A review by amateur_bookworm
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My summary: A posh hotel opens in Dorset on the edge of the woods that locals consider to be sacred. The owner, Francesca, has poured herself into the Manor to make it a an exclusive and inviting resort for the wealthy, with an emphasis on spiritual wellness. Celebrating the opening weekend during the summer solstice, it is sure to be unforgettable and put the Manor on the map. But Francesca’s ethereal positivity starts to crack as bits of the deeply buried past begin to emerge during opening weekend. From the owner to the guests to the employees to the locals—no one is telling the truth and everyone has something to hide. And the locals, far off the beaten path in their small town of Tome, have always found that justice seems to be meted out when deserved. 
My thoughts: Attentive reading is richly rewarded in this deviously dark thriller. If you like doing puzzles, this book is very satisfying. Lucy Foley masterfully weaves this story together until you feel like you’ve been transported directly into the middle of it. I was quickly pulled into the thrall of this twisty story set in an otherworldly feeling town. The story unfolds with jumps in time between the past, the weekend before the solstice, and the weekend after the solstice. I had no idea where the story was leading at any point, and many of the twists are completely unexpected. It was really satisfying as the pieces clicked into place and the mystery unfolded as you read. I can’t tell you many how many “Aha!” moments along the way made me want to go back and reread from the beginning after more pieces clicked together. There are a lot of characters and it feels like there’s a lot going on, with truly impressive depth to the layers of the story. Everyone seems to have motive, which is always my favorite in a mystery. Lucy Foley is absolutely a mad genius. This book rekindled my love of suspense and mystery books. This is—by far—my favorite Lucy Foley book yet.
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Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. 
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