Midnight Feast is a dual time line, locked-room mystery set at an exclusive wellness resort called The Manor. The locals are not happy about the resort and keep referring to folklore and old wives tales of "The Birds" and to beware of them. The grand opening of The Manor begins on the night of the solstice. The next day, we find out a murder has been committed.

I honestly have to say I struggled with this one. The characters were unlikeable, the story was confusing and hard to follow.

The MidnighList t Feast by Lucy Foley is a mind-bending psychological thriller that explores themes of personal identity, how social influences can determine a person’s ultimate destiny, and a quest for redemption.

Both of Lucy Foley’s bestselling novels The Guest List and The Paris Apartment were obviously popular with readers and critics alike. Having read neither, I’ve only admired her work from afar, so this is my first book from the British author. The popularity of those previous novels boded well for me enjoying her latest novel The Midnight Feast and motivated me to request an advanced reader copy. The novel seamlessly blends mystery and suspense and is chock-full of twists and more than a little creepiness.

I must confess that I disliked almost all the characters in this book, yet that didn’t affect my interest in them or my enjoyment of the story. I’m tempted to believe Foley may have intentionally drawn these characters as a challenge to the reader to engage with them despite their lack of likability. Foley puts the reader in the heads of many of the characters of this book, so we learn who they are and what they are like first hand, as well as from the opinions of the other narrators. This multiple narrator approach made it a challenge to identity the protagonist of the book, but there was never any doubt about the identity of the antagonist, although it wasn’t until near the end when the reader learns just how villainous the person is.

Besides the multiple narrators, Foley also relies on a diary kept by one character to help the reader understand and follow the plot. And the novel alternates between three significant time periods (one period via the diary) throughout, sometimes abruptly, but always adeptly.

Foley delays revealing several secrets until the very end, including what motivates two of the key characters in their respective quests for redemption. It’s a twisty read most certainly and happily there’s satisfying closure at the end where justice comes late.

I found The Midnight Feast a pleasant introduction to Lucy Foley, whose style I found somewhat reminiscent of Agatha Christie. I definitely plan to read more from this author.

Wow, what a whirlwind of a read! So many characters and secrets that led to such a tantalizing conclusion (with actual fireworks!) I felt that the author let the plot build, but without dragging on and on. I also enjoyed how the story kept switching back between present and past events because it definitely kept the reader “on their toes.”
I was so excited to get an ARC of this book because I have really enjoyed this author’s other books. I thought The Midnight Feast was one of the author’s best, as the reader was able to tie together all the many revenge plots of the various characters with ,of course, several twists and surprises in the end. Thanks again to Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of The Midnight Feast!

#TheMidnightFeast #ARC #NetGalley #HarperCollinsPublishers

THIS IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE LUCY FOLEY BOOK I’VE EVER READ.

The atmosphere. The twists. The turns. The way I audibly gasped, TWICE.

It’s hard to really review since I don’t want to spoil anything. She just has a way of keeping you on your toes. I really enjoyed the dual time line.

With this being an arc, there was some slight errors but it was still easy to follow exactly when I was, who I was, etc.

I highly recommend this book. Especially if you’re looking for an atmospheric locked room murder mystery.

Read This Book If…you love the tv show White Lotus!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Genre: mystery/thriller
Spice Level: 0/5🌶
Setting: English seaside manor
POV: multiple, 1st person, present tense

My Thoughts:
Having loved The Guest List and hated The Paris Apartment, I was ready for anything with this thriller and it turned out to be GREAT!

There’s a ton of White Lotus vibes - a fancy manor resort, rich people who can get away with anything, and the poor locals who have to deal with them.

The past vs. present was really interesting and I loved how some shared history was slowly revealed throughout the story. There were plenty of twists and turns, but I loved how they were slowly revealed instead of all saved for the end.

If you’re looking for a solid beachside thriller this summer, you’ve found it!

I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley from the publisher, William Morrow, with a publication date of June 18, 2024.

The book has multiple points of view and two timelines, which made it a bit challenging to keep track. However, overall, it was an engaging and fast read. It's a real page-turner with short and fast-paced chapters. At first, I was going to give it 3 stars because it felt similar to The Guest List, but the ending was a surprise and wrapped up the story nicely.

The story revolves around multiple characters attending and hosting the opening weekend of an exclusive resort. It also delves into an incident on the same property 15 years ago. The two timelines intertwine with secrets, revenge, and murder.

Lucy Foley’s books always make a splash! I love the strong, differing opinions and how it makes for great conversations! She is an auto buy author for me, so when William Morrow sent me a finished copy of The Midnight Feast, I was beyond thrilled and started it immediately! While the book is a slow burn, the writing is superb and so atmospheric. I admittedly wanted more to happen earlier, but the crazy, wild ride of an ending was worth it all! There were twists and reveals that I could never have dreamed up! I am in awe of her ability to weave these stories and characters, I was audibly gasping and had chills while reading the end. I think if you enjoy her books, you will definitely like this one! I loved the multiple POVs, you really got to see what everyone in the novel was thinking and what secrets they were hiding! And getting insight into some characters pasts through journal entries and then the POV of the detective in the future worked perfectly for me! Also, short chapters made it hard for me to put down! Just trust me, if you start it and find yourself not sure if you want to finish, the reveal is worth it!! It is Foley at her best!

I sadly DNF'd this at 30%. I loved Foley's last two books, but this one just was not it for me. I might revisit it at a later date, but the characters were not interesting, and their internal dialogue was very cringe to me. I will absolutely to continue to pick up Foley's works in the future though!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for this ARC!

I have very mixed reviews on some of Lucy Foley’s work but this was definitely my favorite. Not too many characters and easy to follow along (love the short chapters). One of my favorites by her thus far!

This is my third time reading a Lucy Foley book and I'll have to say this is the best one I've read. While I am not a huge fan of hers, her stories are intriguing and the way she layers different POVs is astounding. I went into this book completely blind, which I actually really enjoyed. I had a good time reading this book. There were some twists that I didn't see coming or I knew would be there but I didn't know how, at the same time there was a fair amount I guessed right. If you have read Foley's work before you know she has a formula that she follows pretty loyally and this story is no different. You get different POVs while bouncing between the present time, flashbacks, and the aftermath of the murder. I do think that her fans will enjoy this story, and those new to the genre will as well. However, if you are looking for a head-scratcher for a mystery to blow your mind this is not it for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lucy Foley's team for letting me read this story in advance. The thoughts and opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.

The storytelling and pace are immaculate. This book pulled me in immediately and kept me wanting more. It has multiple povs and dual timelines. It gives yellowjackets show meets Alfred Hitchcock the birds movie vibes. I can’t wait to experience this as an audio.

Francesca has worked hard to reinvent herself along with The Manor she inherited from her grandmother. Now converted to a posh spa getaway, she wants the opening weekend to be flawless, but people and secrets from her past threaten her plans. This thriller has some surprises, but everything ties together in the end.

A delightfully twisty, locked room murder mystery by one of my favorite authors, I had very high expectations. When Francesca opens the Manor, a super- ritzy resort spa with her younger architect husband Owen, the locals start to get angry. The manor is built on a woodland which is supposedly haunted by byrds- a superstitious town folk resent the building of the resort and interfere with the grand opening on summer solstice. One of the guests Bella is from Francesca’s past and we start to wonder what she’s doing at the manor. Then a body is found on the cliffs below the resort and police are called in to investigate. Secrets abound and the story leads a twisty path toward the truth. People are not who they seem to be and as the story unfolds I was blown away! Told from different povs and going from the past to present the story was masterfully crafted and the ending was…wow! Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy. 4.5⭐️

The Manor is officially open and not a penny has been spared as the elite flock to the newest resort and its solstice party opening. But while some are new to the property, others are returning — both old friends and enemies — and there are secrets long buried on these grounds, as superstition and folk tales meet modern-day deception…and murder.
Lucy Foley is absolutely the queen of multi-POV thrillers that leave you guessing until the end and this was no exception. While some parts of the last section left me with more questions, I loved the final chapter and twist!
Thank you to William Morrow Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A book that must be devoured. Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down. I have never had a story take a hold of me the way this book did. Every chapter and every character is described so vividly you will be on the edge of your seat until the very end.

4.5 like I've found with other Lucy Foley books, it took awhile to get in the groove of the characters then quickly the story takes off. Intense moments. Big shocks. Little messed up actions. Big shocks. More how could they!?!?! And finishes wrapped up in a satisfied bow. This is the first in awhile I've read rather than listened to and when the audio comes out I'll likely listen to it too because her audiobooks are always among my favorites!