The Hunting Party

Oh for heaven's sake! I was supposed to be writing my own book! Instead I requested this one from NetGalley. Whoops not a word written all day. Thanks so much Lucy Foley! A group of university friends celebrating the New Year in a remote Scottish hunting lodge. Then they are snowed in. Plenty of booze mixed with egos and festering past resentments. What could possibly go wrong? This was a compelling and great read. It kept my attention from start to finish. Who was the killer? Who was the victim? Read it and find out. Fabulous.

Not a book one can put down, until the end. We get all the characters' points of view, meaning that just as you think you know 'who did it' you don't!!

Would recommend to anyone who wants a 'good read'; and it would also be good as a dramatisation.

Fantastic Highland setting, and people are not always what they seem.

loved this.

Properly atmospheric, the chilly, claustrophobic yet open setting cleverly sets the scene for a wonderfully old school murder mystery, with a stellar cast of characters for the reader to get their teeth into and either love or loathe.

Descriptively this is beautifully written the aforementioned setting coming to vivid and gorgeous life, enter into this wild landscape a group of friends whose history and random hidden jealousies rise to the surface, ultimately leading to murder…

Definite hints of Christie, but with a rhyme and rythym all of its own, The Hunting Party is a dream of a read, absorbing, intelligent and full of the vagaries of human nature. Twisty as you like, unexpectedly sometimes, Lucy Foley manages the group dynamic with aplomb, keeping you immersed and involved all the way.

A proper bit of storytelling, eliciting differing emotional reactions and having the benefit of being eminently unpredictable, The Hunting Party is definitely one to watch in 2019.

Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this. The story is cleverly told through the eyes of various characters and as the victim is not revealed til the end I was trying to figure out who was the murderer and who was the victim! I found this intriguing because all the characters had reasons or personality traits which could easily have made them either of the two. A great read.

A group of friends who met and university – and partners – have a tradition of taking a holiday together. Emma, reasonably new to the group, has organised a stay in an out-of-the-way hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands. We learn early on that a body is found but we don’t know who, until much later. Or who was the killer. The book isn’t for people who want fast action. It concentrates on the backgrounds of the people, their present and previous interactions and the backstories of the three people who work at the lodge. For me, it worked because of the pressure-cooker feeling of isolation from the world. There was a heavy snowfall and they were cut off. The characters were not particularly likeable but their backgrounds went some way to explaining this. I enjoyed the read very much and felt I had the bystander’s view of a car crash at times. Really good stuff.

Have I just read a forgotten and lost Agatha Christie classic? OMG that's how I felt during it and after and still now. Boy the atmosphere is carefully constructed and evoked here with style and an eye for detail and nuances that I haven't read in a while.

The setting might be fictional in name but it's evoked with such style it seems so very very real. Adn spookily claustrophobic too. The setting is ideal for the old school mystery which follows - hunting, deers in the park, a group of people staying at a lodge, Scottish fog and ...murder

It's the relationships between these characters which made me rub my hands in glee. At one point I almost went out to buy a glass of something even though I don't drink or shoot a dear which I could never do since watching Bambi. I will just have to settle for wearing tartan.

I said it reminded me of Christie. That's not to say it's similar or not unique - far from it - it just brings back all what I love about an old fashioned good old murder mystery and a sense of writing and style that is beautiful to take your time over.

I was never quite sure where this was going and was kept on my toes throughout, in the gloomy corridors, the ghostly shadows of the trees, the fog and the strange noises at night.

Deliciously deadly and dark. Foley fantastic you might say.

As soon as I saw the blurb I knew I had to read this, had a really different sound to it than the other crime / mystery books out there.

The main story is that a group of university friends take a holiday every year to bring in the new year together. This year Emma, a relative newcomer as she is the girlfriend of one of the uni friends, has organised the retreat in the scottish highlands. We start off the book with her POV and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the POV switched around to focus on other characters as well (though not all). Of course it isn't long before you realise there are a lot of secrets and resentments within the group and then one of the group gets murdered, but who is the culprit?

Although revealed early on, the actual murder actually happens quite far into the book, with the set up to it being a lot more interesting as events happen slowly unwind, mysterious strangers arrive and you can see the internal struggles within the group. It's really a slow burner and I did get a bit impatient waiting for things to start moving.

The characters in the book are not all very likeable but I think this is the point and I really loved having the different POVs, one character in particular who I started off hating by the end and thanks to reading their chapters I really grew to like them. A small negative for me is that some of the group members were not fleshed out at all and didn't really serve much purpose than to make up the numbers, I would have liked to see their POVs as well but understand this would have really lengthened the book!

The twist reveals and the murderer reveal were extremely well done, and kept me guessing right to the end. I was so absorbed with finding out what happened that I had to finish the book in one night and I really wasn't disappointed.

A brilliant read and look forward to reading more from Lucy Foley!

I found this a really good read. It is set in a remote Highland estate with a small number of characters but the flashbacks used to explain the situation are very effective. The characters are true to their personalities and their behaviours are consistent, making the reader feel they know them.
The story begins as a superficial New Year holiday plan and gets darker and darker as the days progress. There is a "whodunit" element which provides the twist as the story reaches the conclusion.
I read it over a couple of days and really enjoyed it. I recommend it!

This was an interesting story that told the tale by moving back and forth over the Millenium weekend. The characters’ personalities became more obvious as the book progressed, leading to a grisly discovery. Fascinating reading and recommended.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for my ARC of The Hunting Party, my first read by Lucy Foley, which put me so much in mind of Ruth Ware's In A Dark, Dark Wood. An isolated location in the Scottish Highlands; a New Year celebration; nine friends reunited as they do most years. All of them together for the first time in ages. Emma and Mark, Miranda and Julien, Nick and Bo, Samira and Giles, their six-month old baby Priya - and Katie. Four days in a winter wilderness - Loch Corrin - very exclusive. Run by Doug, the gamekeeper and Heather, the estate manager. What could go wrong?

Just about everything. Harsh weather, no internet, hardly any mobile signal and friendships that soon become strained. Skeletons in cupboards, spite, old wounds. High flyers, Oxbridge types, all with secrets they would prefer to remain so, as a booze and drug fuelled weekend starts to implode from within with disastrous consequences. A body is found - not an accident. One of the group has been murdered and the culprit is amongst them....

Full of menace and dark secrets that are revealed as the group become trapped when a thick blizzard descends, The Hunting Party is a compelling read with plenty of twists.

This was a bit of a sleeper agent for me. I requested it on a whim and was then completely blown away by this chilling, claustrophobic but utterly engrossing murder mystery. The Hunting Party was like a classic whodunit where the setting is an old country estate and the players are friends and acquaintances, but it went a level deeper than that and explored how the people we think we know change under certain pressures. In that respect it reminded me of the film Shallow Grave – you think you know someone, guess again. We’re used nowadays to crime with more gore, psychological elements delivered at speed and even to knowing who did it at the start but finding out why. This isn’t like those faster paced offerings. This is a gradual unwinding into the heart of human interactions solving a murder mystery the classic way. An excellent read.

I enjoyed this murder mystery very much indeed. A group of nine friends are booked into a luxury highland lodge for New Year, far from any form of civilisation. The narrative is from four different points of view: Doug the gamekeeper, Emma the organiser of the holiday,, the glamorous Miranda and Katie her best friend. As in all groups of friends there are tensions and jealousies and these become ever more apparent as the story develops with bitchy remarks, backstabbing and infidelity. Everyone it seems has their secrets and these have an effect on the group dynamic. Over the course of the holiday, their behaviour deteriorates with drunkenness, violence and drug taking all around. It ends in tears - of course it does - with one group member ending up dead. There are plenty of suspects in this story, not one of them appears to be a well balanced adult. They all, including the staff, have their issues. Unusually the author keeps the identity of the victim hidden until almost the end and this helps to build the tension because as well as many of them having the personality and motives of a murderer, several also seem to be courting violence. There were one or two issues I wasn't sure about, leading to a four star rather than five star review. The Icelandic couple intruding on the group didn't seem to add much and the Old Lodge although atmospheric, similarly didn't benefit the story. It was good enough without these two distractions.. The author does a terrific job in building up the tension throughout. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

4 stars from me

The Hunting Party is a fabulous debut and I had the pleasure of reading it from within a remote cottage in the Welsh countryside (not quite the Scottish highlands in the snow but close enough!).

I enjoyed the playful elements of the story which I agree could easily be likened to an olden days whodunnit but for me the star of the show was the relationships between the friends and the uncomfortable tensions contained within them. Incredibly well observed and well told.

Great debut and I look forward to more by this author.



Synopsis: The Hunting Party is the author’s first crime novel and is described as combining elements of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (HarperCollins) and The Secret History (Penguin) by Donna Tartt.

The novel follows a a tight-knit group of Oxford university alumni as they celebrate New Year’s Eve in the wilderness of the Loch Corrin Estate in Scotland. A HarperFiction spokesperson said: “In these wild, white climes the group reminisce, go deer stalking, and hide friendship-destroying secrets, secrets that set a razor-sharp sequence of events in motion, culminating with a broken body in the snow.”

Lucy Foley's novel, The Hunting Party, is set in a holiday house in a very remote part of Scotland where a group of friends gather to enjoy a New Year break well away from their normal busy London lives. When the weather closes in cracks soon appear in what they all assumed are lifelong friendships. Mutual trust turns to suspicion when tragedy strikes and they find themselves cut off entirely from the outside world. Foley's plot continues to thicken like the ever- falling snow but the twists and turns are never predictable. Enjoy the read as you try to piece together the jigsaw.

A brilliant thriller. The story follows the ill-fated New Year's Eve celebrations of a group of old university friends and how the journey of their lives ended up at this point.
A real page turner and a must read.

Like a modern take on an Agatha Christie plot: a party in a remote location cut off by snow, a group of friends with hidden tensions and stresses, sinister co-guests and troubled staff... all ending in murder. With red herrings galore and a cast of unlikable characters, this is all about the twists and revelations. Compulsively entertaining: 4 deliciously trashy stars!

A very clever story! The suspense was maintained throughout, giving nothing away. The diverse characters remained true to themselves and were all credible. The location was perfect and the slow burn leading up to the New Year’s Eve party ensured the book was not put down until the end. Much enjoyed!

I really liked this book! It was full of tense moments and the story seemed to flow very naturally! The characters were believable and I enjoyed reading it a lot.

The Hunting Party is an absolutely thrilling novel, set in the wild Scottish Highlands. A group of friends are staying at the Lodge for New Year's Eve, their annual group celebration. But beneath the drinking and laughter and reminiscing, a darkness is spreading. One of them ends up dead, and while the heavy snow is blocking anyone from entering, it is also stopping anyone from leaving, including the killer.

I absolutely loved this book. Creating a host of characters so in-depth and enticing is an incredible feat, and each one of these characters were so well-written. We have 5 POVs - Emma, Miranda, and Katie, three of the friends, and Heather and Doug, two of the staff members at the Lodge. All of them have rich histories and motivations, secrets and truths, and Foley has managed to bring all of them to life.

This is a cautionary tale of old friends, of how a shared history can also mean a complete lack of secrets and growth. How many of us have changed over the years, met new people, friends and partners, only for our old friends to come out with a "do you remember when?" tale at the most inopportune moment? No matter how much you want to put the past behind you, there is always someone who can't wait to bring it up again.

The Hunting Party is an absolute triumph, and a genuine pleasure to read.

This debut novel from Lucy Foley is very cleverly constructed; not only is the identity of the murderer withheld until the end, but also that of the victim. This means that, as a reader, you are constantly looking for clues and jumping on every single red herring with enthusiasm! It's fun and engaging and certainly keeps you turning the pages.

The setting, a remote hunting lodge in Scotland cut off by the snow, lends itself to this Agatha Christie-style mystery. With no-one able to arrive or leave, including the police, the victim and murderer have to be one of the guests at the hunting lodge or the few staff members who have chosen to live in this extreme location. The narrative switches between the characters, an effective device that allows for the different secrets to be revealed.

The only thing I struggled with was the fact that nearly all the characters were pretty awful people. Mostly Oxford alumni (they are a group of old university friends), they all seem so smug and pleased with themselves, which doesn't make them appealing. As a reader, it was hard to care about them as potential victims.

However, it's a lively and engaging read and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Friends since University at Oxford a group head off for a New Years Eve break together. Every year they arrange something different for the New Year celebrations and this year its been organised by Emma who is the partner of one of the group. She's booked them all a break at a remote and exclusive hunting lodge. Surrounded by natural beauty and miles from anywhere its the perfect location for everything to go horribly wrong.
Cleverly written the remote and beautiful surroundings are easily depicted and its apparent from the outset that someone was murdered but not who, why and who the perpetrator was.
From the opening pages I was drawn into this book by Lucy Foley. Told alternately by different members of the group it flowed easily, moving between events before and after the murder seamlessly, keeping my interest and intrigue from start to finish.
The closeness of the group was well written as were the characters. As the booze flowed and the snow fell, underlying feelings of resentment came to the surface and it became apparent that the close friends didn't really know each other as well as they thought they did.

What an amazing book! And new author to follow.

All that eeriness and build up. Especially as various characters supposedly spot something somewhere...or was it really there, or only in their imagination. It couldn't really, could it?

And then that looming snowstorm, that we know it's coming as the story is told in time lapse. Soon the body will be snowed in, and nobody gets in or out (not even the police), and you're forced sitting there in the same Lodge with the possible killer!

Lucy Foley is doing an excellent job throwing the possible blame around between various characters. Mind you, you don't even know who's dead for most of the book.

Told from three guest perspectives and two hosts, the story tangles and twists like a stubborn candle that flickers but refuses to give out its last breath.

In my opinion, the best parts were in their Oxford pasts, and not in the current tension.

The ending felt a teeny tiny bit rushed and a few red flags provided earlier weren't really addressed, like maybe that mysterious note written, left behind, and supposedly lost somewhere in that Estate. And the thing about the two Icelanders (fantastic characters, by the way. Reading this book coincided with my husband's offering to visit Iceland...you can only guess, my reaction lol)

My favorite was Miranda, but really it should've been Emma.

I think we all know at least one Miranda either from childhood playgroup, school or even office. The overbearing and controlling everyone's-my-project princess who's forever the thinnest, shiniest and smartest know-it-all. The seductress and Miss Perfection. The one that looks better in that leather pencil skirt, and wearing your lipstick. Well, she ended up having a surprising plot twist, believe me. Nothing was perfect under all that glamour.

The second favorite was Emma. The lovely, forever kept-together academic girl. The one who's supposedly calm and poised never gets upset or irritated. She's not as pretty, but she's trying hard with her make-up, copying Miranda somewhat even. And she's a great chef and works like a glue between all the friends who go way back and shouldn't need her to break up their fights. Right?

Well...as the end approaches, out comes Emma's well-kept story, making her a much more interesting character than you, and everyone else in that Estate, ever thought. Stay tuned! Wait until you see what she's really been hiding. Try and guess, but you might still miss it!

These aren't the only main players in this murder plot. Not at all. Just my personal favorites. Much like other reviewers have pointed out, the growing romantic tension between Doug and Heather is equally tow curling, unraveling the ghosts they've been quietly hiding in those secluded cabin closets. After all, why would two young and good-looking people want to live out alone in all that wilderness?!

Hmmm...the plot thickens. The tension grows.

Bet you're checking off the days until the publishing date!

Thank you HarperCollins so much for the chance to read this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

A taut and enjoyable thriller told via five points of view.

The story centres on a group of old friends from uni, having a New Years Eve party in the Highlands. The threads of friendship are pretty frayed, and tension builds quickly. Of course, someone ends up dead.

The choice to frame the group as an often unlikeable and very privileged group (Oxford, London, fancy jobs...) could have been risky, but Foley does manage to make the reader empathise with most of them (a couple of the male characters seem irredeemable from the moment they're introduced, which didn't bother me too much as the book centres around the women in the group - unsurprising given the audience for thrillers is mostly women.)

Something I did find troubling was that the only named character who could be easily identified as not being white (Samira, whose daughter is named Priya) is also the only integral female character not to have point of view chapters. This despite us being told again and again that she's a member of this Inner Circle. We're only told about her, not by her, so her role in the group is often overlooked. Maybe this is a smart move by Foley, showing us how the group is unknowingly rejecting her after her becoming a mother, but I'd have liked to have had her perspective. Without it, there's a gap.

Overall this is an enjoyable page turner that weaves different points of view and time frames quite effortlessly, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a decent thriller.

Fantastic book which I read over two days. I was totally absorbed by the story and didn't guess the ending at all. A perfect book to read over the Christmas/New Year period- pity it's August! Highly recommended.

Had me gripped from the beginning! Twists and turns galore and a few red herrings. There was several time throughout the book when I though “right, I know who did what!” Then I would start doubting myself and change my mind but I was right.

I can’t really say much more without giving anything away, but I really enjoyed this!

Not quite 5 star due to some inconsistencies in the story.

4.5 stars

This is the first book I've read by this author and really will not be my last.

I enjoyed the story I love the setting the snowy highlands, the plot everything was so good.

A bunch of friends celebrating the New Year in a remote place in Scotland.
on the stroke of midnight, a body is found. But who done it. This book kept me guessing all the way through. kept me turning the pages So many twists and turns and when I thought I have a clue who I thought was the murder BAM I was so wrong.
Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next.

While it is not a novel concept to have a murder that can only have been committed by one of a trapped group (very Agatha Christie country house), it is very well done here again. I loved to hate most of this group of friends who gathered in a remote holiday lodge for New Year's Eve; with their unsuitable clothes and monied backgrounds. Although we know there has been a murder from the beginning, we don't know the victim or the murderer until the very end. It does take a long time for people's backgrounds to emerge, and there are a few enormous revelations, some of which are a bit far fetched, hence only 4 stars. I would definitely look out for another crime book by Lucy Foley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK (publisher) for this ARC of The Hunting Party.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this book. Having recently started - and abandoned - a similar sounding ARC by a better known author, also about a remote hotel in the Scottish highlands, I was already on a downer when I realised this was a similar vein.

However I was intrigued from the start by this band of Oxford Uni alumni out for their annual get-together, in a remote hunting lodge. None of the group were particularly likeable, as neither were the Staff characters too, but to no loss to my enjoyment of the book. Not every novel needs a heroine.

The fallen victim is not fully revealed for most of the book, as too the killer. But the tension builds nicely as the author switches between before and after, by just a couple of days, before revealing what happened at the end. No major surprises but lots of questions and possibilities kept me guessing all the way. An easy four stars.

*Contains a descriptive passage about deer killing, which may need glossing over for some.

#harpercollinsuk #lucyfoley #thehuntingparty #netgalley

A group of University friends regroup for their annual New Year celebrations in the remote Scottish wilderness. Apart from the group there is only the host, a game keeper, a come and go handy man and two Icelandic guests present.

A body is found after the celebrations and we have not only a who-done-it, but a 'who did die' with the victim and the culprit well hidden until the closing pages

I enjoyed the book and the story which is revealed in first person narratives by several of the characters. A few times, I lost which character's viewpoint I was reading but this didn't matter too much to the narrative since it was rarely different points of view and simply a novel way to move the story forwards.

I could not put this book down.
I live in the Highlands and reading about Inverness and Fort William had me trying to guess the location of this lodge.....
I also identified with the alien feeling that people like me gave during the harsh winters here.
The story if murder and who did it really gripped me.
Well done Ms. Foley.

I shall read your next book. Linda.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I must confess to being a little suspect of this - the setting is a Highland Lodge where a group of university friends go to spend New Year. I have family who were gamekeepers/ran a Lodge in the Highlands, so I was more than a bit wary of an inaccurate setting. Fortunately, my suspicions were unfounded - admittedly most gamekeepers are not ex-Marines with a murky past, but the characters weren't caricatures or stereotypes and I thought the setting felt authentic.

On to the plot. Told from several different points of view and differing time frames, the staff of the estate find the body of a missing guest, which is told in parallel with the arrival of the guests for New Year and the events of the stay. For the majority of the book you have no idea who the dead guest is, it could be several of them and even when a witness is found, the last words of the victim are still ambiguous. I really enjoyed that aspect of it, and the examination of what friendships are, how they change, how we sometimes go back to being the people we used to be when with old friends was also really well done. The characters were all recognisable, with enough flaws and insecurities to help make them sympathetic even when they were being horrible people.

Is it a psychological thriller, a book about friendship, obsession or a crime novel? It's all of those things, I really enjoyed it!

I picked this book up during a lunch break at work and found it difficult to put back down. This is a perfect thriller, with well developed characters, and the plot flows smoothly. Whilst some of the groups secrets are easy to guess, the “whodunnit” element keeps you gripped until the very end

Quite a twisted storyline. I liked the way the story moved between the parties involved throughout the story. Quite intuitive about people.

Loved this. Love the setting, love the interesting cast of characters - initially I was worried I would have trouble keeping track of them but they felt so distinct that this was never a problem in the end. Highly recommend for a thrilling read.

A good mystery keeps you wondering who did it until the last possible moment. A great mystery keeps you guessing who the victim is too; The Hunting Party manages that better than most.

The book follows two timelines, initially three days apart. One before anything untoward happens, and one after. They're woven together carefully, teasing and enticing you to read more. Delivering little hints and clues that open up a number of possibilities. The picture slowly comes into focus, but because of the possibilities, it's only at the last moment that it finally all snaps into place. As much as Foley throws in some misdirection none of it tries too hard to be a red herring. These feints are subtle enough to just make you doubt everything. And that is the glory of this whole story, Foley has crafted something so simple the complexity of it all just trickles along quietly. But, if there's one defining touch it's the way the victim is kept so unknown for so long. It must be about halfway through the book before you even find out whether the body is male or female!

It's a real delight reading a book that is so careful in laying out the story. Every chapter, switching between the various characters, does exactly what it needs to do. There's a purpose to the writing. Even the setting paints a suitably bleak background. One that is full of contrast. It gives the story added texture. It allows the plot to evolve elegantly, freeing it to reveal its twists and turns at just the right moment.

Beautiful and elegant writing that enriches a gloriously dark and bleak story. If you like a mystery this should be a must read!

I have given this book a 5* review. It was an excellent thriller. The characters were well drawn. The depictions of Scotland and the narrative very well written. The book had an excellent plot and kept you guessing “who -dun -it” right till the end. The pacing of the book and the length of the book were just about right.

As I say, I really did enjoy the book, I look forward to the writers next novel.

The only drawback, and I am sure that this is personal taste, is that the novel is told by all the characters, and I feel that it gave the book a fragmented feel to it, jumping from character to character. If this, however, is the writers style, she should stick with it, but I felt it detracted from an otherwise excellent read

This is a very enjoyable 'who done it' with shades of Agatha Christie but in a modern setting. A group of well-to-do university friends, now in their early thirties, have gathered at a remote Scottish highland lodge with just a mysterious housekeeper (Heather) and equally mysterious gamekeeper (Doug), and are intent on celebrating New Years' Eve with a plethora of booze and fine food. They soon become totally isolated due to heavy snowfall - great fun at first but we soon become aware that one of the guests has been murdered.

The book is so cleverly crafted that we do not even know the gender of the body until well over half way through, and we are left guessing as to the identity of the victim until almost the end. All the characters have problems and secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden,. so there is a wide range of possibilities for both victim and perpetrator. The book is decidedly claustrophobic despite being set in the wilds of Scotland, due to the total isolation and sense of menace.

Characterisation is the real strength of this book - I felt I knew and could picture everyone, without actually liking many of the party. Much of the book is a slow reveal of the characters' back stories and their history with each other, revealing many surprises along the way. The descriptions of the landscape, the loch and the buildings are excellent. Highly recommended.

A group of Oxford alumni and their respective partners have kept in touch for years post-graduation, and decide to go on an extravagant New Year trip to a far flung area of Scotland. Settling in a lodge and it’s surrounding cabins for a couple of nights. A lot of alcohol, some drugs and a bit of deer hunting and their idyllic lives, and friendships begin to unravel in their webs of deceit. Who dies, and more importantly, who did it?

I throughly enjoyed this book. It’s been a while since I felt this compelled to read a book this quickly. Once I had gotten a grasp of the characters I was gripped and with each secret I just wanted to know more!

The book is written from varying perspectives: Miranda, Emma & Katie (three of the alumni) and Heather & Doug (two of the lodge’s workers) I am used to reading books with varying chapter perspectives but on this particular book I found it was a little confusing to remember who was who.

I really enjoyed the web and interconnections and I didn’t second guess any of the twists and turns which is a fantastic change. Although the idea is not wholly original, being reminiscent of And Then There Were None and The Secret History, don’t let this put you off. It is executed in a completely original way and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Nothing is quite as it seems in this Murder Mystery set in the Highlands of Scotland, where a group of friends are holding a reunion and seeing in the New Year. One of them disappears and is later found murdered!
This atmospheric tale is chillingly told in a way that lures you in and makes you feel as if you are actually part of the nightmare scenario.
Told from the perspective of a few of the guests and staff members, and flitting between the past and present, each of the suspects/victim is ingeniously intertwined until the climactic reveal.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.
Thank you to Lucy Foley, Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me an advanced copy of this title in exchange for this review.

How lovely to read a story with such a host of unlikeable characters for a change. A page turner of a book. The suspense builts nicely until we find out the identity of the body and try to guess what happened as the story slowly unveils the truth.

The book is fast paced from the beginning. Each chapter written by different characters, gives insight into their character and added depth to this exciting story.
Set in the snow-bound Highlands of Scotland, the party occupying luxury lodges, enjoying drinks and chatting, catching up with friends, become suspicious when sinister mystery and terror surrounds them.
Well written, the story is gripping and compelling, the author shows how the different characters react when unable to escape from the sinister events happening outside. Pacy from the beginning, the book becomes a whirlwind of gripping drama as it reaches the conclusion.
Recommended, will look out for more books from this author.

As taut and tense a novel as you can get. This truly gripping thriller had me on the edge of my seat and up until the small hours.
Set in the remote depths of the Scottish Highlands on the eve of New Year’s Eve this is the story of a group of friends from Oxford University some ten to twelve years later. Despite the ostensible bonhomie there are dark tensions running through the group. A lot of the characters have secrets they are desperate to keep.

As the relationships begin to unravel, one of the group is murdered. They are miles from anywhere, snowed in, with only the manager of the Lodge where they are staying and the gamekeeper for company. One of this group is a murderer.

This is a cleverly told novel where you don’t discover who the victim is until a good way into the story. The characters are really well drawn and in a few cases delightfully unpleasant. I was kept guessing until the end who the actual murderer was. The excellent descriptions of the brooding mountains, the dark loch and the falling snow all add to the sense of claustrophobia and tension as the narrative progresses. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

The Hunting Party is a captivating page turner. A group of Londoner’s – friends since their time at Oxford University together – head to the Scottish Highlands to see in the New Year. They find themselves in a remote, but luxurious house known as The Lodge, situated close to the bank of the nearby loch. As the holiday gets under way and as the group get ready to ring in 2019, one of them disappears. And soon a body is discovered.

Lucy Foley’s writing transports you to the Scottish Highlands. As city dwellers you immediately get the sense that the group are out of their comfort zone and this makes it the perfect setting for what later develops. You can quite clearly see how vulnerable they are in this location, particularly when the bad weather strikes which essentially cuts them off from the rest of civilisation.

For me the most mysterious person in the book was the ground keeper, Doug, who lives in the grounds of The Lodge. The group of friends will really get you thinking and I was undecided about my feelings towards a few of them as events unfolded. They do get you wondering, how on earth some of them have remained friends. The pace in the novel is excellent. Lucy Foley keeps you guessing as to which of them is going to end up dead and who, if any of them, is responsible. I didn’t have any idea until the final secrets were revealed. I loved how Lucy managed to keep me in the dark right up until the final chapters. Along the way Lucy keeps teasing the reader into thinking that this is the moment that things will start to become clear. This is what kept me gripped.

This book is perfect to read whilst wrapped up in a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day. The Hunting Party is atmospheric, well written and completely absorbing. This is definitely one to add to your reading pile in 2019. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for sending me an advance review copy of the book to read.

This is my first time reading the author. I really loved The Hunting Party. I thought the setting was great. What better place for a murder than a remote lodge in the wilderness of the Highlands? The setting is perfectly rendered, remote, beautiful and just a tad unsettling especially as the friends are mostly alone except for the Lodge’s staff and two other guests. The atmosphere gets even more isolated when the weather takes a bad turn. The Hunting Party has great atmosphere. I was gripped from the first page. The chapters alternate between the viewpoints of the friends. This structure works really well. You get to know the characters very well and also get different perspectives on what’s happening. I had no idea who the killer was and when this is revealed in the last few shocking chapters I was taken completely by surprise.

Enjoyed this book, although took a while to get into. The characters were interesting and well thought out and liked how they all turned out. The story line was good and unexpected. Loved the feel of the book, felt I was there in such a deserted place.

I am giving this book rave reviews before I've even finished reading it (I'm just over halfway through). Atmospheric setting, utterly believable characters, I can't swipe fast enough on my Kindle to read the next page, and I am finding myself imagining it as a film, the book is so good, I can "see" it in my imagination.

Two tiny asides - the word "simulacrum" used twice, really? (I had to look it up first time). And I spotted a typo "two" instead of "too" ...

A strangely relaxing thriller. The beautifully described scenery almost whisks you off to snowy wilderness and log fires. It's hard to work out who is the villain in this book as there are plenty of disagreeable characters, but that just adds to the storyline. An intriguing tale Well written and well worth reading. Refreshingly different and highly enjoyable. I'd definitely recommend it.

From page one, I wanted to know how it was all going to work out. The setting,at New Year,in an isolated Scottish estate gives the story atmosphere,the intricate plot is absorbing. Every so often a new piece of information about one of the main characters is revealed and throws the reader's assumption about the ending into doubt. The way in which the interaction between the characters is written gives this book an intriguing edge. Part of the ending becomes evident but not all of it. More is going on than you realise!

‘that’s the thing about old friends, isn’t it? Sometimes they don’t even realise that they no longer have anything in common. That maybe they don’t even like each other any more’.
This murder mystery has many of the features of the Golden Age of crime novels: a country estate retreat in an isolated location, and a gathering of old friends trapped by circumstances (snow in this case), each with guilty secrets to hide, whilst knowing the killer is among them.
However, by a nifty variation of the genre's tropes, we are not only made unaware of the perpetrator, but are also kept in the dark as to the identity of the victim - complicating the mystery even more.
Foley keeps us guessing by relating the history of the guests and staff at the Hunting Lodge, each with a personality or background that could make them either victim or killer. It is this nuanced exposition of their relationships that skilfully misdirects the reader’s suspicion until the end and kept me turning the pages of this excellent debut.

Before reading this book, I had hit a bit of a 'reading wall', mainly because I am currently in the process of writing my own thriller, which like The Hunting Party, has various narrators, all with their own subplots and narrative voices. I was stuck. I had no idea how to successfully write a book with more than one narrator. And then I read this. I enjoyed every second of this multi-character study, and I cannot express just how impressed I am at how wonderfully it is written.
Initially, when I realized just how many narrators there were in this novel, I was worried I might get confused, I needn't have been. Each narrator has a strong, unique voice, and unlike some multi-POV novels, all the narrators drive the plot forward. The intimate POVs made it possible to understand how each character saw themselves as well as how they saw each other, and the dissonance and contrast between these two viewpoints was super interesting. I also loved the choice of setting (I spent the past NYE in Scotland and know just how stunning yet isolating the landscape is).
Amazing novel.

If you enjoyed the recent BBC adaptions of Agatha Christie, this is a book for you. It has the same, dark, filmic quality with beautiful but dangerous characters hiding a number of secrets. Brooding, cold, & atmospheric.

A modern-life Agatha Christie with added glamour and grit in equal measure. I adored this book, and raced through it in only a few sittings, finding it near impossible to put down. Foley draws you, and cranks up the tension page by page...you feel as if you are in an ever tightening mechanism, being progressively squeezed as the plot turns and teases. Foley then unwinds the spinning wheel at just the right moment, and when the unravelling comes, it comes thick, and fast, and resulting in a very satisfying climax.

I hope Foley continues in the same vein with future novels, as she has cracked the genre, given it a modern twist, and made it her own. More please!

Thank you to Netgalley, Lucy Foley & Harper Collins for my arc of The Hunting Party.

Ever since they graduated Oxford together, a group of friends have found the time to take a holiday together every new year, and 2017 is no different. Samira and Giles have a baby now; Priya, Julien and Miranda are hiding secrets, Emma is nervous because as Mark's girlfriend she's still fairly new to the group and is the one who arranged this year's trip, Nick and Bo are excited but sick of Mark's homophobic jokes, and Katie is the only Singleton and feeling somewhat left out.

The Lodge is a lonely, if beautiful place, surrounded by forests and mountains, deer to be hunted and complete with a surly gamekeeper with a dangerous past, and a housekeeper running away from hers. Not to mention the creepy Icelandic couple staying in the boiler house.

The story is told from 5 POV's; Emma, Katie, Miranda, Doug (the gamekeeper) and Heather (the housekeeper). The three female guests have a POV in the past leading up to New Year's Day while Doug and Heather are in the future after the murder is committed and occasionally going back to the past to report what they saw of the group with an outside view. The reader finds out almost immediately that there has been a death but in a clever twist, we don't know who it is until very near to the end.

I found the story pulled me in right from the off. It takes a good writer to be able to manage so many different povs, and make them complement the story rather than confusing it, and Lucy Foley pulled this off. It was interesting to see how the different people perceived each other compared to how they thought they were being perceived. The ending was certainly a shock as well. I'd kind of figured out who the victim was, but I was almost at the big reveal before I figured out the murderer. Excellent writing, I'll be looking out for more from this author in the future!

When a group of old Oxford friends get together for their yearly new Year’s Eve bash, one person ends up dead. Rewind two days, and it’s clear there’s a lot of cracks in the group and people don’t like each other as much as they pretend. But who is the killer, and who is the victim?

The Hunting Party was a great debut thriller, and it honestly made me excited for other books Lucy Foley will write as she has great potential for brilliant, gripping books.

I really liked this book, and the intrigue of figuring out the dynamic of the group of people. Honestly, they were all bunch of d***heads but reading their antics was kind of like watching wild animals, it was hard to pull my attention away from the crazy antics.

There were a lot of names thrown out in the beginning chapters of this book and it took me a while to figure out who was who, and I also kept forgetting whose POV I was following (Katie, Emma, Miranda or Heather) as sometimes they sounded a bit similar and one would just run into another and I’d have to flip back to remind myself who I was reading.

Atmospheric and intriguing, this is a whodunnit with a difference as we don’t find out the victim or the guilty party until near the end of the book.

Instead we meet a group of uni friends and their partners as they gather for their annual get together, which, as the years have drifted on, shows how their friendships have also drifted.

Not many likeable characters in this book, but that’s part of the appeal. I enjoyed it and the way it was plotted immensely.

I enjoyed this book very much, loved the cast of friends and the other characters. Also the idea that we don’t know who is in trouble at the beginning. Lots of interesting facts come out about everyone involved, great plot. Keeps you guessing.

Lots of people still have friends from school or university. These people who've known you for years, who have seen you at your worst and most embarrassing moments, can sometimes be friends for life, your shared experiences providing the basis for a strong friendship. But sometimes there's not as much keeping you together as you think. The friends in The Hunting Party met at Oxford and reunite every New Year for a blow-out party. This year their party takes them to the Scottish Highlands, portrayed in this book as a beautiful but harsh wilderness. And it's not just a stag who gets killed this time...

Drawing definite inspiration from Agatha Christie the story unfolds in alternating chapters by different members of the group and switching time lines, and the strange events of the party soon emerge. This was a good fun read, with lots of characters you'll love to hate, and lots of red herrings along the way.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Strange but good... Who would have thought a New Years trip to the Scottish highlands would have caused so much drama.
Well worth reading.

This book follows a group of Oxford graduates as they reunite for their annual New Year holiday.

As the year has progressed, their lives and the order of such have stretched them further and further apart, but there is the glimmer of hope that these yearly holidays will reconnect them to the reasons they became friends all those years before...

Until somebody is murdered in the snowy highlands so chosen for peace and tranquility...

This books follows multiple POV as we trace the unassuming events leading up to the murder and the events there after. This provides a rich narrative, with a multitude of twists and turns that left me on the edge of my seat. It is an excellently constructed novel, with this somewhat erratic switch between characters fitting to the unsettled landscape that quickly turned from heaven to hell...

A thriller set in a remote Scottish hunting lodge.

Nine friends from University meet to spend the New Year together. It starts as a happy occasion but quickly old emotions and rivalries emerge, and the reunion starts to fall apart.

Then a body is found.

Emma, who has organised the holiday and chosen the venue, is something of an outsider, having only married into the group two years previously. The other eight were all at Oxford ten years before, and in this tight-knit set of friends, there are four couples and Katie, single, but a successful lawyer. Miranda is the star of the show, very beautiful, well connected, dazzlingly social and outwardly appears to have a perfect life. But does she? She has the capacity to stir things up and upset people. She starts playing a dangerous game.

The group of friends set out determined to have a great time, but the enjoyment, fuelled by alcohol, soon begins to reveal the cracks in their toxic relationships. Things deteriorate quickly, and then one of them disappears and the body, when it is found, shows evidence of murder.

The remote setting in the Scottish wilderness, which is described in great detail, adds to the tense atmosphere.

The narrative is told by various members of the party and the two members of staff at the hunting lodge. The action darts backwards and forwards over three days, giving it heightened tension and keeps the pages turning. Although this is a well-written and certainly compelling book to read, the hunting party, on the whole, is a self-centred and unpleasant bunch of people, while the two staff who run the place are both depressed and dysfunctional. This is the one drawback. The reader wants to find out the victim and the killer – and there are plenty of twists – but in the end, it doesn’t seem to matter who survives and who doesn’t.

A good murder mystery, which keeps you guessing right to the end.

Jane

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Wow this book was so different to anything Ive ever read before, despite being in the genus of books I always read. I wasn't too sure due to this but I am so glad I stuck with it, it was so different and kept me gripped to the last page without any of the often present predictability. I will be looking out for more by Lucy! Many thanks

This one had me up to the early hours until I finished it! Gripping, twisty, atmospheric.....I thought the dynamics between the friendship group was really well drawn and there was a convincing and compelling sense of place in the remote setting. Occasionally, I felt the first person narratives weren't quite distinct enough but I was willing to forgive this for such an enthralling plot. Great stuff for thriller fans.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley was a highland who done it with twists and turns like a Scottish highland track. A bunch of mates, well so called mates , desend upon a country lodge to celebrate new year. One thing leads to another and one of them is killed.....but by who! This was a great read with a miriad of characters all with their own baggage and history. Great read and well laid out. If you like a who did right up to the very last minute it then this is for you.

This was such a good book! A multiple character viewpoint that moves back and forth between the time before and after a murder has occurred. This is all done so skilfully that you don't know who the victim or the murder is until the last few pages.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Really liked this book a bit like Agatha Christie in todays world. Good old fashioned mystery book

I feel like there's a lot of books right now which are focusing on a group of people being trapped in a remote location and then someone turns up dead. So I wasn't going into this with high hopes. However, I really liked this book. I liked the flipping backwards and forwards between the present (when the body has been found), and the past (from the moment the group arrives leading up to what happens), and I also liked that you don't fully know who's being killed until quite a while into the book. It was so fun trying to work out who it could be, and who could have killed them.

The main characters were nasty and awful people, and I loved it. There were so much drama between them, and that helped build the tension. However, I feel like two of the couples in the friendship group were in the background and if you cut them out of the book altogether, it would have no impact on the plot. Those couples being Samira and Giles, and Nick and Bo. Why were they there??

I didn't see the ending coming. There were lots of little twists towards the end and I loved them. Just really loved this book. Would love to read more from this author!

I found this to be very much like an old style crime thriller. I mean that in a good way. Very atmospheric it is set in an out of the way location as in the Scottish Highlands cut off by snow. The plot thickens so to speak.
A group of friends eaten up by secrets and tension alongside some other very sinister guests and then of course a death. The staff are definitely a bit troubled and some of the characters are quite unlikeable.
Full of unexpected twists and red herrings as you would expect. Enjoyable and intelligent writing reminiscent of Agatha Christie

I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book as it’s different to my usual read but I gave it a chance cow and my god am I glad!! What a story! Very well written with amazing i ndepth characters and great descriptions I love it! I don’t want to give too much away but it kept me interested and up till 2am reading it! Would defo recommend

A great book and this isn't one I would normally read. I usually read chic lit but this changed my view on other genres.
A group of people are in a small area cut off by snow. Sinister people and troubled staff. It all ends in murder.....
This is all about the twist and revelations. Very entertaining.

I thought this was a very good example of its genre, it is an Agatha Christie style murder mystery. The characters rang true and the way the plot unfolded kept me guessing. I had no idea who had been murdered and it was impossible to guess by who, While I am not fond of "shoot-out" type of denouements, this was forgivable. After the build-up I was slightly disappointed by the ending, I expected something a little more surprising. The epilogue wrapped it all up nicely.

Enjoyed this book, something a bit different. Liked the characters and could not work out 'whodunnit' so I enjoyed the reveal.

This had the feel of an Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh but with a modern twist. The captive audience, the secrets, the location are all reminiscent of these amazing authors and is successful on all levels. The characters share a past which makes them gel easily, while the remoteness and assistance of not a small amount of alcohol makes the tongues looser and less guarded than normal. Add to this the locals who aren't actually that at all but are in the Highlands because of the isolation of the place they have chosen to try to escape dark pasts, which they want to have no part of their present or future and everything is in place for a great story.

In many ways the death is secondary to the rest of the story. It is, of course, possible for anyone to have committed the murder and, as each section is narrated by a different cast member, for a long while the identity of the victim isn't divulged. After a steady build up the end seemed to come quickly but this was because of the expert way the author increases the tempo and drama until it explodes into a multi-faceted and very satisfying reveal.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and thoroughly enjoyed it. The different points of of view work very well and don't hamper the forward movement of the story at all, in fact it gives it a more rounded feel. I was surprised this was a debut crime novel as it definitely ticks all the boxes of what I want from this genre.

One of my favourite tropes in the thriller/mystery genre has always been (and probably will always be) the group of people stranded in a remote location with a killer in their midst. There's just something so primal about it, both in terms of the way the characters when under threat revert to their base urges (fight or flight) and the genuine chills it gives me as a reader. I have always found this idea of being trapped with no way of getting help a bit terrifying and who doesn't love a few chills in this kind of story.

Needless to say as soon as I discovered The Hunting Party was about a group of old friends snowed in at a hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands with a killer among them I knew I had to read it (and not just because of the Highland setting).

So did it deliver? Well yes and no. It very well written and as a character study, absolutely wonderful but I felt it was a little lacking in the creepiness and tension I so badly wanted. I did really love the way in which the author portrayed the friendship dynamics within the group and the ways in which they've changed since they first met (well most of them) at University. They are not the same people now and despite the best efforts of some, have grown apart (and grown up) and lost the closeness they once had. They may think they know each other well but how well can you really know someone, even if they were once your closest friend.

What makes this an even better read is that these characters are for the most part, deliciously horrid. Interested primarily in appearance and position, they are self centered, vain, bullying and nasty. They may have been friends at some point (although I have my doubts) but now they're more like competitors, trying to outdo each other with their successes. There are also more than a few secrets and grudges being held.

Needless to say I don't think there was a single one of them I liked. There was the odd aspect of certain characters that I could relate to or recognize in myself and I did have some sympathy for the poor lodge manager and gamekeeper who had to look after them (and had some secrets of their own) but I do love watching nasty people tearing each other apart.

Where I felt a little let down however was in the murder mystery. It lacks the tension and the chills it needs to make it a truly thrilling and unputdownable read and I think this is due in part to the format. There are dual timelines running throughout, the first starting right after the discovery of one of the guests bodies (we don't know which one), and the other a few days before as the party make their way up to the lodge. I personally was not a fan of this approach as I never felt truly in the moment and consequently there was no sense of danger.

There is definitely some mystery to it and it does keep you guessing, firstly which of these horrible people has met a sticky end and then who was behind it and why, but there was none of the killer in our midst tension from the party I was hoping for. This is probably in a large part due to the post murder events being told from the pov of Heather, the lodge manager, with the other guests (the party) barely featuring. I also found it a little silly the way in which the identity of the victim was concealed from the reader, with the author avoiding even gender pronouns so as not to reveal whether it was a man or woman.

All of these criticisms are probably starting to make you think I didn't enjoy it but I really did. It may not have been exactly the story I was expecting to read but I genuinely enjoy character studies of unpleasant people. There's just something fascinating about not knowing what someone will do next and Foley has created some well rounded and believably nasty characters.

Overall I would recommend this to anyone who likes a more character focused thriller and doesn't mind it not being action packed or chilling.

Well it's put me off going to the wilds of Scotland on my holidays... Dark, twisty and clever. I really enjoyed it

Thoroughly enjoyed this book of a group in the Highlands of Scotland for new year. The story passes between the character with some info from the previous days too. Complex relationships, part history and hints throughout the book that all is not as it seems makes for a good read. Well written and enjoyable will look out for this author again

A story of friendship and blurred lines which all turns badly wrong. Kept you guessing and questioning what/who has happened and a nice twist to it at the end

The Hunting Party is a great debut novel by Lucy Foley.Based around New Years Eve 2018 a group of old friends, some now couples meet up in a remote lodge in Scotland to party there way into 2019,but their relationships are not as solid as they once were when growing up and tensions soon start to rise to the surface.They are like a fish out of water in the remote lodge as they are all now used to the big city and when the snow starts to fall they are trapped together and the secrets and lies start to tumble out.Then a body is found and everyone is under suspicion,This is a gripping murder mystery novel that will keep you guessing until the last few chapters and for me an excellent debut novel,a 5 star read for me and i look forward to reading more from Lucy Foley.

The Hunting Party follows a group of university friends as they meet up for their yearly New Year's Eve holiday roughly ten years after graduating. Most of the group are coupled up now, to each other or someone new, but these new steps into adulthood - marriage and children - bring about new dynamics and the relationships between old friends turn strained and become apparent for what they are; fake and full of lies, old habits dying hard. But when one of them turns up dead, questions are raised about how real their friendships truly are.

I am a sucker for the group of friends all have something to hide and one of them turns up dead and it could be any of them trope. So when I read the description for this, I knew I had to read it.

Starting off, I found it slightly hard to follow. Such a big group of characters that you're introduced to straight away, and it was hard to differentiate them at first. The alternative point of view also didn't help, as I found it hard to differentiate between each character's voices. Except for Heather's that is, and that is mostly because she's the manager, separate from the group, and is in a slightly different timeline. The other three narrators though, are mostly similar, and as they each talk about each other and their relationships together, and their past together, it can get confusing. Further on in the novel it does become clearer, each character starts to fit into a certain mold, and it becomes easier to follow. It's also slightly off-putting how each chapter is told from first person POV from that narrator, apart from Doug, whose is third person. Is it because he's the only male narrator? I don't know, it was just a bit grating that it was so different.

Down to the nitty-gritty though, and - no spoilers - there were some definite red herrings throughout this. Of course there would be, no thriller is complete without it, but while I said to myself 'nah, it's definitely not them' I still wasn't 100% sure. There were so many intricacies in the relationships between each and every character, and so many little throw away details that came back to mean something later, that whatever you thought you knew was wrong. 

I find it really hard to talk about books, especially thrillers, without feeling like I'm giving away too much of the plot. But what I can say is how this book made me feel afterwards. There are the normal types of books that stay with you after you've finished - ones that made you cry, that are devastatingly sad or are about something revolutionary or dramatic. But I was thinking about this one for days after finishing it too. And I can't quite pin my finger on why. Like I said, some stories have deeper meaning to you personally, some are so epic and profound. But this, and no disrespect intended at all, is your average run of the mill thriller. A well written one, yes, an intricately crafted and beautifully paid off novel. But... do you see what I'm saying? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just a different thing. But it still stayed with me for quite a lot longer than most books do.

Thrillers are also one type of book I rarely come back to - knowing the ending and that all important twist takes a bit of the fun out of it. But I can see myself rereading this. To dive back into that isolated part of Scotland with these deeply flawed friends. It really brings to light the realities of old friends, only friends because of situation - living together, on the same course. And then habit, the obligation you feel to carry on seeing each other, when really, there's nothing keeping you to each other any more. 

I might be only a little bit bias, because this book has so many of my favourite things combined, but I do think this is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time. 4 out of 5 stars.

THE HUNTING PARTY

This is a story about a group of friends who met at Oxford University and have maintained an annual tradition of meeting up to celebrate their friendship, except as the years have gone by they are finding they have less and less in common. This year they are celebrating New Year in the Scottish Highlands in a remote hunting lodge and they are finding the cracks in their relationships are beginning to show. The main characters in the book are the university friends, the main character is Miranda who is stunningly beautiful but rather self-centered and everything seems to revolve around her. There are a few other characters such as Heather who is the manager for the lodge and Doug who is a sort of caretaker for the property. Both characters have their own problems. Besides them there are a couple of Icelandic visitors and Ian who seems to be the person who picks the visitors up from the station.

The scene that has been set is pretty bleak as it is set in the highlands and a snowstorm starts after the visitors have arrived making further access impossible. This makes the setting for the story slightly eerie and it has a slightly cold feel to it. There were a few twists and turns in the plot which held my interest and the book was quite enjoyable on the whole. I felt I got to know the characters reasonably well and they were quite believable. I have not read any other books by the author Lucy Foley and would probably read another by her. Most of the story is set in the present time and there are few flashbacks which made a refreshing change. Overall an enjoyable book.

Not the type of book I usually read and haven't read any other books from this author. A group of friends usually meet up for New Year. This year they've rented a lodge in the highlands of Scotland with individual cabins. There are 3 members of staff Heather the manager, Doug the gamekeeper and Iain odd job man who doesn't live on the estate. They all seem to have problems they're hiding. Book travels in time to different times in their lives to the present day.

I loved this book.
A group of old friends always go away together over the New Year. This particular new year is no exception. They go to a remote location in Scotland, which gets isolated and impassable in inclement weather.
The staff at the location also have their own reasons for being there and wanting to be isolated.
The party congregate and there are fallings out and misunderstandings. One of the party behaves in such a way that nearly everyone else has some sort of irritation and negative emotions that any of them could have a motive for murder.
The location is isolated from the outside world when one of the party goes missing and, indeed, they are found and it looks like murder.
There are other strange happenings, too.
This was a really gripping book and I read it in one sitting.
Highly recommended.

Great book to wrap yourself up in and spend a windy afternoon inside, every time I thought of putting it down, I wanted to read on and see what happened. The author has managed to grab your interest in all the characters and the dynamics of the friendship group. Going back to the university days and following through their lives, some strands would be familiar to us all and others gave it a twist. The age old adage of wanting to be liked, part of the group and clinging together for old time sake runs through this and the voyeur in you wants to see how it plays out. The writer also makes you feel part of the landscape and imagine yourself up in the Highlands as part of the group, great book.

A group of old friends gather to celebrate the New Year at a remote lodge in the Scottish highlands. But not all of these friends really like each other much, or maybe some like each other too much. As the weather worsens, cutting them off from the outside world, and the year draws to a close, not all the guests will survive...

Narrated by three of the guests - Emma, Katie and Miranda - and the two on-site staff - Doug and Heather - it’s a tense and claustrophobic read which builds the atmosphere very effectively. And while the identity of the possible victim may not be a great surprise, the reason may well be. I definitely didn’t see it coming.

Fabulous! I found this well constructed thriller a great book and story. Kept me guessing who the victim was all the way through. I found it well paced and an engrossing read. I would happily read Heather and Doug follow ups if they were ever written. I will absolutely recommend this to family and friends and keep a look out for more by Lucy Foley.

Lucy Foley has hit the road running with her first crime novel! 9 old friends from University days in Oxford have spent New Year’s Eve together for many years and this year it falls upon Emma to organise their few days away - she opts for a well equipped but very remote estate in Scotland. The story is brilliantly told principally by the ladies of the group - Emma, Katie, Miranda and Samira, interspersed with sections recounted by the “housekeeper”, Heather, and the Gamekeeper, Doug, thus introducing the reader to all their very different personalities. From their arrival at the small, isolated railway station things start to get fraught and friendships are shaken up. One of the party goes missing after their New Year’s Eve celebrations, and the finding of the body - murdered - causes more questions to be asked. There are many twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled, surprised and on the edge of their seat. .

I really enjoyed this book. A group of friends who met at Oxford meet up every year to spend the new year together. This time they are staying at a hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands. The story is told from the point of view of several people, including the housekeeper at the Lodge. It becomes clear that a lot of secrets are being kept. As the weather turns bad and the Lodge is completely cut off, one of the guests is found dead, and foul play is suspected. I loved the characters and the changing dynamics between them, and the story kept me on tenterhooks to the end. This is a cracking good read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

What’s as slippery as ice yet twice as treacherous?

Yes, you guessed it: "The Hunting Party", a mixed group of thirty-somethings on a New Year’s Eve excursion to a Highland hunting lodge become marooned by the bleak, hostile conditions, which includes their memories, consciences and the evident pecking order that remains from their university days.

During the short and punchy timeline events take a sinister spin and a handful of their party take turns to share their intimate thoughts, as if I were an unexpected guest they felt compelled to confide in.

These one-sided exchanges strip the characters of their usual façades to expose whatever lies beneath. As I intently absorbed the relays of these private, alternate points of view I realised the more I learned the more question marks hung over all their heads. It’s like a literary game of "Cluedo", only edgier.

This alone prolonged the intrigue of the whole affair. But that’s not all. The plot also includes the back stories of the two emotionally distant members of staff and a separate, subtle sub-plot that cleverly worms its way into their ordeal.

"The Hunting Party" is narrated in such a casual, relaxed way it feels completely natural to stay and witness the entire drama until the very end – it was a one-sitting read for me that I just couldn’t get enough of.

It's mysterious, dark. You will get hooked straight away. The story keeps you enthralled and intriguing. Each character gives their own point of view.
Thank you to both netgalley and the publishers Harper Collins UK for giving me the opportunity to read The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley.

The first book that I've read by this author and a little bit of research shows that it is her first thriller. I hope not the last. To start, there is a group of mostly couples, long term friends from Oxford days who have reached their 30s and have a regular reunion over New Year - somewhere different. This time one of them has chosen a remote and isolated place in the Highlands of Scotland (I did squirm at the idea of a modernistic glass and chrome set of buildings on a new site versus Highlands and Islands' Planning Department, but it is a novel after all). The couples were somewhat cliche'ed and everyone had to be there - the glamorous soul of the party extroverts (Miranda and Julien), the gay guys (Nick and Bo), the besotted with new baby couple (Samira and Giles with Priya), the 'normal' middle of the road couple (Mark and Emma) and the single on the fringe best friend (Katie). Add to the mix the war damaged estate manager/gamekeeper (Doug) and the traumatised ex doctor (Heather) who is running the enterprise for a London business man and you have the makings of a good story. The group arrives via a remote railway station (thinks Altnabreac) and are taken on an hour or so drive to their destination. There's definitely some stereotyping going on there with their clothing/luggage/lack of phone signal versus the strong silent, dour gamekeeper but there are good descriptions of the landscape and a strong feeling of isolation. They settle in but are miffed that an Icelandic couple are at the New Lodge too, although some way away in the bunkhouse, as they had believed that they were to be the only group on-site. The partying starts, the champagne flows and the pills appear as the friendliness starts to unravel with snide remarks, back biting, bullying and general nastiness gradually taking over. It snows heavily. They are cut off. A body is discovered and it is clearly murder. Police can't get there. and the story unravels, along with the friendships, from there on. I am not spoiling the read by saying who the body was nor how the perpetrator was uncovered, let alone the little twists along the way. Read it for yourselves. Suffice to say that there is a satisfactory ending. The story is told by difference individuals and is therefore in the first person throughout. Each section starts with the date and the relevant individual therefore there is a clear path in the narrative at all times. This helps as we do jump from the discovery of the body by Doug on the first page then jump back a few days to Emma and her thoughts about the food she's ordered and how she organised the whole event as they travel north on the train. The descriptions of the landscape and feelings about it were great and felt very comfortable to me although I'm only in the south west of Scotland. The characters were well developed although I felt little sympathy for any of the guests and greatly annoyed at them at times. I did work out who the body was going to be and who did the evil dead but the suspense remained and this knowledge did not detract from the story. In all a 'good read' and I hope that the author produces more of this thriller type.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Lots of twists that makes is a good read and keep you guessing. Edgy and yet enjoyable. Loved it.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was full of twists and turns as to who had committed the crime, because the author cleverly outlined the fact it could have been anyone. I also liked the dedication of each chapter to a particular character. A very atmospheric read as the story was based in Scotland. Would thoroughly recommend this book. Will definitely read more books by this author.

Being Scottish piqued my interest in reading this book and also because I enjoy a good thriller. Lucy Foley totally captures the “dreich” barren landscape of a remote Scottish winter and it was a perfect setting for the whodunnit that unfolds. I found the book rather confusing in the beginning, with several different characters point of view all battling to hook me in, but that’s maybe something other readers wouldn’t struggle with. Once in and up to speed with who everyone was, I found myself enjoying the plot but found most of the characters highly unlikeable, with the exception of Heather and Doug. Although the reader is left until near the end to discover who was murdered, I found it fairly obvious from quite early on and I figured out who done it without too much difficulty. All in all an enjoyable read and would recommend it to others readers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

If you like your thrillers thrilling and your plots character driven, I have found just the book for you.
The premise is a classic, a bunch of old friends get together in a remote location and somebody tragically dies…. Was is a spouse? A friend? The grumpy groundskeeper? Only time and a wonderful narrative will tell.

It really is a treat though, the main characters are a group of old university friends getting together for their traditional New Year getaway. It’s been a few years since they all graduated and translating friendships from those years to mature adult relationships is hard work.

The chapters alternate between perspectives, which is really great because you get to read about the same past events through the eyes of different characters and get a better picture of how their minds work. Obviously, some of the characters are more reliable than others and there are a few with dark pasts that are very slowly dragged out of them at a frustrating pace but it’s worth it! Best of all, not all of the characters are likable – they’ve done dodgy things in the past, like every other person on the planet, and that just makes it all the juicer.

Another thing that I liked was that it was set in rural Scotland, but the total isolation of the area isn’t romanticised – it’s a dangerous place to be when the weather cuts them off, with no phone signal or access to basic amenities. As a result, it makes the entire story more atmospheric and tense rather than waxing lyrical about lochs and pine trees (both of which are beautiful, but probably not what you’re noticing when someone’s been murdered). If you get a chance, read this book when it’s snowy and cold out for added thrills…

I adored Foley’s writing style with this book and couldn’t put it down, I’ll happily pick up anything she’s written from now on without question

'The Hunting Party' by Lucy Foley is out in January 2019 and it is perfectly timed as it is set at New Year(2018) in a snow and ice bound lodge in the remote Scottish Highlands.
A group of well to do friends in their thirties have arranged to spend the holiday there after struggling to see each other as much as they would like due to work and family commitments . No expense spared in booking it (by Katie) the ante upped in the catering department by Emma and exclusive access to the Central Lodge (the original building is out of bounds due to safety reasons) gives them a 50,000 acre area where they can relax, hunt, take saunas and generally unwind. whilst being waited on by the Lodge manager, Heather and general caretaker/gamekeeper Doug.
But, as the friends gather to celebrate New Year, the snow and icy conditions mean that after they arrive they are effectively cut off from the outside world, based in an area known for poachers, smugglers, oh and a serial killer called the 'The Highland Ripper' is on the loose....and then 2 unexpected guests turn up...
Tensions mount as the sense of isolation creeps in and then a body is found.
Perfect winter reading, you can literally feel the chill coming off the bones of the corpse, this is a fantastic story with tension mounting to unbearable levels as the guests become engaged in a game of cat and mouse and old rivalries rise to the surface.
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for letting me read this in return for an honest review.

Wonderfully atmospheric this well written story about old friends transports the reader to a beautiful but desolate and somewhat unwelcoming remote area of the Scottish Highlands. An annual ritual of spending New Year together brings a mixture of excitement and trepidation among the group. While most like to reminisce about their younger days and recapture their youth with wild abandon, others have moved on and are comfortable with their more adult existence. Unsurprisingly, disagreements occur and drunkeness threatens to reveal dark secrets that could threaten the enduring friendships. Amidst a heavy snowstorm a body is discovered of a missing guest. Who is it? Were they murdered or was it an unfortunate accident? Can people really remain good friends for many years or do differing lives and paths always get in the way?
I thoroughly enjoyed this tense and gripping book with the unfolding drama that had me guessing throughout.

An enjoyable story of the breakdown of relationships between a group of ‘old friends’ when taken out of their comfort zone and stranded on a snowbound estate in Scotland.
Interesting background stories revealed throughout the book that keep you guessing who is the guilty party. Even the victim is not revealed until the end.
#LucyFoley,#NetGalley,#TheHuntingParty

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting. I was totally caught up in the story from the start. I wanted to know who had died and who the murderer was. A group of friends together for New Year sounds like a really good holiday. However there are secrets and lies. Not all the characters are likeable. Some of them I would never want as friends. The mix of characters makes it a really good read and adds to the suspense. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This was a very good read. The setting was wonderful and the atmosphere of the lodge was perfect. You could almost feel that you were there.
I felt that the characters were very interesting and believable.
The house party from hell, with friendships that were not what they seemed.
The feeling that "something" was going on kept up my interest and the book was read in no time at all.
It was very good indeed. I loved it.
Thank you Netgalley.

I received this book from Netgalley. A murder mystery set in the snowy Highlands of Scotland. This is a very atmospheric novel, reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel set in modern times.Lucy Foley gives the reader a real feel for the weather conditions surrounding the hunting party but does not seem to use the same depth with her characters all of which except for Heather and Doug are seemingly quite obnoxious without a redeeming factor between them.

The plot runs along at a fairly quick pace but to be quite honest I had no real interest in who was dead and by whose hand. This was maybe less the fault of the author as the dislikeable characters she created. Now I would definitely look out for the back story to Heather and Doug's reason for taking on work at The Lodge.

A wonderful story with mystery and characters that felt real. I shall be looking out for more from this author

This is one twisty little blighter of a book!

Foley takes us to the Highlands in Scotland and introduces us to a group of friends (who all met at Oxford and are still in touch many years after graduation) who are having a reunion for New Years Eve.

In this luxury but remote place the heady cocktail of festive fun, too much booze and withheld secrets and grudges makes for a brilliant setting. Add in a body and this cocktail suddenly becomes lethal...

Foley isn't afraid of introducing you to a group of people who are mostly unlikeable yet intriguing. I don't mind a good plot full of unlikeable characters (but this may not be the book for you if you do need someone to connect to), it adds to the diversity and is ultimately quite realistic given that the story is about very career driven ego centric couples. Added to the mix are some very troubled staff members, leading you to think that the murderer could literally be anyone.

A brilliant (and somewhat original take on a good old fashioned murder plot) is that you don't find out who has been murdered until nearly the end of the book. All the way through (from the very first chapter) you know there is a body, where it is found, then we find out the gender (no spoilers here!) and whilst you can have a good old guess it's not confirmed until very late on. This makes brilliant guess reading as in order to find a killer you have to know the victim and motive. Throughout most of this book you have no clue!

I had trouble at times remembering who was who as the story is told from 5 different points of view: Miranda (the 'It' girl from Oxford), Emma (Miranda's new bestie who tries to emulate Miranda's perfection at every opportunity), Katie (used to be Miranda's bestie but has since distanced herself) then Heather and Doug (the lodges staff...both young and single yet want to live in a remote location?). However each character and their back stories are very juicy. You will want to power through to find out all about them!

I really enjoyed this book. I adored the backdrop of the beautiful Highlands and the fact that the harsh weather turned this picturesque landscape into a hostile prison, cutting the group off from the world made the atmosphere perfect. Any fans of Agatha Christie will most certainly enjoy this book.

A great 4 star read for me!

I would like to thank Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

There's more than a touch of the Agatha Christie's here...

Take a cast of (mainly) unlikeable characters - many with secrets and troubled pasts - put them in a snowbound Scottish setting, throw in a few red herrings, stir, and add murder!

Really enjoyed this novel - I did actually guess "whodunnit" but not until near the end of the book.

I've previously read Lucy Foley's more "historical" style novels - this is very different and contemporary. A good read for an autumn (or snowy!) day.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

I quite enjoyed this one (eventually). A whodunnit with a twist.

A group of old friends have travelled up from London and are spending New Year in a remote lodge in the Scottish Highlands. Soon after they arrive the estate is cut off from the outside world by snow but they have plenty of food and alcohol to help celebrate the festive season. The only ones on the estate are the friends, one other couple and two people who work there.

A body is discovered. The identity is not revealed at that point but given that no one can get in or out of the estate the killer must still be there.

I struggled a bit initially. The story is told from each character's viewpoint but there are lots of flashbacks to times before the body is found. I seemed to be taking ages to even get to the halfway point.. I didn't find it 'un-put-downable', at least initially. Nor did I really care for any of the characters. However the story is quite well written and the tension does build up. Things start to go wrong, tempers flare, cracks appear.

I almost gave up around the halfway mark but rather than abandoning the story I did something that many readers frown upon - I jumped to nearer the end of the book and started reading. I actually found it much more interesting, got to the end, decided it might be worth reading the rest of it and so went back to the middle and read on.

In the end, I quite enjoyed it. The Hunting Party might just have been the wrong story for me at that time I tried to read it. I suspect if I were just starting it now, I would enjoy it.

A group of priviledged Londoner go away to Scotland for a New Year treat and one of them gets murdered. The tale is very cleverly written from all different perspectives and so reveals everyone's opinions of each other and the love and hate that exists between them and the thin veil that hides love, lust, jealousy and envy. Could it be one of the group themselves or is it the strange other guests or indeed the a member of the lodge staff who have their own secrets to keep. It all happens during a white out and the group are trapped until communications with the outside world can be re-established. A gripping and imaginative tale.

It's no secret that I love a bit of Agatha Christie so when I kept seeing reviews of The Hunting Party saying that in plot and tone it evoked the great lady herself, I couldn't wait to give it a read. In that sense, The Hunting Party is murder mystery 101, it ticks all the boxes. Set in an isolated luxury lodge in the snowy Scottish highlands, a group of nine friends go there to spend New Year's Eve; they are Oxford University alumni, each with a back story and secrets. Add in two other random guests from Iceland that no-one knows much about and three lodge employees who all have more to their characters than first meets the eye and you have the perfect blend to create just the right level of intrigue and suspense. As lodge manager, Heather says, 'Some people, given just the right amount of pressure, taken out of their usual, comfortable environments, don't need much encouragement at all to become monsters.'

We are told in the prologue that someone has been murdered, then the narrative jumps between the present and back to the preceding few days to tantalisingly reveal the story. Not only that, five characters - Heather, Doug, Miranda, Katie and Emma - are given their own chapters throughout the book. This might seem like a lot of plates to be spinning, but it never felt confused or cluttered, Lucy Foley skilfully uses these devices to give us multiple points of view, move the story along at a perfect pace and add a pulse of suspense that beats loudly through every chapter.

The Agatha Christie comparisons are richly deserved, you know one of the characters is murdered, but are kept guessing throughout a majority of the read as to who the victim is, let alone who the murderer is. Not only that, the ending throws up a few twists I was not expecting, which really upped the pace for the last quarter and left me wishing it wasn't all over when I reached the final page. This is a truly great and satisfying murder mystery that you need to add to your TBR list!

A group of friends from university, now in their thirties, travel to a remote resort in the Scottish Highlands. What promised to an idyllic retreat to celebrate the New Year turns into tragedy when one of the party is found dead. Lucy Foley expertly depicts growing strain amongst the friendships within the group, unearthing long-held resentment and jealousy. The Hunting Party is reminiscent of Agatha Christie meets Clare Mackintosh.

How little it takes, I think, just some shadows, really, to make ourselves unknown to each other.


The Hunting Party is a book about terrible people going away on holiday for the New Year and one of them ending up dead. It's a book about growing up and growing apart, but with a very deadly twist. It reminded me, in a way, of Donna Tartt's The Secret History though without her flair for the poetic and the big sweeping vistas of New England in winter (that sense of alienation and the foreboding feeling that something dark is right around the corner), but also of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which I remember reading and loving as a teenager. Instead, this story follows a group of Oxford friends who reunite for a New Year's Eve party in a lodge in the Scottish highlands. Cut off from civilisation and hiding secrets that could tear the group apart, they are all shocked when a dead body is discovered in the snow; it seems among them, there is a killer.

The main thing to bear in mind about The Hunting Party is that basically everyone in the Oxford group is an unlikable prat. The main POV characters are Miranda (the glamorous one), Katie (her best friend), Emma (the newer addition to the group), along with Doug, the gamekeeper Doug and Heather, the manager of the property, both of whom have their own demons and troubled pasts to run away from. The plot swings between the before and the after of the murder, as things escalate to a dangerous and deadly climax. Foley adeptly manages to keep you guessing about who the murderer might be and the revelation, though shocking, isn't completely unexpected - the clues are definitely there if you're paying attention.

By making everyone an irredeemable arsehole, it is, at times, hard to truly sympathise with any of them (though, it should be noted, that I don't think that the victim deserved their fate). This is a group of people blind to their privilege, making it obvious that none of them will come out of this unscathed. Even in their first person accounts, biased as you would expect them to be, it's clear that Foley wants you to dislike them, but also to cast a light on the kind of people that would embody the phrase, 'so this is how the other half lives'. Foley even manages, for quite some time, to keep the identity of the victim a secret, which was an interesting choice, even if the language was sometimes stilted and awkward; when Heather, the manager and the one who has most consistently referred to guests by their names, stops thinking of (view spoiler) by their name and instead starts using more generic terms, it doesn't at all feel natural.

There is also a subplot involving (view spoiler) which I genuinely couldn't care for. When you have a killer among a group of people who are cut off from the rest of the world, I feel that adds enough tension and drama, without some other thing to distract from what's happening. I wanted to see whether Foley would go somewhere really interesting with this, but she doesn't and it feels like a distraction, the sting from the end really taken out (mostly because I didn't care for that character at all and I genuinely don't see what it actually added to the final story). Speaking of, the ending is almost frustrating in how some people seem to get away, like (view spoiler), but I would say from the perspective of how the murder plot pans out, it's reasonably satisfactory.

I sound like I'm putting the book down a lot, but I did find it an engaging read. I zipped through the novel, turning the pages on my Kindle frantically and only wanting to see what would happen next, worried I would miss my train stop. When it launches, it would make the perfect kind of novel to read in the haze of the Christmas excesses and the 'New Year, new you' mantras all over social media. Quick, zippy, dark and dangerous, making you appreciate your group of friends even more.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley for me personally, is a hard one to review. It’s similar to an Agatha Christie novel, a whodunit novel.
A group of friends that have been friends from their Oxford University days. Decides to celebrate the New year in, by renting a lodge in a remote area of the Scottish Highlands. When a Snow storm breaks and they are all stranded together. But, they make the best of things by drinking champagne and throwing dinner parties etc. Until, a body turns up. The friends now stranded and waiting until the weather gets better, they soon learn about each other and their friendships are not as good as it seems.
This is a good effort for a debut novel. This story was well written, suspenseful, wondering who was the killer, while being snowed in. Each one of the characters not trusting each other, but try to enjoy their time together all the same. Each chapter centred around a different character and the background of their stories that brings it up to present day. I just didn’t like any of the characters in this story. There were no likeable ones I thought they were all vain, apart from the staff Heather and Doug. I thought for me personally, there was too much of their background story but not enough main one.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy of this book 3.5 stars from me.

Proper old school whodunnit and has properly put me off meeting old school and uni friends. Very atmospheric which had me curling up under a blanket. I will be recommending this and waiting with baited breath for the next book

A superb story excellently written, could not put this book down, will definitely be looking out for other titles by this author, I am a firm fan of her work.

A fantastic read from start to finish.
With a gripping story line, you'll find this book hard to put down!
Would love to read more books from Lucy, shes a fantastic writer.

This is fun, creepy take on a country-house mystery, with a cast of characters who are all slightly terrible, in a wonderfully enjoyable way. Set in a hunting lodge on New Year's Eve, the atmosphere builds like the blanket of snow around the hunting party as they drink champagne, celebrate, and watch their friendships fall apart. It was twisty and unpredictable, and I enjoyed trying to stay one step ahead of the plot and work out who the body was before the characters got their themselves.

Excellent thriller, almost Agatha Christie like in style, but with a more modern twist.

The setting is very atmospheric and the backgrounds and personalities of the characters are well drawn. Difficult to find much empathy for any of the travelling party. I did though find myself rooting for Doug and Heather, the staff members who are fighting their own demons whilst having to cope with the demanding and dislikeable group of customers.

An excellent read that pulled me in.

Thank you to the author, Harper Collins and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a terrible bunch of people (for the most part) and what fun reading their car crash of a new years getaway: with their terrible secrets and murderous tendencies! The novel is dual time perspective, though not difficult to follow, which lends a constant buzz of "what's round the corner?" and there were a few times I was properly creeped out. Overall, a fiendish thriller, in a remote location, with characters you'll love to hate but be desperate to follow.

If you love intriguing crime stories with plenty of unexpected twists and turns and a captivating, storyline that will have you burning the midnight oil to find out more, then this is for you. I absolutely loved it. The chilly Highland scenery, the friends with hidden secrets, the well developed, dark and mysterious characters and the beautiful, seamless way in which it is written.

Although the crime takes place early on, the gradual unravelling helps maintain a high level of suspense until the end. We are kept in the dark for quite some time about the gender, never mind identity of the victim. Suspicion gets thrown on one person after another. Definitely shades of Agatha Christie here.

It makes these friends question just how well they really know those who have been a large part of their lives since university. Because people are rarely what they seem on the surface. At least not here. Despite their preordained roles and seemingly fixed characters in times past.

A lot of tension sits close to the surface, as they gather at a Hunting Lodge for a New Year celebration and assume an air of jollity that doesn’t always ring true. Old rivalries and injured feelings, resentment and jealousy make this a less than joyful gathering, especially with a murder thrown into the mix.

Grudges have a way of coming out, as a snow blizzard temporarily encloses the guests from the world and creates an atmosphere of its own. Those who run the Lodge are also keeping secrets at bay. Ones that threaten to derail them just as much as the crime itself. A gripping, unpredictable and unputdownable read, revealing much about the vagaries of human nature and the horrors it can elicit.

What a fabulous page-turner!

I was already hooked once I had read the description of the book: a group of nine friends go to the Scottish Highlands for a New Years Eve celebration at a luxury lodge...but one isn't going home with them. The freezing and isolated conditions set a brilliant backdrop for this thriller.

Told in two time periods - the present in which we are told a guest has died and a period from two days prior, so we get to know the dynamic of the group. But which guests has died and who did the deed and why? Cleverly written, the reader must work everything out ahead of the reveal. The twists and turns were great in that they were possible to work out but weren't obvious.

Once I'd started this, I couldn't stop so make sure you have time to read it! The one downside is that it's not being released before Christmas/NYE so I can't give this as a gift. It would work so well!

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Harper Fiction and Lucy Foley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An atmospheric thriller that had many intriguing storylines running through it. The concept of a group of people isolated, alone and trapped because of outside conditions, is the perfect setting for this mystery/whodunit. In an unusual twist, the victim was not identified until near the end. I was kept guessing who was the victim and who was responsible until the reveal, as there were so many possible scenarios. Very cleverly written.

Lucy Foley has done a stunning job of creating wonderfully deep characters most of whom appear to have deep-seated angst for others in the mini alumni who meet each year to celebrate the new year.

Emma who is still regarded as the newcomer to the group despite having been a part of the gang for years organised an out of the way Scottish retreat for this year's celebration. Somewhere along the way though, the angst between some of the group boils over in an act of violence, which claims the life of one of their number.

This is a well crafted story with plenty of tension building behind the scenes and with a crafty plot twist and differing viewpoints. This book was thoroughly enjoyed, and I have no problem awarding Lucy five stars for effort.

Well done and I would like to read more of your work Lucy.

A cast of unlikable characters marooned in a remote location by snow, what could possibly go wrong ?
Plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to keep you guessing. An atmospheric and well written read.

To celebrate New Years Eve a few days getaway to the remote scottish highlands is arranged by a group of old university friends.
Being thrown together after a long time apart it seems the bond of friendship is nowhere near as strong as they had all believed.
Old resentments and grudges from the past resurface and when they find themselves cut off from the outside due to heavy snows the celebrations turn sour as secrets and lies are revealed.
A body is discovered by the groundsman.
Gradually the identity is revealed, suspects abound. It seems anyone of the guests could be the killer.
The suspense builds nicely and kept me guessing all the way through.
A host of interesting if not likeable characters populate this story and anyone of them seems capable of murder.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the chance to read this as an ARC.

I loved this twisty tale and couldn't put it down. Loved the setting and atmosphere. It kept me guessing to the end. I would highly recommend it to folks who like this type of mystery.

Full of secrets and intrigue this was right up my street! A classic whodunnit I was hooked from the first paragraph! Loved reading from all of the characters perspectives too.

This book!!! As soon as I finished it I messaged a friend to say "You have GOT to order this book NOW!" Isn't it wonderful when you read a book and know exactly who to recommend it to! If you love character driven, Agatha Christie-esque mysteries set in atmospheric, eerie locations then The Hunting Party is going to knock your socks off. It reminded me in a way of Ruth Wares debut "In A Dark Dark Wood" but with more champagne and drugs! When you throw together a cast of unlikeable people like this bunch then sparks are guaranteed to fly but when a body is discovered it's a shock that nobody is expecting. You must put aside a few hours to read this because once you join The Hunting Party you won't be leaving until after the kill!
As with all the best psychological thrillers, there is a slow build up whilst we are introduced to this rather unappealing and self absorbed group of university friends as they make their way to Scotland to celebrate New Year together. It takes a while to work out their connections to each other (Mark and Nick I got confused with to begin with but that's probably just me!) but once they were settled into their isolated cabins at the lodge where they were staying, it was much easier to recognise the different personalities. Miranda was a particularly unlikeable member of the group and I found her attitude towards her oldest friends completely baffling!
Told by multiple POVs and in different timelines it isn't until quite near the end that we find out who has been murdered, why and by whom. But I have to say that the twists and turns really did pull me in so many different directions that, although I thought I knew what was happening and why, I was much further off the mark than I usually am! And that's another reason why I absolutely loved this book! It's a fascinating look at how the toxic relationships we make can't be easily escaped as they become a habit that's much too hard to break. But the breakup here is VERY extreme indeed!
If you're after a gripping, character based and darkly atmospheric storyline then The Hunting Party is a must for your TBR pile. This one is going to be HUGE!
Highly recommended by me!

I enjoyed this book it was a bit different to anything I have read recently.I did struggle to cope with all the characters in the beginning but once I had them sorted in my mind I got into the story, I thought the atmosphere of the place was perfectly captured,and the pace of the book was good.I did work out who the victim was but had no idea who the killer was,and the other subplots were interesting too.There was plenty going on,and this was an entertaining and well written book.I enjoyed it.thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an ARC.

Thirteen people, 1 dead body

3.5 stars for the thriller debut Hunting Party by Lucy Foley.

A group of friends who met at Oxford a decade ago decides to celebrate NYE in a remote location in the Scottish Highlands. Due to the heavy snow they find themselves cut off from civilisation. We quickly learn that the friendship bond between some of them is not as strong as it seemed and actually there is a degree of animosity and resentment among them as old wounds and grudges from their past resurface. I started to wonder why would anyone want do an annual trip with people they didn't like?

"But that's the thing about old friends, isn't it? Sometimes they don't even realise that they no longer have anything in common. That maybe they don't even like each other any more."

Initially, it took me some time to get into this and get a grip on who was who, but once I got there, I enjoyed the book. Each chapter is told from a different POV - Emma, Katie, Miranda, Heather and Doug with the timeline jumping from 'Before the murder' and 'After'. It is not clear who has been murdered and who the murderer is until relatively late in the story which is not a bad thing. I thought I knew where the book was going and who the culprit was, but I was completely wrong. I did not see the twist coming at all.

The synopsis mentions Agatha Christie. I love Christie's books dearly and would like to clarify that apart from the obvious setting resemblence to the Mousetrap, this is quite a different type of novel. Still a good one, just different.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Modern day Agatha Christie. ALL the ingredients are there!
Deserted Scottish estate. A group of 9 friends. The rich and the envious, the beautiful and the wannabes. Mysterious estate staff, extreme snow that delays the police when one of the party is found dead.
Keeping the reveal of the victim and the perpetrator right to the end, with a Hansel and Gretl trail of clues and red This herrings leading us all the way to the end, this is solid commercial mystery. Does exactly what you’d want and expect.

Absolute classic country house weekend murder.
Entitled and arrogant university friends meet every year for New Year's Eve, but this year there are more tensions and as the snow begins to fall in their remote Highland getaway, things unravel.
Told in different voices which I enjoyed this was as much a murder mystery as a story of old friendships.

This is one of the best, unique books I've read in a longtime. I'll be honest I read the first 15% on my Kindle and left it, and went onto something else. I hate leaving books so I went back to give it another go, and I finished it in two days, I was intrigued and pulled into the story.. I think that it must have been the mood I was in as sometimes this affects my reading enjoyment. The characters are all flawed, and to be honest not very likeable. This was intentional as I honestly could not guess until the end who the murderer was. There was also another unexpected surprise, I'll leave it here as I don't like to give plots or any hint as the ending when reviewing. The atmospheric setting was wonderful and added to the chilling storyline, it did my me chilly the descriptions were that good, I had to reach for a blanket. I'll be certainly looking for more books by this author. In fact I've just gone to look and this is her first crime novel which is certainly impressive. She's written other books and I'm going to check them out whilst waiting another crime novel, hopefully.

We make lifetime friendships and within them, we offer comradeship, camaraderie, loyalty and love. You’ll find all of these in this story and then you’ll discover what happens when loyalty and love turns to deceit and betrayal.
Atmospheric, dark and intimidating - the characters come together for New Year in the wilds of Scotland. The weather turns and they become snowed in together and cut off. Here begins the testing of their friendships.
I loved how the story went between the present day and the past one or two days - leading the reader on but never giving away the identities of victim or perpetrator of the crime.
The story is wrapped up beautifully with the epilogue and I turned the last page with an expulsion of breath I wasn’t even aware I was holding! An excellent read.

Lucy Foley’s “The Hunting Party” is an excellent claustrophobic psychological thriller that questions how well people really know each other.
Nine entitled friends travel to the Scottish Highlands for a New Year’s Celebration where a tragedy occurs. The story is told in two timelines, events leading up to the disappearance of one of the guests, narrated in the first person by three of the female guests, and the aftermath, again in the first person, by the female caretaker of the Highland Lodge. At intervals, we also learn, in a third person narrative, about the estate’s gamekeeper, a man with a hidden past.
The story is full of red-herrings and misdirection and the author cleverly hides the identity, and even the gender, of the missing guest, a technique that is only very rarely apparent to the reader - there were a couple of occasions where I thought, “wouldn’t it have been more natural for the character to say the name”, but they were few and far between and did not spoil my enjoyment of the story.
There are few, if any, likeable characters in the novel and even the best of them have some darkness in their past that affects their actions but that is not a criticism - they all rang true, and it is fun to piece together what is really behind the unreliable narrators. Apparently optioned for TV, the story would make an excellent miniseries.

I loved it from the start! It flicks between who is narrating – sometimes it’s one of the female guests or the female staff member (in the first person) or one of the male members of staff (the only one in the third person) – and it also flicks between before and after the murder. This jumping around keeps you on your toes and builds the suspense brilliantly. There are clues throughout as to who the victim is – but it’s not actually revealed until near the very end – which really does keep you guessing. It also meant I couldn’t put it down and read far too late into the night!

As with Ms Foley’s previous books, the descriptions of the geographical landscapes are incredible and stunningly atmospheric – you really feel like you’re snowed in somewhere in the Highlands too.

The group of friends, who have mostly known each other since being at Oxford Uni together – apart from relative newcomer Emma – aren’t that nice! There wasn’t a single one that I was rooting for particularly – but that didn’t lessen my interest in the book. There are lots of underlying tensions – between partners and between friends – which means any of them could be victim or murderer, and there are other people in the frame as well. The staff seem to have hidden pasts for various reasons, and there are a couple of Scandi’s thrown in for good measure – only adding to the intrigue. It’s like a modern day Agatha Christie and would make a perfect Sunday night drama on TV – or even feature film.

Yet again I like the cleverness and intricacy of the plot, and feel like a lot of thought has gone into writing it both in the structure, content and use of language. Ms Foley is a very talented writer indeed. In a world of ‘disposable’ fiction, this feels like a book that will stand the test of time.

The Hunting Party has such a great premise – the idea of a group of old friends from university days going on holiday together along with their partners, and ending up stuck in a remote Scottish location due to the heavy snowfall is irresistible to me!

The Hunting Party is a little different from other novels that I’ve read with a similar premise in that we know from the start that one of the party has been murdered but we don’t know who. The novel goes back and forth in time across the whole weekend and gradually you start to have your suspicions about who might have been killed and who might be the killer. Part of me would have preferred to know who was killed so I could enjoy trying to work out who was most likely to want that person dead, but another part of me enjoyed being kept guessing about all of it. It meant I was suspicious of everyone, and also judging each of their actions more harshly than I otherwise might because I knew one of them would turn out to be a killer!

There are multiple characters in this book but it’s easy to keep track of them as they all have their own characteristics. None of them are particularly likeable but I can’t help but enjoy novels where no one is my type of person. It really works in this book as you see the events unfold and slowly work out who is dead and who might have killed them.

It always fascinates me to read novels where people are still friends with people they knew from school or university. We change so much in the years from uni to our late 20s and lives become so different so when a group is clinging on to what they once had it’s only going to be a recipe for trouble in a novel. I think friendships only truly survive if you continue to have solid things in common rather than trying to force it. The group in this book for the most part are definitely trying to recreate their youth and to recapture a bond that they once had.

This is a great novel to read at this time of year as the sense of cold and snow and isolation is perfect for winter. This is a new take on the locked room mystery and I recommend it for curling up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket as the cold winter weather swirls around outside!

Okay, let's be fair and say that The Hunting Party blurb sounded just my type of book. But then who can refuse a bit of a murder-mystery around the New Year - and yes before you ask, I did wait to start it until New Year's Eve (because I am that sad). Anyway, what a way to start 2019 this was!

Set in the remote Scottish highlands The Hunting Party was just a delicious unravelling of a mystery, quite Agatha Christie-esque in its telling I thought. The very well-defined characters play their parts with aplomb, sharing qualities that most of us could recognise in long-standing friends. Though I am blessed to say that thankfully none of mine share the same narcissism as Miranda. I liked the fact that the characters, whilst somehow obliged to undergo this ritual of joining together every year, don't really seem to get on that well. There are lots of cutting remarks and questionable behaviour that do make you wonder what it is that is holding them together; why their group has not gone the usual way of graduating classes and fallen one by one as the years passed.

I particularly enjoyed the structure of the story though, told through different timespans - the now, and the flashbacks to the days before New Year and before the murder. I wasn't hung up on trying to work out who had done it. and whilst obviously important. it wasn't the main focus of my attention. I was just enjoying building up the history to the death; the enjoyment of finding out about the past lives of Heather and Doug who were staffing the lodge at the time, and the various interactions the group had with each other. The sense of isolation that the setting provided meant that an air of danger was there from the outset, and carried on until the end. I really did enjoy this book, I think it's a cracking read and would really recommend you grabbing a copy when you can.

Phew! What a book. Twisty, addictive and full of layers of secrets and lies.
It is wonderfully well written and engaging, with its multilayered plot and the descriptions of the remote and bleak landscape all adding to the slightly claustrophobic and uneasy feeling. The format is riveting and jumps between the 2nd of January and three days before, with chapters and narrative alternating between five characters POV. This really worked in this book, from the outset we know as a reader a body of one of the group is found, but we don't know whose body until towards the end of the book when the killers identify is unraveled.

Lucy Foley has put a modern day twist on the old country house Agatha Christie whodunnit murder mystery. It is a true page turner and will have you guessing until the final reveal. The writing style, entertaining plot, atmospheric setting, intriguing format and such a diverse group of characters, will keep anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned murder mystery utterly riveted right up until the final pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

To begin with we don't know a great deal. We know that there's a body and before too long we know that Doug, the gamekeeper, doesn't think it was an accident. You get the feeling that Doug knows about these things. Three days earlier there had been nine travellers on the train: however you cut that one, the seating is going to be awkward. Someone is going to be left on their own. The highland lodge is stunning though, but these people who don't usually get outside the M25 find it difficult to realise exactly what isolated really means. In this case it means that it's an hour's drive to the road and that's when the weather's good. But this new year, the weather definitely isn't good. This is serious snow.

The nucleus of the group met at Oxford and each new year they try to do something together along with added partners and babies. You wouldn't need the knowledge of a dead body to guess that there's going to be trouble: a sea of alcohol, big egos and old grievances with no escape don't usually make for a peaceful break. Emma's the one who organised the holiday and she's keen that everyone is well fed and that the drink flows freely. Part of this is that Emma's a bit needy, but she's also the newest member of the group and she's conscious of being the one who wasn't there in the early days at Oxford. She's also in awe of Miranda.

Well, most people are in awe of Miranda, although it's sometimes difficult to understand why. She can be unpleasant, well, cruel would be more accurate, and she's never really achieved much. She doesn't have staying power and gets bored very easily. She's beautiful though, and she knows it. She's in Scotland with her husband, Julien and he'd probably be enjoying the party more if he didn't have a secret on his mind. Bankers have to be very careful about what information they share with other people.

Katie's the outsider, although Miranda counts her as her closest friend. You're never quite certain why Katie has gone to the lodge as she doesn't seem to be enjoying herself and she's reluctant to join in the boisterous fun. She's not the only one: Samira's there with her young baby. She used to be one of the wildest of the group, but these days she's more inclined to insist that she and her husband have their meals in the chalet rather than leave the baby on his own.

It's quite a long time before we find out the identity of the victim - despite the fact that the story moves back and forth between the time before the death and the period afterwards. This adds to the tension as you're not only trying to work out the name of the murderer, but to identify the victim too. Characterisation is superb: I was still worrying about some of them days after I'd finished reading and that's always the sign of a good book.

This is Lucy Foley's first foray into crime from her previous home in historical fiction. It's a definite success and I hope to read more from her. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

Excellent read. Gripping from the start, it's a real page turner. Leaves you guessing right up til the end

Wow!! What a book. Have struggled to do anything since I started this. Brilliant. Lucy Foley weaves an excellent tale with all the ingredients for a great thriller.... group of uni friends, remote Scottish estate, weather that snows them in over New Year, secrets, undercurrents, a brooding gamekeeper...
I was totally immersed and enjoyed all the reveals as the story unfolded. Clever twists. Would highly recommend this book and shall be looking out for others by Lucy Foley in the future. A must read....you won't be disappointed!

This is a superb read. It struck me as a merging of a modern Agatha Christie story with a 'Deliverance' type theme with a group of people fighting nature and themselves. There are themes of drugs and 'ripper' murders cleverly interwoven to further complicate the story. The story switches between now (post murder) and the previous 3 days. You do not know who has been murdered - male or female until late in the book and then you find out the sex of the victim. You are trying to work out as you read who is dead and perhaps more importantly - why they are dead. The author/ess includes a number of flashbacks to university/more recent days but these seem to complicate rather than help your deliberations. Whilst the victim is one of the front-runners the reasoning behind and therefore culprit is very, very clever and for me was not expected. Clues were there but missed by me! I absolutely loved the book - my only minor criticism which did not justify a drop in rating was that, for me. some of the flash-backs were too drawn out and the reason for the inclusion could have been covered in less pages. Nevertheless, brilliant and not to be missed.