Book Club Questions for The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

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Book club questions for The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley examines all the twists and turns in this entertaining locked-room mystery. There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first.

I quite enjoyed this one! I always feel Lucy Foley’s thrillers are so well done and engaging. She does a great job with both a vivid setting and also plenty of character development too.

The Midnight Feast is pretty spooky at times too! Whew, those Birds kind of freaked me out at times.

Let me know what you thought about the novel!

The Synopsis

It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered. 

THE FOUNDER * THE HUSBAND * THE MYSTERY GUEST * THE KITCHEN HELP

It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…The Midnight Feast.

Book Club Questions for The Midnight Feast

1. What were your overall thoughts about the setting at the Dorset coastline and the town Tome? How did the setting serve as a character of its own?
2. Part of the novel focuses on a local folklore about the Birds, a cult who protects the town. What did you think about the Birds? How did it help to add a creepy element to the story?
3. The story is told in two different timelines—the present in the year 2025 and a journal from 2009. Why was it important to include the journal entires as well?
4. We read the perspectives from many different characters. How does the multi-perspective technique help to build tension in these kind of stories?
5. Why did Francesca decide to turn The Manor into a luxury resort? Did she really think her past wouldn’t come back to haunt her?
6. Why was it important for Bella to attend The Manor opening and confront Francesca about the past? What was she hoping to achieve?
7. At the beginning of the novel, we know a body has been found and The Manor was set on fire. Who did you suspect the body was at first?
8. There’s a ton of connections in this story—Francesca’s husband, Owen, is actually from Tome and he was picked on as a child. Eddie, the dishwasher, is a local who had an older brother. What was your impression of all the connections between the past and present in this novel?
9. As a teenager, Bella embarked on a summer romance with a guy named Jake. But all that comes to a grinding halt during Frankie’s party. Frankie makes poisoned brownies, and a local named Cora eats one and dies. Let’s talk about all the developments from that fateful night.
10. Why did Jake take a dark turn and eventually leave town after that night? And on same token, why did he become a detective focused on cold cases? Were you surprised when it turned out the detective investigating was actually Jake?
11. We find out that Cora was actually Owen’s mother. Let’s talk about that reveal.
12. When Francesca tries to escape from everyone chasing her, it’s Eddie who puts on the Bird outfit and causes Francesca to go off a cliff. What was your thoughts as you read all this unfold? How will this impact Eddie going forward?
13. The story ends with Eddie living with guilt, and his mother revealing that she’s part of the Birds. Jake and Bella meet for a drink. Owen inherits The Manor and decides to turn it into a place where locals can enjoy. What happens next for all the characters going forward?

Additional Recommendations

Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The Midnight Feast! Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions.

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.

Happy reading!