Bizarre a bit weird but strangely enjoyable! I think I felt as if there was enough for 2 books all crammed into one!
Great characterisation, loved Eddie and his mum and here’s to all the old birds out there!

This was an interesting story and I liked how it all came together in the end. I didn’t like all the bad language though.

WOW......Just when you thought there couldn't be another twist, one jumps out at you and knocks your socks off!

I've read a few of Lucy Foley's book and found that although the story is good they can go on a little longer than needed, The Midnight Feast though was the perfect length.

I loved the multiple POV narratives, twists and the diary entries were like little bits of gold.

A big thank you to HarperCollins and Net Galley for an ARC. I'll be recommending this one to all my friends and family!

This is my favourite book by Lucy Foley.
Not so much a whodunit as a whoisit.
Like two of her previous books the action takes place in a single setting over a few days. This time the setting is the opening of an ultra luxurious hotel called the Manor situated in the Dorset coastline. It is owned by the fascinatingly nutty and evil Francesca and designed by her husband Owen. Francesca will happily trample on any local objections to her plans and stop at nothing to get what she wants in life and the whole time justifying her actions to herself as sensible. Not at all a likeable person but very readable.
The action jumps back and forward from the current time of the opening and events that took place 15 years ago in the same place. The events of the hotel opening at the summer solstice are also split to include a view the day after the grand opening feast when a body is found on the local beach. I felt this approach works well and keeps the reader guessing with every new revelation from the past.
Most of the characters in the book are unpleasant and some have mysterious backgrounds especially Bella who is the only person attending the opening alone.
I was a bit concerned when the book touches on local folklore, mysterious forest and weird birds in case these factors became too important in the story but they did not and simply added to the fear factor.
Some nice twists near the end and overall very enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, for the ARC.

4.5 stars

Another winner from Foley.
I was absolutely enthralled with this book. It might be my favorite yet. I loved the addition of the diary entries, and I’m always a sucker for different POV’s when done well. Lucy is an auto buy for me personally, and she hasn’t let me down yet.

Lucy Foley's ‘The Midnight Feast’ invites readers to an exclusive gathering at an isolated mansion where tensions run high and secrets simmer beneath the surface. As guests indulge in a sumptuous feast, alliances shift, and long-held grudges threaten to boil over. With a cast of intriguing characters, each harboring their own dark motives, Foley crafts a gripping tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption. Prepare to be swept away on a rollercoaster of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the final, satisfying bite.
Given three stars as the language used in the novel can be jarring at certain points and it threw me out of the suspense.

Review posted on Goodreads

This is another brilliant example of closed circle crime fiction by Lucy Foley. This one is set at an ultra modern Cornish resort where Francesca has used the money inherited from her grandfather to fulfil a dream. The exclusive venue has been designed by her now husband, Owen, whom she met when he came along as a prospective architect. But, Owen doesn't remember bidding for the design job and Francesca is adamant that she didn't invite him. The story alternates between present day action and flashbacks to different times as the numerous narrators give their perspective on the events leading up to a number of suspicious deaths. The past and present are overshadowed by pagan rituals but are the mysterious black birds real or imaginary and, if real, are they malevolent or merely instruments of justice? Many of the narrators are harbouring secrets and all of them have a connection to the history of the area but who died and who brought about the deaths? If this all sounds very complex, that's because it is, but Foley's skills are such that, by the end, there are no loose ends to tie up. Into this complicated scenario comes DI Walker, who must solve the mystery of who died at the foot of the cliffs and who died in the woods. I can honestly say, I'm normally good at guessing twists but the twists in this one kept me guessing until the very end. I am grateful to NetGalley for sending me a review copy of this novel which I thoroughly enjoyed and would heartily recommend.

I had high expectations of this book coming into it based on what I've read of Lucy Foley before. I did enjoy it but I don't think it quite lived up to my expectations. It is a dark thriller with lots of twists and turns along the way and lots of interconnected characters. There are multiple characters, perspectives and even time frames to keep track of which can verge towards becoming a little overwhelming if you're not properly concentrated. I felt the ending was a little predictable for the most part, but the setting was constructed well so it was creepy and haunting.

FROM THE COVER📖

Midsummer, the Dorset coast
In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And 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



REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much for this advanced copy from one of my top go to authors.

From the chilling poetic opening Foley pulls you into The Midnight Feast with gusto.

Set against the back stop of a luxury seaside hotel among a dark forest, it is full of folklore and deadly secrets.
For me this made it slightly darker feeling than previous books I also think her writing style has matured and she is better at setting the scene as a additional character this added real depth and made the book feel more unsettling the writing was atmospheric and gave a real intensity and suspense to the plot.
The main folklore was based around birds, which not being the biggest fan of set me on edge and added to overall eerie feeling within the book.

For my Lucy is the master of hitting the right mark between classic crime with modern elements, she pays homage to like of Agatha Christie whist making the writing her own.

Like Christie here Lucy introduces us to variety cast of characters all for me had a sense of the classics you would get in a Christie but with a modern take like Christie before here she uses theses characters to unpin her social messages about class with threads of examining a sense what is of justice and with slight political topical themes though out. I found in the case bringing the elements of the rich invading sea side towns particularly topical and the exploration of this well written and done with flair.

Furthermore like Christie Lucy uses the sitting as additional element to really take the plot to the next the level be it an island or creepy old house.

Much like Christie also Lucy's books have the same baseline premise. There's an event, there's lots of people invited. Throw in a murder, a ton of secrets with revenge at heart and twists with and you have a brilliant read.

Another nod being the creepy take on a children's nursery song " The Teddy Bears Picnic" this was chilling and great little dark edge. I found this book much darker than the previous I had read and it was for the better. The Paris Apartment her last book was not my favourite but this brings her back to the glorious of her first novel The Hunting Party standards.






Told in first person POV from multi perspectives over shifting timelines adds to overall effect. The morning after parts are told in the third are quite the tease to as what has happened. I really liked the teenager diary aspect from 15years earlier clever way to break up the story down and reveal subtle hints/clues to the reader.



A slow burning start with good pace which really depends up towards the end which ends in a twisty fashion that will keep up you reading to the last page long after your midnight feast

Christie meets wickerman in the modern world sums it up for me.

On a side note I love the sound of the hotel with all elements of sheer indulgence that no one actually needs but nonetheless can't live without...don't fancy visiting The Manor all the same.

Strong 4.5 and will be on my top 20 for 2024

Told from multiple POVs and different time periods around the opening of a new holiday resort called The Manor. The author does a brilliant job of hinting what each person’s relevance is and you think you can piece it together from hearing from multiple POVs. That’s what I love about the authors books - she gives you an idea of what is happening that you think you can figure out and when all is revealed at the end you are shocked! She does a great job of creating this environment of tranquil and beauty but with something dark and creepy lying at the heart of it all. I think I would have liked it to lean in more to the dark elements as I found them to be a bit gimmicky.

Overall, a brilliant new novel with a well-crafted and delightfully twisty story from one of my favourite authors. Huge thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Another brilliant, entertaining read from Lucy Foley, which hews closely to the format of her previous books whereby awful rich people get their comeuppance in an often violent, always satisfying, way.

The Midnight Feast is set in coastal Dorset, where obligatory awful rich person Francesca has, with the help of her new architect husband, turned her ancestral home into a super-luxe hotel and 'wellbeing retreat'. However, as the book unfolds, it slowly becomes clear - to both the reader and to Francesca herself - that among both the hotel staff and the guests are people who have been drawn to the grand opening by their memories of Frankie (her teenage nickname), and the things she did one terrible summer fifteen years ago.

A great, pacy read for beside the pool this summer: recommended for fans of Lucy Clarke and Clare Mackintosh.

As always with Lucy Foley, this is masterfully written. She ramps up the suspense by shifting the narrative viewpoint and creates an atmosphere of menace in an idyllic environment. This is becoming her trademark.

It’s a novel that rattles along, the pace ensuring that characters and plot are drawn swiftly into a compelling puzzle. There are two timelines which are cleverly intertwined so that a dialogue opens up between past and present. Characters clash and the conflict is not just between people but with the very environment, which is a key part of the menace. At times the natural and supernatural are very close. The attempt to impose modernity on the ancient landscape is challenged by something immutable.

Lucy Foley manages to keep each novel startlingly original and The Midnight Feast draws on a number of modern tropes. There is some gentle humour at the expense of the wannabe influencers and social climbers who seek to lay claim to the natural world as if it is their own. The language exposes mercilessly the superficiality of their world as their fads and lifestyle choices come into contact with something more elemental.

Another great novel from a writer at the height of her powers.

When I started reading the book I wasn’t quite sure as to where the story was heading or how the different characters would tie in. But the author did a great job of putting it all together so well at the end. The story was interesting with enough twists and turns to keep me gripped. And I liked the way it is written - from the point of view of the different characters. I was also not able to figure out any of the how, what, why or the ending. So overall a great read and look forward to the next one from the author!
Thank you HarperCollins UK for an advanced copy of this ebook and giving me a chance to review this book!

(Content Warnings included at the end of this review for those who find them helpful, so for anyone else, fair warning for minor spoilers there!).

This is a fantastic mystery, with some really gripping twists and story threads woven through it. The narrative flips very engagingly between three different timelines - what happened on The Manor's opening weekend, what happened after that, and what happened 15 years earlier. I was hooked really quickly with the various mysteries to solve, and the clues left throughout the developing stories are cleverly scattered; easy to miss but perfectly balanced to help you solve it!

The multiple POVs were very well handled and the transition from one to the next worked really well throughout - I especially enjoyed the first transition into Francesca's POV after already hearing about her from two other characters, her chapters were always highly entertaining (I will say no more than that to avoid spoilers). The characters are also great, and surprisingly well-developed given how many there are.

I also really enjoyed how British the writing in this book is; the peppering of 'naff', 'wanker', 'off their faces' and similar phrases (as well as some very funny references to Nigella Lawson & Liz Truss) all not only situated it very nicely in Britain, but also in the two time periods in which it's set. Lucy Foley is a very funny and intelligent writer, and not only presents the stunning setting of The Manor very evocatively, but also the emotions & drives of the individual characters.

I highly recommend this book to any murder mystery fans, and I am very excited to finally get round to the other Lucy Foley books that have been sitting on my TBR list for a while now! My sincere thanks to HarperCollins & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review; I greatly appreciated getting to read this fantastic book so quickly because it totally lived up to the well-deserved Lucy Foley hype.

I will now provide some Content Warnings for those who may find them helpful, so if you want to avoid minor spoilers, please stop reading now!!

**Content Warnings**
SPOILERS

- alcohol & drug abuse, including non-consensual drugging/spiking (multiple instances) - possibly also triggering for addiction/recovery
- loss of a child or parent (potentially triggering for bereavement or missing child, and for child abandonment)
- manipulation & gaslighting (multiple instances)
- sexual harassment, sexual assault & rape (multiple instances)

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed Lucy foley’s previous books and on the whole I enjoyed this one. I had no issue with the different POVs and the diary entries and enjoyed the build up of the story - BUT I didn’t like the birds and just thought that part was a bit naff. I didn’t think the supernatural element worked or was creepy enough to justify being included in the story - three and a half stars.

Omg I love a good Lucy Foley book and lordy this is a GOOD Lucy Foley book.

These multi-perspective, multi-timeline, who's dead, who's dunnit type mystery thrillers sit squarely in my 'plots I can't get enough of' category and Foley is the master of them.

Set in the new luxury Manor house hotel in Tome, a small town with strong pagan history and a general dislike of outsiders, the stage is set for all manner of motives. Populated with a GREAT cast of characters and Francesca's POV is one of the most interesting minds to be in (and that's saying something when the others are already compelling).

I didn't rate The Paris Apartment as much as The Hunting Party and The Guest List but Lucy Foley is really back at the top of her game.with The Midnight Feast. Inhaled it.

I was thrilled to get an early copy of this via NetGalley. I always find her books entertaining and this one did not disappoint me. It reminded me a little of the main character of 9 perfect strangers. I kept imagining Nicole Kidman - she would be a good cast for this. I really enjoyed it and read it in nearly one sitting. Lots of intrigue, folklore and complicated twisty back stories.

I love all of Lucy Foley’s titles. They are the definition of slow burn mixed with unputdownable twists! The amazing setting of The Manor draws you in and I loved the subtle time shifts. Absolutely adored the setting, characters and the delves into the past with the diary entries. Highly recommend to any Lucy Foley lovers or thriller lovers.

Excellent book! Full of twists and turns. Totally engrossed and kept me guessing right till the end.

The publication of a new book by Lucy Foley is always a reason for excitement and her latest dark thriller, "The Midnight Feast" does not disappoint.
Foley has mixed elements of the supernatural with folklore, to create a dark thriller that excites the reader from the opening paragraph. Commencing with very spooky description of The Woods, that sets the scene. The reader is introduced to several characters, Bella,
Eddie,
Francesca
And Owen.
Each character narrates the events from their own perspective and at various points throughout the event - from the opening party, the aftermath, and some flashbacks to the summer of 15 years previously, through the use of a diary. Everyone seems to have an ulterior motive for their actions, ranging from revenge to an attempt to re-invention. The reader soon realises that we cannot trust these characters completely but instead should compare descriptions and viewpoints to determine how the events are ultimately connected. (Or as least, I did so as I attempted to solve the mystery for myself. And I'm happy to say that I failed due to the ingenious twists).
Foley's trademark has become using a variety of viewpoints (from several characters), combined with a moving timeline to create intriguing thrillers with a mystery and it's core - not to mention sufficient 'red herrings' to meet Agatha Christie's approval. The timelines keep the reader focused on the tale and ensure there is never a slow moment in the tale.
And as we navigate through the storyline, I found myself becoming increasingly intrigued as the multiple layers of the story, slowly unfolded, leading to a very dramatic and twisty conclusion. Everytime that a 'new' revelation occurs, I found myself thinking, "Ah, now I've got it !". But no, the ending proves plausible but so unexpected.