Title: The Hunting Party
Author: Lucy Foley
Genre: Mystery
Edition/Pages: Hardcover, 327 pages
Goodreads page

Summary

A group of friends travels to the Scottish Highlands for their early New Years Eve reunion. They’ve been friends since college and have been making these trips for 10 years. But this year feels different. Years of secrets and resentments are causing the group to fracture. When a massive blizzard hits, the group is stranded at the lodge.
Now one of them is dead… and another of them did it.

Overview

This is told in 4 POVs – 1 in present day, and 3 leading up to the murder. Eventually the timelines converge as the mystery is revealed.
This is a very classic feeling mystery! If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, or An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lepena, this book will be right up your alley.

Content Warnings: There are a lot content warnings for this book. But a lot of them may spoil 1 or more of the reveals. If you want to read them anyways, I have them hidden in my Goodreads review here.

What I Liked

1. This book was wonderfully atmospheric. The isolated lodge added so much tension and mystery to the story. I love a good isolated setting in mystery/thrillers and this one was perfectly done.
2. I loved how the reveals were done. 3 of the chapters take place a few days in the past and slowly work their way to the present and 1 of the chapters takes place in the present. When the timelines meet, the mystery is revealed. I really loved the classic feel of a mystery slowly unfolding.
3. While the story itself may not be anything earth shattering in the mystery genre, I thought the author did a great job making all of the characters appear guilty. She builds lots of tensions amongst the group and at one point I suspected all of them. Overall the mystery elements were well handled and surprising.

What I Didn’t Like

1. I didn’t love that one of the POVs was written in 3rd person while the other 3 were is in 1st. I didn’t really understand the choice at all found it really jarring every time I got to Doug’s chapters.
2. I never fully connected to this story or the characters. Everyone is very unlikeable so I don’t know if that played a role. But in general, I found it very easy to put this book down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this mystery! I love classic-esque mysteries and this one absolutely fit the bill. I will for sure read any future mysteries Lucy Foley writes!