Make sure you can sleep late the day after you start reading The Midnight Feast, by Lucy Foley, because this thriller will keep you up until you finish. The characters are suspicious and dark, but fun, and you'll be obsessed with figuring out "who did it." Recommended for fans of The White Lotus and Agatha Christie. Now I want to read more of the author's books.

**4.5 stars**

I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller read; between the different POVs and the flashbacks via journal entries., it rarely felt slow. This book had a fun twist on a local town with folklore of "the Birds" which are known to right wrongs and find their own ways of justice.

This book had a perfect amount of "rich people and their lavish life" and "local townies" vibes that I think balanced each other out pretty well. I did find the main character, Sparrow, super annoying but there was a decent character arc for the other characters involved in the plot lines.

Also the last line of the book- ICONIC, loved it!

I have read some of Lucy Foley's previous books, but would put this one on top by far and away! Definitely recommend for a fast read mystery/thriller!

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

The Midnight Feast is set in the small, seaside town of Tome where a new luxury resort is having its opening weekend. Francesca inherited the land from her wealthy grandparents, and with the help of her architect husband is opening The Manor for wealthy clients to come and take in the sea air. The locals aren't happy about the opening, however, and they've made it clear through council meetings, making a ruckus on the public beach and in the woods near the resort, and not so veiled threats involving The Birds of local folklore. All the tension comes to a head the night of the solstice during the Midnight Feast where guests get carried away drinking, staff try to deal with chaos, locals crash the party, and dark secrets are revealed.

The Midnight Feast was a very entertaining book. The chapters were quite short and fast paced. They were told from alternating perspectives and included sections from a "Summer Diary" from 15 years before the events of the book. All of the characters had distinct voices, but I never really felt like I got to know them that well. All of the characters were connected, some with more obvious connections than others, and it was fun to see how they all unfolded. I enjoyed the folklore of The Birds as they added an unnerving atmosphere to the book, but I felt like they could have been included in the narrative a bit more. I would have liked slightly more character development as well. This is a good book for fans of fast-paced thrillers and cold cases.

For the most part, I enjoyed this. Even the amount of times we had to read about birds 😂 (IYKYK). But the underlying story was very Midsommar/Hereditary and some other movies along those lines. I think it could've been a little bit shorter, but then I'm not sure if all of the past would've been explained well enough. All in all, a satisfying read.

This was my first Lucy Foley book and it did not disappoint! We followed 5 different point of views, which may seem confusing, however she did such a good job at distinguishing their different personalities! The audiobook was also so good as well, as they were all different voice actors! This is set at a newly opened manor by a well off couple in a smaller town. There definitely is a questionable past as we meet other characters and trying to figure out why they’re there or what they are hiding. I loved how all the loose ends were tied up at the end and figured out WHY we were following a certain persons point of view as well. Had a real good time with this one!

Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast sets the stage with her trademark atmosphere and intrigue, but the slow start may test your patience. Once the story picks up, the twists and revelations make it worth sticking around. If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven mysteries, this one delivers in the end.

This was a little slower paced than other books I’ve read by Lucy Foley, but I still really enjoyed it! It was a bit of a mystery/thriller without putting you too on edge. The multi timeline and multiple POV kept it interesting throughout!

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a gripping mystery set in a historical manor turned wellness hotel. Francesca Meadows, the granddaughter of the original owners, renovates the estate into a luxury retreat, but the locals resent its presence. Strange occurrences tied to local folklore—particularly ominous birds—cast a dark shadow.

Told through multiple perspectives and shifting timelines, the story keeps readers engaged but occasionally disoriented as past and present blur. The suspense deepens when a woman from Francesca’s past arrives during the hotel’s opening weekend. As the tragedies unfold, the mystery builds: is the woman responsible, or is the culprit tied to the superstitious myths surrounding the manor? Foley delivers an atmospheric tale that blends eerie folklore with modern drama, keeping readers guessing until the end.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a suspenseful thriller full of unexpected twists and connections. I will say that it took me a while to get into the book as the pacing at the beginning was a bit slow, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The book is set during the grand opening of a rustic resort experience (it made me think of super expensive glamping), with tension between the wealthy owners and guests and the locals. The chapters jump between multiple different perspectives and timelines, weaving together the story of what has happened in the past to bring all of the characters to the same place at the same time. Of course everyone has a secret! Everything gets tied up nicely in a very satisfying resolution at the end (with a good final twist!). Overall another solid suspenseful book from Lucy Foley. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

TLDR: Pretty standard Lucy Foley fare - a decently entertaining page-turner with multiple POVs that slowly reveal a tale of revenge and a mystery long buried in the past.

Lucy Foley returns with another atmospheric thriller that fans of her work will find familiar. The Midnight Feast delivers on the hallmarks of her style: a multi-perspective narrative, deeply entangled past connections between characters, a peek inside the lives of those much richer than you or I, and the slow unraveling of secrets leading to a wild climax and a deadly conclusion.

Set in an opulent luxury resort on its grand opening night, right away there's a sense of unease beneath its glamour. Foley’s descriptions of the setting—a glittering infinity pool, designer cocktails, and an ancient forest full of secrets—are vivid, contrasting ancient folk horror tales with the ultra-modern, faux new age aesthetics of the resort. The dynamic between the characters is compelling, with each hiding their own motives and histories that intersect in surprising ways.

However, while the premise is intriguing, the execution felt formulaic, especially if you've read Foley's other books. The characters, while distinct, lacked much depth beyond their immediate secrets. That said, the atmosphere is undeniably engaging, and the twists are satisfying enough to keep the pages turning. While The Midnight Feast may not break new ground, it’s a solid read for fans of Foley’s style or those looking for a mix of Blair Witch creepiness and Fyre Festival chaotic drama.

VERDICT:
If you’re a fan of Foley’s previous books, you’ll enjoy the familiar structure and slow-burn reveals. For new readers, it’s a decent introduction to Foley's “Agatha Christie for the Instagram age,” style, though it might not be her strongest offering.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. The scene is a brand new luxury hotel in the woods in England, and as always in her novels, the setting is like a character. There is a fire and a murder, and the book works on figuring out what happened. It’s a very slow mystery, but it kept me reading. #themidnightfeast #lucyfoley #advancedreadercopy #netgalley #bookstagram #mystery #thriller #lovetoread #takeapagefrommybook #readersofinstagram

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. The Midnight Feast has a bit of Midsomar feel to it. The land protects the people and the people protect the land, and if greedy people try to change that, bad things happen, as you find out in The Midnight Feast. This was creepy and atmospheric and very much nature centric.

A great little mystery story. The beginning was a bit of a drag for me but I stuck with it and the pace quickened.

I loved this book. It was very entertaining to read and I was not expecting the plot twists throughout! Definitely recommend!

Follows the typical Lucy Foley formula. If you enjoyed her other books, you will most likely enjoy this one too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I like Foley's work, but this one is firmly in the middle of the pack. Predictable but enjoyable read.

While The Midnight Feast did not capture and hold my attention, I will still continue to recommend Lucy Foley to thriller lovers in my social circle. I plan to try reading this again at a later date so I can post a more thorough review. Thank you!

I seriously love Lucy Foley! I love the multiple narrators and twists and turns she produces! This book was so good and had me continuing to read through the night! Also, she always has the best settings for her books and this one was no exception!

4.5 stars

Lucy Foley has become a must read author for me at this point so I jumped at the chance to read this one. Plus, that short summary was the perfect way to catch my attention and make me want to read this book. I was instantly intrigued! From the beginning pages, this felt very much like a Lucy Foley novel with the story being told from multiple viewpoints and characters. I love how she does this and how as the reader we slowly get to know each of the characters. What made this book unique was the dark, haunting vibes of the woods where The Manor was located. It gave me Yellowjackets vibes if you've watched that show (it's dark but so good!). This book is a slow burn but in the best of ways. It builds up the tension and suspense until it all boils over into a page turning ending. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Readers who enjoy atmospheric, suspenseful reads should pick this book up. I'm landing on 4.5 stars but rounding up on Goodreads. Here's my current ranking of her books if you are interested (from favorite at top on down):

The Guest List (this one remains my favorite so far)
The Midnight Feast
The Hunting Party
The Paris Apartment

Honestly I loved all four of these with the lowest being four stars still. They are all so good and I recommend them all especially for mystery readers.

I felt like the vibes in the book were great - the dark and spooky setting at the manor, the eerie mystery, etc. I also think that it started out strong with multiple POVs and short chapters, but ultimately I got lost quickly and became uninterested in the story. I didn't really understand the birds and felt like it would have been a more likeable story without that.