Lucy Foley’s fourth mystery novel, “The Midnight Feast,” requires readers to slow down and pay attention to tiny details.
In “The Midnight Feast,” Foley spins a multi-generational murder mystery told from five distinctive points of view across three time frames. Each chapter of the winding tale is clearly labeled with the character and time.
Foley took inspiration for her newest work from the increasing number of luxury hotels in the countryside. Her premise for “The Midnight Feast” is the opening of The Manor and the murder and incineration of the luxury resort that happens during the summer solstice celebration.
Character Analysis
Main Characters
Bella Springfield a.k.a. Allison
Francesca Meadows a.k.a. Frankie
Eddie Walker
Owen Dacre
DI Walker
Bella Springfield, an alias for a former friend of Francesca Meadows, who has returned to The Manor 15 years after a life-changing incident to settle scores. She feels compelled to address the misdeed now to assuage her conscience and look her daughter, Grace, in the eye.
Francesca Meadows, owner of The Manor, her grandparents’ family home she recently inherited, grew up as a privileged and neglected child who consistently caused trouble. She’s since reinvented herself as a wellness guru who wears crystals and does an assortment of treatments while hiding vodka and prescription pills. She’s also recently married her architect after a whirlwind romance.
Eddie Walker, a 19-year-old farm boy aspires to be a bartender. He’s taken a job as a dishwasher at The Manor without his parents’ knowledge to make money and get experience. His position as a Tome local heightens his awareness of the disgust and anger the residents feel toward The Manor, its owner, and the guests.
Owen Dacre, a hot-shot architect who met and fell for Francesca Meadows while working with her on The Manor. Despite his affluent appearance, Owen comes from humble beginnings he refuses to acknowledge, but they play a key role in his reluctant stay in Tome.
DI Walker, a cold case detective from the metropolitan police department, who’s assigned to help Tome’s police with the unidentified body found in the water near The Manor and the fallout from the fire.
Plot Summary
**Spoiler-free review focused on what drives the characters
“The Midnight Feast” is set over the course of the opening weekend of The Manor, a high-end resort, in Tome on the Dorset coast. The novel begins in June 2025 from the perspective of Bella, a guest who feels ill-at-ease and doesn’t fit in with its clientele, then quickly shifts to a murder investigation.
As a new mother seeking to absolve herself of guilt, Bella reserves the least expensive guest hutch she can at The Manor and rents designer clothes that combined with her short blonde hair make her unrecognizable.
Foley elaborates on Bella’s story with the inclusion of a 15-year-old summer journal she wrote about meeting teen Francesca a.k.a. Frankie, her brothers and grandfather, and several area teens. Information in the journal reveals Bella’s motivation and the Meadows family connection to the town.
It introduces readers to the Birds, a Tome legend that describes a group of human-sized black birds with hooked beaks that find a way to restore justice. Frankie used the story to frighten both her brothers and Bella in 2010. When adult Bella returns to Tome, the vicar informs her that the Birds folklore is tied into Christianity and remains a strong part of the community.
Additionally, perspectives from young dishwasher Eddie, The Manor’s owner Francesca, architect Owen, the summer diary of a teen girl, and Detective Inspector Walker are given in alternating, clearly labeled chapters. Each moves the story forward as elements of the past and present come together.
Eddie’s point of view illuminate how The Manor’s existence is dividing the Tome community of working-class farmers and local businessmen. His own family is at risk of losing their farm, which only adds to the hardship they’ve faced in recent years. Eddie’s also processing the end of his first relationship and dealing with rabble-rousers who intend to damage The Manor.
He’s tasked with defending The Manor from a group of angry locals, among whom is his ex-girlfriend, Delilah. The group escalates acts of violence against the property throughout the weekend that culminate in it burning down, leaving Eddie to rescue those trapped inside.
Eddie also has a personal connection with the Birds as his family’s old bull was used in a ritual sacrifice in the woods behind The Manor. He and another employee found the animal’s head deep in the woods after a guest complained of finding a large puddle of blood.
Francesca’s sections read as satire with her confessed usage of fillers, alcohol, and prescription medication while promoting yoga and all natural ingredients for a clean lifestyle. She knows about the Birds from reading “The Legends of Tome” 15 years earlier. But refuses to believe in the superstition and instead wears crystals, does cleansing breath exercises, and undergoes wellness treatments in The Manor’s orangery.
The aristocrat who summered in Tome openly looks down on the locals like her employee Michelle, whom she refers to as being beige and a lapdog, and watches hidden videos of her guests and staff to maintain control over who can stay at The Manor.
She also closely monitors Owen, her husband, and even changed the tobacco he used for sneaky smoke breaks for a healthier version. Despite Francesca’s claims that Owen’s obsessed with her in the best way, she doesn’t fully trust him.
Within Owen’s chapters, there’s a nervous energy and an active dislike of being back in Tome. He seeks out obscure areas near The Manor to swim and openly disparages staff members like Michelle while relying on his access to expensive goods to prove his value. Like his wife, Owen distrusts his wife. He tracks Francesca via an app on her phone.
Owen’s attitude toward the staff and his familiarity with Tome seem at odds with the polished architect who’s never resided in the area and made a name for himself internationally.
DI Walker is introduced much later in the novel with all his chapters written in third person. He drives an hour to Tome to investigate the dead body found in the water and incineration of The Manor. Repeatedly, DI Walker answers questions about his life and accent with vague responses and intentionally directs attention away from himself.
Both Owen and DI Walker are crucial to the plot but are allotted much less space in “The Midnight Feast” than the other characters.
Similar to Foley’s other works, “The Midnight Feast” revolves around characters making amends for past wrongs. Red herrings and deliberate deception make it challenging for even seasoned sleuths to solve the well-plotted murder mystery.
Final Thoughts
For readers willing to spend time getting to know characters and allowing suspense to build, “The Midnight Feast” will be worth your time. Foley’s class warfare mystery has echoes of “The Pale Horse” by Agatha Christie and addresses ongoing issues of the elite versus the proletariat happening worldwide.
Fleshed out characters, a vividly realized atmosphere, and the addition of frightening folklore set “The Midnight Feast” apart from other genre novels. The work requires patience and attention to detail from readers. But it’s well worth the effort when the pieces come together in the conclusion.
Rating
My rating is 4.25/5 stars.
Book Details
Book Title: “The Midnight Feast”
Author: Lucy Foley
Year of Publication: 2024
Number of Pages: 350
