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The Hunting Party
EVERYONE’S INVITED.
EVERYONE’S A SUSPECT.
Bristling with tension, bitter rivalries, and toxic friendships, get ready for the most hotly-anticipated thriller of 2019.
In a remote hunting lodge, deep in the Scottish wilderness, old friends gather for New Year.
The beautiful one
The golden couple
The volatile one
The new parents
The quiet one
The city boy
The outsider
The victim.
Not an accident – a murder among friends.
401 pages, ebook
First published December 3, 2018
About the author
Lucy Foley
37 books41.7k followersHello and welcome to my Goodreads page! I’m the author of the new Miss Marple novel, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. My previous books have included my murder mysteries: The Midnight Feast, The Paris Apartment, The Guest List and The Hunting Party — as well as the historical novels The Book of Lost and Found, The Invitation and Last Letter from Istanbul.
I came to writing through a love of reading — I previously worked with books as a fiction editor, a literary agent’s assistant, a bookseller and a literary scout!
Inspired by trips to the West Country and local folklore I began plotting my latest novel, The Midnight Feast. A midsummer heatwave, a setting with a past, a reunion that takes a dark turn. And so The Midnight Feast came to life.
Thanks to brilliant readers around the world, my novels have sold over five million copies, and been translated into multiple languages. I’m also a No 1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. A life-long Agatha Christie fan, I also contributed to Marple, a collection of short stories featuring the legendary detective.
Follow me on social media at:
Instagram @lucyfoleyauthor
Facebook @LucyFoleyAuthor
Twitter/X @lucyfoleytweets
I came to writing through a love of reading — I previously worked with books as a fiction editor, a literary agent’s assistant, a bookseller and a literary scout!
Inspired by trips to the West Country and local folklore I began plotting my latest novel, The Midnight Feast. A midsummer heatwave, a setting with a past, a reunion that takes a dark turn. And so The Midnight Feast came to life.
Thanks to brilliant readers around the world, my novels have sold over five million copies, and been translated into multiple languages. I’m also a No 1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. A life-long Agatha Christie fan, I also contributed to Marple, a collection of short stories featuring the legendary detective.
Follow me on social media at:
Instagram @lucyfoleyauthor
Facebook @LucyFoleyAuthor
Twitter/X @lucyfoleytweets
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33,454 reviews
December 12, 2018
The Hunting Party features many elements that I gravitate towards in my Mystery-Thrillers.
There's a group of frenemies, a remote location in the Scottish Highlands, a blizzard and some murder. You're speaking my language, Lucy Foley. I'm here for it!
When it's Emma's turn to plan the annual 'Friends Getaway' for New Year's Eve holiday, she is looking to impress.
Emma, by dating Mark, has become included in the group, but has never truly felt welcomed.
The rest of the crew, Samira, Miranda, Katie, Mark, Giles and Julien, have been friends since their days at Oxford.
Thusly, they have a well-established, though complex, history.
Since University, they have continued to stay in touch, with the annual New Year's Eve getaway as their most cherished social event of the year.
Emma desperately wants to be accepted and this is her chance, by hosting the best holiday weekend they've ever had. She goes all out, booking a swanky, private hunting lodge in the remote mountains of Scotland.
Anxious for their holiday, the train ride and first night start off with a bang!
Everyone is in high spirits, the champagne is flowing freely and although there are a few tense moments, all goes fairly well.
But as the days drag on and the friends find themselves snowed in at the lodge, tempers flare, resentments resurface and unrequited feelings come to light.
I loved this book. It was fun from start to finish. I enjoyed the format, the dynamic among the friends, the mystery and the reveals.
I understand this book may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy atmospheric, 'locked-room' mysteries, you should definitely check it out!
This felt like The Lying Game meets Murder on the Orient Express with modern, taboo twists. This seems like an odd mash-up, I know, but it's true!
The format follows multiple narratives, and even dual timelines, but I never had any issues following along.
I think Foley did a great job of weaving it all together.
It was tense, compelling and I could not put it down!
Thank you so much to the publisher, William Morrow, for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.
I truly appreciate the opportunity and look forward to reading more from Foley in the future. I will definitely pick up anything else she writes!
There's a group of frenemies, a remote location in the Scottish Highlands, a blizzard and some murder. You're speaking my language, Lucy Foley. I'm here for it!
When it's Emma's turn to plan the annual 'Friends Getaway' for New Year's Eve holiday, she is looking to impress.
Emma, by dating Mark, has become included in the group, but has never truly felt welcomed.
The rest of the crew, Samira, Miranda, Katie, Mark, Giles and Julien, have been friends since their days at Oxford.
Thusly, they have a well-established, though complex, history.
Since University, they have continued to stay in touch, with the annual New Year's Eve getaway as their most cherished social event of the year.
Emma desperately wants to be accepted and this is her chance, by hosting the best holiday weekend they've ever had. She goes all out, booking a swanky, private hunting lodge in the remote mountains of Scotland.
Anxious for their holiday, the train ride and first night start off with a bang!
Everyone is in high spirits, the champagne is flowing freely and although there are a few tense moments, all goes fairly well.
But as the days drag on and the friends find themselves snowed in at the lodge, tempers flare, resentments resurface and unrequited feelings come to light.
I loved this book. It was fun from start to finish. I enjoyed the format, the dynamic among the friends, the mystery and the reveals.
I understand this book may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy atmospheric, 'locked-room' mysteries, you should definitely check it out!
This felt like The Lying Game meets Murder on the Orient Express with modern, taboo twists. This seems like an odd mash-up, I know, but it's true!
The format follows multiple narratives, and even dual timelines, but I never had any issues following along.
I think Foley did a great job of weaving it all together.
It was tense, compelling and I could not put it down!
Thank you so much to the publisher, William Morrow, for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.
I truly appreciate the opportunity and look forward to reading more from Foley in the future. I will definitely pick up anything else she writes!
June 7, 2020
Seven friends meet up to ring in the New Year together at a remote wilderness lodge. Two days later, one of them is dead. Told in alternating perspectives from three of the friends, as well as in alternating timelines, one leading up to the fateful event and one in the immediate aftermath, it begs the questions: What happened? Who was killed and why?
And here is essentially the first issue with The Hunting Party: we don't know who the victim is. Even in the aftermath narrative, the identity of the victim is obfuscated. We don't even know their gender until quite late in the book. And withholding this information takes all the fun out of it. It's no longer a mystery to be solved so much as a contrived tale, manipulated such that as much of the information is withheld as possible.
Reading this book gave me anticipation fatigue. There was a complete dearth of action and information. Sure, anticipation adds suspense and fun, but only for a little while. After that, I need something more: clues, reveals, investigation progress, anything. Otherwise, my brain starts to feel fried out from all that imminent expectation. It becomes overloaded and then turns to exhaustion.
In the meantime, we are treated to eye-rolling drama from the most unlikable group of friends I have ever come across. How these people, who are so snide and awkward around each other, are supposedly friends for decades really belies plausibility. They treat each other with disdain and open hostility. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that?
And the book is full of descriptions of the remote wilderness, with its snow and trees and mountains and silence. There was a point in the middle of the book, when nothing but petty drama and bleak terrain filled the pages, that I was so bored it was hard to make myself keep reading.
Eventually the book did come together, and the last bit was enjoyable. But I wish it was a more even reading experience throughout. I can't help but feel this was a bit of a missed opportunity, that such a promising premise and entertaining story had been written in such a way as to take the excitement and fun out of the majority of the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The Guest List
The Paris Apartment
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
And here is essentially the first issue with The Hunting Party: we don't know who the victim is. Even in the aftermath narrative, the identity of the victim is obfuscated. We don't even know their gender until quite late in the book. And withholding this information takes all the fun out of it. It's no longer a mystery to be solved so much as a contrived tale, manipulated such that as much of the information is withheld as possible.
Reading this book gave me anticipation fatigue. There was a complete dearth of action and information. Sure, anticipation adds suspense and fun, but only for a little while. After that, I need something more: clues, reveals, investigation progress, anything. Otherwise, my brain starts to feel fried out from all that imminent expectation. It becomes overloaded and then turns to exhaustion.
In the meantime, we are treated to eye-rolling drama from the most unlikable group of friends I have ever come across. How these people, who are so snide and awkward around each other, are supposedly friends for decades really belies plausibility. They treat each other with disdain and open hostility. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that?
And the book is full of descriptions of the remote wilderness, with its snow and trees and mountains and silence. There was a point in the middle of the book, when nothing but petty drama and bleak terrain filled the pages, that I was so bored it was hard to make myself keep reading.
Eventually the book did come together, and the last bit was enjoyable. But I wish it was a more even reading experience throughout. I can't help but feel this was a bit of a missed opportunity, that such a promising premise and entertaining story had been written in such a way as to take the excitement and fun out of the majority of the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The Guest List
The Paris Apartment
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
November 12, 2019
What a lot of silly old nonsense.
Too many unnecessary characters, and the red herrings were far too red to blend in with the normal herrings. There was also too much talk of first-world problems, and the characters were all so unpleasant that, actually, by the time the victim and murderer were revealed, I cared not a jot about their fate.
Silly book.
Silly, silly book.
Too many unnecessary characters, and the red herrings were far too red to blend in with the normal herrings. There was also too much talk of first-world problems, and the characters were all so unpleasant that, actually, by the time the victim and murderer were revealed, I cared not a jot about their fate.
Silly book.
Silly, silly book.
November 19, 2018
This is a hugely enjoyable modern version of a classic golden age crime novel, a psychological thriller with the Christie like tropes of a country house, only here we have a remote and desolate exclusive hunting lodge situated next to a loch in the bleak and forbidding wintry landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. There is a group of thirty something longstanding close friends from Oxford University, who for the last decade have always gathered together over the New Year period. It begins with New Year's Day 2019, when gamekeeper, Doug and lodge manager, Heather, discover a missing guest on the estate, it is inescapably clear that it is no accident and that a murder has been committed. Heavy and blustery snowstorms have cut the area off, and the police are unable to respond. Without revealing who the victim is until near the end, the narrative goes back and forth over the days since the group arrive, revealing that below the surface of the jollity and apparent closeness of the friends, lurk dark murky secrets, questions about the supposed friendships between them, and exposure of the deep fissures that lay hidden from view.
Emma, a relative newbie to the group, and girlfriend of Mark, has organised the hunting lodge for the gathering in her desperate efforts to fit in and be accepted into this long established group of privileged and entitled individuals. The beautiful, attention grabbing, and popular Miranda, with her good looking husband, Julien, are the enviable golden couple. Samira and Giles are the couple with a 6 month daughter, Priya, that curtails their previous ability to be the total party animals they used to be. Nick is gay, and has been in a long term relationship with his partner, American Bo, a man that has recovered from a history of drug addition. The reserved Katie, a high powered London lawyer, is the single one, with a history of being the closest friend of the glamorous Miranda since schooldays, but her career has meant that recently they have seen little of each other. Amidst the partying, binge drinking and drugs, secrets begin to emerge, lives unravel and the killer's identity slowly comes to be revealed.
Lucy Foley writes a chilling atmospheric crime mystery, laden with an air of menace, set in the most beautiful of locations, but which carrys its own dangers with freezing conditions and snow blizzards. As well as the Oxford group, there is the unexpected addition of two Icelanders at the lodge, Ingvar and Gudrun. Heather has past trauma that triggered the move to work in the most loneliest of places, and Doug, an ex-marine, still suffers from PTSD, leading him to seek the isolation of the estate as he cannot bear to be amongst other people. Foley provides us with a diverse cast of characters as suspects trapped on the estate, with many in the Oxford group not being particularly likeable human beings. This is a fabulously entertaining and riveting murder mystery that I am sure will appeal to many crime aficionados! Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
Emma, a relative newbie to the group, and girlfriend of Mark, has organised the hunting lodge for the gathering in her desperate efforts to fit in and be accepted into this long established group of privileged and entitled individuals. The beautiful, attention grabbing, and popular Miranda, with her good looking husband, Julien, are the enviable golden couple. Samira and Giles are the couple with a 6 month daughter, Priya, that curtails their previous ability to be the total party animals they used to be. Nick is gay, and has been in a long term relationship with his partner, American Bo, a man that has recovered from a history of drug addition. The reserved Katie, a high powered London lawyer, is the single one, with a history of being the closest friend of the glamorous Miranda since schooldays, but her career has meant that recently they have seen little of each other. Amidst the partying, binge drinking and drugs, secrets begin to emerge, lives unravel and the killer's identity slowly comes to be revealed.
Lucy Foley writes a chilling atmospheric crime mystery, laden with an air of menace, set in the most beautiful of locations, but which carrys its own dangers with freezing conditions and snow blizzards. As well as the Oxford group, there is the unexpected addition of two Icelanders at the lodge, Ingvar and Gudrun. Heather has past trauma that triggered the move to work in the most loneliest of places, and Doug, an ex-marine, still suffers from PTSD, leading him to seek the isolation of the estate as he cannot bear to be amongst other people. Foley provides us with a diverse cast of characters as suspects trapped on the estate, with many in the Oxford group not being particularly likeable human beings. This is a fabulously entertaining and riveting murder mystery that I am sure will appeal to many crime aficionados! Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
August 12, 2020
isolated lodge. check.
variety of characters. check.
dead body. check.
this has everything you could want from a classic whodunnit and i would have loved this more if only it werent EXACTLY like LFs other novel, ‘the guest list.’ and i mean exactly - same format, same type of characters, same set-up and plot, same atmosphere. the only differences are the location, reason for gathering, and murder motive.
so this felt very much like a recycled story and made the mystery less fun. i also found the pacing to be quite slow. the story only takes place over the course of three days, but nothing happens. its very much character focused, which is fine, but i feel like i already read about these characters before.
however, i will say that with the changing POVs, i do think listening to this as an audiobook could be more fun, so i may give that a try sometime in the future to see if it changes my opinion.
↠ 3.5 stars
variety of characters. check.
dead body. check.
this has everything you could want from a classic whodunnit and i would have loved this more if only it werent EXACTLY like LFs other novel, ‘the guest list.’ and i mean exactly - same format, same type of characters, same set-up and plot, same atmosphere. the only differences are the location, reason for gathering, and murder motive.
so this felt very much like a recycled story and made the mystery less fun. i also found the pacing to be quite slow. the story only takes place over the course of three days, but nothing happens. its very much character focused, which is fine, but i feel like i already read about these characters before.
however, i will say that with the changing POVs, i do think listening to this as an audiobook could be more fun, so i may give that a try sometime in the future to see if it changes my opinion.
↠ 3.5 stars
October 16, 2026
One of my new fav adult mystery/thrillers! This is my second Lucy Foley book and I loveeee that both books I've read by her feature not just mystery but also wilddd secrets and messy characters 🤭 This book also has duel timeline and goes back and forth between before/after a murder. Not knowing who the murderer is OR who was murdered for most of the book was really cool and made for a twisty ending! Also such an atmospheric book and perfect winter read as it takes place in the remote Scottish Highlands during a snowstorm. My FAVORITE part though was just the characters. Even if there was no murder, I would've still been sooo fascinated by the complex morally grey characters and all their relationships with each other over time.
February 7, 2019
3.5 stars
The Hunting Party is an entertaining mystery about a group of seven friends who spend New Year's Eve in the Scottish Highlands at a hunting lodge. By the end, one winds up dead changing all of their lives forever. At the same time, a serial killer is on the loose, the lodge is unreachable due to an intense snowstorm, and some of the guests have lost their minds!
Three couples and one singleton, all of whom became friends 10 years ago while attending Oxford University, travel from London to the Scottish Highlands for a NYE celebration. While members of the group have been friends for quite some time, distance and other issues have resulted in deeply hidden resentments forming, inexcusable deceptions, and crazy craziness developing, all of which are revealed on this ill-fated trip.
The mystery is not so much as why someone was murdered, but which one of these horrible people winds up dead (it’s easy to guess, but not fully revealed until close to the very end). The Oxford characters are self-centered, entitled elitists--I was happy to learn that one of them wound up dead, although, at a certain point, I was hoping all would be killed. The awful characters are not a deterrent, they made this fun to read!
The narrative alternates between Miranda, the Queen Bee, Emma, the mousey new girl trying so hard to fit in, Doug, the Gamekeeper harboring a deep, dark secret, and Heather, the lodge manager who is running from a tragedy. In addition to switching POV’s, the narrative also shifts between the past and the present. It’s a lot to keep up with! I was a little confused in the beginning about why we were only seeing these characters POV’s and I think that this could have been more interesting having only one character narrate vs the multiple POVs. Some of the characters are superfluous and could have been removed.
With that being said, I enjoyed the snark and the underlying craziness. Who is murdered and why they are murdered is a little predictable, but the other elements made this fun to read. The dark, menacing environment of the lodge drew me in. I was intrigued by the strange Icelandic couple, I wish they had played a bigger role. Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun mystery that’s fast-paced and easy to read. I look forward to reading more of Lucy Foley’s books in the future.
I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
The Hunting Party is an entertaining mystery about a group of seven friends who spend New Year's Eve in the Scottish Highlands at a hunting lodge. By the end, one winds up dead changing all of their lives forever. At the same time, a serial killer is on the loose, the lodge is unreachable due to an intense snowstorm, and some of the guests have lost their minds!
Three couples and one singleton, all of whom became friends 10 years ago while attending Oxford University, travel from London to the Scottish Highlands for a NYE celebration. While members of the group have been friends for quite some time, distance and other issues have resulted in deeply hidden resentments forming, inexcusable deceptions, and crazy craziness developing, all of which are revealed on this ill-fated trip.
The mystery is not so much as why someone was murdered, but which one of these horrible people winds up dead (it’s easy to guess, but not fully revealed until close to the very end). The Oxford characters are self-centered, entitled elitists--I was happy to learn that one of them wound up dead, although, at a certain point, I was hoping all would be killed. The awful characters are not a deterrent, they made this fun to read!
The narrative alternates between Miranda, the Queen Bee, Emma, the mousey new girl trying so hard to fit in, Doug, the Gamekeeper harboring a deep, dark secret, and Heather, the lodge manager who is running from a tragedy. In addition to switching POV’s, the narrative also shifts between the past and the present. It’s a lot to keep up with! I was a little confused in the beginning about why we were only seeing these characters POV’s and I think that this could have been more interesting having only one character narrate vs the multiple POVs. Some of the characters are superfluous and could have been removed.
With that being said, I enjoyed the snark and the underlying craziness. Who is murdered and why they are murdered is a little predictable, but the other elements made this fun to read. The dark, menacing environment of the lodge drew me in. I was intrigued by the strange Icelandic couple, I wish they had played a bigger role. Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun mystery that’s fast-paced and easy to read. I look forward to reading more of Lucy Foley’s books in the future.
I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
March 24, 2019
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
On finishing this novel I have no idea how this lot called themselves friends to begin with.
I had mixed feelings about The Hunting Party as while I liked the idea for the story it was very drawn out and the characters all seemed to blend together. I was constantly questioning the character's actions and the situations they got themselves into on the holiday.
I did like the setting of this novel, an isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands, the perfect getaway for a group of thirty something friends looking for escapism during the New years holiday break. This was a tradition that the friends kept for the past ten years and this years location seemed idyllic until the unthinkable happens.
This book starts out pretty strong and I was attracted to this one as the premiese sounded so entertaining and suspensful. While I enjoy well rounded dislikable characters in a novel this lot had no redeeming features whatsoever and I really couldn't have cared less about how any one of them fared out by the story's conclusion. I was actually hoping that Nessy (the loch Ness Monster) might make an appearance in the loch and gobble them all up) actually that might have been more believable. The story goes through bits of their college days and friendships but I struggled staying invested in their boring lives. This is the type of novel that plods along and you begin to wonder if it will ever end. I didn't find it suspensful and although there were a couple of twists and turns along the way I think they came a little late in the story to redeem the book.
While I finished the Novel and found it to be an ok read I could not get past how a bunch of characters could be so dislikable or how much they seemed to dislike or resent each other and still end up on holiday together at Christmas time.
An ok read but a little too drawn out for me.
I had mixed feelings about The Hunting Party as while I liked the idea for the story it was very drawn out and the characters all seemed to blend together. I was constantly questioning the character's actions and the situations they got themselves into on the holiday.
I did like the setting of this novel, an isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands, the perfect getaway for a group of thirty something friends looking for escapism during the New years holiday break. This was a tradition that the friends kept for the past ten years and this years location seemed idyllic until the unthinkable happens.
This book starts out pretty strong and I was attracted to this one as the premiese sounded so entertaining and suspensful. While I enjoy well rounded dislikable characters in a novel this lot had no redeeming features whatsoever and I really couldn't have cared less about how any one of them fared out by the story's conclusion. I was actually hoping that Nessy (the loch Ness Monster) might make an appearance in the loch and gobble them all up) actually that might have been more believable. The story goes through bits of their college days and friendships but I struggled staying invested in their boring lives. This is the type of novel that plods along and you begin to wonder if it will ever end. I didn't find it suspensful and although there were a couple of twists and turns along the way I think they came a little late in the story to redeem the book.
While I finished the Novel and found it to be an ok read I could not get past how a bunch of characters could be so dislikable or how much they seemed to dislike or resent each other and still end up on holiday together at Christmas time.
An ok read but a little too drawn out for me.
January 2, 2020
This is my first read of the new year,
and it’s a one-star.
Shit.
I hated all of the characters (with the exception of Doug, the gamekeeper, and Heather, the lodge keeper).
The guests, however, were of a different sort.
Privileged, pretty, successful, whiny thirty-somethings.
It made for a truly unenjoyable reading experience.
I wasn’t a fan of the character’s POVs (and by extension: the writing itself). Each character sounded like they were reading from a script, or like they were talking to me directly, trying to convince me of something—as though they’ve been tasked with describing their lives and their “friends” to an audience/reader—it felt totally inorganic and took me out of the story entirely. And I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again: multiple POVs, when done right, are a worthy addition to any whodunnit/mystery novel. For example: the recent In the Dark by Loreth Anne White utilized multiple character points of view to great effect. But here, each POV felt forced—like the author herself is telling us who these characters are in their inner dialogues, instead of the characters themselves. Does that make sense? It doesn’t feel like it’s the characters describing each other, most of it literally being: “she’s the wild one” “he’s the offensive one” “she’s the quiet one...and here’s why that is”.
*I’ve confirmed that the characters are speaking directly to the us. 176 pages in, one of the characters says, “...in case you were wondering” and then “You’re just going to have to take my word for it.” Like, what?!?!? We’re given no indication that “you” is anyone other than us, the reader. Why why why was it written like this?? I absolutely hated it!!!
And for the entirety of the book, it’s only 5 POVs out of the full 11+ characters (and that’s not even including the Icelandic couple and Iain). I just find that dumb, really. Either it should’ve been all of them (which would’ve made sense, but have been too many), or two (Heather or Doug’s for the present, and one of the guests for the days before). That’s it. I don’t know why the author chose solely Katie, Emma, and Miranda. As for Doug and Heather... I swear, every single one of their chapters had the lines, “But I don’t really know him/her at all”. Like, I get it, you both have dark, haunted pasts that remain a mystery to everyone. It didn’t heighten the overlaying mystery at all... it was just f*cking annoying! Most of the other characters are just... there (Nick & Bo, Samira & Giles, Mark, Julien... and the freakin’ baby I just completely forgot about). They had no real characterizations whatsoever outside of more convoluted motives (except the baby, of course). I just saw no purpose in having them even there at all.
Something else that became excruciatingly tedious: Everyone reminiscing about the past... which I understand is the point of their whole trip, but if they’d been making these same trips every year for a decade, you’d think they’d stop being like, “Ooooh, remember when...” or “Don’t you recall that time...” or “Just like when we used to...” every goddamn page. It was an annoying way to dump all this expository background info on these characters by having them repeatedly wax nostalgic. It got old, fast.
From the beginning, we know that someone’s dead. And throughout the novel, we get a ridiculous list of potential suspects that are mentioned or alluded to (ex: unlawful poachers and a weird train station agent). Then, 71 pages into the story, someone is (maybe, possibly) lurking around in the woods, and right after it’s revealed (more like unnecessarily thrown-in) that a is roaming the highlands nearby. I thought these additions did a disservice to the story for two reasons: 1. They’re such blatant, clunky red herrings, and 2. It’s unrealistic the guests wouldn’t have heard about the second one. And THEN, not 30 pages later . And THEN AGAIN , providing yet another potential motive/suspect. I found all these red herrings and misdirection completely unconvincing.
If I’m being honest, 220 pages into this nearly 400 page book, and I started hard-skimming. I wanted it to be over so badly, it was almost unbearable. Then, we get to the end, and it’s so terribly pedestrian. It wasn’t clever, or twisted, or surprising. The only interesting thing that happened was . That’s it. I think the author wanted to believe this was more clever than it actually was, but, sadly—and much to my resounding disappointment—it wasn’t.
and it’s a one-star.
Shit.
I hated all of the characters (with the exception of Doug, the gamekeeper, and Heather, the lodge keeper).
The guests, however, were of a different sort.
Privileged, pretty, successful, whiny thirty-somethings.
It made for a truly unenjoyable reading experience.
I wasn’t a fan of the character’s POVs (and by extension: the writing itself). Each character sounded like they were reading from a script, or like they were talking to me directly, trying to convince me of something—as though they’ve been tasked with describing their lives and their “friends” to an audience/reader—it felt totally inorganic and took me out of the story entirely. And I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again: multiple POVs, when done right, are a worthy addition to any whodunnit/mystery novel. For example: the recent In the Dark by Loreth Anne White utilized multiple character points of view to great effect. But here, each POV felt forced—like the author herself is telling us who these characters are in their inner dialogues, instead of the characters themselves. Does that make sense? It doesn’t feel like it’s the characters describing each other, most of it literally being: “she’s the wild one” “he’s the offensive one” “she’s the quiet one...and here’s why that is”.
*I’ve confirmed that the characters are speaking directly to the us. 176 pages in, one of the characters says, “...in case you were wondering” and then “You’re just going to have to take my word for it.” Like, what?!?!? We’re given no indication that “you” is anyone other than us, the reader. Why why why was it written like this?? I absolutely hated it!!!
And for the entirety of the book, it’s only 5 POVs out of the full 11+ characters (and that’s not even including the Icelandic couple and Iain). I just find that dumb, really. Either it should’ve been all of them (which would’ve made sense, but have been too many), or two (Heather or Doug’s for the present, and one of the guests for the days before). That’s it. I don’t know why the author chose solely Katie, Emma, and Miranda. As for Doug and Heather... I swear, every single one of their chapters had the lines, “But I don’t really know him/her at all”. Like, I get it, you both have dark, haunted pasts that remain a mystery to everyone. It didn’t heighten the overlaying mystery at all... it was just f*cking annoying! Most of the other characters are just... there (Nick & Bo, Samira & Giles, Mark, Julien... and the freakin’ baby I just completely forgot about). They had no real characterizations whatsoever outside of more convoluted motives (except the baby, of course). I just saw no purpose in having them even there at all.
Something else that became excruciatingly tedious: Everyone reminiscing about the past... which I understand is the point of their whole trip, but if they’d been making these same trips every year for a decade, you’d think they’d stop being like, “Ooooh, remember when...” or “Don’t you recall that time...” or “Just like when we used to...” every goddamn page. It was an annoying way to dump all this expository background info on these characters by having them repeatedly wax nostalgic. It got old, fast.
From the beginning, we know that someone’s dead. And throughout the novel, we get a ridiculous list of potential suspects that are mentioned or alluded to (ex: unlawful poachers and a weird train station agent). Then, 71 pages into the story, someone is (maybe, possibly) lurking around in the woods, and right after it’s revealed (more like unnecessarily thrown-in) that a is roaming the highlands nearby. I thought these additions did a disservice to the story for two reasons: 1. They’re such blatant, clunky red herrings, and 2. It’s unrealistic the guests wouldn’t have heard about the second one. And THEN, not 30 pages later . And THEN AGAIN , providing yet another potential motive/suspect. I found all these red herrings and misdirection completely unconvincing.
Could it be:
1. The shady station guard?
2. Evil poachers?
3. A disgruntled local?
4. The creepy Icelandic couple?
5.
6.
7.
8. Plenty more that aren’t worth mentioning...
Look, it’s all well and good to have a large suspect pool... but NOT when it’s inherently obvious that the real culprit is . Red herrings are fun, but the above list are just so obvious it’s dumb.
If I’m being honest, 220 pages into this nearly 400 page book, and I started hard-skimming. I wanted it to be over so badly, it was almost unbearable. Then, we get to the end, and it’s so terribly pedestrian. It wasn’t clever, or twisted, or surprising. The only interesting thing that happened was . That’s it. I think the author wanted to believe this was more clever than it actually was, but, sadly—and much to my resounding disappointment—it wasn’t.
July 23, 2020
This was just okay. After absolutely loving The Guest List earlier this year I was determined to seek out more books from this author. Turns out this book is actually very similar to The Guest List, just not as fun. It follows a giant group of people in an isolated area and it's a classic slow burn whodunit mystery, as we try to figure out who was murdered. This book follows many different POV's and it follows a group of old friends who are going to this isolated cabin at celebrate New Years Eve.
This book was decent and the ending did have a few surprises that I didn't see coming, but I think it was mostly predictable and kind of too slow for my taste. I wasn't super interested in any of these characters back story and I feel like this book went into too much unnecessary detail about each of the characters past and their friendships and I just didn't care that much? Maybe it's because I read The Guest List first but I just didn't have as much fun with this one. I found it to be a bit more tedious and predictable. I listened to the audiobook a bit and read the book physically and I would highly recommend the audiobook because it's a full cast of narrators and there are some really cool accents in the audiobook!
This book was decent and the ending did have a few surprises that I didn't see coming, but I think it was mostly predictable and kind of too slow for my taste. I wasn't super interested in any of these characters back story and I feel like this book went into too much unnecessary detail about each of the characters past and their friendships and I just didn't care that much? Maybe it's because I read The Guest List first but I just didn't have as much fun with this one. I found it to be a bit more tedious and predictable. I listened to the audiobook a bit and read the book physically and I would highly recommend the audiobook because it's a full cast of narrators and there are some really cool accents in the audiobook!
February 21, 2019
I've read this story approximately 1,000 times before, yet I still enjoyed it! There's something about the Agatha Christie-esque classic murder mystery that just ministers to my soul.
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Pleased to announce that this is the #ScaredSuspenseBookClub pick for March! We are offering one finished hard copy in a giveaway on the account; this is open internationally! To follow along for discussions, updates, and to enter the giveaway, please follow @scaredsuspensebookclub on Instagram. <3
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Pleased to announce that this is the #ScaredSuspenseBookClub pick for March! We are offering one finished hard copy in a giveaway on the account; this is open internationally! To follow along for discussions, updates, and to enter the giveaway, please follow @scaredsuspensebookclub on Instagram. <3
hours-i-will-never-get-back
May 4, 2019When you realize you don’t really care who died in a whodunit and being stuck in the characters’ heads is worse than being snowbound in the wilderness with a killer, then it’s time to give it up. I really wanted to like this one, but I’m hanging up the antlers and we are parting ways early.
November 13, 2018
A New Year's Reunion In The Remote Scottish Wilderness . . .
•The beautiful one
•The golden couple
•The volatile one
•The new parents
•The quiet one
•The city boy
•The outsider
One of these friends is a murderer. And one won't make it out alive.
JOIN THE PARTY NOW.
(That was on the back of the ARC and it sums it up nicely) *I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
These people are supposed to be friends but I think they all lost that along the way. I didn't like a particular person in the group, although there were a couple that were okay. It seemed most of them had different secrets. <--- what else is new
I liked the idea of being on a getaway to Scotland but not with a bunch of nuts, but real friends. And of course, no hunting involved.
These crazies get snowed in and one dies..... who did it? I know but I'm not telling! =)
The story goes back and forth from a few days when they get there to January after the murder. They were supposed to be having New Year's together. What a way to ring in the new year!!
I thought the book was okay and the location helped. I'm sure plenty of people will love it though.
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
•The beautiful one
•The golden couple
•The volatile one
•The new parents
•The quiet one
•The city boy
•The outsider
One of these friends is a murderer. And one won't make it out alive.
JOIN THE PARTY NOW.
(That was on the back of the ARC and it sums it up nicely) *I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
These people are supposed to be friends but I think they all lost that along the way. I didn't like a particular person in the group, although there were a couple that were okay. It seemed most of them had different secrets. <--- what else is new
I liked the idea of being on a getaway to Scotland but not with a bunch of nuts, but real friends. And of course, no hunting involved.
These crazies get snowed in and one dies..... who did it? I know but I'm not telling! =)
The story goes back and forth from a few days when they get there to January after the murder. They were supposed to be having New Year's together. What a way to ring in the new year!!
I thought the book was okay and the location helped. I'm sure plenty of people will love it though.
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 14, 2020
A bunch of unlikeable characters drive this mystery/suspense tale. Its a "snowed-in prison."
After enjoying The Guest List, I decided to pick this one up at the bookstore. In many ways, it mirrors it, both books feature .... a remote, atmospheric location, lots of "couple drama" and a bunch of unlikeable characters (which doesn't always work for me, but worked in this case).
I really do enjoy this author's character development and writing style. Some may feel like she over does the character development and background which does slow the pace. I also think she could have left out much of the background that involved side stories from the past and picked up the pace. There is a bit too much "partying" going on....
There are lots of suspicious characters. I loved the story structure with the locked room mystery.
I've seen less than stellar reviews from many of my GR friends, but for me this one was an enjoyable mystery with that classic who dunnit feel.
After enjoying The Guest List, I decided to pick this one up at the bookstore. In many ways, it mirrors it, both books feature .... a remote, atmospheric location, lots of "couple drama" and a bunch of unlikeable characters (which doesn't always work for me, but worked in this case).
I really do enjoy this author's character development and writing style. Some may feel like she over does the character development and background which does slow the pace. I also think she could have left out much of the background that involved side stories from the past and picked up the pace. There is a bit too much "partying" going on....
There are lots of suspicious characters. I loved the story structure with the locked room mystery.
I've seen less than stellar reviews from many of my GR friends, but for me this one was an enjoyable mystery with that classic who dunnit feel.
March 18, 2020
fulfilling my 2020 goal to read (at least) one book each month that i bought in hardcover and put off reading long enough that it is now in paperback.
i had huge, sky-high expectations for this one.
gimmie a locked room mystery in an unusual setting, gimmie a gathering of friends who have seeeecrets and one gets murdered, gimmie fast-paced, slow-reveal nonlinear psych suspense with the shifting POVs of unreliable narrators who're all low-level shitty and any one of 'em could be the killer, gimmie tana french's name as a comp, gimmie red herrings and complications and an added wrinkle of not telling me which one of 'em is the victim and give. me. that. cover:
or, even better, the UK cover:
this GAVE me all of that, to some degree, and when i finished i should have been dancing inthe streets my apartment, responsibly socially distant, but apparently i'm a greedy little monkey, because that whole candy bowl assortment of Things I Love Individually was not enough to make me love the book as a whole.
it's fine. it is a satisfying one-day read, a diversion that holds your attention while you're reading it and and then you finish and reach for the next book on the stack as this one slips from your mind immediately and that's okay.
it's the first mystery novel from an author with a few literary-romances under her belt, and for a first-in-genre, it's solid, but maybe a bit ambitious. all the pieces are there, but too many go unplayed—mostly in the character department.
good things first—the atmosphere is great: you have a remote hunting lodge in the scottish highlands rented out by a group of longtime friends and variously-toxic people for their annual new year's eve get-together; a retreat whose creepy see-me center is a communal eating/gathering structure made primarily of glass*, surrounded by a number of slightly more private individual cabins and there's guns and alcohol and grudges and no wifi and that's all before a massive blizzard cuts off what limited access there was to the outside world. THIS IS THE PERFECT SETTING FOR MURRRRRDERRRRR.
the problem is too many characters, developed unevenly. you got nine friends, one six-month-old baby, a wild-card stranger-couple also renting a cabin on the property, and two staff members; a gamekeeper and a manager. only five of these are given POV-status, which is plenty, but it does mean that the victim/killer pool is smaller than appears, because it's not much fun if a blurry person kills or gets killed. it lessens the suspense, makes some of the turns easy to spot, although there are still some delicious surprises scattered along the way.
chalk it up to a genre-specific learning curve.
has my tepid reaction to this one made me any less excited to read foley's next mystery, which is basically the same exact situation: thirteen people with seeeeeecrets attending a destination wedding in a remote location with limited contact to the outside world and then...MUURRRRRDEERRR??
not at all. gimmie now, please! !
* ruth ware's secrets-and-dead-body The Turn of the Key, published about half a year after this one ALSO takes place in a landscape-incongruous, mostly-glass house in the scottish highlands, which is a weird coincidence.
come to my blog!
i had huge, sky-high expectations for this one.
gimmie a locked room mystery in an unusual setting, gimmie a gathering of friends who have seeeecrets and one gets murdered, gimmie fast-paced, slow-reveal nonlinear psych suspense with the shifting POVs of unreliable narrators who're all low-level shitty and any one of 'em could be the killer, gimmie tana french's name as a comp, gimmie red herrings and complications and an added wrinkle of not telling me which one of 'em is the victim and give. me. that. cover:
or, even better, the UK cover:
this GAVE me all of that, to some degree, and when i finished i should have been dancing in
it's fine. it is a satisfying one-day read, a diversion that holds your attention while you're reading it and and then you finish and reach for the next book on the stack as this one slips from your mind immediately and that's okay.
it's the first mystery novel from an author with a few literary-romances under her belt, and for a first-in-genre, it's solid, but maybe a bit ambitious. all the pieces are there, but too many go unplayed—mostly in the character department.
good things first—the atmosphere is great: you have a remote hunting lodge in the scottish highlands rented out by a group of longtime friends and variously-toxic people for their annual new year's eve get-together; a retreat whose creepy see-me center is a communal eating/gathering structure made primarily of glass*, surrounded by a number of slightly more private individual cabins and there's guns and alcohol and grudges and no wifi and that's all before a massive blizzard cuts off what limited access there was to the outside world. THIS IS THE PERFECT SETTING FOR MURRRRRDERRRRR.
the problem is too many characters, developed unevenly. you got nine friends, one six-month-old baby, a wild-card stranger-couple also renting a cabin on the property, and two staff members; a gamekeeper and a manager. only five of these are given POV-status, which is plenty, but it does mean that the victim/killer pool is smaller than appears, because it's not much fun if a blurry person kills or gets killed. it lessens the suspense, makes some of the turns easy to spot, although there are still some delicious surprises scattered along the way.
chalk it up to a genre-specific learning curve.
has my tepid reaction to this one made me any less excited to read foley's next mystery, which is basically the same exact situation: thirteen people with seeeeeecrets attending a destination wedding in a remote location with limited contact to the outside world and then...MUURRRRRDEERRR??
not at all. gimmie now, please! !
* ruth ware's secrets-and-dead-body The Turn of the Key, published about half a year after this one ALSO takes place in a landscape-incongruous, mostly-glass house in the scottish highlands, which is a weird coincidence.
come to my blog!
September 10, 2019
Even though the whole murder mystery taking place at a lodge in the middle of nowhere has been done countless times before, I honestly never get sick of it. The combination of that feeling of isolation, the freezing cold weather, and a cast of characters in which everyone is a suspect, just works for me. I really enjoyed this one and I was left guessing until the very end.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.
A group of old college friends have gathered at a snow lodge in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year. And of course soon after they arrive a terrible storm hits making it impossible for anyone to leave the area or on the flip side come to the lodge. Someone winds up dead and the author puts a fresh twist to the classic whodunit by having the reader try to figure out the identities of the killer AND the victim.
In my opinion what made this story work was the cast of unlikable characters although that might be the exact reason why many readers didn't like this book. Each character had a skeleton or two in their closet which made them a good suspect as well as potential victim. The big reveal will probably not catch most people off guard as it's something most readers will have considered as a possibility. But the reason the story was entertaining is there were more than a few directions the author could have gone in and you can't really eliminate anything until you get pretty far into the book. I didn't need a shocking ending to consider this an enjoyable read.
If you enjoy whodunit mysteries and don't mind a story with unlikable characters, consider giving this one a try.
April 4, 2019
FOUR STARS for the story FIVE STARS for the audio production!!
Don't you hate it when a murder ruins a perfectly fun vacation?
The Hunting Party is a modern version of the ancient "locked room" mystery trope. Written beautifully in a haunting atmospheric style, we have a group of long-time friends meeting up at a secluded wilderness resort to celebrate the new year. One minute they're cracking the champagne bottles open and the next thing you know---one of the friends is dead. But who? and whodunit? EVERYONE is a suspect. Let the mystery solving begin!
To be honest, this is NOT a thriller, but it IS a solidly creepy mystery with a fantastic reveal. Very similar to Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood, this story is a little more accessible to an American reader in terms of identifying with the characters. That said, the plot moves at a glacial pace and you cannot rush it. Just curl up with a cocktail and soak up the journey.
I highly recommend the audio version! The book is narrated by several different actors -including the phenomenal Imogen Church. AAAAHHHHHHHH those gorgeous British and Scottish accents are to die for!!
Don't you hate it when a murder ruins a perfectly fun vacation?
The Hunting Party is a modern version of the ancient "locked room" mystery trope. Written beautifully in a haunting atmospheric style, we have a group of long-time friends meeting up at a secluded wilderness resort to celebrate the new year. One minute they're cracking the champagne bottles open and the next thing you know---one of the friends is dead. But who? and whodunit? EVERYONE is a suspect. Let the mystery solving begin!
To be honest, this is NOT a thriller, but it IS a solidly creepy mystery with a fantastic reveal. Very similar to Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood, this story is a little more accessible to an American reader in terms of identifying with the characters. That said, the plot moves at a glacial pace and you cannot rush it. Just curl up with a cocktail and soak up the journey.
I highly recommend the audio version! The book is narrated by several different actors -including the phenomenal Imogen Church. AAAAHHHHHHHH those gorgeous British and Scottish accents are to die for!!
April 17, 2021
I do love a mystery where the setting is remote and very secluded. The Hunting Party brings old college friends from Oxford together for their annual New Years Eve get together in the Scottish Highlands. It’s been a tradition for 10 years. New to the group, Emma, tries to outdo the previous locations chosen each year. She decides on an exclusive hunting lodge way out in the wilderness that is known for it’s isolation. Maybe too isolated ?
Once all the friends arrive and carry on with very lively partying, a blizzard hits. They are cut off from civilization. No one can get out. But are these bunch of entitled snobs really friends ? Not really...being closed up brings out the worst...old resentments come to surface, underlying secrets are revealed. A sense of foreboding builds and soon a murder takes place which means one of them has to be the killer.
Told from different POVs this character-driven novel is both fun and entertaining. An atmospheric page turner. If you don’t mind reading about a bunch of mean-spirited brats, go for it.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Once all the friends arrive and carry on with very lively partying, a blizzard hits. They are cut off from civilization. No one can get out. But are these bunch of entitled snobs really friends ? Not really...being closed up brings out the worst...old resentments come to surface, underlying secrets are revealed. A sense of foreboding builds and soon a murder takes place which means one of them has to be the killer.
Told from different POVs this character-driven novel is both fun and entertaining. An atmospheric page turner. If you don’t mind reading about a bunch of mean-spirited brats, go for it.
4.5 out of 5 stars
January 23, 2019
The set-up is one we all recognize: a group of friends get together at an isolated location for a reunion and someone winds up dead. There is a killer on the loose. (Gasp) As you get to know the characters, from the ‘it” girl to the successful “mouse” and everyone in between, just about anyone could be the killer or the corpse. Add to this mix, a brooding caretaker with a violent past and we’re off to the races. Speaking of “it” girls, I predict this will be one of the “it” books of the season. Flat out fun!
March 18, 2019
3 Stars!
I want to start by saying this is not a thriller, or rather it's not a thriller in my eyes. This is much more a slow burn (until the last ~30 pages) suspense novel. It's been marketed as a thriller and I think going in with that mindset did not help while I was reading this book.
During a holiday break, seven friends and an Icelandic couple want to go on a vacation. They decide to go to a remote area and just get away from it all. I mean, they have been friends for so many years right? Nothing could go wrong. Plus, if they've been friends for so long they obviously have to stay friends and they don't keep secrets from each other. Of course not...
The story opens up with someone dead. We don't know who is killed and who the killer is. Each chapter is the ongoing story from someone else's point of view until we get to the end where we learn the unfortunate fate of some. Each person who is at the rental, including the people who run it, each have a secret they are holding onto and all of that unravels as they are there for only about 2-3 days. The biggest question is what caused the murder and why did they do it?
If i'm being honest, I had to pick this book up and put it down multiple times before I finished it. I even skimmed a lot of the pages because I was getting a little bored. I felt like I was expecting a thriller and I got a book that was focused on old friend drama and betrayal of the past. Nothing too intense, just who didn't like who - kind of like high school drama. I like drama - especially reality TV shows, but this was not even as "explosive" as those are at times.
Overall, this was just OK. I was really looking forward to it and the ARC cover that I got makes it look like a dark, creepy story. Thanks to William Morrow for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
I look straight back at her, as I tread water. I hate you, I think. I hate you. I don't feel bad anymore. You deserve everything that is coming to you.
I want to start by saying this is not a thriller, or rather it's not a thriller in my eyes. This is much more a slow burn (until the last ~30 pages) suspense novel. It's been marketed as a thriller and I think going in with that mindset did not help while I was reading this book.
During a holiday break, seven friends and an Icelandic couple want to go on a vacation. They decide to go to a remote area and just get away from it all. I mean, they have been friends for so many years right? Nothing could go wrong. Plus, if they've been friends for so long they obviously have to stay friends and they don't keep secrets from each other. Of course not...
The story opens up with someone dead. We don't know who is killed and who the killer is. Each chapter is the ongoing story from someone else's point of view until we get to the end where we learn the unfortunate fate of some. Each person who is at the rental, including the people who run it, each have a secret they are holding onto and all of that unravels as they are there for only about 2-3 days. The biggest question is what caused the murder and why did they do it?
If i'm being honest, I had to pick this book up and put it down multiple times before I finished it. I even skimmed a lot of the pages because I was getting a little bored. I felt like I was expecting a thriller and I got a book that was focused on old friend drama and betrayal of the past. Nothing too intense, just who didn't like who - kind of like high school drama. I like drama - especially reality TV shows, but this was not even as "explosive" as those are at times.
Overall, this was just OK. I was really looking forward to it and the ARC cover that I got makes it look like a dark, creepy story. Thanks to William Morrow for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 5, 2020
What an entertaining whodunit!!
Was this addicting to read? You bet! I binge read The Hunting Party in about 2 days!
Have I read something similar to this plot? Sure!
It will have a different setting or a different group of people but they all have one thing in common.
Someone gets murdered! Dun dun dun!
And it's usually by someone they know.
So this isn't an original plot theme in any way but still highly entertaining and fun to read.
The Hunting Party starts off with 9 friends heading off to the remote Scottish Highlands for a long weekend during New Year's Eve.
Is the Scottish Highlands during winter a perfect place for a murder? Hell yes it is! I loved the location in this book. The imagery and description of the lodge was very atmospheric. The location was its own intriguing and complex character in the book.
Do you like any of the 9 guests that come to this barren and remote place? Nope!
But that's not the point. Each friend has secrets that will come out and someone will end up dead in the end.
If you are looking for a suspenseful and entertaining mystery to escape too, check out The Hunting Party!
Was this addicting to read? You bet! I binge read The Hunting Party in about 2 days!
Have I read something similar to this plot? Sure!
It will have a different setting or a different group of people but they all have one thing in common.
Someone gets murdered! Dun dun dun!
And it's usually by someone they know.
So this isn't an original plot theme in any way but still highly entertaining and fun to read.
The Hunting Party starts off with 9 friends heading off to the remote Scottish Highlands for a long weekend during New Year's Eve.
Is the Scottish Highlands during winter a perfect place for a murder? Hell yes it is! I loved the location in this book. The imagery and description of the lodge was very atmospheric. The location was its own intriguing and complex character in the book.
Do you like any of the 9 guests that come to this barren and remote place? Nope!
But that's not the point. Each friend has secrets that will come out and someone will end up dead in the end.
If you are looking for a suspenseful and entertaining mystery to escape too, check out The Hunting Party!
February 20, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Ahhhhhhh, a gathering of old friends. You know the sort . . . .
Oh wait, not exactly the same. This one features 9 long-time friends from Uni who gather together annually in order to celebrate New Year’s. Another difference this time around????
“I’ve found the missing guest . . . . I found a body . . . . I don’t think it was an accident.”
So we have:
a. A manor house
b. A dead body
c. EVERYONE’S a suspect
That may not be your particular cuppa, but for Mitchell and myself?????
Not an original idea by any stretch - The Hunting Party follows the standard formula of not only not knowing whodunit, but also not knowing who is dead and slowly rolling your way to both of those reveals. I don't care if it has been done a billion times, I still dug it. Comparisons to Ruth Ware’s In a Dark, Dark Wood are accurate. This is the type of story that you either love or hate.
Ahhhhhhh, a gathering of old friends. You know the sort . . . .
Oh wait, not exactly the same. This one features 9 long-time friends from Uni who gather together annually in order to celebrate New Year’s. Another difference this time around????
“I’ve found the missing guest . . . . I found a body . . . . I don’t think it was an accident.”
So we have:
a. A manor house
b. A dead body
c. EVERYONE’S a suspect
That may not be your particular cuppa, but for Mitchell and myself?????
Not an original idea by any stretch - The Hunting Party follows the standard formula of not only not knowing whodunit, but also not knowing who is dead and slowly rolling your way to both of those reveals. I don't care if it has been done a billion times, I still dug it. Comparisons to Ruth Ware’s In a Dark, Dark Wood are accurate. This is the type of story that you either love or hate.
January 2, 2024
I had my doubts about this one but my love for winter thrillers and the timing was perfect not to check it out.
Set over the New Year holiday, old Oxford friends are snowed in at Loch Corrin in the Scottish Highland's very exclusive hunting lodge. ❄️🥶 Not a unique setup but I enjoy this trope! The characters at the lodge are better than the uninteresting friends who showed up for the holiday.
If you read Foley's "The Guest List", you'll recognize a similar style where you don't know who died and whodunit until later. I like "The Guest List" a bit more.
I'm not sure if it's the pace or characters but this one has nothing going for me except the location and the raging storm. It's a snoozefest. I wish I enjoyed it more but I'm thinking Lucy Foley might not be an author for me.
5/10~2.5⭐
Set over the New Year holiday, old Oxford friends are snowed in at Loch Corrin in the Scottish Highland's very exclusive hunting lodge. ❄️🥶 Not a unique setup but I enjoy this trope! The characters at the lodge are better than the uninteresting friends who showed up for the holiday.
If you read Foley's "The Guest List", you'll recognize a similar style where you don't know who died and whodunit until later. I like "The Guest List" a bit more.
I'm not sure if it's the pace or characters but this one has nothing going for me except the location and the raging storm. It's a snoozefest. I wish I enjoyed it more but I'm thinking Lucy Foley might not be an author for me.
5/10~2.5⭐
August 6, 2021
Ten years after graduating from Oxford University, a group of friends meet for their annual New Year’s Eve trip at an exclusive, isolated lodge in the Scottish Highlands. Initially, they all fall easily back into their accustomed roles within the group, but quickly the lavish dinners, drinks by the fire, and reminiscing sour as their secrets and resentments boil to the surface. On New Year’s Eve, with an epic snowstorm descending, the tension snaps leaving their friendships changed and one dead. Who is the murderer? And how many will die before the killer is stopped?
A modern-day Agatha Christie-esque tale, The Hunting Party is a thoroughly enjoyable “locked room” murder mystery focused on a group of friends isolated at a grand country home. Even though this was my second time reading the book and I anticipated many of the twists, it nevertheless offered plenty of red herrings and surprises that did not disappoint.
Having said that, this time around the characters seemed a bit melodramatic, but their interactions and relationships provided excellent fodder for the plot. Additionally, I was very impressed with how each narrator’s point of view had its own personality (it must work incredibly well as an audiobook). And, boy, has Foley provided potential suspects galore! From the core group of friends to the chilling serial killer loose in the area, each is crafted into a perfect potential murderer.
I did find, however, that the first 70% or so is less thriller and more domestic suspense slow burn, but those last 100 pages are a rollercoaster ride of thrills that will have you reading each page faster than the last (even the second time around). I highly recommend reading this or any book by Lucy Foley (she is an auto-buy author for me) and I can’t wait for her next novel! Rating of 5 stars.
Trigger warning: alcohol abuse, drug use, bullying
A modern-day Agatha Christie-esque tale, The Hunting Party is a thoroughly enjoyable “locked room” murder mystery focused on a group of friends isolated at a grand country home. Even though this was my second time reading the book and I anticipated many of the twists, it nevertheless offered plenty of red herrings and surprises that did not disappoint.
Having said that, this time around the characters seemed a bit melodramatic, but their interactions and relationships provided excellent fodder for the plot. Additionally, I was very impressed with how each narrator’s point of view had its own personality (it must work incredibly well as an audiobook). And, boy, has Foley provided potential suspects galore! From the core group of friends to the chilling serial killer loose in the area, each is crafted into a perfect potential murderer.
I did find, however, that the first 70% or so is less thriller and more domestic suspense slow burn, but those last 100 pages are a rollercoaster ride of thrills that will have you reading each page faster than the last (even the second time around). I highly recommend reading this or any book by Lucy Foley (she is an auto-buy author for me) and I can’t wait for her next novel! Rating of 5 stars.
Trigger warning: alcohol abuse, drug use, bullying
March 3, 2019
The Hunting Party is about a group of 9 friends who meet at a secluded lodge to celebrate New Year’s Eve together. The friends are in their early 30s and it’s their tradition to reunite each year for NYE. There are 4 couples: Giles and Samira, Nick and Beau, Emma and Mark, and Miranda and Julien. Their friend Katie also joins the trip. This is a classic whodunnit murder story and the setting of the isolated lodge helps add to the ominous vibe.
It took me a little while to keep track of who was who. With 9 friends, some of whom are secondary characters, as well as a few lodge employees, Heather, the manager, and Doug, the gamekeeper, there were a lot of potential victims and suspects. Even so, it became apparent to me who the victim was before it was confirmed later in the book. Once I determined who it was, I was eager to see why/how this went down and who was responsible for the murder. I didn’t find any of the main characters particularly likable - Most of them were hiding something and came across as whiny in one way or another. Tension among the group was running high. The story is told in alternating POVs between Heather, Doug, and some of the characters in the visiting friend group.
For the most part, The Hunting Party kept my interest and it was entertaining, but it didn’t blow me away. A few months ago I read An Unwanted Guest, which had a similar premise and was also set at remote lodge, deep into Winter. I enjoyed that story a bit more than I enjoyed this one.
It took me a little while to keep track of who was who. With 9 friends, some of whom are secondary characters, as well as a few lodge employees, Heather, the manager, and Doug, the gamekeeper, there were a lot of potential victims and suspects. Even so, it became apparent to me who the victim was before it was confirmed later in the book. Once I determined who it was, I was eager to see why/how this went down and who was responsible for the murder. I didn’t find any of the main characters particularly likable - Most of them were hiding something and came across as whiny in one way or another. Tension among the group was running high. The story is told in alternating POVs between Heather, Doug, and some of the characters in the visiting friend group.
For the most part, The Hunting Party kept my interest and it was entertaining, but it didn’t blow me away. A few months ago I read An Unwanted Guest, which had a similar premise and was also set at remote lodge, deep into Winter. I enjoyed that story a bit more than I enjoyed this one.
October 29, 2018
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Hunting Party
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Lucy Foley
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery/Thriller
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 24th January 2019
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 2/5
This is basically about a group of fictional friends who have no redeemable qualities and are unbearably nasty to each other on "holiday" in a lodge that is cut off from the rest of civilisation for a few days after it snows heavily. During this inaccessible time, one of the group gets murdered, and everyone is a suspect.
And I wish that all of them was killed and the murderer lived happily ever after. That's how despicable they were.
Regardless of the high stakes, I found the prose very flat and disengaging. I couldn't wait until I had found out who the killer was and moved on. The most effective method the author used to dispel tension was that at the beginning, we are told one of the guests was missing, and then found dead. Then the narrative went on to alternate between the present day and the past; the hunt to find the killer in the present, and using the past as a countdown to the present, where the murderer has their big reveal.
This is one of those books that sounds better than it ends up being. I'm not saying nobody will enjoy it, obviously, but it was underwhelming for me. Maybe if the characters were nicer and worth saving I would have rooted for them a bit more, but as it was I wasn't particularly fussed whether any of them lived, died, or turned out to be the murderer.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🧚🏻♀️
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𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Hunting Party
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Lucy Foley
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery/Thriller
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 24th January 2019
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 2/5
This is basically about a group of fictional friends who have no redeemable qualities and are unbearably nasty to each other on "holiday" in a lodge that is cut off from the rest of civilisation for a few days after it snows heavily. During this inaccessible time, one of the group gets murdered, and everyone is a suspect.
And I wish that all of them was killed and the murderer lived happily ever after. That's how despicable they were.
Regardless of the high stakes, I found the prose very flat and disengaging. I couldn't wait until I had found out who the killer was and moved on. The most effective method the author used to dispel tension was that at the beginning, we are told one of the guests was missing, and then found dead. Then the narrative went on to alternate between the present day and the past; the hunt to find the killer in the present, and using the past as a countdown to the present, where the murderer has their big reveal.
This is one of those books that sounds better than it ends up being. I'm not saying nobody will enjoy it, obviously, but it was underwhelming for me. Maybe if the characters were nicer and worth saving I would have rooted for them a bit more, but as it was I wasn't particularly fussed whether any of them lived, died, or turned out to be the murderer.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
May 22, 2022
“The Hunting Party” by Lucy Foley starts out pretty good but unfortunately, doesn’t maintain the momentum to make this into a memorable read. I did enjoy Foley’s unique way of describing where everything takes place and having those natural, real-life situations when traveling with a large group of friends to celebrate an event. In this case, celebrating New Year’s Eve in an area that has a ton of snow, wildlife, and gives guests the simpler things in life to enjoy with those they love.
As a mystery novel, I felt things went the safe route and didn’t give me a good, crazy, or even thrilling ride when it comes to a murder that happens during their time there. I was hoping to see different layers to each character to see how things would unfold but there wasn’t much depth to the situations that came and how things were eventually solved.
There was way too much fluff as I was waiting for a huge reveal, a crazy plot twist, something, anything, and it just didn’t deliver. I felt “The Hunting Party” tried to do too much and it fell flat, with the reveal being lame and a backstory that just wasn’t all that exciting to read as to why things happened the way that they did. I was expecting a lot more in the grand scheme of things.
I give “The Hunting Party” by Lucy Foley a 2/5 as I did enjoy the overall writing, some of the characters (Katie, Miranda, and Doug) as well as the way the chapters gave a different look at events that transpired through the eyes of those that were there as it happened. The ending was lame and after a decent start to this novel that set up a pretty good atmosphere, it dragged on at various parts that didn’t really add any kind of value for a novel like this. This wasn’t a terrible read but it’s not anything I’ll remember in the future.
As a mystery novel, I felt things went the safe route and didn’t give me a good, crazy, or even thrilling ride when it comes to a murder that happens during their time there. I was hoping to see different layers to each character to see how things would unfold but there wasn’t much depth to the situations that came and how things were eventually solved.
There was way too much fluff as I was waiting for a huge reveal, a crazy plot twist, something, anything, and it just didn’t deliver. I felt “The Hunting Party” tried to do too much and it fell flat, with the reveal being lame and a backstory that just wasn’t all that exciting to read as to why things happened the way that they did. I was expecting a lot more in the grand scheme of things.
I give “The Hunting Party” by Lucy Foley a 2/5 as I did enjoy the overall writing, some of the characters (Katie, Miranda, and Doug) as well as the way the chapters gave a different look at events that transpired through the eyes of those that were there as it happened. The ending was lame and after a decent start to this novel that set up a pretty good atmosphere, it dragged on at various parts that didn’t really add any kind of value for a novel like this. This wasn’t a terrible read but it’s not anything I’ll remember in the future.
February 10, 2022
EXCERPT: EMMA
She's so cold that her teeth are chattering with a sound like someone shaking dice. In the light of the living room her lips are bluish. But it's her eyes that are most disturbing. I know this look, it is that of someone on the edge. I've seen it in Mark. I saw it that day at the racecourse.
'I hate her,' she says, in a hiss. 'I actually hate her. I can't believe she just made me do that. You don't know her properly, Emma - so perhaps you can't understand. You don't know what she's capable of.'
Actually, I think, I know her a lot better than you're always trying to make out. Who has been there for her recently, when you've dropped off the planet? And I certainly know what you're capable of, Katie Lewis.
ABOUT 'THE HUNTING PARTY': During the languid days of the Christmas break, a group of thirtysomething friends from Oxford meet to welcome in the New Year together, a tradition they began as students ten years ago. For this vacation, they’ve chosen an idyllic and isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands—the perfect place to get away and unwind by themselves.
They arrive on December 30th, just before a historic blizzard seals the lodge off from the outside world.
Two days later, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead.
The trip began innocently enough: admiring the stunning if foreboding scenery, champagne in front of a crackling fire, and reminiscences about the past. But after a decade, the weight of secret resentments has grown too heavy for the group’s tenuous nostalgia to bear. Amid the boisterous revelry of New Year’s Eve, the cord holding them together snaps.
Now one of them is dead . . . and another of them did it.
Keep your friends close, the old adage goes. But just how close is too close?
MY THOUGHTS: Oh, my! Who would want friends like these? Not me, that's for sure!
But putting aside the fact that the majority of these characters are totally unlikable, entitled prats, The Hunting Party is a well plotted, tense murder-mystery set in the remote Scottish Highlands where wifi connections are tenuous, and mobile signal non-existent. A blizzard only helps to add to the isolation, cutting off all access.
These people are not nice. They feed off one another while revolving around Miranda, vying for her attention, her approval. Miranda, like her husband Julien, likes to have more than her fair share of everything. They are extravagant and solve problems by throwing money at them until they go away. But Miranda is definitely the dominant one in this partnership; Julien just another accolyte seeking her approval, needing her love.
Katie is Miranda's oldest friend, her shadow, the quiet one, the observer. They are opposites; introvert and extrovert, yin and yang. Katie is the only solo at the party. Her successful professional life doesn't leave her time for a significant other. It hasn't even left her time for Miranda recently.
Samira and Giles are the happily married parents of baby Priya. Giles, while he seems like Mr Easy-Going, is a bit tight when it comes to money. Samira was a glamour girl, a performer, the brains of the original trio of women; but now she seems a bit 'mumsy', nowhere near the life and soul of the party that she used to be.
Katie has always had a bit of a thing for Nick. He always seemed so much more 'together' than everyone else their age. His coming out in their second year was a bit of a shock to her. She thought he was saving himself for the right woman. But then he met Bo, an American who captured his heart.
Emma is the newcomer to the group, as she feels everyone is always reminding her. She is a gourmet cook and is married to Mark, a man with a dark sense of humour and an unrequited passion for Miranda.
Then there are the two full time staff at the Lodge, Heather and the brooding Doug. What are their stories and why do they hide themselves away, not only from the world but from each other, in such a remote and isolated place?
Lucy Foley excels at creating characters that thrill and appall. She provides all the little details, the quirks, the memories that make them seem real, and cleverly weaves them into a murder mystery where the reader knows neither who has died, nor who killed them until the final pages of the book. Everyone is a suspect, and I was wide of the mark with my theories.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#contemporaryfiction #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama
I: @lucyfoleyauthor @harpercollins
T: @LucyFoleyTweets @HarperCollins
THE AUTHOR: Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Guest List and The Hunting Party. She lives in London.
DISCLOSURE: This was a read purely for pleasure. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
She's so cold that her teeth are chattering with a sound like someone shaking dice. In the light of the living room her lips are bluish. But it's her eyes that are most disturbing. I know this look, it is that of someone on the edge. I've seen it in Mark. I saw it that day at the racecourse.
'I hate her,' she says, in a hiss. 'I actually hate her. I can't believe she just made me do that. You don't know her properly, Emma - so perhaps you can't understand. You don't know what she's capable of.'
Actually, I think, I know her a lot better than you're always trying to make out. Who has been there for her recently, when you've dropped off the planet? And I certainly know what you're capable of, Katie Lewis.
ABOUT 'THE HUNTING PARTY': During the languid days of the Christmas break, a group of thirtysomething friends from Oxford meet to welcome in the New Year together, a tradition they began as students ten years ago. For this vacation, they’ve chosen an idyllic and isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands—the perfect place to get away and unwind by themselves.
They arrive on December 30th, just before a historic blizzard seals the lodge off from the outside world.
Two days later, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead.
The trip began innocently enough: admiring the stunning if foreboding scenery, champagne in front of a crackling fire, and reminiscences about the past. But after a decade, the weight of secret resentments has grown too heavy for the group’s tenuous nostalgia to bear. Amid the boisterous revelry of New Year’s Eve, the cord holding them together snaps.
Now one of them is dead . . . and another of them did it.
Keep your friends close, the old adage goes. But just how close is too close?
MY THOUGHTS: Oh, my! Who would want friends like these? Not me, that's for sure!
But putting aside the fact that the majority of these characters are totally unlikable, entitled prats, The Hunting Party is a well plotted, tense murder-mystery set in the remote Scottish Highlands where wifi connections are tenuous, and mobile signal non-existent. A blizzard only helps to add to the isolation, cutting off all access.
These people are not nice. They feed off one another while revolving around Miranda, vying for her attention, her approval. Miranda, like her husband Julien, likes to have more than her fair share of everything. They are extravagant and solve problems by throwing money at them until they go away. But Miranda is definitely the dominant one in this partnership; Julien just another accolyte seeking her approval, needing her love.
Katie is Miranda's oldest friend, her shadow, the quiet one, the observer. They are opposites; introvert and extrovert, yin and yang. Katie is the only solo at the party. Her successful professional life doesn't leave her time for a significant other. It hasn't even left her time for Miranda recently.
Samira and Giles are the happily married parents of baby Priya. Giles, while he seems like Mr Easy-Going, is a bit tight when it comes to money. Samira was a glamour girl, a performer, the brains of the original trio of women; but now she seems a bit 'mumsy', nowhere near the life and soul of the party that she used to be.
Katie has always had a bit of a thing for Nick. He always seemed so much more 'together' than everyone else their age. His coming out in their second year was a bit of a shock to her. She thought he was saving himself for the right woman. But then he met Bo, an American who captured his heart.
Emma is the newcomer to the group, as she feels everyone is always reminding her. She is a gourmet cook and is married to Mark, a man with a dark sense of humour and an unrequited passion for Miranda.
Then there are the two full time staff at the Lodge, Heather and the brooding Doug. What are their stories and why do they hide themselves away, not only from the world but from each other, in such a remote and isolated place?
Lucy Foley excels at creating characters that thrill and appall. She provides all the little details, the quirks, the memories that make them seem real, and cleverly weaves them into a murder mystery where the reader knows neither who has died, nor who killed them until the final pages of the book. Everyone is a suspect, and I was wide of the mark with my theories.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#contemporaryfiction #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama
I: @lucyfoleyauthor @harpercollins
T: @LucyFoleyTweets @HarperCollins
THE AUTHOR: Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Guest List and The Hunting Party. She lives in London.
DISCLOSURE: This was a read purely for pleasure. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 13, 2026
3.75 🌟 I liked the setting of this book a lot, and I found a few of the characters’ plot lines to be really interesting! This book didn’t change my life, but I would say it’s a good thriller for winter!
June 21, 2024
Far too many POVs, with characters I didn’t particularly like or care about.
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