Buzzworthy 2019 Book #2: THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley
William Morrow; February 12, 2019
What do you get when you cross an Agatha Christie-inspired plot, a stylish-yet-rugged atmosphere, and some seriously dark secrets between old friends? Enter Lucy Foley’s addictive, binge-worthy suspense novel THE HUNTING PARTY. A college reunion over New Year’s Eve goes very wrong when a snowstorm descends, trapping the friends in the luxury lodge where they’re spending their holiday. As claustrophobia mounts and old secrets rear their ugly heads, things get darker still… and when one of the group is found dead, the truth is clear: one among them is a murderer. Fans of Ruth Ware will find much to love in Foley’s deliciously atmospheric and transportive writing. Come for the book’s classic crime-inspired premise, stay for its delectable drama and sly plotting—you’ll be left guessing “whodunnit” until the book’s final shocking pages.
Read on for three reasons why THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley belongs on your TBR—and for more information on my Buzzworthy 2019 Books series!
What is the “Buzzworthy 2019 Books” Series?
My “Buzzworthy Books” picks are aimed at highlighting early 2019 releases that might still be a few months away, but are worth adding to your TBR now. In these posts, I will highlight three key elements that make the featured book a must-read. I will be periodically releasing these Buzzworthy Books selections as we approach the new year—and once 2019 arrives, I’ll have a blog post up giving you a complete list of my Buzzworthy 2019 Books!
Without further ado, let’s dive into my second Buzzworthy 2019 Books pick: THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley.
About THE HUNTING PARTY:
All of them are friends. One of them is a killer.
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?
Early Praise for THE HUNTING PARTY:
“A ripping, riveting murder mystery — wily as Agatha Christie, charged with real menace, real depth. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware.” (A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window)
“An addictive murder mystery full of suspense, secrets and surprises. I loved it!” (Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Sometimes I Lie)
“Everyone is a suspect in Lucy Foley’s clever murder mystery that harkens back to Agatha Christie and the Orient Express. Friends, lovers, strangers and murder at a secluded hunting lodge make for an absolutely delicious read!” (Wendy Walker, author of the national bestseller All Is Not Forgotten)
“Very gripping and so good on the awfulness of some long-history friendships!” (Sophie Hannah)
“Hugely entertaining. Full of surprises. This is a clever, twisting page-turner of the highest order. I loved it.” (Simon Kernick)
What to Love About Lucy Foley’s THE HUNTING PARTY
Three Key Elements That Make It a 2019 Must-Read:
Agatha Christie-inspired plot. There’s a reason we compare so many mysteries to those plotted by Christie. The Queen of Crime is known for her ingenious - yet also ingeniously simple - puzzles, and probably none is more infamous than And Then There Were None and its masterful “locked room mystery.” In THE HUNTING PARTY, Foley delivers a modernized take on this very same mystery structure. Isolated location? Check. Fixed cast of characters? Check. Red herrings? Check. Foley’s mystery has it all—and, perhaps most importantly, it has it all in a way that still feels authentic and unique to itself. This story may be inspired by Christie, but it’s not a rewrite of Christie’s work by any means. Consider it an updated take on golden age detective fiction, one which the modern reader will find accessible and completely addictive. THE HUNTING PARTY is of-the-moment and sleek, and it’s very much its own tricky puzzle for readers to solve—it’s just also one that I’m betting the Queen of Crime would thoroughly enjoy.
Interpersonal secrets (and drama!). Piece by tantalizing piece, Foley lays bare for her readers the secrets and tensions that exist between the men and women who fill this book’s pages—and you won’t want to look away. THE HUNTING PARTY utilizes multiple narrators to fantastic effect; Foley never gets bogged down with her story’s numerous points of view, but instead uses these alternating perspectives to create a quasi-Rashomon effect in her story. Just when readers feel they’ve come to understand the group’s dynamic as told by person A, Foley will switch gears and draw the reader into the mind of person B… and readers will quickly come to see that nothing is, in fact, as it appears. The more you learn about the characters filling this book’s pages, the more you’ll be glad you’re not snowed in at this hotel with them, too. Bonus: if you enjoy a bit of drama and gossip in your suspense novels, THE HUNTING PARTY has just the right amount to keep things juicy without being seriously over the top.
Immersive, vivid sense of place. THE HUNTING PARTY is every bit the perfect winter read, and this is in large part thanks to the chilling, chilly atmosphere that permeates this story. It’s not just this book’s fateful winter snowstorm (although that certainly doesn’t hurt!)—Foley crafts a beautiful portrait of a desolate and striking landscape in her writing, too. The setting of this story almost feels like its own character; the weather and its implications for the group take on an increasingly sinister tone as the story progresses, and readers will feel the claustrophobia of the characters ratchet up alongside the encroaching storms. I loved every atmospheric touch Foley put into her story: the stark contrast between the warmth of the lodge and the darkness of its surroundings; the descriptions of land blanketed by snow; the moody and mysterious nature of the landscape surrounding the hotel. Foley’s writing will pluck you right out of wherever you are reading her work and drop you squarely in the Scottish Highlands with her ill-fated group of friends.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.
Book Details:
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (February 12, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006286890X
ISBN-13: 978-0062868909
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