Helpful Score: 1
It's a classic "English country house" murder mystery, although with more of a psychological suspense feel; there's no detective working to unravel the various alibis. Despite the jacket copy I wouldn't call it a thriller, the pacing is too deliberate for that. I found the first-person present-tense POV, shifting every chapter, mixed with one third-person POV, rather irritating. But we can tell from that structure who's important in the story and who can be disregarded. Foley gives only two sympathetic characters (IMO) which also helped me guess the murderer. It mostly unfolded the way I expected, but there were a few surprises, and although I didn't find it "un-put-down-able", it kept my interest.
This was an intriguing story.
If you read a lot of mysteries or thrillers, you've encountered this plot before: a bunch of spoiled, messed-up rich kids go off to a wilderness lodge, where they get snowed in with no help at hand. A crime occurs, maybe multiple crimes.
The book is suspenseful, but not original, and I found the male characters particularly not believable. Read this one on a train, on the beach or during a snow day.
The book is suspenseful, but not original, and I found the male characters particularly not believable. Read this one on a train, on the beach or during a snow day.
Lots of characters doing lots of drinking, lots of "I was so drunk....". And not just regular old drunk. Drunk on 'Dom', that very expensive champagne we all guzzle down with our dear old friends. Despite an interesting story, this 'plot device' gets old. The lesson learned with this book, Don't drink so damn much.
I should have waited for a movie.
Set around New Year's Eve, The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley was a nice contrast to the Christmas books I've been reading.
Ten years ago several Oxford students celebrated New Year's Eve together, and they've continued the annual tradition even as their group expanded through marriage, relationships, and children. This year they're gathering in a remote hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands to reconnect, eat good food, and drink to excess. Before their time together is complete, one of them is dead, and another may be the murderer.
I enjoy novels where the "big event" is disclosed fairly early and the rest of the story gradually fills in the details of the characters and events leading up to it, and that's the case here. Readers know a body has been found, but the gender isn't disclosed so we have to piece together clues to figure out who met their demise. I also like a fairly large cast of characters who have 'messy' relationships with each other, and a group of college chums is perfect fodder for this "trope." Many secrets are disclosed on this getaway.
I enjoyed this via audiobook with full cast narration by Imogen Church, Gary Furlong, Elle Newlands, Moira Quirk, and Morag Sims. Their lovely voices with rich accents put me firmly in the setting and helped me follow the characters.
Ten years ago several Oxford students celebrated New Year's Eve together, and they've continued the annual tradition even as their group expanded through marriage, relationships, and children. This year they're gathering in a remote hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands to reconnect, eat good food, and drink to excess. Before their time together is complete, one of them is dead, and another may be the murderer.
I enjoy novels where the "big event" is disclosed fairly early and the rest of the story gradually fills in the details of the characters and events leading up to it, and that's the case here. Readers know a body has been found, but the gender isn't disclosed so we have to piece together clues to figure out who met their demise. I also like a fairly large cast of characters who have 'messy' relationships with each other, and a group of college chums is perfect fodder for this "trope." Many secrets are disclosed on this getaway.
I enjoyed this via audiobook with full cast narration by Imogen Church, Gary Furlong, Elle Newlands, Moira Quirk, and Morag Sims. Their lovely voices with rich accents put me firmly in the setting and helped me follow the characters.
I really didn't like this one at all, I hit the point that I skipped and skimmed a lot just to get to the terrible end
There is not one character to like, the writing style is one I really don't like the back and forth for each characters backstory then back to the present etc.
It's a very predictable story so there isn't that much suspense to it.
There is not one character to like, the writing style is one I really don't like the back and forth for each characters backstory then back to the present etc.
It's a very predictable story so there isn't that much suspense to it.
I checked this out on audio from the library because I heard it compared to Agatha Christie's work. I was disappointed by the fact that you do not know who was murdered for quite a long time. After lots of red herrings and reveals, the ending was kind of simple.
I couldn't get past the first couple pages as the writing was so redundant.
I finished it, (Trust me, it was a close run thing ...) Like a Lost Episode of "Friends": The One Where One of them Kills the Annoying One. (That's NOT a spoiler, as they are all, every single blinkin' one of them, annoying. Including the baby ... But don't worry SPOILER, the baby didn't do it ...)
The characterization and psychology was shallow. Some of the Big Reveals could be seen coming a mile away. Structure tried to be "clever," with chapters rotating between 1st-person narratives from four of the female characters (missing out one - why?), and a 3rd person from the POV of one of the males characters (and only one - why? Possibly the author's realization that there is only so much deluded self-entitlement that the human frame can bear.)
It's a beach read. I read it. It's not very good.
The characterization and psychology was shallow. Some of the Big Reveals could be seen coming a mile away. Structure tried to be "clever," with chapters rotating between 1st-person narratives from four of the female characters (missing out one - why?), and a 3rd person from the POV of one of the males characters (and only one - why? Possibly the author's realization that there is only so much deluded self-entitlement that the human frame can bear.)
It's a beach read. I read it. It's not very good.
A New Year's reunion for 8 friends in the remote Scottish wilderness and one is a murderer and one won't make it out alive! Historic blizzard seals the lodge from the outside world. Story is full of suspense, secrets and surprises. Interesting characters that find out how keeping your friends close can be harmful! Reminded me of Agatha Christie's Orient Express mystery. Kept me guessing all the way thru! Recommended for mystery thriller lovers!
