On the Dorset coast during the Summer solstice, guests are gathering for the opening of The Manor, an exclusive new retreat. Something dark is looming in the ancient woods that border the property and deadly secrets won’t stay hidden for much longer.

This book followed multiple POVs and multiple timelines which I love. I think it worked really well in this story. I loved how the characters stories linked together, there were a few times I thought I had guessed the link but was miles off! This story kept me guessing all the way to the end. Some of the characters were so unlikeable to the point they were almost frustrating to read but they were balanced with some lovable ones that had me rooting for them. The final sentence was the icing on the cake and left me closing the book with a smile.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher HarperCollins UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I couldn’t bring myself to finish this book. I have enjoyed Lucy Foley’s previous books especially The Hunting Party and The Guest List, however I was disappointed with this one. I was not pulled in by the story, was becoming annoyed by the characters and tone of writing, so didn’t feel able to waste time battling to read it. Really surprised. Maybe if I persevered it would improve however have too many other books to try instead. Sorry.

I started this book around mid-May, and here I am, three months later, writing this review. This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy Foley, and I picked it up solely because of all the hype surrounding her work. However, in all honesty, my first impression of her writing did not live up to the hype.

The plot of the book is simple. The Midnight Feast follows the story of Francesca Meadows, who has recently inherited the Manor from her grandfather and transformed it into a luxurious wellness retreat. The retreat features seaside cabins, woodland hutches, and upcoming treehouses designed by her husband, Owen. To celebrate the opening, she decides to throw a lavish midnight feast, complete with a perfectly curated dinner and white flowing linen outfits for the guests.

However, deep in the woods lie secrets from Francesca’s past. A rift with the locals and mysterious guests roaming the manor threaten to uncover her dark secrets and ruin her perfect solstice. Francesca has no other way out but to burn the place down and flee Dorset forever.

Initially, I found it very difficult to get into this book as the writing style was a bit confusing. Although the plot was simple, the author chose to complicate it by throwing in fantasy elements like folklore and the birds, which I think need not have been a part of this mystery.

The story is told from multiple POVs, which was interesting. The major story is uncovered through journal entries made by one of the characters 15 years ago, giving this book its dual timeline. However, despite the short chapters, the writing was very descriptive, making the transition from description back to the story a bit confusing and difficult to follow, further putting this book on the slow burner.

On the other hand, the characters were not very likable. The main character, Francesca Meadows, was too arrogant and corky. However, I did like the characters Bella and Eddy. Eddy was just cute, innocent, and the hero of this mystery. I also failed to connect with the story of the birds and the legend surrounding it.

Overall, I did like the mystery surrounding the story but not the entire book on the whole. I would recommend it to readers looking for a fantasy mystery book. As for me I did finish it after three months and would have to really think before picking up another Lucy Foley book.

Thanks to netgalley, the publishers HarperCollins uk and Author Lucy Foley for the arc.

What a feast for the eyes!

Foley does it again with a twisty, page romp of a thriller that has you both scared and excited about what will be revealed next.

With essence of Wicker Man and a nod to the influencer age, Foley pulls us ito sit and immerse ourselves into the lives of teenagers on the Dorset coast in a summer of misadventure, hi-jinks and mistakes that ripple through time.

Francesca Meadows has launched The Manor, 'the new jewel of the Dorset coastline ' a retreat to be seen at and to find your inner zen. We join the party for the opening weekend and are introduced to the guests joining us at The Manor through multiple viewpoints and timelines.

Bella, whose anxiety reveals to you a woman on the edge.

Eddie a local lad working at The Manor, cause if you cant beat them, join them, right?

Owen, Francesca's husband and chief architect of The Manor.

Francesca, owner of The Manor a family home converted to a wellness retreat.

I love that all the characters had well round histories and real depth to them. The interwoven timeline of the summer as youngsters and present day as adults was well paced and interwoven and the flashes of the police investigations were just the right amount to drive the plot along and make you desperate to find out more. I LOVED the reveals and the ending had me chuckling. BRAVO! Another 5 star read from Lucy Foley.

Nestled in the eerie charm of The Manor, an old historical house turned wellness boutique hotel, *The Midnight Feast* by Lucy Foley takes readers on a suspenseful journey filled with secrets and local legends. 🏰🌲

The story centers around Francesca Meadows, the granddaughter of the original owners, who renovates The Manor into a stunning hotel. But despite its beauty, the locals aren’t thrilled, and strange occurrences begin—seemingly tied to an old tale known as “the Birds.” 🦅✨

The narrative unfolds through the eyes of four characters: Francesca, her supportive husband Owen, a mysterious guest named Bella, and Eddie, the kind-hearted kitchen help. As we shift between their perspectives and past and present timelines, the suspense builds around a folklore that feels too real, culminating in a shocking fire and the discovery of multiple bodies.🕯️📖

What truly captivated me was the setting—the lush woods and cliffs overlooking the sea create an atmosphere that’s both enchanting and ominous. 🌊🍃

Eddie quickly became my favorite character. His journey added a lot of depth to the story. 💙

However, I found myself struggling to stay engaged towards the end. The frequent shifts in perspective and a diary with a melodramatic teenage tone made it hard to stay connected to the story. While the plot had great potential, the twists and reveals felt more tiring than thrilling. 🤔

This was my first time reading a book by Lucy Foley, and although this one didn’t fully hit the mark for me, I’m still curious to explore more of her work. I’m giving this book ⭐⭐⭐ out of 5. 📚✨

I don’t read a lot of crime, but when I need something engaging and easy to read (in this case for train commutes) Lucy Foley always delivers. There were plenty of unlikeable characters as always, and it isn’t my favourite of her novels, but it kept me reading and definitely surprised me at points. I particularly liked how the characters from the two different timelines interlinked.

Excellent writing with just the right amount of tension, as we try to guess who is who and what happened in the past, and what is happening now. Who will get their comeuppance - and why do they deserve it. Who will find relief and a release - and do they deserve it? Twisting between characters and timelines, this is a very clever novel that will keep you gripped right till the closing sentence.

“The Midnight Feast” is a masterfully crafted dark thriller that weaves elements of horror and folklore into an intelligent and well-paced narrative. Set in the eerie backdrop of an isolated, high-end countryside retreat, the story is told through multiple perspectives, each more morally complex and intriguing than the last. The characters are nuanced and believable, their interactions shedding light on the stark divides that underpin the plot. This is not just a thriller; it’s a masterclass in showing how people are rarely who they appear to be.

One of my favourite features of this novel is the inclusion of journal entries, which add extra intrigue and depth, and I loved the creepiness of the setting, enriched with pagan folklore.

A dark, atmospheric thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. A must-read!

Bit as captivating as the Hunting Party but a good read if a little far fetched and the main character was quite bizarre. Not for me I’m afraid but I can recognise good writing.

The Midnight Feast follows the story of our protagonist Francesca as she opens her new exclusive wellness retreat “The Manor” in her hometown of Tome on the Dorset coastline.

She dreams of a relaxed, boujee curated experience for her guests which will bring in the big bucks; however it’s clear from the start that The Birds have other plans.

The story is told from multiple POVs, along a dual timeline, with a snappy page turning pace. Full of suspenseful horror like moments and multiple twists, it’s an easy book to binge. However, at times I felt it was a little over complicated in places and lacking in depth in others.

Overall, another enjoyable and tense locked room mystery from Foley but definitely not my favourite.

3.5/5

Overall I enjoyed this book. Surprisingly it took me longer to read than I expected, I think this is because the story didn't captivate me as much as I thought it would.

I really enjoyed Foley's debut The Hunting Party the most of all her books.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy.

I thought this was a bit of a mixed bag. I really struggled to get into it, but have really enjoyed Lucy Foley's books in the past so persevered and I am pleased that I did. It was a little far fetched in places and I had to suspend belief a little, but it was excellently plotted. I read a fair bit of crime and didn't see some of the twists coming, and I really loved/hated Francesca who was written brilliantly. I love a bit of skewering of rich, entitled people and thought it was done really well in this. The folk/horror stuff was different and added some ambience and intrigue.

I loved the setting of The Midnight Feast and Lucy Foley knows how to write a mystery with such a diverse cast of characters. I didn't love this one unfortunately and felt there was a lot of characters and constant misdirection.

Couldn’t get in to this one. Not as good as Lucy Foleys last couple of books unfortunately. Felt unengaging and just didn’t catch my attention. The characters seemed a bit, lacking. And the plot just didn’t gather speed enough to keep interest

Lucy Foley's writing is always deliciously twisty and atmospheric, and I loved the folkloric feel of this one. Foley is an author who isn't afraid to change things up, and I really enjoy that. She's one of my favourite thriller authors!

An interesting story of entitlement wrapped up with folklore and the beliefs and traditions of the countryside. Francesca has inherited her families ancestral home in Dorset with all its secrets. Changed into an hotel for the very rich the story is set over the weekend of its opening. Of course nothing stays to plan and more and more secrets are revealed from her teenage years living in the manor.. It is well plotted and throws up many unsuspected connections before its climatic ending. Told by several characters it keeps the reader trying to put the pieces together. If you get all the connections before the end then very well done.

Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this one, and I'm starting to feel like The Guest List might have been a fluke for me. The Midnight Feast is very much about rich people - their messy lives and messier deaths. Set at 'the Manor', a new, exclusive resort boasting privacy and tranquility to its guests. However the summer solstice soiree doesn't exactly go to plan, with surprise guests and deep buried secrets being revealed. And birds to keep happy.

I think this just had too many characters and convoluted storylines for me to really get invested in the mystery. While the big cast worked in The Guest List due to the obvious links between them, I found in The Midnight Guest that there's no real connection between the characters or they feel very underdeveloped. Eddie was the most intriguing - the underdog, not privileged dishwasher who sees everything. Everyone else was just largely unbearable. And although the plot has its unsettling moments with creepy birds and ominous omens, ultimately the characters fell flat.

It was so good!
So many layers and twists. The atmosphere makes it the perfect summer mystery. The voices of the different points of view were perfectly distinct and rendered. I loved reading about both past and present! I also particularly enjoyed hating a character….it shows true skill when a writer ses positive words etc and still manages to convey how awful a character is! It was just delightful to read !
Highly recommend !!!!

I enjoyed this book. Rosa is a barrister and has been tasked with defending a young black man who has been accused of murder. however, the case is far from cut and dried. The boy refuses to name the friends who were with him and who fled the scene, leaving him holding a knife. Rosa decides to turn detective in order to get to the truth. This is a real page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Unfortunately this was just not for me, i enjoyed Lucy Foleys other books but this just fell flat to me and i was not interested in the plot line at all and it felt boring at times.