Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

This is the July Monthly Group Read discussion for The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #47 A book with a holiday that’s not Christmas. You may have heard of “Christmas in July"! But this is “not Christmas in July"! :)

Erica has graciously stepped forward to serve as the "bubbling bibliophile" to lead this discussion!! THANK YOU, ERICA!

Every person reads at a different pace, so please use spoiler tags if you are sharing any plot-related surprises. This allows others to decide whether this information might reveal surprising information they have not yet read.

It can also be helpful to other readers if you post the location within the book noting your progress (chapter and/or page number) with the spoiler. That way, if someone else has read that far they can go ahead and open the spoiler, but if not, they'll know to skip it for now and return later...

TO ADD SPOILER TAGS:
Use this for spoilers, just remove the spaces:
< spoiler > write your spoiler here and close with < / spoiler >

Posts here should only be contributions to discussion about this book.

Happy Canada Day!

Who else is joining? What type/format of copy are you reading? Have you read Lucy Folley’s books before?


I’ve started my paperback copy. I’ve only read The Guest List by her but I really enjoyed it.

I read the first 10 chapters this morning, What I expected from a Lucy Foley book was"

- shifting POV from 5 characters (view spoiler)[ Unlike her other books where one POV is a character who works to serve the others, this book has Heather and Doug. Since it's her first, did she later decide that one serving character's POV is enough. Does this distance us too much from the action. In keeping with her other books, we get POVs from 4 women and 1 man. (hide spoiler)]

- a flash forward discovery of a body, with the identity not revealed until later in the book. (view spoiler)[ For some reason, I think it will be one of the guys. We also have 5 male and 4 female friends and 3 of the women are POV characters. (hide spoiler)]

It did take me a while to work out who all the characters listed on the back of the book are:

The beautiful one
The golden couple
The volatile one
The new parents
The quiet one
The city boy
The outsider

Erica wrote: "Happy Canada Day!

Who else is joining? What type/format of copy are you reading? Have you read Lucy Folley’s books before?


I’ve started my paperback copy. I’ve only read The Guest List by her b..."

Happy Canada Day! I have a paperback copy because my favourite Saturday indulgence is reading in bed.

I've read the Guest List and Paris Apartment - they were both 4 to 4.5 star reads for me, so I'm expecting to like this one.

I read on Kindle, for several reasons, like all my books all the time. Also, I live in a tiny house. I'm looking forward to reading this.

I finished chapter 20. Thoughts on Miranda and Emma:

(view spoiler)[ Miranda's stalker has to be someone in the group. That seems like too much work and too big a reveal not to be connected.

The insider trading - why would he tell Mark of all people.

And what's going on with her and Katie? Is there real distance, or is Miranda just a bored person without a proper job who over analyses everything?

Miranda may be the most interesting character for me - the extroverted party girl with imposter syndrome on the inside.

Emma is a dark horse. Mark has a temper, but I think he's a red herring. It's too easy to have him be the killer. But that gaslighting where she convinced the group that Mark defended himself when he struck first.

And she knew something that Miranda thought happened before she joined the group. Is Miranda scatterbrained? Or was Emma watching or stalking?

And the Highland Ripper - it's been mentioned twice, so I'm not sure it's a red herring. Could be Doug or Ian or the Swedish guy?
(hide spoiler)]

I finished the book today. I read 5 chapters last night and only meant to read 10 this morning, but I find thrillers/mysteries get to the point where I just want to know who did it and how it ends.

(view spoiler)[As soon as it came out in one of the chapters mid-way through the book that the victim was female, I knew it was Miranda. It's like "The It Girl" by Ruth Ware. Everyone has a reason to hate the popular girl.

I thought Emma might be the stalker early on. That chapter where she describes getting together with Mark was a huge tell. Did she even love him?

The Highland Ripper wasn't a red herring, but it explains why the staff took the disappearance so seriously and why they didn't suspect the guests. I did briefly think Iain was the Ripper and there were body parts in the barn. I think we were supposed to think Doug might have been the Ripper, but I never thought so.

I like Doug and Heather together. They are the only couple in the book I can see making it.

Once I thought Katie was pregnant I wondered if it was Julien's or less likely Mark's or Giles's. A pregnancy in a murder mystery has to further the drama.

The book is an interesting case study of mental illnesses: PTSD (Doug), suicidal depression (Heather), BPD (Emma), Narcissism (Miranda and Julien), and out of control anger issues (Mark). Plus whatever is wrong with Katie.

I thought the Guest List was a 4 star read and the Paris Apartment was 4.5 I'd give this one 3.5. It held me, but I figured out way too much stuff. Since this one was first, it shows that I think she's improving as a writer and I'm enjoying her books more and more. I will definitely be reading her next one. (hide spoiler)]

I listened to this on audio in December 2021, so hard to remember all the specific details. I ended up rating it 3.5 stars so interested to hear about what everyone else thinks.

Ugh. I always forget about Canada Day!! Thanks for mentioning it! (I'm still pretty US-centric, I'm afraid...)

I have a paperback copy that I obtained used from my favorite local used bookstore as soon as this was selected as the monthly group read. I have read both The Guest List and The Paris Apartment and rated each 5 stars! I admire Foley's skill at interweaving characters and situations!

Chapters 1 - 13

So this appears to be a closed circuit/circle murder mystery. Are you a fan of this type of mystery or mysteries in general?
Do short chapters push the pace of books or are they an annoyance?
Can you read a mystery slowly?
First predictions about who is murdered and who is the murderer?
So far there has been five POVs: Heather, Doug, Emma, Miranda, Katie. Is this too many to follow, will Foley add more?
Ingvar, one of the extra guests, mentions a serial killer going after women. Is this a red herring plot point?

I read this a while ago and didn't enjoy it.

Erica, To answer your questions:

So this appears to be a closed circuit/circle murder mystery. Are you a fan of this type of mystery or mysteries in general?

I am. I love Agatha Christie for her tropes of everyone is stuck on an island, or a boat, or a snowed in train, and the murderer is one of the characters. I am happy with how Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Shari Lapena cope with this is the age of smart phones. (Usually it's so remote that no one can get a signal and google the other characters or call for help. I have no problems with this.)

Do short chapters push the pace of books or are they an annoyance?
I love it in a mystery as it moves the plot along, especially if we are head-hopping to different characters. The down side is that I sometimes go through mysteries too quickly as I tell myself "one more chapter because they are so short."

Can you read a mystery slowly?
I know people who will read a mystery in a day. I generally take a long weekend or week (depending on my own busyness). I like to make it last a couple of days as it allows me to try and guess the ending. I love it when writers surprise me.

So far there has been five POVs: Heather, Doug, Emma, Miranda, Katie. Is this too many to follow, will Foley add more?
Five seems to be Lucy Foley's trope. She did five in her other two mysteries. I've read mysteries with less and with more. I'm good either way.

L Y N N wrote: "Ugh. I always forget about Canada Day!! Thanks for mentioning it! (I'm still pretty US-centric, I'm afraid...)

I have a paperback copy that I obtained used from my favorite local used bookstore as..."

I just recently found my copy at a book sale, and many other books too.

Just started this last night, just got to the end of the Highland dinner in the 3 days ago timeline, and the viewing of the body in the "present" one.

I read The Guest List earlier this year (for Nadine's challenge - set on an island), and I'm really feeling the similarities. I guess if you have a story that works, why not keep with it but it really feels like a lack of creativity (I also feel this way about Ali Hazelwood, but to be fair, I keep reading them).

The other thing that I will say annoys me is the mystery about who the deceased is. It just feels so convoluted in Heather's chapters that they keep being referred to as "the guest" or now "the body" with no identifying details - she knows full well who it is, so it just irritates me that it's not revealed. I don't mind not knowing things the characters don't know (i.e. the murderer's identity), but I don't like not being told things they do. I guess maybe because it feels like an artificial attempt to make more suspense, but since the characters know, it just seems so contrived. Anyone else feel that way, or am I just being a grump? With The Guest List, I began thinking of it as a thriller rather than a mystery - like, you can't really work on solving the mystery until you know what the crime is, so the point of the book is the suspense, rather than the solving.

Dubhease, I also spent some time puzzling through the back cover identities and how they matched up. I was like is Miranda both the beautiful one and part of the golden couple? Also, it took until just recently in what I've read to find indication of who the volatile one is.

Re Erica's questions, I do like closed circle mysteries. I think it helps prevent distractions, and keeps the focus on the main characters.

I don't read mysteries slowly, I do often get caught up in the "one more chapter - okay, just one more - no one more" mind set. And the short ones help with that, as do the shifting POVs, I think, since I want to see a new character's perspective. I feel like I'll probably finish in another day or two?

First predictions (view spoiler)[ Hmm. I don't really have a strong sense (which maybe ties into my rant above - at least give us some clues!) but I'm going to say Miranda for the victim. It just seems she's kind of a central figure to the group. For killer, Julian or Mark? (hide spoiler)]

Re the number of POVs, I don't think it's too many, but I have already a couple times had to go back and double check whose I'm reading - Emma and Katie in particular have a lot of similarities.

As for the serial killer thing, (view spoiler)[, I don't think it's a red herring. It's been my experience with these books that all the loose ends tie up. So I think it will be connected to the reveal, and not just as they're lurking around outside - like one of them is the killer, and another figured that out (or Heather) and lured them all there. Okay, maybe I'm extrapolating too much from The Guest List! (hide spoiler)]

Joanna is right. I forgot another Lucy Foley trope is the flash forward to the murder victim being discovered (without telling you who it is.)

I think I like Agatha Christie (and sometimes Ruth Ware) who just give you a cast of characters on an island, isolated house, train, etc and you meet them, and then a murder happens. I think I like the linear timeline better.

But I do like Lucy Foley, so I'm not going to stop reading because of the unidentified victim being discovered.

My take on the identities:
(view spoiler)[
The beautiful one - I thought this was Nick - it's mentioned that he is attractive and Katie had a crush on him before she knew he was gay
The golden couple - obviously Miranda and Julian
The volatile one - Mark
The new parents - Samira and Giles
The quiet one - Katie
The city boy - Bo
The outsider - Emma
(hide spoiler)]

Dubhease wrote: "My take on the identities:
Yeah, that's where I ended up too.

Alright, read another chunk last night. Now up to Heather having googled Doug in the "now" and the start of New Year's Eve dinner in the "past" timeline.

Have Katie's first revelation. (view spoiler)[ That she's pregnant. I say first because I know there's more coming - I'm assuming one of the dudes in the party, likely Julian, is the baby daddy.

I'm sticking with my guess of Miranda as the victim - gender now confirmed. (hide spoiler)]

I am enjoying it more now that I've got over my irritation about the coyness about who the victim is. Had something to do at 8 last night and a few things to prep first. Was reading along and then, all of a sudden, it was 7:58 and I had to scramble! Will likely finish tonight.

I didn't care for this at all. The use of so many voices is an immediate put-off for me. None of them were likeable. Not knowing who the victim was seemed unneccessary. Having finished it, I think I probably should have guessed the murdered and the murderer. I think I just wasn't too invested in it, although the setting and the writing were great.

Did finish at the start of the weekend. I enjoyed it well enough, though I don't think it will stay with me, nor will I go out of my way to pick up another by her. Although if one met a challenge prompt, I wouldn't be adverse to reading it.

Despite all that happened, I came away thinking it sounds like a lovely destination for a little getaway!

Spoilers re the mystery (view spoiler)[So the victim was not a shock, but the killer kind of was. Looking back though, there were clues, with the stalker story. And I do remember a line early on, I think it's in a Doug chapter where he very clearly notes that he feels that Emma is trying to look like Miranda, but doesn't pull it off the same way. At the time I noted it and thought it was an interesting thing about the different perspectives in the story, because he very clearly saw something that the group might not have realized was so obvious.

I was a little annoyed by the Iain bit. In reference to the closed circle mystery question above, I like them, but you have to play by the rules! So showing that there was someone else around / the circle isn't so closed feels like a little bit of a cheat to me.

Re your comment Kate, I agree that none of the group were really likeable - I don't mind that in a book like this though! Keeps me from worrying about my faves. I also think it was a bit of an issue with the perspectives - at the end I still had really no idea what Nick, Bo, or Sabrina were like, personality wise at all. I did find myself rooting for Doug and Katie though. In the twist sequence of who the killer would turn out to be at the end, as Miranda went from one option to the next, I was really hoping it wouldn't be him! (Although I thought it was unlikely - having killed her in a blackout wouldn't be a satisfying resolution). (hide spoiler)]

Hey, sorry I haven't posted new questions. I'm struggling to read this month and there has been family health issues that have kept me from this book. I intend to get another chunk done and post new questions soon.

Joanna wrote: "The other thing that I will say annoys me is the mystery about who the deceased is. It just feels so convoluted in Heather's chapters that they keep being referred to as "the guest" or now "the body" with no identifying details - she knows full well who it is, so it just irritates me that it's not revealed. I don't mind not knowing things the characters don't know (i.e. the murderer's identity), but I don't like not being told things they do. I guess maybe because it feels like an artificial attempt to make more suspense, but since the characters know, it just seems so contrived. Anyone else feel that way, or am I just being a grump? With The Guest List, I began thinking of it as a thriller rather than a mystery - like, you can't really work on solving the mystery until you know what the crime is, so the point of the book is the suspense, rather than the solving."

I usually agree that it is frustrating to be reading first person and have the author purposely hide things from the reader. I really noticed this with the Sookie Stackhouse series. The mc is a mind reader and useful information is kept from the reader until the very end of the book to solve the various mysteries and make the mc suddenly be so smart. I kinda thought that was lazy writing because the author couldn't come up with a plan/story that unfolded reasonably.

That said in this and the other Lucy Foley book I read it hasn't been so bothersome and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe because this isn't my typical genre or because the story moves quick.

Dubhease wrote: "
The beautiful one
The golden couple
The volatile one
The new parents
The quiet one
The city boy
The outsider"

Not sure. The only obvious one is the new parents. I don't read the synopsis on books very much.

I guess I better answer my own questions.

Chapters 1 - 13

So this appears to be a closed circuit/circle murder mystery. Are you a fan of this type of mystery or mysteries in general?
I read a couple of mysteries or thrillers but mostly SFF.

Do short chapters push the pace of books or are they an annoyance?
Usually short chapters make a book go fast for me, this is an off month though.

Can you read a mystery slowly?
Yes.

First predictions about who is murdered and who is the murderer?
Well other than the baby being okay I'm not too sure. ;)
I think that Emma is stalking Miranda and Katie and Julien are having an affair. That said I'm guessing one of the guys will end up dead just because we get most of the female characters perspective.

So far there has been five POVs: Heather, Doug, Emma, Miranda, Katie. Is this too many to follow, will Foley add more?
I'm good with this amount of povs. I don't want new povs suddenly.

Ingvar, one of the extra guests, mentions a serial killer going after women. Is this a red herring plot point?
I think this is thrown in as a distraction. It will be a murder for love or money.

Chapters 14 - 31

For a book called The Hunting Party were you expecting gun violence for the murder?

Will Julian and Miranda's insider trading be relevant to the murder?

Why isn't Emma bothered by Mark's crush on Miranda?

Katie sees someone in camo that disappears so quickly when they are out hunting. Do you think she actually saw someone, if so who?

A little past half way in the book and we have a murdered woman who has bruising on her neck and Doug has blackouts and previously been in jail for strangling someone. This is unlikely to be the end solution so have your predictions changed or are you doubling down on them?

Finished. This is one book where I wish goodreads would allow the .5 stars. Anyway I enjoyed this book and it was great to read about a snow storm whilst in a heat wave.

Erica wrote: "Chapters 14 - 31
For a book called The Hunting Party were you expecting gun violence for the murder?
Should have held back on reading because I can't answer most of these now that I know the answers! But on this one, I will say, I didn't really. I tend to find that books like these have titles that only loosely fit the contents (maybe to avoid giving too much away?)
But from your question, thinking about it now, I really don't think it fits at all. I would say the main focus of their getaway wasn't the hunting, but New Years. And it doesn't really even fit as a secondary meaning, because I don't think there's even a sense that they were all hunting for anything else...

For a book called The Hunting Party were you expecting gun violence for the murder?
I was expecting gun violence probably because of all the covers with the deer head silhouettes.

Will Julian and Miranda's insider trading be relevant to the murder?
Wasn't sure could be motive.

Why isn't Emma bothered by Mark's crush on Miranda?
Well I thought Emma is Miranda's stalker so Mark has good taste in Emma's eyes I guess.

Katie sees someone in camo that disappears so quickly when they are out hunting. Do you think she actually saw someone, if so who?
I thought it was the third resort employee

A little past half way in the book and we have a murdered woman who has bruising on her neck and Doug has blackouts and previously been in jail for strangling someone. This is unlikely to be the end solution so have your predictions changed or are you doubling down on them?
I was thinking that Doug was going to face blame and maybe someone would get away with things in the end

I ended up enjoying this much more than I thought I would. I did finally get it read on July 30! :)

I rarely ever read a mystery slowly. Once I begin I just have to know who, what, why, etc., so I tend to keep reading until done!

Hunting in and of itself just doesn't interest me. Killing something is not my thing. Even if I plan to eat the meat, tan the hide, whatever. I thought this setting was quite unusual/unique for such a gathering. I believe Emma was going for something unusual when she planned this getaway!

I guess I'm pretty easy going when it comes to mysteries. I rather appreciate the "closed circuit" aspect of this setting. I thought Foley did an absolutely excellent job of creating the off-putting desolate and haunting atmosphere at this retreat site!

I felt the victim just had to be (view spoiler)[Miranda! I mean, she manages to piss everyone off at one time or another, doesn't she? I could imagine anyone one of the group doing her in! ;) (hide spoiler)]

I rather like the slow reveal of the victim's identity. It helps create tension, but also allows me to get to know the characters and try to guess who was killed...and then why! Almost all these characters had definitely negative aspects to their personalities, didn't they?

And the the two characters who were truly 'wounded' and needing time and isolation to try to work through their past trauma: Heather and Doug. I was glad they were included so I could have characters to like and root for!

(view spoiler)[I thought the inclusion of the drug-trafficking plotline was rather brilliant! A repetition of history! I especially liked it when Heather realized that she should have noted tracks leaving the estate since she thought Iain had left as he said he was going to... But then to go up there all alone! Ugh! Not too smart! Thank goodness for Doug's tracking abilities and compassion to follow her!

And to realize the Icelandic couple were transporting the drugs! Interesting...especially the sexual encounter in the woods. Yuck! Creepy! "Come join us." Ugh. No thanks! (hide spoiler)]
Agreed about the tension regarding Doug possibly being the perpetrator or getting arrested for the crime.