The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

This was a unique story. It was a page-turner, and I certainly didn't know what was going to happen. Most of the main characters had double identities, which made it confusing at first (trying to remember who everyone is/was), but after awhile I was able to keep the people and former relationships straight. This is a story where each of the main characters had their own motive for the events that unfolded. Some of the motives were not what they originally appeared to be.

This story included murder and mayhem, like any good mystery should have. Francesca Meadows returns to her homestead 15 years after she left. She opens up a very posh resort, The Manor, no expense spared. She is beautiful, kind, gentle and passes out crystals in bags to each guest to promote healing. Everyone dresses in white linen. The environment is intended to bring a sense of peace and calm. The story takes place on the opening weekend of this new resort. It's very expensive to stay there, so it's only the wealthy who have reserved a spot (with one exception).

The townspeople from Tome (many of them poor) are not at all happy with this "invasion" as they see it. There are a few people in particular who create chaos over the weekend. There are also "The Birds". Are The Birds (who roam the woods and bring justice to those who deserve it) real, or simply folklore? That's the question. Enough of the characters see one or more in the woods, however, so the sightings bring a sense of reality to those individuals. But, most of the guests drink plenty of the specialty drink, the Manor Mule (which includes CBD oil, along with a number of other things), so people also think they are hallucinating.

The other main characters include Owen, Francesca's husband, who absolutely adores her; Francesca's manager of The Manor, Michelle, who she depends on with complete totality; Eddie, who works as a dishwasher in The Manor and does other odd jobs when requested; and Bella, a guest in one of the cabins on the estate. Bella is the only "solo" guest. These people are all connected in one way or another, but they don't know it.

There are certainly some strange parts of the book, but I honestly didn't know how it would end. There are lots of surprises, twists and turns. I wasn't even sure who had all died until the end.

Wendy's Rating: ****