Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have read other books by Lucy Foley, one common theme that she carries through with all of her books is an atmospheric thriller where the setting is just as important as the characters.
The setting of this novel is The Manor, a very upscale spa, owned by Francesca. Not everyone is excited about the Manor’s opening weekend. There are some pretty explosive secrets that reveal themselves in this twisty thriller. The characters are well explored through alternative points of view, as well as two time lines.
One part of the ending was not completely explained. Otherwise , the ending was quite satisfying

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! All opinions below are my own.

The Midnight Feast is Lucy Foley's latest thriller novel, set in an isolated wilderness retreat on a remote island. I'd previously read two of her books. The Guest List and The Hunting Party, and find that Foley writes atmosphere consistently well. No matter what the weather is, when I'm reading one of her thrillers, I'm cold and shivering, feeling like something horrible is just around the corner.

Because of that, I often find that I have to set down her book to pick up later, frequently. This is especially how I felt about the Guest List, which did feel like it dragged at times, in an effort to get to that final twist.

Here, with the Midnight Feast, there is the added element of the likability of our characters. Our main character who own this resort is incredibly hateable, as intended. But if you are the kind of person who cannot stand people going on and on about crystal healing and all that alternative wellness (it feels I can call this out fairly, as someone from LA), then this book will certainly not be for you. Having this added tension of poor local boy whose family is about to be shafted into poverty made me feel doubly gross - there's just something about having poverty and poor financial decisions looming over you that makes me so incredibly anxious.

Ultimately, like many other readers, I did feel like "the birds" was a bit overkill, and didn't pan out in a particularly meaningful way. But those book does what Lucy does best - creates an intense, uncomfortable atmosphere that sets up a twisty book flitting between past and present. And thank the gods, there is never a supernatural twist.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

Ms. Foley did things a little differently with this book, but I'm not at all mad about it. In fact, I absolutely loved it.

Francesa has recently inherited and renovated The Manor, turning it into a luxury seaside retreat for the wealthy elite. She's also reinvented herself with a carefully cultivated air of serenity and well-being, hoping to leave the secrets and misdeeds of her youth far behind. The opening weekend of The Manor will be a Summer Solstice event culminating in a midnight feast, but Francesca isn't the only one making plans and secrets never stay buried forever.

With an otherwordly, creepy vibe established in the prologue and a setting steeped in folklore and dark history, this story added in elements of folk horror while still having the dual timelines, multiple POV's and mystery of the author's past thrillers. A couple of the big twists I saw coming ahead of time, but there were a few reveals that caught me totally off guard. This ending checked all my boxes, and I thought it was a perfect and fitting way to end the story.

The Midnight Feast combined some of my favorite thriller elements and skirted closer to horror than the author's other books, which I loved. The ominous atmosphere, the superstition and legends, the puzzle of who and why, and the usual secrets, lies, and drama worked together seamlessly to provide a story that felt familiar but also unique and unexpected. This is my new favorite book from Lucy Foley, and I'll definitely be picking up a copy for my shelf.

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

Wow what a thriller! I loved the storytelling in this book! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to guess the mystery. I kept thinking I had it but then I kept getting wrong. Highly recommend for a fast paced thriller!

Well written mysteries linger with us long after the last page; the author sets the table with great characters and plot lines that unfold, but yet leave us hanging by a thread until the final reveal. Lucy Foley's latest book, "The Midnight Feast," delivers brilliantly: murder, mystery and mayhem set atop a gorgeous hilltop resort with a view of the Dorset coastline.

The story is told from alternating perspectives of the main characters: Bella, Eddie, Francesca, Owen and DI Walker. Foley devotes the beginning of the book to an in-depth development of the main characters. The pacing feels slower, but rises to a shattering crescendo as sinister secrets and past relationships are ultimately exposed. As usual, Foley masterfully weaves these ingredients together while smoothly shifting between past and present events. We learn about a horrific death and devastating fire early on, but the victim isn't revealed until the end of the story.

Foley also does a terrific job of contrasting the opulence of "The Manor" with the dark and foreboding forest which adjoins the property. The forest is also home to many unthinkable events which occurred during the summer of 2009, which irrevocably changed many people's lives. As one of the characters states, "When you open the past like this...it can have repercussions you never imagined."

Grab this book and become immersed in Foley's descriptive writing which delivers a very clever mystery chock full of twists and turns and unforgettable characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Lucy Foley for an ARC of The Midnight Feast! I was jumping for joy when I was approved because Lucy is an auto buy author and her work never disappoints. I will say the beginning was a little slow - but let me tell you it makes up for it and adds to the chilling illusion. The story really picks up once the journal entries start and everything starts sliding into place. The twists just coming one after another and I may need to see a doctor after this whiplash. I may or may not have thrown my kindle going WHAT! I enjoyed the multiple POV’s and the journal entries going back in time. This is why Lucy is an auto buy author!

Opening weekend at the new posh resort, the Manor, with Francesca Meadows. She has put everything into making this a top resort with the newly renovated landscape with hutches, infinity pool, the orangery. She has made some enemies with the locals of Tome - trying to take what is not hers and make the beaches private and the woods that have always been available to the locals. Within 36 hours of opening, there is a fire and a dead body. What could’ve let to that? Oh and don’t forget the whispers of The Birds - locals that take over for wrongdoings in their town. Everyone’s keeping secrets from each other, but what will push someone over to cause this chaos?

I have read her other books and this one took a little to get into. Once i did get into it, it was interesting in the setting and the twist and turns. Some came out of left field and i did end up enjoying this book. I would recommend it. :)

Thank you NetGalley and Lucy Foley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book I've read by this author after the Paris Apartment and though they were both interesting in their own way I did prefer this one. I enjoyed the plot and it had plenty of twists and turns to keep me on my toes. I had a little trouble keeping the characters and plots straight at the beginning but once I got into it it was easy. The writing style of the diary was a little confusing at times. Overall it was an enjoyable thriller and I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together as I went

Four Star Read!
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I just finished an advanced copy of “The Midnight Feast” thanks to @netgalley. This was actually my first ever book by @Lucyfoleyauthor and certainly won’t be my last. 🙌🏿
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The Midnight Feast follows four individuals during the opening of a luxury resort which happens to be built right over several years old secrets that don’t want to stay buried. The story goes back and forth between the years and days leading to the grand opening while exploring several different points of view.
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I really enjoyed this story and all of the twists and turns. I definitely found the ending to be more surprising than I had expected.
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Thanks again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is out June 18, 2024 and should definitely be added to your TBR list.

First and foremost, thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review!

I am generally a fan of Lucy Foley, but I will say that this one took me a bit to get into. I think the beginning of the book, while interesting, takes a bit too much time to get going. It took me a bit to get through, the first 50-100 pages, but as I kept reading, I was thrilled with how it unfolded. What kept me reading the most was the characters. Francesca is so easily a person that you probably have met at least at some point in your life, which really makes it feel like you can connect with the hatred that other characters share for her. Along with this, I think that the twists that come from each of the characters feel very related to their personal stories and so make them all the more rewarding. Once this book gets going, it is hard to put down, and I had a fantastic time with it!

I absolutely loved this book! I thought the setting was unique and clever. The characters were so well written and I did not see any of the twists and turns coming. I think this is a perfect book club selection!

This was my was my first Lucy Foley book, and I definitely had a good time!
As someone who loves anything Pagan and folklore, this was a a vivid thriller. This book is set in England, where wellness guru/crystal devotee/English Gwyneth Paltrow is opening her newly renovated hotel, The Manor. Her and her husband Owen, are so close to crating the perfect chic farm-to-table, woodsy retreat for their pretentious, rich clients. As their official opening day approaches, the locals begin to voice their grievances, and there are signs of the return of 'The Birds,' an old group with Pagan roots and a history of taking justice into their own hands to protect the community.

Foley did a fantastic job setting the stage and creating a couple of absolute gems of characters. Francesca was a great representation of the holistic influencers that are so popular right now, and was a perfect representation of someone you just can help but love to hate. A couple of the other characters fell flat, but there were some good twists and turns that kept the story rolling at a good pace.
My only complaint was [there were too many instances where the there was no way that this many people didn't recognize each other from their youth. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

I struggled to finish this book and just wasn’t interested in the plot line at all. I hate to DNF but this book was just not it for me

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

If you're looking for an average thriller that is quick once you get into it with what happens in the woods vibes, this is it! By quick I don't mean predictable because there definitely a lot of twists and turns here. Each corner turned brought another twist and it was definitely eerie and creepy in a wicken wicked woods sense.

Childhood secrets, folklore passed down about the woods, legends of the birds, and superstition....what is happening at the Manor, a new luxury resort and dream of Francesca Meadows (and her architect husband Owen Dacre).

Just like Lucy Foley's other novels, this is told from multiple POV which I love to be able to get in multiple characters minds!
I’ve loved the other Lucy Foley books I’ve read: The Paris Apartment, The Guest List, and The Hunting Party. It was still a good read that kept me guessing, but it took me a while to get into it and then by the time everything was happening it was over.
Give it a read if you like thrillers and Lucy Foley but I definitely recommend some of her other books if you started with this one and thought it was average/good.

WOW!! Foley does it again.. I love her work and was excited to be chosen to read this novel before it was out. I could not put it down. I enjoyed every part from the setting to the cast of characters to the mystery or mysteries at hand. I do not want to give anything away but opening weekend of a remote country resort is met with deceit and murder at every turn. Who is to blame, the bitter townsfolk, the mysterious group referred to as the Birds, the lonely son or the mysterious guest with a tragic past. With the help of various clues and flashbacks, we make our way to the dramatic ending filled with surprises right up to the very end.

Lucy Foley has written a thriller that I didn't see any of the twists and turns coming. I was hooked from the beginning and the last 30% had me absolutely on the edge of my seat gasping!

I'm a lover of thrillers that have different timelines and perspectives and this had a little bit of everything. Past, present, diary entries, and multiple perspectives! When I tell you Foley truly thought about this plot and intricately weaved a perfectly done thriller. Everything wrapped up and all of the pieces came together so effectively that I was shook.

I don't want to go into details because I went into this one only knowing the bare minimum. A manor on the Hill of a town is becoming a ritsy, lavish place for rich people to come, stay, and glamp. The towns people do not like this and the Birds in the woods don't either.

The town folklore, the multiple mysteries spanning over years, the plot twists... all of it was genuinely perfection!

This is easily a new favorite thriller of all time.

Lucy Foley does it again! Another great book. Multiple view points that left me guessing until that moment they all came together. She has a formula that definitely works. I probably enjoyed this over several of her other books. Overall I would definitely recommend it.

**Review of "The Midnight Feast" by Lucy Foley**

"The Midnight Feast" by Lucy Foley is a riveting mystery that ensnares readers with its opulent setting and intricate character dynamics. Set during a glamorous, tension-filled dinner party at an isolated mansion, Foley’s narrative is rich with atmospheric details and suspenseful undertones, typical of her acclaimed storytelling style.

Foley masterfully builds suspense through the premise of a mysterious midnight feast, which becomes the backdrop for a night filled with intrigue and revelations. Each character is finely crafted, with complex motivations and secretive pasts, which Foley unveils with great skill throughout the novel. Her prose is sharp and engaging, drawing readers deeper into the luxurious yet sinister world she creates.

While the book is undeniably compelling, it occasionally struggles with pacing. The dense layers of dialogue and internal reflection slow the middle sections, somewhat stalling the otherwise steady buildup of tension. Moreover, some of the plot twists, although surprising, may not entirely avoid the pitfall of feeling slightly contrived, which might slightly lessen their impact for aficionados of the mystery genre.

Nevertheless, Foley manages to deliver a powerful climax that is both unexpected and satisfying, effectively tying together the complex web of storylines introduced throughout the book. Her ability to maintain an eerie, suspenseful mood ensures that the journey there is as thrilling as the destination.

Overall, "The Midnight Feast" earns a well-deserved four stars. It is a testament to Lucy Foley’s prowess in crafting engaging, atmospheric mysteries that are both sophisticated and entertaining. This novel is a must-read for fans of Foley’s previous works and newcomers alike who appreciate a good, suspense-filled story.

4.5 stars. Lucy Foley has a formula for her work and gosh can she deliver on it. The Midnight Feast had all her multiple POV glory with an added ritualistic eeriness this time around and so many twists and turns I never saw coming.

Early on I was worried I was going to struggle to get into the book. Sometimes multi-POVs are challenging to connect with, and I wondered if this was going to feel too similar to Lucy Foley’s previous books. While it has her signature style, I felt there were a lot of elements unique to this particular story and it didn’t take me long to be fully invested.

There were so many times I had no clue where one plot line or another was going to go, but I couldn’t wait to find out. Some I had a decent hunch on and others took me completely by surprise. The best part about those moments was that the groundwork had been laid so subtly that, with hindsight, it all made complete sense. I love a moment when pieces all click together.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Bella” returns to a childhood vacation spot to confront a horror in her past and the psychopath who got away with murder.

I will admit, I wasn’t loving the first bit of the book. The storyline jumped a lot throughout the three days this story unfolds. However I loved all the little twists and turns and overall it was an enjoyable read.