The Hunting Party

St Just Monday Morning Reading Group 25th April 2022.

The Hunting Party. Lucy Foley.

A slim majority of readers said they enjoyed this book; a significant minority said they did not. The former category thought it a good read, with interesting (though hardly likeable) characters and the suspense built quite well; and they were intrigued with the hiding of the victim’s identity as well as that of the murderer. Most people said they were kept guessing right up until the end. Several comments were made about the film-script possibility of this book, which is connected with the sense of place in it – a top-end Highland hunting lodge in the New Year snow.

The dual time structure annoyed or confused some readers, and fascinated others. Almost everyone mentioned how objectionable the characters were – Oxford-educated high-flying poseurs – some people thought them well depicted; others less so. It was hard, perhaps, to sympathise with many of them, and this was widely noted. Readers was also puzzled as to why all of the characters’ sections were written in the first person except that of Doug – this seemed to jar unnecessarily.

Comparisons were made with Agatha Christie; also with The Great Gatsby. In general this was recognised as a clever book, whether or not the reader actually liked it.

This book was read during April 2022 and the continuing restrictions due to the Covid-19 virus, and so the discussion was not 'live' as usual, but took place via a Facebook group, email and telephone conversations.