Book Review: "The Hunting Party" by Lucy Foley

Jul 7

Jul 7 Book Review: "The Hunting Party" by Lucy Foley

2019 New Releases, Book Review, Moira, Moira's Reviews, Mystery/Thriller, Suspense

Publisher Synopsis:

ALL OF THEM ARE FRIENDS. ONE OF THEM IS A KILLER.

“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

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.

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, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead . . . and another of them did it.

DON’T BE LEFT OUT. JOIN THE PARTY NOW.—HarperCollins

Rating (out of 5 stars): 3.25 stars

Review: “The Hunting Party” has a solid, time-tested premise: ten thirtysomething friends who attended Oxford together are vacationing at a secluded estate in Scotland, where before long they are both snowed in and playing out dramas both old and new. From the beginning, we know one of them dies, but both the victim and killer are not revealed until the conclusion. The story switches narrators by chapter, changing perspectives on the drama unfolding. I’m generally not the biggest fan of multiple narrators, as I get attached to a primary voice and dislike switching. Additionally, Foley’s character development is unfortunately not quite strong enough to provoke much of an attachment to any of the characters.

Miranda, the rich and beautiful center of much of the drama, is portrayed as villainous and manipulative in all of her relationships—particularly with her husband, Julien, and her best friend Katie. Unfortunately Katie and Julien seem like Class A jerks too, so I didn’t really care that Miranda was nasty to them. The few characters that seem particularly sympathetic (Nick and his boyfriend Bo, Samira and Giles), don’t get a chance to narrate. The estate manager, Heather, and the gamekeeper Doug are engaging narrators, but there’s not really enough time to indulge in the drama of their pasts—which are only hinted at until the quickly unfurling conclusion.

Atmospherically, Foley gets an A for creating a realistic, desolate, and spooky environment. It is easy to imagine the paranoia the guests feel as one of their own is murdered. Unfortunately, not know which of them is murdered until late in the novel doesn’t allow the reader to become fully invested in this sense of collective dread.

This is a novel well worth a read, if you’re in the market for a strong, if slightly predictable, mystery. Suitable for beach reading, or reading in front of the fire with a glass of wine.

Trigger Warnings: violence, sexual violence

TL; DR: As far as pulpy mysteries go, this is a good one. It’s atmospheric and well-paced until the end, when it becomes a bit frantic. Your jaw won’t drop at any of the twists, which all emerge near the end, but the book is overall a pleasant and engaging diversion.

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