After reading a run of mediocre books, this one felt like something I could really get stuck into. A mix of perspectives, an isolated location and a shady past, its not a unique idea but I loved it all the same. The book moves at a good pace and no parts of it felt like a slog at all. A good read.

📖BOOK REVIEW📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

#TheHike by #LucyClarke

⏩for synopsis

Oh how much I wanted to LOVE this one but it just didn’t hit the mark for me…

I wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either it was just ok. I thought the characters were well developed; I enjoyed their backgrounds and shared history. Although they were very stereotypical, I managed to form a connection and care about what happened to them which was essential to the plot and got me to the end of the book.

However, overall the plot wasn’t a bad one; it just took too long to get there. There was so much fluff that caused me to lose interest and the book to drag. I actually didn’t guess the baddy which was surprise but also not that surprising either. Just wasn’t the best I’ve read by this author and would highly recommend #OneOfTheGirls

With thanks to the author, @netgalley @harpercollinsuk for allowing us to read this one early!

Maybe I’ve read too many destination thrillers as this one has great reviews elsewhere so I’d encourage you to try it for yourself!

RELEASING: April 27th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

An atmospheric thriller by a great author. I enjoyed this read. Four friends set off on a hike. With twists and turns, literally, the setting for this book allowed for drama to unfold. Each character with their own secrets gradually revealed along the journey. I find this author's writing easy to enjoy and a reliable contributor to this genre. If you like this author I doubt you will be disappointed!

I was excited when @netgally offered me a chance to read this before publication in exchange for an honest review, as I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by Lucy so far.

I really liked that the book was set in the Norwegian wild. It made me smile as we are set to go to the very North of Norway next year for our honeymoon! (No major hiking involved so that’s good!)

Overall a good, enjoyable read. I felt as though it took a little more than I expected to get going but once again, I didn’t see the twist coming, and for me, that’s the enjoyable part. I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite book by Lucy, as it was a little too far fetched in places, however, that didn’t take away to much from the read and I couldn’t put it down, which for me is the sign of a good book.

Lucy Clarke is quick becoming one of my go to authors when I want to read a thriller.

I enjoyed this book. 4 friends set off on a 4 day hike in the beautiful scenery of Norway. On their first night at the local lodge they learn that a woman disappeared on the mountain a year ago, and there are clearly tensions between the locals. The 4 friends also have thing going on in their lives back home. As they begin their hike they find themselves caught up in the mystery of the missing woman, and as they encounter bad weather and injuries they find they don't know who to trust to help them. This an exciting story which will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I’ve only read one other of Lucy’s books (One of the Girls) and after devouring The Hike I think it’s safe to say she just absolutely knows what she’s doing when it comes to delivering suspenseful and gripping page turners!

The relationship between childhood friends Liz, Joni, Helena and Maggie seems solid at first glance - until their bond is tested while attempting to hike a challenging mountain in Norway on their annual girls holiday. We get given plenty of background on each of the women, they all have different things happening in their lives and therefore different motivations for the trip. The setting of the misty Norwegian mountains was absolutely perfect, it added so much tension and unease.

I would slot this book into the ‘slow burn’ category of thrillers and that definitely worked for The Hike - the tension subtly crept up throughout the story and I just simply could not put it down! The ending did fall slightly flat for me, I think I would have preferred a bit more of a sinister conclusion. However with short chapters, well plotted twists and an atmosphere so heavy you can almost taste it, I think this book will be a huge hit!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Liz, Maggie, Helena and Joni have been best friends since their teens. Despite having very different lives, they meet every year to go on holiday together and catch up. Yet this year, the usual poolside holiday turns into hiking in dangerous Norwegian mountains. With every passing day, it is not only their strength but mainly their friendship that gets tested.

I really enjoyed reading this thriller as I appreciated that the author took the time to create four very distinctive characters and their backstories. Despite their differences, from a chaotic rock star to a creative single mum, their group dynamic worked well, and each had a place in the narrative. I especially enjoyed the character of Helena.

The atmosphere was tense, and as a person who hates hiking and got involved in a track beyond my capabilities, I could feel the panic and stress of the characters in many situations (thankfully, it was not THAT bad). However, I think there was still room to push the atmosphere even further, making it darker and more sinister. But I do have this problem with most thrillers. They get to be resolved too reasonably, and I would adore some dark, spooky element (maybe I am not reading the right genre for that tho).

Overall, I recommend it to anybody who finds mountains and forests unnerving and enjoys well-developed characters with plenty of backstories and personal dramas. It’s a 4.5/5 for me overall!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this digital arc of The Hike.
Prologue has a bit jarring but set the tone.

The story follows Three four girlfriends taking a change in their annual girls trip, and instead taking a hiking trip in Norway. The characters are relatively well fleshed out. We have Liz - the organizer of said trip, Type A personality and GP. This lady is obsessed with the power of a good walk.

Helena is the single, career focused of the friendship group in their 30s. Oh god are we really going to the do the “unfulfilled single and childless woman with a career in her 30s who now needs a baby” trope?

Maggie, who probably feels the least detailed outside of her being divorced and a mother. She gives off hypochondriac vibes almost immediately but you can’t help but love her (like Melman from Madagascar)

Finally we have our late joiner to the trip, Jonie the burnt out rockstar. Girl has some serious mental health and addiction issues

I enjoyed the multiple POVs, as it was a good way to get snips of information gradually through the story.

Last point, the “In true life?” seems like a blatant rip from bluey “for real life?” and I’m conflicted how I feel on it.

Another superbly written offering from this amazingly talented author, definitely one of my new favourites and I cannot wait to Lucy Clarke's next book

I’ve read a few books by Lucy Clarke before so was pleased to be approved for an advance copy of her latest novel, The Hike, which is published on 27th April. Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for my copy.

A group of four girlfriends go on a holiday together every year. This year, Liz has chosen something very different from their usual pool and cocktails break. She decides on hiking a challenging peak in Norway and sends round an exercise regime so everyone can get their fitness up for the hike. The locals warn the group against the hike, saying the forecast isn’t good. They also find out that an experienced local went missing on the same peak last year and was never found. Of course, this doesn’t put them off and they go on the hike anyway.

I didn’t really warm to the characters in this and I’m not sure why, I found them a bit dull and annoying.

The story mostly follows the friends on the hike but also flashes back to the search on the mountain for the missing woman.

I found the story readable enough but I was never totally gripped by it. I think because I wasn’t so fussed about the characters I wasn’t as invested in the story. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of different characters which worked OK, but sometimes it took a minute to remember whose point of view you were reading from.

Unfortunately, I thought the ending was rushed and underwhelming and thought it was a bit of an anti-climax.

The cover is pleasant and fits well with the story.

Overall, I think the book showed a lot of promise but didn’t quite deliver for me.

The Hike - Lucy Clarke

Wonderful atmospheric writing, which takes you straight into the feels of the story and the tensions and underling issues between the group of the four women. I also enjoyed the other side characters of the book, but did find that it was a little predictable between right and wrong of the two brothers. A very quick read, with good pacing, and drip feeding us information that keeps you entertained throughout. Overall a really good murder mystery with some really interesting characters to get your teeth into. Thank you very much Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the advance copy in return for my honest opinions.

A fantastic read that is well paced, atmospheric and tense. I was gripped from the start and it had me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns which kept me guessing,

„The Hike“ is a slow burn character driven drama about four women who go on a hiking trip in Norway. They know each other from high school and as adults they plan a holiday together every year. This year it was Liz’ turn to choose their destination. And she wanted to hike for four days in the Norwegian wilderness. But they are terrible unfit and unprepared. And with the arrogance of a well-off city person they underestimate the forces of nature. On top of that they feel threatened by some sinister people from the area who seem to hold a secret.

The story held my interest even it is a real slow-burner. The story is a lot about the women and their lives and their relationship with each other. But there is also an ominous atmosphere that kept me reading. The author misleads us with her hints in a clever way. The end left me a bit torn. It was a bit too neatly wrapped up while I still had some questions left. But overall I enjoyed it.

A good, twisty, unexpected thriller in an unusual setting of Norway. 4 friends are on a hike but each has secrets and issues and the extreme conditions bring out emotions that were deeply buried.

I’ve read all of Lucy Clarke’s titles and this one has all the thrills, relationships, atmosphere and twists that you would expect. A pacy, engaging and compelling read.

Thank you for Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

"The Hike" by Lucy Clarke is a novel that follows a group of friends on a hiking trip that takes an unexpected turn. While the book is not terrible, it is not Clarke's best work either, and I would rate it 3 stars out of 5.

Although the book has some exciting moments, it just did not captivate me enough. The characters were not as well-developed as in Clarke's previous works, and I found it difficult to connect with them.

That being said, Clarke's writing style is still engaging and easy to follow. The descriptions of the natural surroundings were well done and transported me to the hiking trails.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend "The Hike" to anyone. If you're a fan of Lucy Clarke, I suggest checking out her other books, as they are more compelling and enjoyable reads.

The Hike by @lucyclarke_author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Lucy's last book One of the Girls, so when I was given the chance to read an early publication of her new book The Hike I couldn't wait to see if she could bring the same gripping thriller once again and I wasn't disappointed.

Four friends have headed to Norway for this years girls holiday to Hike the mountain of Blajfell, however the mountains hold many secrets.

One year ago a local women went missing whilst hiking and no one knows what happened to her.

Now the girls are taking the same mountain trail and will soon start to uncover the secrets the mountain has hidden for so long.

This book as a gripping thriller with many twists and turns which you don't see coming until they have happened.
Lucy Clarke writes in a way which makes you feel so connected to the characters and makes you feel the tension and worry for the characters and what they are about to encounter next.

You can also get a chance to read The Hike when it's published on 27th April 2023.

I would like to thank @lucyclarke_author @harpercollinsuk @harperfiction and @netgalley for giving me the chance to read this advance copy.

I read and enjoyed Lucy Clarke’s previous book The Castaways so I was excited to receive the ARC for her latest read, The Hike.

In her previous book I had enjoyed the way Lucy wrote multiple perspectives but still made sure the plot remained clear and didn’t become too confusing. This is very much the case with the Hike which is written from the perspective of four friends who catch up for an annual getaway, having chosen a mountain hike is Norway for this particular adventure. Each character has their own narrative voice throughout and each had their own secrets and backstories which are slowly revealed as the story progresses.

The story starts with the discovery of a dead woman on the mountain trail and we are unsure who this is until right at the very end but it really keeps the stakes high throughout. The chapters are also interspersed with the perspective of Lief, a man who owns the Lodge on the mountain and is sent to investigate the body. There’s also a lot of action and drama throughout which kept me interested and it felt like a quick read that I finished in just a few sittings.

My only criticism would be that some stock phrases are used multiple times throughout the book which felt a little jarring. It perhaps needs a bit of proof-reading to get rid of these before publication day.

Overall, The Hike is a really well-written holiday-type read which will appeal to all types of readers. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK – HarperFiction for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book, I've read most of Lucy Clarke's books now and they just keep getting better!

This psychological thriller will keep you glued to the pages and take you away to the Norwegian mountains where you'll feel you are hiking along with the four main characters of this book, Liz, Maggie, Helena and Joni who are lifelong friends going off on their annual holiday. This time Liz had chosen to go hiking in Norway. Her three friends all have very different situations and the characters are all so well written and the location will draw you in, right from the start. What could go wrong? Pretty much everything, including a body found in a ravine and someone knows what happened...

This is a really exciting and twisty thriller from the start to the end which will leaving you wanting to hike in Norway too.

A big thanks to Harper Collins UK HarperFiction and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy Clarke - another winner from you and this will definitely will be a best seller. I' would love to see a movie of this book and please keep up the writing, I'm running out of your books to read. They are all soo good. I cant wait to see what comes next.

Four friends from childhood, go on a trip each year, this year Liz chooses and the destination is Blajfell a mountain in wilderness. Liz has told the girl's how to prepare and they may or may not have taken that seriously, but that will be the least of their problems.

I liked the idea of the group taking a holiday and I think the writing of the location and the town people was great and atmospheric however the book takes a turn for the ridiculous and I was left disappointed.

I would think this book would be a great read for someone able to take a little more far fetched in their thriller.

I recieved this book as an ARC from netgalley in return for an honest review.