3.75★

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I read this as an audiobook, and it was really great. I loved all of the narrators. I’m especially glad that each character had their own narrator, as there were quite a few to follow. I think it might have been confusing to me if it were done differently. So in that way, the audiobook was perfect.

Thoughts:

- I have to say I really liked the characters. Even though not all of them were likable, they really added to the story. Even Francesca’s POV. I don’t think I had any issues with them overall. Not gonna go into too much detail because there are a lot of characters and POVs. (This might be a book with the most POVs I’ve read so far.)
- I liked the writing. It was very easy, I didn’t have any issues with following the story, pretty straightforward. I might be picking more books by the author in the future.
- However, and this is why it isn’t getting a higher rating from me, I felt like the story was pretty… obvious? There wasn’t that big of a mystery because you know a lot of things quite early. And it definitely wasn’t thrilling nor suspenseful. It wasn’t a bad story per se, it was entertaining. Just not what I hoped for I guess? I really wanted a summery thriller mystery and it wasn’t really what I got. I had fun though.
- I did enjoy the settings and the vibes but it definitely didn’t have Midsommar vibes as I saw it being described - I’m kinda sad about that.

So yeah, overall loved the audiobook! Would recommend. The narrators were really fantastic. I definitely had fun but wanted a bit more.

Thriller set on the DORSET coast

Welcome to the opening weekend of the Manor, “the hottest new rural getaway” run by Francesca Meadows, who inherited and upgraded the family seat. No expense spared, everything on tap, the whole enterprise underpinned by a holistic and wellness ethos. Her endeavours have caused quite a stir in the local community.

It is the Summer Solstice 2025. The novel has hardly opened and we go back to events in 2010, when Frankie (Francesca) was a bored and insufferable teenager, entertaining newly acquired ‘friends’ from the locality. She was forced to spend Summers with her grandparents in Dorset at their stately home, now “The Manor”, whilst her mother was elsewhere doing her thing. We meet people and have insight into events at that time, which somehow filter into the here and now.

Francesca was an unpalatable young woman then and is only more so, in 2025. She is married to the architect who redesigned the family pile, and as the years have passed, she has become even more unpleasant, nay nasty. Unbeknownst to her staff and guests, she has installed spy cameras around the building, so she can monitor all the comings and goings. She has a wonderfully honed public image, particularly in the press and on Social Media, but we are privy to her excoriating thoughts on life and the people who surround her. Snob doesn’t even cover it when it comes to the local yokels; it’s fascinating to hear her stream of consciousness, the author must have had such fun creating her.

We know early on, too, that something devastating happens to the whole set up (a clue is on the book cover ) but exactly what and why is, of course, withheld until late into the story. There are plenty of secrets to be spilled. We understand that the folklore around these parts is strong and there seem to be warnings about ‘the birds‘. The “witches and weirdness’ of the locale, Francesca feels, can be sidelined by her brand of big city, 5* spirituality … but can it?

I listened to this as an audiobook and thought the various narrators did an excellent job in their different capacities. And I was really keen to get back to the narrative after a break so that I could catch up with the dark deeds taking place in the community, which is always a good sign. A good poolside read for Summer 2024.

In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gathered for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat. Old friends and enemies circulated among the guests. It had all begun with a secret, fifteen years prior, and now the candles had barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body was found.

This was one of my highly anticipated reads of the year, and I wasn’t disappointed. The setting in an isolated grand-but-creepy manor, the local superstitions and the secretive past created a formula that was highly atmospheric and suspenseful.

Francesca was unlikable by design - I did find her to be super annoying with her fakery. Bella was intriguing - I kept wondering who she was and what connection she had with the group. Eddie was such a sweetheart, I was hoping nothing would happen to him from the start!

Foley’s book is always full of twists and turns and this was no exception. I didn’t manage to guess all the hidden secrets completely, and I was happy for that. The reveal did surprise me in a good way. It was a very fun book that was easy to follow, and the audiobook was performed really well!

I highly anticipated The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley, as I really enjoyed her other releases, and it did not disappoint.
The different POVs were easily distinguishable and had the typical mix of unlikeable and likeable characters. The setting was excellent, and the fast pace made me want to read the whole book in one sitting. There were many reveals that I didn’t see coming and which truly shocked me.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After a couple of books that I gave up on reading, this is a return to form for Foley. I loved the shifting time frames and Although I guess a couple of the 'twists' (and there are plenty!) there were many more that I did not. Clever and atmospheric with a vivid sense sense of place and some truly deplorable characters, I raced through the audiobook of this. The narrators were great. I'll definitely be recommending it to friends who enjoy this type of audiobook.

My weekend buddy read of this thrilling book with a close friend left me on an emotional high that I hadn't experienced in a long time. From the very start, the story gripped us both, refusing to let go until the final page was turned. The intensity of the narrative, punctuated by unexpected twists and turns, kept our hearts pounding and our minds racing.

What truly struck a chord with me were the emotional depths plumbed by the characters. Their struggles, fears, and triumphs felt so real, it was impossible not to become emotionally invested in their journey. As the secrets of their pasts unraveled, I found myself riding a rollercoaster of emotions—fear, excitement, disbelief, and everything in between.

By the time we reached the book's climax, I was on the edge of my seat, my heart in my throat. The resolution was both satisfying and bittersweet, leaving me with a lingering sense of melancholy that this thrilling ride had come to an end. But the memories of our emotional journey together will stay with me for a long time to come.

If you're in the mood for a book that will take you on a wild emotional ride, I can't recommend this one enough. It's a pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end, all while tugging at your heartstrings in ways you never thought possible.

Good Audio listen with lots of twists and turns just what I like in a book the story flicks from teenage years to adult and revenge

This murder mystery has a myriad of characters (none of whom I particularly liked) and is written as lots of different PoV’s. Unfortunately, much of the time this felt unnecessary and it detracted from progression of the story; which also didn’t particularly appeal to me. Although the story is marketed as a thriller, it didn’t feel very suspenseful or thrilling to me. I have liked other books by this Author, but this one could not hold my interest for long and I have decided to call it a day at the halfway mark, but thanks anyway to NetGallery and HarperCollins UK Audio for allowing me to get a copy of the audiobook, which is greatly appreciated.

Welcome to The Manor – a newly opened luxury hotel Set of a Dorset coast, currently teeming with guests gathered for the opening weekend. The owner of this mansion, Francesca Meadows, used to spend holidays here as a child. Now she is back, but many people think she should stay away. And as the Solstice approaches, the weather swelters, crows gather, and there is malice in the air.
The story is told from the points of view of Francesca, Owen, the celebrated architect who designed the place, as well as Eddie, one of the staff and Bella – a guest at the hotel. Some of the past history is also revealed in the form of a diary. Each of the characters is very distinctive and in the audiobook, they were voiced by different narrators, which was such a suitable choice for this novel. All characters have their own agenda and their own secrets, especially about the events that took place fifteen years earlier. I was drawn immediately to The Manor and its people, despite some of them being very much unlikeable people.
I always loved the setting of all Lucy Foley’s books and this one is equally fabulous. Not a remote island, but a superb location isolated by wealth, privilege, and tall fences. With the dark, ancient forest surrounding The Manor, the hot, heady weather, the place feels like a perfect summer retreat, but there are sinister undertones as well – dead bodies, the sinister birds, legends, and superstitions of the local folk from the village of Tome (pronounced Tomb). The book plays into the folk horror genre, but it has a real investigation in it and real bodies, clearly disturbing past stories, and dubious characters. Perfect cocktail of mystery and menace, a great holiday read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really did enjoy this audiobook. I love when audiobooks have different narrators for different characters, especially with different accents. All narrators did an amazing job with this.

The story itself I did really enjoy, I have read Lucy Foley before and this did not disappoint.

The only critique was that at times it was hard to follow which character was speaking and how they related to the story (in the initial set up especially). So having the name of the character as the chapter name really would have helped here.

A very solid audiobook.

This was captivating Audi and whilst I really did enjoy it, I would give 4 stars.

I did devour it and felt it was unputdownable with so many twists and turns, thoroughly engaging

The author portrays the dramatic characters very well in a classic style, yet very creepy

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Audio

I decided to go for the audiobook version of The Midnight Feast over the ebook, as I’ve really been enjoying audiobooks a lot more lately and I loved the sound of this one. Plus it’s Lucy Foley, an easy auto read for me, or auto listen in this case!! This audiobook is narrated by five different narrators, which although seems like a lot, it’s also a good way of giving each of the character’s perspective their own voices and distinguishing them from each other. The voice actors did a fantastic job at bringing each perspective and character to life, even nailing the accents of each of the characters.

The story is told through two different timelines (future timeline after a body is found and the timeline of what leads up to that event), plus past journal entries. I came to the conclusion that there were some things that happened within this story that heavily relied on the readers not questioning things and taking everything at face value, which left me with questions sadly. It wasn’t a bad story, just a little confusing at times, as I feel like it wandered a lot and got a little boring at points. The writing was still good and even though the ending was a little predictable because of how it was dragged out, it was still an okay listen. There was so much potential, but it didn’t live up to it, which is what was mostly disappointing . I think it would’ve made a really good short story!

There are a lot of characters within this book and although some are written well and do have their own individual voices, there is a lot to keep track of. They can blend together easily if you’re not paying too much attention and some background characters can simply be forgettable. At first I thought this could’ve just been an audiobook or a me problem, but the more reviews I read, this seems to be an actual problem with the book. It was honestly one of the big downsides for me while listening to it, especially as there was only really one of the characters I enjoyed listening to. This character was Eddie, a staff member and a local, which kind of made him more relatable and a much more interesting perspective compared to the others.

I usually love the multiple character perspectives within Lucy’s books and maybe it was because I listened to the audiobook rather than read it this time round, that I was left dissatisfied. This wasn’t my favourite Lucy Foley book, but as I’ve previously read and enjoyed her other books, this won’t stop me from picking up future books of hers, but maybe this time in physical or ebook format.

I enjoyed the twists in this book and really liked the descriptions of the setting. I didn’t see all of the twists coming which is always a bonus

This is a fun, pacy, engaging, twisty, entertaining and well-written story with a number of colourful characters, brought to life by four excellent narrators in the audiobook version I read.
I’d describe it as a lighthearted murder mystery, which would make a perfect summer read.
Francesca (irritating self-centred entitled little madam) has inherited her family seat, and turned it into an upmarket boutique hotel, well beyond the means of the locals, who make their feelings known. Francesca’s got a past that she’s desperate to forget, but she’s not the only one in this cast with childhood ties to the area.
Many of the twists were predictable, but there were also a few that weren’t, which made it fun.
There are some sensitive topics covered, so do please check the trigger warnings (it’s not that lighthearted!) before you pick it up.
Five stars from me, with thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK audio for the chance to listen to an ARC.
The Midnight Feast is out now.

After about 40% I gave in and DNFd the audiobook. I was really disappointed and found it difficult to keep up with the characters.

Thanks to Net Galley for giving me the chance to listen to an advanced copy

Loved the audio of this book. I found the hard copy quite hard with the different characters taking on a chapter but the audio was perfect for this.

The Narrators kept me interested in the story and kept me wanting to keep listening.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audio ARC.

A good murder mystery that will keep you guessing. Told in multiple view points with good characterisation well plotted. The opening of The Manor a countryside retreat that's close to a wood that has local superstitions. A good audiobook that is helped by having a full cast so that it is clear who is speaking. Thanks to HarperCollins audio and Netgalley for this review copy.

I’ve read and enjoyed Lucy Foley’s other books, so I was pleased to be able to read this one early. However, I didn’t enjoy it. I found there were too many different POVs to follow. I also wasn’t as invested as I had hoped and found myself not reaching for it. I turned to the audio book as I thought it would keep my interest more. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Despite great narration, I just couldn’t find enough interest to keep going. I would read more by this author as, as I said, I have enjoyed her previous books. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

This was my first Lucy Foley so I wasn't sure what to expect but I'm very pleasantly surprised!
For me a good thriller/mystery must keep my entertained & surprise me. This one did both of those things pretty successfully throughout the entire novel.

I love in a mystery having lots of little reveals & twists throughout the story rather than 300pgs of set-up for a "big surprise" or a ton of surprises right at the end. The story definitely had me invested by about the 20% mark & just picked up more speed.
I loved the past timeline chapters but you definitely have to suspend your belief for parts of this story to land! There are a few very convenient things that happen & things that don't totally add up e.g - how did no-one recognize each other until almost the very end? People don't change that much from 15 - 30 year olds do they??(me asking as a 30yo😭)

Francesca is an iconic character, idc! I thoroughly enjoyed the authors taking the piss out of the posi vibes, crystal babes lmao
Another book that can be summed up with "rich people doing rich people sh!t"

I loved the last chapter & especially the last line of this book & how it brought the story together full circle! 🐦 The narration worked really well for me, it's a full cast so it feels very immersive!

*PSA: This book leans heavily into pagan rituals/cultish themes so if that's not your bag this story probably won't land for you. (It personally worked v well for me!)

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a haunting and complex mystery that masterfully blends opulence with dark undertones. Set against the backdrop of The Manor's grand opening night, the novel immerses readers in a world of luxury, complete with a sparkling infinity pool, crystal healing pouches, and signature "Manor Mule" cocktails. Yet, beneath this facade of indulgence, old friends and enemies weave a web of secrets and tension.

As the story unfolds under the midsummer sun, the idyllic setting contrasts sharply with the underlying darkness. Foley's intricate narrative keeps readers on edge, leading to an unsettling Sunday morning discovery of a fire and a body. The local police are called, pulling the guests into a compelling investigation. Dark and enjoyable, The Midnight Feast promises a thrilling journey through hidden rivalries and buried truths, making it an irresistible read for mystery lovers.