From the Bookshelf of Read Between the Wines…

The Midnight Feast

Lucy Foley

Start date: June 1, 2024

Finish date: June 30, 2024

Discussion: June 24 - The Midnight Feast

Discussion leader: Lorelie Anderson

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No topics in June 24 - The Midnight Feast yet. Start one now »

What Members Thought

Sep 22, 2024 Lorelie Anderson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Midnight Feast: A Haunting Thriller That Keeps You On Edge

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley unfolds like a masterclass in suspense, layering mystery, tension, and unexpected twists at every turn. Set in the remote village of Tome, Dorset, the novel opens during the launch of The Manor, a high-end wellness retreat promising serenity, luxury, and spirituality. Perched between the woods and the sea, the resort promises a perfect escape for its guests – until the morning after the Solstice Feast, The Midnight Feast: A Haunting Thriller That Keeps You On Edge

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley unfolds like a masterclass in suspense, layering mystery, tension, and unexpected twists at every turn. Set in the remote village of Tome, Dorset, the novel opens during the launch of The Manor, a high-end wellness retreat promising serenity, luxury, and spirituality. Perched between the woods and the sea, the resort promises a perfect escape for its guests – until the morning after the Solstice Feast, when a body is found drifting in the water and flames consume the estate.

What happens during The Midnight Feast? That’s the question that lingers from the first chapter to the last. Foley proves her reputation as a queen of misdirection, crafting a plot that weaves through multiple layers of secrets and lies, culminating in a shocking final act. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, another twist throws everything into question. It’s the kind of thriller where the last quarter of the book keeps you breathless, heart racing, and desperate to see how it all unravels.

The characters are just as intricate as the plot. Some are sympathetic, while others remain morally ambiguous or downright sinister, but all are compelling. They carry the weight of their pasts, their traumas creeping into the present in ways both tragic and terrifying. And as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that in this twisted tale, no one is quite what they seem. As one character aptly observes, "Turns out a leopard doesn’t change its spots, even if it’s covered them up with some wellness bullshit and white linen." Foley has an uncanny ability to build emotionally rich characters, leaving readers invested in their fates, even as the sinister undertones of their actions are revealed.

The atmospheric setting of Tome is crucial to the story’s tension. The isolated location, with its looming cliffs, whispering woods, and eerie folklore, adds an element of gothic unease. The village’s customs and its class divides play into the narrative, further enhancing the sense that this place is not as tranquil as it seems.

Foley also plays with time masterfully, jumping between the unsettling events of the three-day retreat, flashbacks to a mysterious summer in 2010, and the harrowing aftermath of the fire. The journal entries from that summer, written by a teenage girl, slowly unravel key elements of the mystery, building toward a breathtaking conclusion. These sections, filled with youthful vulnerability and ominous secrets, were particularly gripping.

The Midnight Feast is a thrilling, multi-layered mystery that kept me on edge from start to finish. It’s a psychological puzzle, a character study, and a haunting tale of past and present colliding. If you enjoy being led down dark paths with no easy answers, this book is one for your list. ...more

Like · see review

Jun 09, 2024 Karen Alvarez added it

Jan 20, 2025 Lorayne Gohl rated it really liked it

Group Home Bookshelf Discussions

Photos Videos

Send invite Members Polls