1.5 rounded up to 2/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the digital ARC but I think I should probably kiss goodbye any approvals from you guys after this review but I can’t hold the rage in I’m sorry.

Lucy Foley has written at least 3 books about: rich people celebrating/vacationing at a remote/fancy location where something weird/tragic happens, everyone knows each other, they have dark pasts and someone ends up dead.
It's recycled material at this point.

My main issues with this iteration of the same-ish plot line were:
• There were no trigger warnings in my ARC when there should definitely have been.
• Foley clearly thinks that by mixing POVs, timelines and also having flashbacks in the form of dear diary all in the same book used at the same time is not lazy and messy but intelligent and revolutionary.
• Just to stress this point enough I’m not just being picky here. She literally added 5 POVs, timelines for 15 years ago from the diary that turned out to be a whole lot of nothing btw, before/after/during the feast, a month later AND I’M PROBABLY FORGETTING SOME MORE. Now look me in the eyes and tell me if all of this shit is considered as intelligent writing.
In my humble opinion, taking a simple premise and making it extremely incoherent for anyone to follow doesn’t make you a clever mastermind.
• Besides that, the writing is really mid at best. Who tf wants to read 350 pages of thoughts from 5 characters! or detailed descriptions of surroundings and mundane everyday tasks?
It was giving Ruth Ware and Stacey Willingham.
• The majority of the book is just creepy vibes, creepy legends and vague descriptions off of a teenagers diary. I don’t know what kinds of adults Foley is associating with but none of the ones that I know would ever be creeped out from any of that.
• She really uses every thriller cliche you could possibly imagine. Hearing screams from the woods at night? You bet those intelligent, self preserving, logical, well written characters with killer instincts are gonna run head first into that.
• Somebody needs to enlighten her to the meaning of banter. There’s a cheating scene that was completely avoidable because it servers no purpose, it makes no sense and it’s disgusting.
You either go all the way ridiculous with shit like that or you don’t touch them at all, this weird half assed/out of nowhere thing is just for getting reactions or checking out trope boxes and it needs to stop.
• Up until the last 30% almost nothing happens 🥱
• Then shit starts happening towards the end, we get a few good twists that I didn’t see coming but they’re nowhere near enough to save this whole train wreck.

Overall, save your sanity and not force yourself to overcome the messiness and the confusion.
IMO it was really not worth it.

A twisty, intriguing mystery with a really interesting premise and Foley's trademark multiple pov approach: "The Midnight Feast" does deliver what it promises, but also nothing more.
The setting for Foley's newest novel is intriguing enough. There's an old manor, renovated and built into a luxury retreat by Francesca, an enigmatic woman of impeccable looks. It's surrounded by atmospheric and a little mysterious woods which, as the inhabitants of the small village nearby will attest to, is ruled by a shadowy entity called "the birds" - and the birds aren't happy with Francesca's plans for the place. Fast forwards to the titular Midnight Feast, the grand opening of the new retreat - complete with a terrible fire and a dead body.

The mystery of what happened before that fire and who the body and the killer are is intriguing, yes. The general vibes of the ancient forest, juxtaposed with the modern luxury society it surrounds, are perfect. Still, I was never really absorbed. For one, I just didn't care for any of the characters. They were all different shades of unlikeable, and not in the good, intriguing way. The only likeable one was the young dishwasher Eddie who kinds of by accident gets entangled in the whole mess, and there wasn't much to him either. I also felt like most of the book and its twists were pretty predictable, and the red herrings too obvious to fall for them.

So yeah, in the end this is just a mid kind of thriller that couldn't live up to its cool premise and setting. Still enjoyable enough for a quick read.

This definitely wasn’t my favourite Lucy Foley book unfortunately. I felt very scattered when reading and I couldn’t get myself to pick it up.

I did like how everything came together at the end though. It was like a big ‘ha-ha’ moment of realisation every time a new bit of information was revealed.

The characters weren’t very likeable at all. Which was probably the whole point but I couldn’t stop the feeling of wanting to give everyone a shake every time they did something questionable.

Probably won’t read this again which is a shame but I’m looking forward to the next Lucy Foley book nonetheless.

A chilling thriller full of creepy folklore, pagan practices, deceit, manipulation, and deadly secrets.
I really enjoyed reading this. Lucy Foley has a talent for interweaving multiple narratives without making them confusing.
I loved the characterisation particularly of the more questionable characters.
The midnight feast theme works well and goes way beyond innocent childish snacks at midnight. These feasts are debauched and dangerous.
Throughout I felt it had hints of and nods to the films, Midsommar and The Wicker Man, and Hitchcock's The Birds, along with the TV series, Yellowjackets.
A twisty, eerie, and startling read.

Lucy Foley is a master of addictive, multiple POV thrillers! I’ve recommended several of her books to friends, and The Midnight Feast will definitely be added to the ‘must recommend’ list. Her characters are always so layered, and the settings are so captivating that they often feel like characters in and of themselves!

With some authors, multiple points of view can be confusing. The characters are difficult to keep in order, and I often vastly prefer one or two of the POVs over the others. That is not the case with this one! As in all her books, Foley's unique narrative style ensures that each character feels distinct and holds my attention. I love watching their flaws come to light, and trying to figure out who makes it at the end keeps me turning page after page. While there were a few predictable twists, I was genuinely shocked by many occurrences.

One of my favorite parts was the use of Bella’s teenage journal to take us back 15 years to the events that changed the trajectory of her life. I also loved all the secret identities it helped to reveal as the book went on. Additionally, the way the towns’ superstitions persisted for so long felt much more believable when presented with Bella’s first-hand teenage experience.

The Midnight Feast will have you on the edge of your seat, eager to see the mysteries of the Manor revealed. If you love wild twists and turns, eerie forests, or books about people who like to dress like a background character in Midsommar, this needs to be your next read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I find this author is a hit or miss for me and this one was somehow a miss. Yes, I did read it til the end and I didn't really expect some of the twists at the end... But I didn't enjoy the florklore bits or the diary entries, I felt I was reading a different book every time there was a switch. That said, it has a very good pace and kept me interested in what was going on.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have devoured every single book Lucy Foley has written, and this was no different. It followed a similar formula to her others - multiple POVs, skipping back and forth on the timeline - but this one had an edge of the creepy that wasn't as present in the previous books. I think this might be my favourite yet.

I absolutely loved trying to guess all the twists in the plot, and as usual with Foley I was caught by surprise a few times. Many of the reveals were spread out through the book, so I was constantly leaping from theory to theory about just who died, how it happened, and the truth of the mystery fifteen years previously too. The eerie setting of the woods, the strange behaviour of the birds, the odd small-town vibes, all juxtaposed with a Midsommar-esque New Age wellness retreat added to this tense vibe throughout the read that kept me on my toes.

Hugely recommend this as a thriller to anyone who already loves the genre, or who is just dipping their toe into it. Any Lucy Foley is so easy to read I'd recommend them to anyone!

This Lucy Foley book was exciting! It felt like a mystery happening in a fancy mansion, with a bunch of weird characters. The story jumps around between what different people saw, which kept things interesting. It was a little spooky too, kind of like that movie with the birds. I liked how the book included bits of a diary to add to the mystery. It was a fun read with some surprises at the end. Definitely recommend this book!

I absolutely loved the atmosphere this book set! I could picture myself there! Lucy Foley is a hit or miss author for me. Unfortunately this was another miss. I had no connection and the mystery I didn’t care for

We start with the grand opening of The Manor, owned by Francesca Woodland. The ultra modern resort with an infinity pool and expensive fittings. But the locals are not impressed, as The Manor encroaches on the woods and beaches that were previously open to everyone. Then a body is found and the chaos begins. We have a mystery guest, secrets from the past, and an alternating narrative shifting from the day after the solstice to the day before. While this one was slower to start and Francesca is an unlikely character, it definitely warmed up and certainly kept me guessing throughout! The author really knows how to build suspense and keep you turning the pages.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted review copy.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Harper Collins for approving my request to read this book.

I've read a couple of books by this author and like those ones this one did not disappoint! Deliciously dark and creepy The Midnight Feast is definitely the kind of book I love and I was engrossed from the first page til the very last.

For years I've thought the Teddy bears picnic song was sinister and it turns out I was right- If you go down to the woods today you're sure of a big surprise certainly rings true in this story is all I'll say!

Well written with great characters and a fast paced, twisty plot I absolutely loved this book and I just had to know how it was going to end though I'm now sad I have finished it! Looking forward to reading more from the author.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I was always going to love this as I have loved all Lucy Foley's books. Her writing style with multiple POV's telling the story and usually the back story is always spot on.

To me Lucy's books have the same baseline premise. There's an event, there's lots of people invited. Throw in a murder and a ton of secrets and twists and you have a brilliant read.

This time the gathering is at The Manor. A beautiful coast line retreat for wellness and relaxation. The grand opening is on the summer solstice and perfectionist owner Francesca Meadows is leaving nothing to chance. What she doesn't count on is the events of fifteen years previously coming back to haunt her. When the midnight feast is prepared on the evening of the solstice the ghosts of the past finally arrive.

As I said I loved this. I found The Midnight Feast a little darker than the authors previous books. I think this is because you get drawn into the eeriness of the forest and the folk lore of The Birds.

Highly recommended five stars.

Lucy Foley just gets better and better and this is by far her best book yet. Completely gripping from the first page, right up until the end. A dark sinister story full of mystery, thrill and fear.

This was fun! I really enjoyed The Midnight Feast: full of twists, grudges and suspense. The book was set in a forest, full of dark folklore and deadly secrets. The stories of the characters kept getting more and more intertwined, making me gasp at a few reveals. I loved the atmospheric writing and the intensity of the events, supported by the unpredictability of the characters. Lucy Foley has given us a great story! I did however predict some of the twists, resulting in the 4-star review.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed Lucy Foley’s thrillers and was looking forward to this. I enjoyed the experience reading ‘The Midnight Feast’, however I did find that it was predictable in parts and I didn’t feel the suspense and atmosphere as I felt in her previous books. That said, the pace is good and it kept me entertained and I am sure I will continue to read her next mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book to review.

Foley’s dramatic scene setting is something a reader can rely on. Diving straight into something that feels sinister, or malevolent, the story begins at the inauspicious opening of The Manor, a luxury spa complex.

What I liked about this book is the constant juxtapositions of the polarised aspects. The elegant Manor against the sinister woods. The angelic host versus the malevolent birds. The beautiful “state of the art” crowd and the crass, ever so slightly messy locals. These things constantly butt up against each other throughout the story. The moral to this tale is the danger of being unauthentic, hiding your true self, your true nature. Your secrets.

The story culminates in a thrilling well designed, well staged, Midnight Feast. Foley’s description is vivid, visceral. Will it all go off happily for the guests?

This is an utterly compelling story. By the last page I was crying and laughing. Absolutely brilliant ending. I think this is her best work so far.

I highly recommend The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley.

Iv read all of Lucy Foleys books and iv loved them all, she is definitely one of my auto buy authors, this one did not disappoint. Dark and earie at times, with the creepy woods and bird storyline, it had me gripped until the end. A def whodunnit with interesting characters in a hot summer setting, what’s not to like. Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this early copy, it will def be buying it for my book shelf.

I have read all of Lucy Foley's books and I was delighted to read this one. I couldn't put it down and read late into the night. I think this book is back to her best as I didn't enjoy the Paris Apartment book. The multiple narration, the cliff top setting, the violent death, the creepy bird mythology all combined to draw the reader in to this story. I recommend it to fans of Foley and others who like to work out "who dunnit" and all the other layers and relationships that make her work a gloriously satisfying read.

This book made me feel all sweaty. I'll elaborate. Set during a heatwave on the Dorset coast, The Midnight Feast features all of the classic Lucy Foley tropes I've come to appreciate. We've got a bunch of smarmy, rich and (of course) very good looking 20-30-year olds. A beautiful remote setting, multiple POVs - including in the form of a diary - a big party... and a mystery body. Interwoven with creepy folklore and superstition, this book also has a bit of a spooky edge that I wasn't expecting. Especially in a book set in the height of summer.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I actually really liked all of the sections of the book that were filled with teen angst and, especially, teen girl cruelty. I'll give a very brief run-down of the plot without wanting to give too much away.

The Manor House is a luxurious, swanky new hotel for the rich and beautiful to flee to from their London abodes. On its opening weekend, the owner Francesca has planned a big party. The presence of the elite has upset many of the local businesses and local people, some of whom have been forced out or snubbed in favour of fancy labels from big cities and further abroad. But Francesca has demons of her past that are threatening to catch up with her.

How to review this book!?

The atmosphere and setting were wonderfully creepy, and the interwoven local tales and folklore added to that

The last 40% of the book was full of twists and reveals which had me glued to the pages.

Unfortunately I struggled to make it to that 60% mark. The sections in the present and after were by far the more enjoyable. The sections covering the past were full of inane filler, petty teenage angst and they slowed the pacing of the present/after plot down too much. They felt like any other book that had that same teenage rich/poor, visitor/local, jealous girl vibe.
I didn't enjoy these sections at all. I know why they were needed in terms of plot, but I feel like they needed to stick more to the point or to be integrated into the present/after more. I'm not really sure. I just know that I spent most of the past sections skimming because they all had similar themes and events.

Bit all over the place with that review.