The Midnight Feast - Lucy Foley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚 I recommend this if you love a twisty murder mystery thriller!

Releasing 18th June, this is one you NEED to add to your tbr!! Thank you @netgalley for the gifted e-book in return for my review!

It's taken me a few days to write this review while I processed everything that went on in this book because WOW! @lucyfoleyauthor has blown it out the park again with this one, an insanely gripping and twisty thriller!

This book had so many unexpected interweaving plot twists, linking past events to the present and intertwined relationships! Each character has their own secrets and motives which we learn as the book progresses.
Split timeline following the past and the present POVs of 4 people, alongside the police investigation
The four main POVs followed are:
Eddie the bartender, who lives near The Manor
Francesca the owner of The Manor with a spiritual approach to life
Bella the only single guest at the hotel
Owen, Francesca's new partner and architect of The Manor

📖 Brief plot summary

Francesca has opened her new countryside retreat, The Manor. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. The candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found....It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at The Midnight Feast

Genre: Thriller
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Harper Collins
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Tropes & Themes: isolated location, revenge, police investigation, dark past, fast paced, family trauma, haunted, isolation, missing person, plot twist, revenge, suspense, small town crime, split timeline, tension, trauma, toxic friendships

I absolutely loved every moment of the latest thriller from Lucy Foley - outwardly glamorous yet sinister setting, toxic friendships , vengeance, unlikeable characters you still feel for, past and present timelines - all the ingredients I love in a mystery , all topped off by an explosive ending - be careful when you pick this up as you won’t want to put it down…

Plot and twist driven, let down by the relentless twists and clichéd characters

Unfortunately this did not really work for me, as once it became obvious that nary a character was going to be what they seemed, and just about every well-heeled character was going to be vapid and vacuous or hiss the villain without respite, and almost every local and from a less privileged background would be, however awful seeming, redeemable, this became pantomimic rather than mounting and tense.

Set in the usual two time-lines, 2010, when the central characters were early adolescents or children, and 15 years later, when just about every character is not what they seem, and in some kind of hiding-their-previous-identity mission, this is Dorset set. Unbelievably flakey and GOOPy Francesca Meadows is a glamorous business woman who has inherited land from her very wealthy grandfather. Her family has driven the locals off their land – and yes, the influx of wealthy metropolitans into the beautiful West Country for sure IS a real problem, but here, there is no nuance or subtlety.

Add to the mix some kind of local yokery superstition and dabbling in vaguely pagan, occult lore, this is murder-mystery-horror mash up.

I’m afraid I found it silly

Enjoyable read! It was a little slow at the beginning and hard to wrap your head around all the characters but it all came together nicely.
Enjoyed the good selection of twists, most of which surprised me!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book, it had me hooked from the very beginning!

The story is told via many different characters and takes place in a series of timelines.

I couldn’t get enough of the suspense in the story, along with the different facets of the characters.

I would definitely recommend this book even if you’re not usually into thrillers, it was brilliant

I have loved some books by this author, but not all and this book is one of the latter. Readers looking for a tense thriller will not be disappointed, though the pace could be a bit faster. I did like the chapters being narrated by different characters, and the creepy woodland descriptions are good.

This fast-paced, multiple POV thriller will keep you turning the pages! A large manor has been turned from a family home to a luxury wellness retreat, it's the opening weekend and local hostilities, myths and legends all hurtle together to create havoc.
The characters were well developed throughout the book with beautiful pacing. It kept me guessing and the split narrative worked well for me. Lots of suspense, very readable

I really enjoy Lucy Foley’s work and was delighted to receive an ARC of The Midnight Feast. A new luxury hotel has opened on the Dorset coast to much controversy. The local people are not happy, there are rumours of a group called ‘The Birds’ who haunt the woods surrounding it and there is a guest pretending to be someone she is not. The story travels in time from the opening party where guru Francesca has the guests enthralled, to the past when Francesca was a child summering at the Manor (as it was then) to after the Summer Solstice where police are investigating a body on the beach and the burnt out remains of the hotel. The story starts slowly but, as Lucy Foley is clearly a master of this genre, I was completely gripped from halfway in. Fans of The Hunting Party and The Guest List will not be disappointed. A great holiday read for anyone that is hopefully having a more relaxing summer holiday than that featured in The Midnight Feast.

This fast-paced thriller kept me guessing the whole way through, and the twists were so good. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the use of the summer journal to jump back to past, revealing deadly secrets and motives for each of the characters. Lucy Foley has done it again!

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I totally agree that I either love Lucy foley books or I find them somewhat boring. Unfortunately I felt this with the midnight feast. I really disliked the main characters too and struggled to keep up with the story line.

Woe! Another amazing book from Lucy Foley! In fact, think this is my fav so far!
A very atmospheric and engaging read, following multiple characters as they discover misdeeds of the past, which all come down to one woman, Francesca who has reinvented herself as a wellness and lifestyle guru.
Really enjoyed the various character perspectives throughout the book, and thought there was an interesting ' The haves and have not's' theme running through that sadly, resonates with the UK today.
Throughly enjoyed this and very grateful to have been granted this advanced copy.

The Midnight Feast Lucy Foley

5 stars
The past will always catch up with you

This is the second book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed both of them.

It revolves around a new luxurious wellness centre, The Manor, owned by Francesca Meadows and her new husband Owen Dacre. It is coming up to Midsummer and the highlight of the opening is The Midnight Feast which will establish The Manor as the place to come.

However the village and the locals are not happy with this, what they consider as an intrusion, in their lives. Folklore abounds in the village and there are rumours of spooky birds who live in the woods.

One of the guests, Bella Springfield, not her real name, arrives as a guest but she is hiding a secret. Fifteen years ago she had been friends with Francesca and is intent on revenge for what had happened then. When a death takes place, the police are called in to investigate the incident. Is Bella responsible or is it the birds?

The story jumps between the events of 15 years ago and the current day and we gradually learn what happened all those years ago and also how many people are not who they claimed to be.

This was a very interesting story which I thoroughly enjoyed. I will look out for any further books by Lucy Foley...



Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

I have always found Lucy Foley books to be hit or miss for me. Some I have loved and others I really haven't liked but she is an author I have always found myself drawn to. So I decided to go into this one with an open mind and pretty much blind to what it was about.
I was grabbed straight away by the plot and I liked the writing style. It was easy to read and the story was all flowing well. I enjoyed the different POV's throughout the book and the characters were well defined and likeable. The tension was palpable and I got the sense that it was all building up to something.
However, I did begin to find the pacing was too slow for my liking. For the first 200 pages nothing really happened but the writing was keeping me intrigued and there was a definite feeling that something was going to happen.
One thing I didn't enjoy were the flashback/diary entry chapters. I know why they were there but I struggled to enjoy them.
This is one of those books that is atmospheric and the mystery was slowly revealed but by the end I was left with a feeling of 'is that it?'.
The reveals weren't surprising and it did all feel slightly flat. It started off well and had a lot of promise but ultimately this one was a bit too slow and drawn out for my taste. I just wanted more to happen!

I think this may be my favourite book by Lucy. I’ve always lover her books, but this one is absolutely phenomenal. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could. I was gripped.

It’s opening night of The Manor, inherited by the clean living ethical, perfect, granddaughter. - Francesca. Turning her childhood house into an exclusive hotel for the very rich.

There is folklore in Tome though….the trees are important…the Birds will right all wrongs…and wrongs have been done.

Absolutely gripping.

My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for inviting me to read and provide an honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars 🌟

A bit slow to begin with...took a little to get into it, around 20% but I was still gripped and wanted to know what was going on!!
I loved the use of the journal throughout the book, it was a clever way of doing a dual time line. An enjoyable read with a few twist and turns alone the way.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

The modern day Agatha Christie, once again Lucy Foley has produced a book that was unputdownable and a true page turner.

I struggle to write reviews about books like these, especially lucy Foley's because everything in the story is important, a puzzle piece that will be slotted together later on, so trying to explain anything about the book is like giving hints that I just don't want to spoil.
The story brings together some of the most frustrating characters I have ever read in a gripping story that involves mystery, class difference and supernatural folklore all wrapped in 'midsommar' vibes.

The way the story unfolds has you on the edge of your seat and every new and completely unexpected plot point is so expertly done that it blows your mind that you didn't see it coming sooner. I suggest going into Foley's books blind because it is completely worth it by the end.

I've enjoyed every one of Lucy Foley's books so far, including this one and I can't wait to read more of her work.

I love Lucy Foley. From the alternative character viewpoints to twists and turns Lucy Foley is one of my favourite authors.

When I saw this book on NetGalley and I couldn’t wait and I was not disappointed.

Definitely one of her best! Lots of intrigue, character build up and twists. Lovely thriller.

I can’t wait until June to listen to the audiobook as well as I find her books perfect for audio as they have the character perspectives!

You are cordially invited to the manor for the midnight feast. But be careful the party is on fire 🔥

What can I say? This book was well written, very creepy and such a wild ride.

Francesca Meadows inherited The Manor from her grandparents and thought it would be a great idea to turn the place in to a luxurious retreat. Right on the cliffs at Dorset, it has cabins and soon to be treehouses that her husband is helping build. The story is told in two parts - 15 years ago and now with a few characters to follow. The locals are hating this new retreat and want it closed down. The Midnight Feast goes off with a bang. I don't want to say too much about the book but let's just say dark secrets will be revealed and no one is safe.

I flew through the pages of this one. I just couldn't put my kindle down. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and the journal entries. The setting was even giving me all the spooky vibes and I was 100% there for it. I did not see that twist coming at all. May have left me gobsmacked. The ending was perfect.

Thank you Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book for my honest book review.

Overall I enjoyed this, it’s a solid 3.5 which I’ve rounded up, I just didn’t quite love it.

I really enjoy multiple perspectives and timelines and I love a diary or letters so this ticked all of those boxes. I also enjoy a thoroughly unlikeable character like Francesca, and she was despicable.

The folklore/horror aspects were intriguing, in fact I’d have liked more and felt the epilogue could’ve been expanded.

I think where it fell down for me were the reveals and twists upon twist and the red herrings, it was just a bit too much. It also started to drag somewhere in the middle and so became quite a slow read.

Intriguing, twisty, atmospheric and dark this was an interesting read.

Not my favourite Lucy Foley book, it strayed a bit too much into horror and folklore for me. That, however is a personal view and does not detract from the superb skill in storytelling that this author has. The build up of suspense is fabulous, I was reading with my heart in my mouth a few times. Really enjoyed the extra twist at the end.