Member Reviews

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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!)

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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.

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The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
(Narrated by Roly Botha; Laurence Dobiesz; Joe Eyre; Tuppence Middleton; Sarah Slimani)

The story has a promising start with a stunning and unforgettable ending! The story plot is intriguing, but I do think it works better in book format instead of audiobook, As the story has dual timelines and various POVs, the audience needs to pay extra attention to not to get confused. The characters are likeable! This is no doubt an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the Publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Jun 6, 2024

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Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the ARC

Lucy Foley is one of my auto-buy authors, but unfortunately this didn't strike a match with me. It might be that I listened to the audiobook and didn't connect that way, but I couldn't get a real grip of the story. It had short and snappy chapters which I liked. I think the narrators did a great job and I loved that all the characters had their own narrator. The book switches between past, present and diary-entries. It was a usual set up with Lucy Foley books, where you don't know who's been murdered, nor who the killer was. It's usually a success, but as said, it might've been the audiobook that ruined the story for me.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

On the back of reading The Guest List, i had high hopes for this one and, while it was an exciting listen, it lacked the punch of previous Lucy Foley books.

The flashback scenes were fun and well done and probably my favourite parts of the book. The locals’ backstories were fun and many of them were quite the twist.

The narrators all brought the characters to life and it was a fun listen but it just didn’t quite make the 5 star mark.

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Incredible! Atmospheric, erie and intriguing!

Loved the narrator’s which added to the multiple povs and timelines…. All had my guessing until the end… and the ending - best last line all year!!

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The Midnight Feast was my first Lucy Foley book, and certainly won't be my last!

This is a tightly plotted thriller with a twist of folk horror - right up my street!

I enjoyed the writing style and the multiple narrators, as well as the dual timeline and diary entry elements. There's a great range of characters, from the absolutely 'love to hate' Francesca, to the very sweet and likeable Eddie.

The mystery unfolds at a good pace, with plenty of intrigue and clues dotted throughout. The whole thing wraps up neatly (maybe a little too neatly, in one instance that really surprised me) and I found the ending very satisfying.

I listened to the audiobook and the full cast were great. They really brought the characters to life and did justice to the story.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to The Midnight Feast and give my honest opinion.

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