Editorial note: I received a copy of The Midnight Feast in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a well done thriller that is highly entertaining and intriguing.
I’m a big fan of Lucy Foley’s novels! From The Hunting Party to The Guest List, I think her thrillers all have that readability, can’t-put-down quality to them. There’s always a big mystery, and she provides plenty of character development and context as well. She also writes vivid settings. And it was especially so with The Midnight Feast.
In fact, this one is actually a bit more spooky in some areas compared to her previous ones. I know it’s going to be a buzzy summer read, which is why I included it in my summer book club 2024 list. But I can see it being a good one to read during the fall and Halloween too.
What’s the Story About
Welcome to The Manor, a new high-end luxury resort for the ultra wealthy located at the Dorset coastline in a town called Tome. While The Manor is all about giving an ‘authentic’ wellness experience complete with crystals and rustic (but expensive decor), Tome is a farming community, with a rich local folklore. And the locals are very unhappy with the creation of The Manor.
But none of that phases The Manor owner, Francesca, who only cares about herself and publicity. Still, darkness begins to stir as old enemies begin to mix together again. And the Sunday after the big party, there’s been a fire and a body is found.
The Mystery
There’s a lot going on in this one! Who really is Francesca? What is her past with the guest named Bella? Who are the Birds?
Yes, the Birds. It’s part of local folklore about a group, who resembles birds, and their role, which is to protect the town from bad people with ill intentions. Some say it’s simply a story, while others believe they exist. I don’t tend to read many novels with a slight horror bend, but it wasn’t never too overdone and I thought it was enough creepiness without feeling overwhelmed by it.
There’s a lot of characters in this one and everyone serves a purpose to the bigger mystery at hand.
Present and Past
The story timelines shifts from 2025 to a journal entry from 2009 when Francesca, back then known as Frankie, and Bella were teenagers. This is where we learned about their shared past and the secret that has haunted Bella ever since.
Bella is determined to finally let go of the past, but in doing so, she has to finally confront Francesca. The cat-and-mouse game between the two is quite interesting. And you never really know what’s going to happen next.
I thought this was a good use of how the past can come back to the light in the present. Can you really move on as a person if you’ve never accepted what happened in the past? I feel this explores that concept well.
Sometimes with thrillers that have a lot of going on, it can feel tiresome and a little loose on how it all connects. But I think Lucy Foley did a great job on connecting everything in this novel.
Verdict
I keep these spoiler-free so I can’t go into too much detail but overall, I thought this was an entertaining thriller. It had a unique premise with a vivid setting. And I also think she gave plenty of backstory as well and motivations for all the characters. It felt very much like a complete story too.
A great read for the summer, or any time of the year!
For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.
