The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

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.

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.]

Review: I gave myself a little time to digest this before reviewing because I didn't want to be too harsh, but the bottom line is I didn't enjoy it. Having previously loved the Hunting Party and the Paris Apartment, I was looking forward to this book, particularly because the island retreat setting seemed exciting. Unfortunately, that's the only part that was exciting for me. The characters were dull and some of them were a little too conveniently placed/unbelievable. I skimmed through a good portion of the book and did feel that the ending made up for much of the lackluster plot, but overall it didn't blow me away. Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for allowing me to review this ahead of print.

Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott

 

[Summary: Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That’s what Jacy’s mom always told her. And Jacy felt like she finally did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her new husband Jed embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Doctor Ash, in Michigan’s far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive in the cozy cottage in the lush woods, Jacy feels bathed in love by the warm and hospitable Doctor Ash, if less so by his house manager, the enigmatic Mrs. Brandt.

But their Edenic first days take a turn when Jacy has a health scare. Swiftly, vacation activities are scrapped, and all eyes are on Jacy’s condition. At the same time, whispers about Jed’s long-dead mother and complicated family history seem eerily to be impeding upon the present. As the days pass, Jacy begins to feel trapped in the cottage, her every move surveilled, her body under the looking glass. But are her fears founded or is it paranoia, or cabin fever, or—as is suggested to her—a stubborn refusal to take necessary precautions? The dense woods surrounding the cottage are full of dangers, but are the greater ones inside?]

Review: This is an atmospheric slow-burn story peppered with interesting facts about Michigan's Upper Peninsula that I have never heard. Everything from the Cornish history (and pasties!) to the remote beauty of the area is really well described and incorporated into this story. It's twisty, with a sense of dread that I felt long before Jacy did. The ending is a bit crazy, but in a fun way. I enjoyed it alot and would recommend it. 

Such a Lovely Family by Aggie Blum Thompson

 

[Summary: The cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Washington, D.C., and the Calhouns are in the midst of hosting their annual party to celebrate the best of the spring season. With a house full of friends, neighbors, and their beloved three adult children, the Calhouns are expecting another picture-perfect event. But a brutal murder in the middle of the celebration transforms the yearly gathering into a homicide scene, and all the guests into suspects.

Behind their façade of perfection, the Calhoun family has been keeping some very dark secrets. Parents who use money and emotional manipulation to control their children. Two sons, one the black sheep who is desperate to outrun mistakes he’s made, and the other a new father, willing to risk everything to protect his child. And a daughter: an Instagram influencer who refuses to face the truth about the man she married.

As the investigation heats up, family tensions build, and alliances shift. Long-buried resentments surface, forcing the Calhouns to face their darkest secrets before it’s too late.]

Review: [This was a March read and was meant to be my main review for the month but I forgot to post it.] I've read and enjoyed Aggie Blum Thompson's previous books and was excited for this one. I found it a little hard to get into at first and was thrown by how many characters there are to keep track of and how they fit into the family's orbit and the murder. By halfway through the story though, I was hooked and would recommend this to anyone who likes complex domestic suspense. On a fun note: Cookie reminded me of Cam from Modern Family and that's who I pictured as I was reading. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this early review copy. 

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander

 

[Summary: Nine years ago, with the world's eyes on her, Charlie Colbert fled. The press and the police called Charlie a "witness" to the nightmarish events at her elite graduate school on Christmas Eve―events known to the public as "Scarlet Christmas"―though Charlie knows she was much more than that.

Now, Charlie has meticulously rebuilt her life: She's the editor-in-chief of a major magazine, engaged to the golden child of the publishing industry, and hell-bent on never, ever letting her guard down again. But when a buzzy film made by one of Charlie's former classmates threatens to shatter everything she's worked for, Charlie realizes how much she's changed in nine years. Now, she's not going to let anything―not even the people she once loved most―get in her way.]

Review:

So many influencers were touting this one over the last few months that I was really looking forward to reading it. Although I liked the premise, it didn't quite live up to the hype in my opinion. I found myself skipping around a bit and wanting more. I also didn't connect with Charlie, which made it hard for me to love this book. I also personally think it would connect better with readers if the school was real, like NYU, with local color that people recognize. I went to school in NY and didn't get the feeling that these people were in the city at all. Overall, 3.5 stars.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

 

[Summary: After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.]

Review:

I've read several books recently that have a podcast angle and not all of them have pulled it off successfully. Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is a good example of a story that uses this element successfully to propel the story rather than just supplement it. It kept me guessing, too, and the murderer of Savvy came as a surprise. My one complaint is that Ben was the only person who seemed to realize that Lucy had some sort of PTSD/brain injury, but even he didn't encourage her to get medical help for it, he just kept her talking to fuel his podcast. I doubt something like that just disappears because she remembered the night of Savvy's murder. If you like small-town gossip, lots of sleeping around (WTH Lucy's mom!!?), a cool grandma, and a juicy murder mystery, this one's for you. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

 

Summary: Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ. When the girl came to her senses and called the police, the Angels committed suicide and mother and baby disappeared. 
Now, true crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career by writing a book on the case. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen; finding them will be the scoop of the year. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and also on the baby’s trail. 

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realize that the truth about the Angels is much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined, and in pursuit of the story they risk becoming part of it.

I have mixed feelings about this one and will try to explain why. First of all, I dislike the format immensely. Reading this on an e-reader made it impossible to see the emojis that were used in the texts, and there were alot of them. The story is interesting and kept me invested in it, but the long list of characters became difficult to keep straight in my mind. I also felt like most characters were one-dimensional, including many of the important ones. My other main issue of contention here is that we were told how things happened rather than shown and that felt contrived at times and not very satisfying. All that being said, I appreciate that Hallett was trying to do something different and experiment with format while delivering a complex story. Final verdict 3.5 stars.

 

Well, I've finished up my holiday reading with two really fun books. First up was the Christmas Guest, a novella by Peter Swanson. I read most of this on the bus on my commute into work and didn't want to put it down. The story pulls you in quick with an American teenager being invited to spend the Christmas holidays with a British school friend she doesn't know that well at the girls' family home in the Cotswolds. From there things go insane quickly as most Peter Swanson stories do. Lots of twists and turns that I did not see coming. I really enjoyed this one.

Next up was a book I saw recommended by some bookstagramers although I had never heard of it. The Christmas Murder Game also involves a country house in England where family members are locked away together from before Christmas to after New Years to play a scavenger hunt game and the winner gets the keys to the house. Lots of family secrets and backstabbing ensue. Another really fun book that was perfect for my holiday reading.

Enjoy!