This novel drew me in right away. Imagine, sitting in your apartment and knowing that someone is entering, using a key – knowing that you haven’t given anyone a key…

From then on I was entirely invested in the outcome. Would Jess find Ben alive? What secrets were the residents so desperate to keep?

I tried to really like Jess, yet her light-fingered behavior, poking around into other people’s possessions, and her general impertinence lent her an air of insolence that I found unlikable. That being said, her personality was the driving mechanism of the novel, nothing much would have happened without her audacious actions. All the while the reader really knows that her behavior is mere bravado. Underneath she is floundering, insecure, and desperate for stability.

The various residents of the apartment building were well portrayed. Some were creepy, some suspect, and all were overly secretive. The vibe was the sort that you feel when you just know that someone is staring at you, yet you don’t know who, why, or where they are…

The ivy-festooned apartment building itself was very much a character in this novel. The cobble-stoned courtyard. The ‘cave’, the dark and smelly stone cellar where thousands of euros worth of wine was stored. The hidden staircase with the spy-holes to the various apartments. The creepy attic room, the ‘chambre de bonne‘. The building had a rich history as it was used by the Gestapo during the war.

Very much a ‘whodunit’, this is a novel that will be popular with readers. Rife with dark family secrets and corrupting family dysfunction, the ambiance, the characters, the plot, and the satisfactory ending all serve to make it an excellent thriller read.

Spooky! You have no idea what is going to happen or what may already have happened. The Paris apartment was so well described, I felt I knew my way around it.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK for the electronic copy.

This is an absolutely brilliant psychological thriller. I like this style of writing where all the central characters share their own points of view from past to present, letting the reader deeper into their character. It does start slowly but that's OK because this sets the scene to the unfolding story; gradually building up to what I thought was a satisfying ending.

Jess arrives at her half-brother's magnificent apartment block in Paris; just off the Eurostar and virtually penniless, she's had no replies to texts she'd been sending to Ben and, gaining entry to his third floor apartment, discovers he is missing - his coat, keys and wallet all left behind, but his laptop is missing. Ben, a budding investigative journalist, had been offered the apartment by his mate Nick from university days. Nick lives on the second floor - he's into tech start-ups; 19-yr old Mimi, together with her flatmate, live on the fourth floor - Mimi paints; Antoine is on the first floor - he drinks too much and his wife left him just as Jess arrived, and Sophie and husband Jacques live in the penthouse - they are in the wine business. The concierge, an elderly lady who knows all the secrets and watches everything, lives in a cabin on the ground floor.

But something just isn't right! As Jess starts to acquaint herself with the residents and asking about Ben, she's puzzled by the hostile reactions she receives - some are warnings, some are threats. However, she's determined to find out what happened to Ben and Nick offers to help. From a business card she contacts Theo, the Paris editor of the Guardian, and they start to piece together a story which Ben might have been working on - had Ben crossed the wrong people? Along the way Jess makes some puzzling discoveries which pushes her ever closer to danger.

This is a story which slowly becomes darker, especially as the narrative gives us the thoughts of the other tenants - it all started to go wrong after Ben arrived!

Loved it!

Fleeing a dead end job and no prospects, Jess arrives in Paris to stay last minute with her half brother Ben. Except when she arrives at his incredibly expensive apartment, Ben is nowhere in sight and the other apartment block residents all seem to be incredibly hostile and shifty. Nothing goes unseen within the walls of the apartments, but no-one is willing to tell Jess the truth.

Unfortunately I found this to incredibly slow and predictable. Nothing whatsoever happens plot wise for a good 60% of the story, before we're dropped with a supposed twist (that to me, didn't seem that much of a twist). Most of the characters spend their time moodily buying pastries or smashing wine glasses against a wall. It just all felt a little lacking in substance, and by the time the pacing picks up I found I really didn't care anymore. The conclusion is also really uninspired and obvious - I guessed all the reveals well before they're handed to the reader, and that never normally happens with me and thrillers but they were just too blanant here.

I also really disliked the main character, Jess. She's incredibly naive and oblivious to the most obvious of behaviours, to the point where she will trust anyone. Even though her brother is missing and all these people in the various apartments are clearly acting suspiciously. But you know, just carry on flirting and casually giving away all your clues, potentially helping a killer. It was infuriating.

This had so much potential to bring new concepts to the closed circle mystery genre, but instead I just felt like I'd wasted my time. Not Lucy Foley's best.

Lucy Foley is an auto-buy author for me and once again she hasn't disappointed. I found The Paris Apartment a little slow to begin with, however that's also a testament to Foley's way of setting a scene and providing depth of character. And once you're in, it is gripping.

The Paris apartment is not the typical murder mystery that we've come to expect from Foley. This had darker twists and turns to it.

The unreliable and changing narrators help you feel out of balance and disorinetated, much like the lead character. And as ever, I was guessing and hypothesising right to the end.

WHAT A FINISH! Whilst I had no difficulty being gripped by the storyline to this Paris-based thriller, the ending just kept throwing curveballs up!

When Jess arrives at her brother's Paris apartment she has secrets of her own. Little does she know the building also holds close-kept secrets and when she enters the apartment to find her brother missing, she is plummeted into a dark mystery that she must unravel to find out what has happened. This book is definitely a pageturner!

Having read The Hunting Party and The Guest List, I have to say this is Lucy Foley's best book so far! I loved following the clues alongside Jess as she slowly uncovered the darker side to her brother's life in Paris and got chills from hearing from the other characters within the book, the Parisian setting was the perfect backdrop to this suspense-filled read.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

As a lover of Lucy Foley's books I was excited to read The Paris Apartment and it didn't disappoint.

Unlike The Hunting Party and The Guest List, The Paris Apartment doesn't drag you straight into the action but has a slow burning, tense introduction, building up the suspense and the guessing game.

Jess arrives at the swanky Rue Des Amants to stay with her brother Ben. Arriving with her own secrets Jess is worried when Ben is not home to greet her. After all he has left her a voice note telling her where to come and he'll be waiting to let her in. As Jess looks further into where her brother could have disappeared to she comes across the other residents of Rue Des Amants.

The sophisticated if not stuck up Parisian madam in the penthouse, the alcoholic and his cheating wife, the strange girl and her flat mate, the creepy concierge and of course Ben's friend Nick who actually got him the apartment.

Just what is the connection between these peculiar residents and what do they know about Ben's disappearance? As Jess tries to work out what has happened has she put herself in danger?

Brilliant 5 stars.

I had a very fun time with this book

I really enjoyed the cast of characters and very quickly it became clear that they were all uniquely developed so you knew everyone's story

There were quite a few twists and turns throughout the book which I loved, though I feel as though it got a little repetitive when the characters had "memory flashbacks" to knowing Ben, as it happened throughout with every character. I also feeling that the ending was really good but a little anticlimactic for me personally.

I guessed where the story was leading but only towards the end so I enjoyed the experience of guessing rather than thinking it was obvious.
It was a great time and I think my favourite Lucy Foley book to date

I think British author Lucy Foley's books just keep getting better and better! I found The Paris Apartment an engrossing and compelling read, in which Foley has successfully employed a more complex narrative structure than in her previous work.

Englishwoman Jess Hadley arrives in Paris, after leaving her bar job in Brighton under somewhat shady circumstances. She arrives outside her journalist half-brother's apartment building in (fictional) Rue des Amants, expecting to find him waiting to let her in, as arranged. But Ben is nowhere to be found...

The resourceful Jess manages to gain admittance to the building, and discovers several disconcerting signs in Ben's third-floor apartment - his wallet and keys have been left behind and his cat has unexplained blood on her paws...

As she makes the acquaintance of the inhabitants of the other apartments, Jess recognises their reluctance to engage with her about Ben's whereabouts and also witnesses several troubling interactions between them. She quickly comes to the realisation that there's something very strange going on here, intensifying her fears for her brother. After a disappointing attempt to notify the local gendarmerie of Ben's disappearance, Jess seeks out the assistance of Ben's friend from university, Nick, who also lives in the apartment building, and a work contact, Theo, to whom Ben had been intending to pitch a sensational article.

Adding to the intrigue, the narrative unfolds from several perspectives - a prologue from Ben's point of view, that of Jess herself, and those of her fellow-residents: diffident Nick, skittish Mimi, haughty Sophie and the observant, eavesdropping concierge of the building. Thus, the reader experiences the gradual revelation of what is going on beneath the elegant façade of the building, but from different and sometimes competing sources. Who can Jess trust in her quest for the truth of what's happened to Ben? What shocking secret or secrets has he uncovered and what might any one of the suspects be willing to do to protect themselves?

The Paris Apartment is a twisty tale, with several stunning surprises along the way and a fabulously dramatic denouement. It contains well-executed gothic elements, recalling classics such as Jane Eyre and Rebecca, not to mention shades of Alfred Hitchcock's brilliant suspense-thriller film "Rear Window" (1954). Lucy Foley evokes the Parisian setting masterfully, using the protagonist's lack of familiarity with the city and language to raise the sense of lurking danger and tension. Snippets of French language are sprinkled throughout, lending additional authenticity, and should be understood by those with only a basic level of comprehension.

I'd highly recommend The Paris Apartment to any reader who enjoys well-executed mystery thrillers and/or engrossing multiple-thread narratives. It's a great read that's difficult to put down once started.

My thanks to the author, Lucy Foley, UK publisher HarperCollins UK / HarperFiction and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this exciting new title in advance of its publication.

Welcome to No.12 rue des Amants A beautiful old apartment block, far from the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling banks of the Seine. Where nothing goes unseen, and everyone has a story to unlock. There was a murder here last night. A mystery lies behind the door of apartment three. Ben is awaiting the arrival of his half sister Jess but when she arrives Ben isn’t there but all his possessions are – so begins this slow burn tense thriller, which is told from multiple perspectives. I really enjoyed it even though it lagged a little in the middle but picked up again towards the end. The characters were well portrayed but most were unlikeable. The lead up to the climax is tense & I felt helped by the short chapters. An engrossing read which I found hard to put down & I can’t believe I read over 400 pages so quickly
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I have really enjoyed Lucy Foley’s other books so was excited to read this. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it did not live up to her usual brilliant standard. The blurb promised so much more than it delivered. I felt it was an incredibly slow burner and, for me, it did not grip me although the ending was good. Even though it didn’t live up to expectations, it will not put me off reading more from this author.

When I saw Lucy Foley was back with a new book, I was eager to get my hands on it. The setting of a disappearance in a luxurious Paris apartment building really intrigued me and I was keen to see if it lived up to The Guest List which was an easy five star book for me.

The first 20% of this book really pulled me in and then it kind of slowed to such a pace that I felt I was getting nowhere every time I picked it up to read. It has all the classic Foley writing styles, short paragraphs, constant changing points of view, multiple key characters within the story but it really dragged for me between 20 and 80%. The plot was good but arguably a tad predictable which I’ve not found before in Foley’s books.

Overall, not a bad read but not a great one either. I’d still read more from Foley in the future but I won’t be raving about this one as much as I did The Guest List. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Paris Apartment is a dark and atmospheric psychological thriller from Lucy Foley and the first book I’ve read by this author. Jess has just arrived at her brother Ben’s apartment in the Montmartre district, a building that even at the height of summer you get the impression it would seem dark and oppressive, only to find Ben missing and none of his neighbours seem to care, indeed on first appearances they all appear to have something to hide.

For all this plot is filled with twists, turns and intrigue as Jess tries to find out what has happened I admit to struggling with it at times and found it quite hard going. I think a big part of this was just for me none of the characters were particularly likeable, not even the ‘heroine’ Jess so I just couldn’t bring myself to care what happened to anyone. A small part of me kept hoping Inspector Maigret would turn up to solve the whole mystery. It’s not an easy read but I would be interested if this book was to be adapted for television.

As always with anything from Lucy Foley the story gradually unfolds gradually, building to a finale you weren’t quite expecting. Fantastic

💫Welcome to No.12 rue des Amants 💫

Jess leaves the UK, down on her luck and low on funds, deciding to travel to Paris where her brother Ben lives. En route, she speaks with her brother who gives her directions and instructions on how to get to his apartment and assures her, he will be there when she arrives. However when Jess arrives , its more luxurious than she was expecting, she finds a cat with some bloody stains on its fur, a strong smell of bleach and no sign of her brother.

Over the coming days Jess meets the other residents in the building who all seem to be hiding secrets and tries to piece together the puzzle of Ben's disappearance .

I read and enjoyed Lucy Foley's previous novels, this one felt a little different to her others. It was a slow burn, the first half of the book felt slightly laboured in parts and it took a while for me to get fully engaged in the plot. At the half way point, the pace ramped up and the second half was a much a stronger read, in my opinion.

A well written if unevenly paced crime novel . I enjoyed the atmospheric setting more than the characters but the book did keep me guessing and the ending was satisfying.

I've no doubt The Paris Apartment will be as successful as the authors previous books.

3 - 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Paris Apartment is published today. I received an advance reader copy with thanks to @netgalley and the publishers Harper Collins UK. As always, this is an honest review.

#TheParisApartment

Lucy Foley's popular last novel, The Guest List, did not do much for me, so I was pleasantly surprised by this, her newest book. The plot was well-paced, with good character-development which was revealed gradually. Multiple point-of-view narrative has been ubiquitous for the last few years, but in this book I felt it actually added value. I enjoyed reading about the various characters and gradually discovering their secrets and how these related to the missing Ben. The Paris setting was a bonus, although I would happily have seen even more of the city (much of the story takes place inside the apartment block, so the reader's opportunity for sightseeing is limited).

Whilst to my mind this is more whodunnit than psychological thriller, there is plenty of darkness, suspense and skeletons. I did work out the two main twists, but only shortly before they were revealed, which demonstrates the author's skill in dropping just the right number of subtle hints without being too obvious.

All in all, an enjoyable and unpredictable page-turner which I would definitely recommend.

Having loved Foley’s last novel, The Guest List, I dived into The Paris Apartment with high expectations. And by and large, it hit the spot. Though not quite the locked-room type mystery that Foley does so well, this was still creepily atmospheric and deftly plotted, with plenty surprises and twists to keep you invested.

Jess has turned up in Paris to stay with her journalist half-brother Ben, who’s renting an apartment in a surprisingly grand building, only to discover that he has inexplicably disappeared. When she finds evidence of a hasty cleanup job in his flat, Jess suspects the worst. And her suspicions increase when attempts to question other residents are met with either open hostility or obfuscation.

Unlike Foley’s previous books, this is very much a slow burn — an enticing drip-feed of information about the occupants of the four other apartments and the ancient concierge who guards their secrets. If you’re looking for clues, this is where you’ll find them.

In typical Foley style, we get the story via multiple POVs, delivered in short, sharp chapters, including revealing flashbacks. The mood is suspenseful and intriguing rather than flat-out gripping. But as more and more pieces slot into place, the intensity increases, the pace picks up, and the narrative races to a satisfyingly explosive finale, with a genius and deftly disguised twist.

I did feel, however, that the plotting here wasn’t quite as tight as in Foley’s other novels. I was confused by the layout of the building, which was a key element in the plot, and there were other minor discrepancies that I found frustratingly distracting. I don’t go into a thriller looking for flaws, but these were just too blatant to ignore.

That said, there was still much to enjoy and, on balance, I consider this a worthwhile read.

A good tale with lots of twists and turns. Jess turns up at the Paris apartment trying to find her brother Ben, who seems to have disappeared. Everyone else in the apartment block seems to be very cagey and there is more to his disappearance than meets the eye. Their stories are told by flashbacks to their initial relationships with Ben and their mistrust of him. I enjoyed reading about each character and finding out how they were intertwined.

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What's the book about?
Jess has had a difficult life and she needs a fresh start. She turns to her half-brother Ben for help, even though she hasn't spoken to him in years. He allows her to stay in his Paris apartment until she gets back on her feet. After reaching the house, she realizes Ben's not there and he's missing. Jess asks the neighbors about him trying to piece his life together. Not only are they extremely unhelpful but everything she discovers makes her more determined to find out what everyone is hiding and to dig deeper for the truth.

My thoughts:
This was a very quick read. The whodunnit mystery, the creepy tension-filled atmosphere, and all the dysfunctional, shady characters were all fantastic. I wasn't a fan of all the different points of view, but I can see why Foley chose this approach. I adored the protagonist, Jess, who is a survivor who relies on her instincts to get things done. She's tough and unpredictable. This book was better than the Guest List, and I'm excited to see what Foley comes up with next.

If you love a book with a creepy atmosphere, great characters and twists and turns a plenty then look no further !!

Jess is down on her luck and turns to her half-brother, Ben, for a place to stay. Ben lives in an apartment in Paris and tells Jess there’s plenty of room for her to stay. But when Jess arrives Ben is no where to be seen. Surely he wouldn’t leave her stranded in a foreign country on her own ? Where is he ?

Jess managed to get into Ben’s apartment and gradually meets the neighbours, not all of them are friendly to Jess and they all seem to be hiding something, but what ?

The more questions Jess starts to ask about Ben the more she thinks something isn’t right. Suddenly she finds herself investigating after finding that Ben was working on a story and the more she uncovers the more questions she has. It seems everyone in the apartments has secrets but will she ever find out where Ben is ?

A great mystery thriller with some great characters. A little bit creepy and plenty of twists and turns !! Definitely a book to add to the very top of your reading pile.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.