The Hike was astonishing, dramatic and tense. Lucy Clarke is definitely at her optimum with this one. Because while I think this is quite clever, even rather brilliant at times, I didn't enjoy reading this that much. And I can't tell you why. I really don't know. I found myself wondering how much I have left in the book, rather early on and it kept recurring. I didn't connect much to the characters, which I don't think has much to do with the character building, but simply with my likes and quirks. So basically, while in theory this should have been at least a 4 Star book for me, I don't think I would have finished it if I didn't get the ARC. Saying that, I was thinking that it would make a fantastic movie, I totally would love it.. I think. And here is the crux when it comes to my rating of the Hike. I kinda didn't care that much for it actually. I want to thank the publisher "Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam Sons" and Net galley for the opportunity to read this terrific book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

As a woman, she'd been taught to walk with confidence, to look like she knew where she was going. To not show weakness, because a predator senses it. How do you do that in the Norwegian wilderness with no clue where you are? As I'm reading I can't wait for the psychological twist, when I go "ahhh there it is, this is so great" moment. Sadly to say I didn't get it. However the story was a good, although a little unbelievable, I mean who leaves their phone behind when going on a hiking trip?! Seriously that is beyond stupid and they all deserved to die, ok die is a little extreme, but they should definitely never procreate.In each book I’ve read by Clarke, I’ve always been particularly blown away by her deft ability to build consistent and ever ratcheting suspense. This time around, not only was that true, but with each revelation, something else was twisted to reveal a new puzzle filled with just as much intensity. This managed to create an ebb and flow to the unease that kept me on tenterhooks throughout. Even better, it meant that not once was I able to guess where this one was headed. Cat and Paul are married and Cat’s sister Ginny is married to Tristan. These four all have secrets and are not very likeable. In fact Cat hates her sister (with good reason) and she’s not real fond of her husband right now either. Yet she talks them into agreeing to a weekend in Switzerland with a lovely easy hike thrown in on the Saturday before the hot tub and champagne. Of course things don’t go according to plan. She has a bombshell to drop but it is saving it for later. Two couples (sisters and their husbands) plan a vacation in the Swiss Alps after being cooped up for a year and a half of not going anywhere during the pandemic. But the hike takes a tragic turn and only two of them survive. Something sinister is afoot, but who is behind it all? Because every single character is abominably detestable. Drew Magary’s new novel, The Hike, follows Ben, a dad trying to get home after wandering into a parallel universe on a business trip. . . . Buy it for all your friends—everyone loves a good dad odyssey.”

I nearly stopped reading after the first 15% because they were all so annoying. But it's written surprisingly well, for the most part, and there was just enough mystery to keep me hanging on. I’ve never been so sure of my not being a rugged, outdoor kinda gal as I was while reading this book. I guess you could call me a glamping princess, as I’d rather have access to at least some conveniences, but after reading this book I can argue with my husband that it’s just safer overall. 😇 These women are wearing the same crusty clothes for days, eating dried/preserved foods, etc and YOU DO YOU GIRLS. 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻More than a week later and I'm still trying to figure what exactly I read here. Here's what I know: If I had to name my absolute favorite part of this book, however, it would have to be the relationships at the center of the plot. A tale of reconnecting friends and life’s unexpected turns, it was heartwarming but also filled with true-to-life problems that occur when you put more than two people together in a friendship. And, ultimately, this led to plenty of plot charging drama that put the thrills in thriller.

The Hike is a fast-paced nail biter of a thriller that twists and turns much like the setting it takes place in. What a brilliant book, I've read most of Lucy Clarke's books now and they just keep getting better! All in all, a solid popcorn thriller that was different than the usual "is my husband secretly a killer?" books. The final showdown was ... le cringe, but again, popcorn thriller. I heard a few rumblings about The Hike from people I trust so I ignored the blurb that made it sound like not really my thing. (A man who'll do anything to return to his family? Snooze.) No offense to the marketing team of this book but you should avoid reading the summary. Completely. Here is what you need to know about this book: you never know what will happen next. Ben, our lead, goes out for a hike and ends up on this surreal fantastical journey. I'd been expecting a cohesive tale with a tidy ending, but the book is much more random than that. At times, I found myself wondering if Magary wasn't just letting his mind randomly associate to plot the book. At first it's a murder, but then the giant appears on the stage, and by the time the pseudo-vampire arrives I was bowled over by how silly the whole thing becomes.From the author of The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you’ve read before, weaving elements of folk tales and video games into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family