Scan barcode
kirstym25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Drug use
Moderate: Sexual assault, Classism, and Violence
jmkendall0218's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Bullying, Death, Sexual harassment, Classism, Murder, and Emotional abuse
gemloukay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Another amazing mystery by Lucy Foley! This time the story focuses around The Manor, flitting between today, the days leading up to the solstice and the same location a few years ago. We also have multiple POVs, with upper class owner Francesca (who is very woo woo and doesn’t seem to be very nice), her husband Owen, guest “Bella” who visited as a child as well, and barman/local boy Eddie. The Manor has been turned into a retreat for the wealthy after Francesca inherits it from her grandfather (who died in mysterious circumstances in the woods). The locals aren’t happy about it and are causing a fuss. Added to which Bella has been sent there by a mysterious letter, having holidayed there as a child when her and “Frankie” were teens. Who sent her? What is she really there for and what really happened when they were kids?
Everyone has secrets and there’s the local legend of The Birds, who punish those who misbehave, for the characters to contend with too. Are they real? And if not, who does everyone keep seeing in the woods?
I read this as a digital copy for NetGalley but also was flitting between that and the audiobook from libro. With 4 people reading the different POVs, it was well worth a listen as the voice actors were amazing.
Full of twists, a few of which I really didn’t see coming and were stunning! The final ones were just *chefs kiss*. I can’t recommend this one enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Libro for a free copy in return for an honest review.
Everyone has secrets and there’s the local legend of The Birds, who punish those who misbehave, for the characters to contend with too. Are they real? And if not, who does everyone keep seeing in the woods?
I read this as a digital copy for NetGalley but also was flitting between that and the audiobook from libro. With 4 people reading the different POVs, it was well worth a listen as the voice actors were amazing.
Full of twists, a few of which I really didn’t see coming and were stunning! The final ones were just *chefs kiss*. I can’t recommend this one enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Libro for a free copy in return for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Drug use
uranaishi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Classism, Stalking, Alcohol, Grief, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Dementia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Addiction, and Alcoholism
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received a copy of this book as an ARC through NetGalley.
"The Midnight Feast" is the latest multiple POV mystery from Lucy Foley. Tonight is supposed to be a grand affair: the much-anticipated midnight feast during the opening weekend for the luxury hotel: The Manor. Everyone is dressed perfectly, all of the food and drink was thoughtfully sourced, and things seem to be going well, until something terrible goes wrong. Is someone out to put an end to The Manor, or are the rumors of the Night Birds true, and they have come to exact their revenge?
This novel was very fast faced, and very easy to get into. In true Lucy Foley fashion, the story follows several points of view and jumps around in the timeline a lot. This definitely makes the story fly by because the reader is only receiving some information at a time and has to read several chapters more to get back to the big reveal. I do think Lucy Foley does a great job at keeping the story coherent and easy to follow despite how erratic the storytelling is.
Something special about this book in comparison to Lucy's previous books that I really enjoyed was how connected all of the characters are. In the beginning the reader learns of a few noteworthy connections between characters, but by the end not only is everyone deeply connected, but they learn that they always have been. This story relies heavily on something sinister that happened fifteen years ago, and I loved learning how all of the characters were connected to that mystery and the roles they played in the present-day tragedy.
The characters were diverse, and all had a unique voice, which greatly helps the reading experience. All of the characters seem complex as well, which was great to read. No one is simply "good" or "bad". All of the characters had redeeming qualities, which makes the reader empathize with everyone in one way or another.
By far, my favorite character was Eddie. He arguably had the least connection to the mystery of fifteen years ago, but his role in the present day was so pivotal to the story. For someone so young, he really seemed the most mature and level-headed.
The reveal that took me most by surprise was Owen's connection to the mystery of fifteen years ago. I did not see that reveal coming and it had me gripping my Kindle and devouring the rest of the book voraciously.
I was okay with what ultimately happened to the person responsible for all of this hardship. I think they met a poetic end, but I wish they could have had a little more justice served to them first.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I did have a few grievances. I figured out a lot of the mysteries early on in the story, which is satisfying, but slightly disappointing. I also could not stand Francesca's point of view. She screams entitlement and way too New Age for me to enjoy reading about her finding good vibes. I can appreciate her character as a contrast from the others, but she was just awful to read from.
"The Guest List" is a book I have fondly looked back on because of how much I enjoyed it, and unfortunately, I have not found that same magic in a Lucy Foley book since. I think her books are great, but I am not as captivated as I was.
I do think this book is a great summer mystery read, and I recommend it to those looking to uncovering the secrets of rich people who behave badly.
"The Midnight Feast" is the latest multiple POV mystery from Lucy Foley. Tonight is supposed to be a grand affair: the much-anticipated midnight feast during the opening weekend for the luxury hotel: The Manor. Everyone is dressed perfectly, all of the food and drink was thoughtfully sourced, and things seem to be going well, until something terrible goes wrong. Is someone out to put an end to The Manor, or are the rumors of the Night Birds true, and they have come to exact their revenge?
This novel was very fast faced, and very easy to get into. In true Lucy Foley fashion, the story follows several points of view and jumps around in the timeline a lot. This definitely makes the story fly by because the reader is only receiving some information at a time and has to read several chapters more to get back to the big reveal. I do think Lucy Foley does a great job at keeping the story coherent and easy to follow despite how erratic the storytelling is.
The characters were diverse, and all had a unique voice, which greatly helps the reading experience. All of the characters seem complex as well, which was great to read. No one is simply "good" or "bad". All of the characters had redeeming qualities, which makes the reader empathize with everyone in one way or another.
By far, my favorite character was Eddie. He arguably had the least connection to the mystery of fifteen years ago, but his role in the present day was so pivotal to the story. For someone so young, he really seemed the most mature and level-headed.
The reveal that took me most by surprise was Owen's connection to the mystery of fifteen years ago. I did not see that reveal coming and it had me gripping my Kindle and devouring the rest of the book voraciously.
I was okay with what ultimately happened to the person responsible for all of this hardship. I think they met a poetic end, but I wish they could have had a little more justice served to them first.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I did have a few grievances. I figured out a lot of the mysteries early on in the story, which is satisfying, but slightly disappointing. I also could not stand Francesca's point of view. She screams entitlement and way too New Age for me to enjoy reading about her finding good vibes. I can appreciate her character as a contrast from the others, but she was just awful to read from.
"The Guest List" is a book I have fondly looked back on because of how much I enjoyed it, and unfortunately, I have not found that same magic in a Lucy Foley book since. I think her books are great, but I am not as captivated as I was.
I do think this book is a great summer mystery read, and I recommend it to those looking to uncovering the secrets of rich people who behave badly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Death of parent, Classism, Stalking, Grief, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Car accident
sarafrancesreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was my favorite Lucy Foley read to date!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Classism, Sexual assault, and Murder
shybearfog's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I've enjoyed Lucy Foley's other thrillers so I was excited to check out this new one. It also has multiple POVs and switches from before the main event, during, and after like the other books. It was really good and I was able to guess parts of the reveals but still was surprised by other elements. This story had some folklore involved which was interesting and different. It was a good mystery and I enjoyed seeing all the secrets and details unfold. I'd recommend this if you like thrillers or her other books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Drug use
zippysherman's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual assault and Drug use
kriseaf's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.
Setting: If you are like me and want to read a mystery/thriller in the same setting as the book, you’ll want some combination of: luxury resort, an old world forest, or a cliffside over a beach. Enjoy!
My thoughts: The first 40% was very slow and hard to engage with. There are a lot of characters, though they’re very interesting, and a lot of information/backstory is very obviously being withheld from the reader. The story elements are intriguing, though, and the setting and ambiance and approaching tension and escalation are very well-crafted. The surprisingly disparate characters also bring a lot of “how is this person possibly connected?” small thoughts to the reader.
Foley is a master at nailing the execution, though. Everything escalates so smoothly, so inexorable, so alarmingly high and tensely. All of the secrets are revealed, one by one, and complete a wonderfully detailed, intricately woven plot. The ending is so satisfying on so many levels, not the least of which is from a craft perspective.
I had so much fun reading this!
Recommended for: I think this book has broad appeal, honestly. It’s more on the thriller side than the mystery—a lot of the secrets unwind quite naturally, rather than any one character trying to solve something within the world itself. There’s also nothing alarming or problematic that I would recommend anyone stay away from the book either.
I realize that one of Foley’s previous books has a big, ugly “Reese’s Book Club” sticker on it that we must all suffer, but I do think her books lend themselves well to chatting with friends or discussing in groups. There are plenty of fun elements that you can think about more deeply or consider how you yourself would react to.
It’s also not bad for reading slowly and in sections, if need be; the story changes POVs frequently and that gives you easy points to enter and exit. I do urge people to push through to at least halfway before giving up on it. I struggled in the beginning but the action-packed second-half more than redeemed any slow moments!
Content/trigger warnings were not included in my version, here’s what I noticed:
Sexual assault (on page and off), physical assault (punching), emotional abuse/gaslighting, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, psilocybin/mushrooms use and abuse (non-consensual and graphic), death (on page and graphic), attempted suicide (off page), blood (descriptive), animal sacrifice (farm animal, off page), familial abandonment, birds*
*Included because my mom is deathly afraid of birds thanks to The Birds movie, and this book would freak her out. So if anyone else has the same issue, this is not your book.
Setting: If you are like me and want to read a mystery/thriller in the same setting as the book, you’ll want some combination of: luxury resort, an old world forest, or a cliffside over a beach. Enjoy!
My thoughts: The first 40% was very slow and hard to engage with. There are a lot of characters, though they’re very interesting, and a lot of information/backstory is very obviously being withheld from the reader. The story elements are intriguing, though, and the setting and ambiance and approaching tension and escalation are very well-crafted. The surprisingly disparate characters also bring a lot of “how is this person possibly connected?” small thoughts to the reader.
Foley is a master at nailing the execution, though. Everything escalates so smoothly, so inexorable, so alarmingly high and tensely. All of the secrets are revealed, one by one, and complete a wonderfully detailed, intricately woven plot. The ending is so satisfying on so many levels, not the least of which is from a craft perspective.
I had so much fun reading this!
Recommended for: I think this book has broad appeal, honestly. It’s more on the thriller side than the mystery—a lot of the secrets unwind quite naturally, rather than any one character trying to solve something within the world itself. There’s also nothing alarming or problematic that I would recommend anyone stay away from the book either.
I realize that one of Foley’s previous books has a big, ugly “Reese’s Book Club” sticker on it that we must all suffer, but I do think her books lend themselves well to chatting with friends or discussing in groups. There are plenty of fun elements that you can think about more deeply or consider how you yourself would react to.
It’s also not bad for reading slowly and in sections, if need be; the story changes POVs frequently and that gives you easy points to enter and exit. I do urge people to push through to at least halfway before giving up on it. I struggled in the beginning but the action-packed second-half more than redeemed any slow moments!
Content/trigger warnings were not included in my version, here’s what I noticed:
Sexual assault (on page and off), physical assault (punching), emotional abuse/gaslighting, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, psilocybin/mushrooms use and abuse (non-consensual and graphic), death (on page and graphic), attempted suicide (off page), blood (descriptive), animal sacrifice (farm animal, off page), familial abandonment, birds*
*Included because my mom is deathly afraid of birds thanks to The Birds movie, and this book would freak her out. So if anyone else has the same issue, this is not your book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Death, and Drug use
Moderate: Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal death, Abandonment, and Suicide attempt
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book! It was eerie and dark and atmospheric. The twists were amazing! Just when I thought I guessed, I didn’t! I really liked the setting and the multiple POVS and dual timeline! These definitely made the story more compelling!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Drug use, Stalking, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and Animal death