I recently had the pleasure of reading "The Midnight Feast," a gripping dark atmospheric thriller that unfolds at a newly opened, highly exclusive wellness retreat situated on the Dorset Coast.

The narrative initially unfolds at a leisurely pace, but soon gains momentum, drawing the reader in with its multiple points of view and three distinct timelines. While the initial confusion may be off-putting, the gradual convergence of these threads and the unexpected plot twists make for a truly enthralling experience. The infusion of folklore elements adds an eerie and captivating dimension to the story.

The characters in the book are skillfully crafted and intriguing, albeit not entirely likeable. With most of them harboring secrets, it's challenging to find someone to root for. However, I found myself surprisingly drawn to a side character named Eddie, and I couldn't help but hope for a positive outcome for him. As for the other characters, they failed to evoke much empathy from me.

I would caution potential readers against learning too much about the plot in advance, as the element of surprise greatly enhances the reading experience. Overall, I believe this book is a perfect choice for readers seeking a compelling thriller to delve into this summer.

I am immensely grateful to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins UK and Harper Fiction for providing me with a digital review copy (eARC). The thoughts I have shared are entirely genuine and unbiased, and I am doing so willingly.

I guess it is safe to say that I’m a fan of Lucy Foley’s mystery-thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hunting Party, The Guest List, and The Paris Apartment. So when I had the opportunity to request a review copy of The Midnight Feast from Netgalley it only took me half a second to click that button. I did not regret that decision.

Just like the three previous titles, The Midnight Feast is a multi-layered and well-plotted mystery in which nobody and nothing is exactly who or what they appear to be.

The story is told through four narrators: the founder of the newly opened luxury resort and organiser of the midnight feast, her husband, a mystery guest, and the kitchen help. These four characters have very distinctive voices as they share their personal perspective on The Manor, past and present.

I rated the book 4.5 rather than 5 stars because too much of the story felt a little over the top to me. From Francesca’s esoteric musings to the total destruction of the Manor I would have preferred a more nuanced approach. On the other hand, I loved the author’s use of folklore and local myths and practices. These gave the story a somewhat magical feeling which only added to the thrill of reading a fast-paced and well-executed mystery. And there’s no denying that the story pulled me in from the start and didn’t release me until I reached the end. An end that kept on surprising me. Just when I thought that surely all the questions had been answered and all the mysteries solved, Lucy Foley managed to surprise me again and again.

Long review short: With The Midnight Feast, Lucy Foley has created yet another breathtaking mystery that only reveals the truth slowly and with a few misdirections along the way. The past and the present mirror each other as events that remained unresolved 15 years earlier finally come to a head. The use of local myth and folklore only adds to the mystery and the thrillerish vibe. This is a must read for everybody who enjoys a good and fascinating mystery.

Was disappointed with this novel as I usually love her books but this one just did not deliver for me. A very slow burner with too many POV . It took over half way through before the pace built up and became more of what I had expected.. Felt overly complicated about who everyone was at the end. I would definitely read her next one and hope that it is back to her usual standard. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Nobody is very nice in this book, and I think that was a problem for me as a reader. I did like Eddie, but for much of the book it didn't feel like he had a very big part in the story, and everyone else was pretty awful. I also struggled with the idea that people didn't recognise each other after 15 years...so much of the story relied on that, and I'm afraid I didn't buy it. Which is a shame, because otherwise it was readable and although it ran a little long, I did want to know how the resolve would work itself out.

'Secrets. Lies. Murder. Let the festivities begin...'

Francesca has inherited her family's old manor and to the annoyance of the locals, she has turned it into a luxury holistic retreat which is fully booked for months and some parts are still under construction with the scope to expand even further into the surrounding land. Guests arrive and settle in and one starts snooping around and is not who she pretends to be who has came back to confront the past that has haunted her for 15 years along with others who are not who they appear to be. The festivities begin and mixed with the unknown about the town's old folklore the story starts to unravel and the past catches up.

I absolutely adore Lucy's writing style and her ability to keep you guessing after every single page. This book is told through multiple character's POV and three different timelines (solstice, the day after solstice and Summer Journal 15 years prior) but don't be worried it was super easy to keep track of everything (Which I sometimes really struggle with) but I really enjoyed it and followed it perfectly!

The chapters were kept short and that kept my full attention and I absolutely flew through this book as one chapter turned into 'just one more' and before I knew it 25% was gone! The twists and turns made this book a page turner that you just had to keep going and binge read!

Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to read and leave my honest review!

Secrets and intriguing characters combine in this gripping novel set on the gorgeous Dorset Coast. A new, very fancy Wellness Retreat is opening up, and owner Francesca is determined to make it the place to be - but locals aren't quite as thrilled...

I really enjoyed the mounting sense that not everyone is who they seem to be, which seeps through the pages of this novel the more you read on. From the staff to Francesca herself, it seems like everyone is hiding something. I enjoyed the tension between the people living in the area and the retreat's owners. The novel raised some very pertinent points about how businesses like this can affect local people.

There's plenty of tension throughout The Midnight Feast, as we find out early on that there has been a huge fire at the hotel during the opening weekend - but we don't know who was harmed or whose fault it was. We flick forwards and backwards in time as we learn what happened in the run-up to the incident (I always enjoy a dual-timeline novel!) and we get passages from different characters' perspectives including the hotel's owner Francesca and her husband Owen, staff members Bella and Eddie, and, back in the present day, DI Walker who is investigating the fire. There are quite a few people to keep track of, but not confusingly so.

The plot has plenty of twists and turns - at some points almost too many! However, it certainly kept the story entertaining. It was a bit unbelievable at times but really good fun to read. I think this would make a great holiday read - it offers a satisfying blend of suspense, intrigue, and well-developed characters, all set against a beautiful and atmospheric backdrop.

Hard to get into but intriguing enough in places to keep me going. I found the flashback/journal entries some of the most interesting and the mystery was decent enough but I struggled with Francesca's voice and almost cartoonish characterisation and found the final reveal a bit much.

I've read all of Lucy Foley's previous novels and enjoyed them as tightly paced, twisty thrillers and this follows the same pattern. There's lost to enjoy here - especially loved the sending up of wellness for the wealthy angle - and there's a still few surprising twists that are cleverly plotted. But I just didn't enjoy it as much as her previous and felt it was a bit by numbers.

This was a slow burner for me at first, the first couple of chapters I wasn't sure how I was going to get on with it as I did not like one of the central characters. But that is the beauty of a Lucy Foley novel- she creates flawed characters (to say the least in this instance!), who are not supposed to sit comfortably with you. The story builds and builds, with different layers creating an uneasy atmosphere. It flits from present day to the past as we become more and more involved in each different cast member. Two chapters in and I was hooked, and then raced to the conclusion of the book.

This is sure to be a summer hit, a perfect beach read for people who love a pacy thriller. I would definitely recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Midnight Feast was my first Lucy Foley read, and I will certainly be reading some more of her books now!
The Midnight Feast follows Francesca, the owner of a luxury hotel build in a rural coastal town, as she prepares for the hotel’s grand opening. As the story unfolds, we learn about mysteries from Francesca’s past, as well as discovering the true identities of a cast of characters who are not all as they seem.
Each chapter is narrated by one of a relatively large cast of characters from 3 different timelines. This had the potential to be a little confusing, but I think the author has done well to minimise the impact this had on the book, as overall I personally did not find it difficult to follow at all. The chapters were clearly signposted with who was narrating and when, and Lucy Foley crafted the characters so well that it was clear who’s voice was who’s.
This was a classic mystery/thriller, filled with lots of dark secrets. It reminded me a lot of Lisa Jewell’s ‘The Night She Disappeared”, with lots of similar themes.
Overall, a fast paced read that I finished in a day and couldn’t put down!

Lucy Foley is able to create books you can't stop reading despite the unlikeable and entitled characters (who I love to hate)
She's also brilliant at mysteries set within a wild, natural environment. In this latest book, we see the story unfold in Dorset with its rugged coastline, coves and caves. It's the perfect setting for this atmospheric tale which is steeped in folklore.
I really enjoy the authors writing style, where each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. The timeline is a little jagged but I thought this added to the eeriness of the plot.
Another wicked tale from Lucy Foley.

I was so excited to be chosen to pre read this and it did not disappoint! My favourite of Lucy Foleys books so far!

I loved the different times and the same place and the minor changes but that is what happens and them all being connected was a great twist.

I was a bit confused by the age differences that did make it slightly hard to follow but I really did enjoy it !

Fantastic book from this author. I've loved her others and this one did not disappoint! Gripping, lots of twists. Great :)

I am a big fan of the writing of Lucy Foley having previously read 'The Hunting Party', 'The Guest List' and 'The Paris Apartment', all splendid books, brilliantly written. 'The Midnight Feast' has some light humorous moments mixed in with the drama. Any lifelong Agatha Christie fan will always get my vote.

It’s June 2025 and Francesca Meadows has achieved her greatest ambition. The family home in Tome, Dorset has now become The Manor, a decidedly upmarket wellness retreat. It’s well heeled clientele are nestling into the ‘Woodland Hutches’ and keenly anticipating the forthcoming Solstice celebration, the Midnight Feast of the book’s title. It’s what Francesca and her younger architect husband, Owen, have been planning for.
But their guests are kept very much away from the village and its inhabitants. In fact there is a real sense of ‘Us and Them’ developing. An insular community of people surviving on the margins faced with an equally insular community of the wealthy. The Manor and its estate is encroaching on ancient woodland with its ‘Hutches’ and there are dark, muttered warnings about incurring the wrath of ‘The Birds’. But are they just tales to frighten the outsiders or is it something more real? After all, Francesca’s grandfather was found dead, from an apparent heart attack, in his study holding a single black feather and they appear throughout the book.
Francesca presents herself to her followers as a polished, spiritual leader or guru. But, as the guests assemble for breakfast, she sees an unexpected face from the past amongst them. It’s not someone she wants to be reminded of at the culmination of all her dreams.
Bella, not her real name, has come to the Manor in response to being sent a clipping of Francesca by an anonymous sender. They knew each other in their teenage years growing up in Tome and she senses the darker atmosphere of The Manor.
But, as excitement builds, for the Solstice in the woods, Bella remembers a mystery within them and one that she wants to solve. But the day after the celebration, a body is found on the beach and a wrecked Aston Martin at the cliff above. The Manor is ablaze with the guests wandering about completely dazed. It was a billed as ‘a night to remember’ but it became a night to forget. Is it the revenge of The Birds or the locals?
The story is told from several points of view, including a 1970’s summer journal, and also different timelines. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and I did wonder at one point if there was anyone in the story who didn’t have a dark secret or an earlier persona that they had discarded. The only really likable character was Eddie, the dishwasher and aspiring barman. There was an inexplicable scene in which Bella attempts to seduce him.
There was a distinctly Folk Horror vibe to the book with the mysterious Birds and the woods. Some of the guests ask to be moved from the ‘Woodland Hutches’ due to the atmosphere in the woods. They’re where mysterious events take place: ritual sacrifices, nocturnal gatherings and a general feeling that the visitors are unwelcome. I wish this element had come more to the fore.
However, there were some interesting twists towards the end and that was where the book really livened up for me.
This is the first Lucy Foley book that I’ve read and I would definitely read another one. She handled the different POVs and timelines very adeptly.
My thanks to the publisher and Net galley for an ARC.

Well this is a page turner! I wasn’t sure what to expect after the first couple of chapters but was thoroughly engrossed and couldn’t put it down.

The book is set in a local village where there are very wealthy guests at a new hotel retreat and much less affluent locals who are entrenched in tradition, including that of the birds in the wood. Clever writing brings the reader a real sense of the building of the tension and the stories from the past and the present day mould together to a very interesting climax.

There are some very odd characters and traditions that you just need to get behind to enjoy and I really liked the characters and the twist at the end.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love, love, love Lucy Foley books. I was so excited to get an arc of this story from NetGalley and I wasn’t disappointed. I found it so easy to read and it kept me intrigued throughout. We have the early timeline of Francesca, “Sparrow”, “Shrimp” and Jake amongst others as teenagers. Francesca being the rich, spoilt girl. The plot continues in 2025 with Francesca opening a fancy hotel for the super rich. With the finding of bones and discovering threats made to the others, the pages just have to be turned! Is justice done in the end? Well read this exciting story and see! Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Foley and the publishers, Harper Collins for the arc of this great story.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (book review)
Releases 6th June

Score 4.25 out of 5

To the point-
For Foley fans and those who enjoyed her previous mysteries this is definitely one that you'll enjoy and there's a strong likelihood that this could be one of your most enjoyed books of the summer or even the year.
For people who haven't enjoyed Foley's previous books or the multiple POV style this book is unlikely to win you over. It sticks to the same style and prose of previous books so it's best not to read expecting something radically different to what came before.
And for those who are unsure, if you like The White Lotus then this may be for you. A luxurious hotel: check, behind the scenes and guest storylines: check. While it doesn't have the same complexities of The White Lotus, it does have more similarities than differences.

Review
I enjoyed The Midnight Feast and thought, arguably, could be Foley's best mystery novel. The mystery style is similar to Hunting Party and Guest List where there is a body and you have to wait until the end to find out who it is. This is where I think Foley has improved her storytelling. In the previous mysteries I became frustrated by the time the reveal came, and while I enjoyed them all, I felt it became too drawn out to keep the tension. Midnight Feast fortunately seems to build anticipation instead of robbing it.

The Midnight Feaster is told over three timelines, the days before and after the feast, and one from years before told through journal excerps. The inclusion of the latter not only adds context and further mystery but also causes an extra dimension that means the story doesn't feel more protracted than it needs to be. That is not to say there aren't sections that feel dragged out but in comparison to the previous stories it is less frustrating.

I enjoyed all the Foley books so far and The Guest List holds a nostalgic place for me but The Midnight Feast is possibly the second best book of Foley's. Midsommar clearly influenced much of the story (there is another that I won't name in case of spoiling anything) and I enjoyed those elements immensely.

Finally, this is an adult book so expect swearing.

Above text used on Instagram review.

Overall, I enjoyed this and felt it was an improvement by Foley. There is the arugment that the style could become stale but I think the improvements in this kept it from becoming so.

I loved this! Told from multiple perspectives and timelines, this is the story of the opening weekend of an upmarket wellness resort, and begins with a body on the beach - the mystery of who is it and what happened to them slowly unfolds from there. Smart, stylish and with a generous dollop of local folklore and old scores being settled, it's a great read.

Oh my goodness! I didn’t think it possible, but Lucy Foley’s storytelling just get better and better, The Midnight Feast sucked me straight in and threw me out, almost spinning, at the other end. This is such a clever story. Right from the outset, it’s creepy with hints of darkness. A group of people arrive for the opening of a wellness centre. But all is not as it seems and the reader is thrown into the centre of this maelstrom with a narrative that’s fast moving and from multiple viewpoints. A whole mix of characters; the real good, the bad and the downright ugly from a broad social spectrum.

This is so atmospheric and steeped in a mix of mystery, folklore and imagination. Loved it.