I jumped at the chance to read this book. I’ve had this authors’s past books on my shelf since they’ve come out. Unfortunately for me, this book fell flat. I did enjoy the premise and was sucked in by the cover, but other than that, it was a miss. I will try again and hope that these previous or upcoming books are more a fit for me.

There were so many characters including some with name changes, that I found it hard to keep track. Some characters haven’t see each other in 15 years and there was a failure to recognize, which came off as totally odd. Scenarios were thrown in that were not necessary and added nothing to the storyline. Multiple POVs, journal entries and multiple time lines, made this book an extremely slow read for me. I feared if I put it down, I’d never pick it up again. I did finish this book, but once it ended, I totally forgot most things about it. I found the majority of the characters unlikeable and unrelatable. Privilege at its worst. The book does pick up towards the end, and there was a twist or two that I didn’t see coming, but it was too late to save the book for me. So much potential here about the local folklore but it just left me scratching my head as to why it was inserted and not fully explored.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. ( )

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a very highly recommended twisty locked room thriller. This entertaining novel unfolds through both multiple points-of-view and timelines

Francesca Meadows inherited the estate located by the Dorset coastline and ancient forests where she used to stay with her grandparents. She has now turned The Manor into an exclusive luxury resort built with help from her architect, now husband, Owen. The wealthy guests are arriving for the opulent opening weekend and planned summer solstice celebration. Let the celebrations begin! But wait all may not be as it seems. The locals aren't thrilled with The Manor for several reasons and there is one guest attending who is holding a grudge.

The narrative switches back and forth between different timelines and character's points-of-view. The timelines include the present day, the past, and after the solstice when DI Walker is investigating a fire and a body found. There are plenty of warnings to "beware the birds" and to keep in mind that the Night Birds could be called upon to bring judgement to bear.

Readers will know someone has died and that there was a fire at The Manor. Characters include Francesca, her husband Owen, Bella a guest with a grudge, and Eddie, a dishwasher who lives in the area. The entertainment is in meeting the characters, learning their backgrounds, and anticipating what is going to happen next. Additionally, with all the feathers showing up randomly, has someone summoned the Night Birds to come and render judgement upon the guilty.

Once the story gets moving, The Midnight Feast is a well-written, wildly entertaining book. I was actually shocked at several of the surprising twists toward the end. 4.5 . Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion. ( )