Jess Hadley, needing a fresh start and being out of cash, seeks to stay with her brother Ben in Paris. She arrives at his beautiful apartment building only to find that he is missing. Confused as to why he has disappeared when he was expecting her, Jess starts to worry and, with alarm bells ringing, she seeks to gain help from the other residents within the apartment only to find them hostile, sinister and not too happy with her asking lots of questions.
The author's descriptions of the apartment building, although pretty confusing at times, implied that danger lurked around every corner - there are secret staircases, furtive glances and shadows lurking around corners, all helping to build a palpable sense of foreboding menace and mystery throughout the book and a constant awareness in the reader that things are not what they seem - who can Jess trust? Is she in danger? And where is Ben?
I felt that a floor plan would have been a useful addition to the book and would have increased my enjoyment of reading it but, overall, I enjoyed this book very much. There were lots of twists and turns and several shocking surprises along the way that I had not predicted.
An atmospheric and mysteriously absorbing read!

This is a dark and twisted psychological thriller by author Lucy Foley. The author has written books which I previously enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading what was described as a locked room mystery.

I found that the book was far darker than that and the setting of an old house in Paris with lots of creepy rooms and mismatched residents made for a chilling story. Told along different timelines and by different characters the plot is essentially following the disappearance of Ben Davies, a British journalist living in the house. He messages his half sister who is coming to stay but when she arrives soon after there is no trace of him. The other characters also tell their stories and build up to many huge clues and dark deeds. This is a tale of mystery, betrayal, obsession and family and the air of tension and menace is constantly in the air.

This is a great dramatic read and one that fans of Lucy Foley and this genre will very much enjoy. The tension mounts from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis for this book looked terrific. I also thought I had read and enjoyed bokos by Lucy Foley, so this was an easy selection. However, it turns out that I haven’t read one of her books before, but this was a great introduction, and it’s great to see she has others I can go on to read soon.

Set in Paris, we begin when Jess arrives at her half-brother Ben’s apartment, where he should be expecting her and waiting. Still, he’s disappeared, and nobody appears to know anything about him. Of course, as the reader, we can tell that everyone does know who he is. Still, instantly he is portrayed as having a darker side that we will hopefully begin to learn more about as we read on.

The characters are a mixed bunch. The other apartment building residents are an eclectic mix though all obviously wealthy. The apartment building sounds beautiful and is well described. It is an old building with plenty of history. However, it does leave a lot to be desired, having not been well maintained, at least in some apartments like Bens. With pealing wallpaper and no mod cons like air conditioning, it needs some work; despite being so exclusive.

Jess and Ben are half-siblings who were orphaned at a young age after their mother overdoses with Jess finding her. They both end up in foster care until Ben strikes lucky and is adopted by a wealthy couple. He is provided with everything his heart could desire, a private education, connections, his own car at an early age and every advantage. On the other hand, Jess is left behind and suffers the seemingly everyday foster experience, being shipped from pillar to post and having none of the advantages of Ben. This examines how those differences have affected their lives and outcomes, showing nurture and opportunity win over nature in this case.

The plot focuses on finding Ben and Jess’s journey to find out what happened to him and why Nick, Bens’s old school friend, is there to help. Unfortunately, the search and the Parisian feelings that people walk away sometimes make it tricky to get the police involved. As a result, so much of the investigation falls to Jess.

There are many twists and turns, secrets and lies, making the plot more compelling though this is a character-driven read. Unfortunately, the ending was somewhat lacking. I wish it wasn’t quite so quickly wrapped up and that there was more detail about what happened. This didn’t ruin the book, though, and I enjoyed this read.

Lucy Foley is a wonderful writer, imaginative and creative. The Hunting Party and The Guest List were both excellent, and The Paris Apartment is equally engrossing. She has the ability to create fascinating characters and put them into incredibly stressful situations. When Jess turns up in Paris to stay with her brother Ben, there is no sign of him and she must try, with the help/hindrance of those who share the house in which he lives, to discover the truth. And the revelations never cease....

Lucy Foley strikes again, I was so excited when I got approved to read another of one of my favourite authors new novel and this did not disappoint.

We follow Jess who has decided to go and stay with her brother, who lives in Beautiful Paris only to find when she arrives that he is nowhere to be seen and therefore is missing. We follow Jess on her journey to find her brother and the novel is told not only through Jess' point of view but the other people that inhabit the same apartment block where Ben lives.

We meet "The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge" - all of these characters are mysterious in their own ways and as the reader you question what are they hiding. Some characters I really did not warm to but I found Jess extremely interesting and engaging to read about.

A brilliant whodunit and definitely an exciting, escapism kind of read.

I love the way Lucy Foley writes and describes characters and the surroundings and this really lives up to her other novels, The Hunting Party and The Guest List which I absolutely adored and devoured. If you have not read these, then they are fabulous read and I highly recommend them to everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lucy Foley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Paris Apartment but that has in no way influenced my review.

I am a huge fan of Lucy Foley's mystery novels. Her previous two books (The Hunting Party and The Guest List) both managed, on two completely separate occasions, to pull me out of a reading slump with their clever plotting, atmospheric settings and intriguing cast of characters. The publication of Foley's latest novel has quickly become one of the most anticipated highlights of my reading year. So I couldn't wait to get stuck into The Paris Apartment.

Jess arrives in Paris looking forward to escaping her life back home whilst spending some quality time with half-brother, Ben. Ben isn't so keen however, having built himself a new life as a journalist in Paris and now living in an exclusive apartment block. When Jess arrives at No.12 rue des Amants though, something is amiss. Ben, who promised to be there, is nowhere to be seen and something just isn't quite right. Jess's concern for Ben grows as days pass without word from her brother. She begins to search for clues as to his whereabouts, reaching out to the other residents, seeking help and information. The other residents of the apartment block are reluctant to get involved though leaving Jess facing dead-end after dead-end. Can Jess discover the fate of her brother and unearth the secrets of the Paris apartment....?

Twisty, chock full of suspense and with shed loads of intrigue. The reader gets to meet Ben as he prepares for his half-sister's arrival, only for him to suddenly vanish. From that moment on, the reader is drawn into this compelling mystery and watches as Jess tries to make sense of Ben's disappearance and the scarce clues left behind. Foley once again manages to lull her readers into a false sense of security, pulling the wool masterfully over our eyes only to whip the carpet out from beneath our feet at the most surprising moment. I loved the twists and turns throughout the book. Foley's books always provide an exquisite moment when you realise all is not as it seems. It's shocking, it's heart stuttering and I love the thrill of the reveal.

The Paris Apartment bears many hallmarks of Foley's previous mysteries but this one did feel different to me. In previous books the setting has been isolated and enclosed. The characters are left to deal with what's happening to them very much alone and miles from help. The main setting in The Paris Apartment does provide a similar sense of isolation with the heavy, locked gates and the ever-watchful, ever-present concierge. However, the author also has the thriving metropolis of Paris to play with providing Jess with a myriad of new opportunities to investigate and new characters to introduce throughout the story.  Definitely a Lucy Foley book but...different. 'Good' different.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Paris Apartment is an intriguing mystery novel which I enjoyed reading. I warmed to Jess over the course of the book and I loved discovering more about the peculiar residents of No.12 rue des Amants, along with their deep, dark secrets. Well-paced with a somewhat eerie setting and plenty of fascinating characters, I found The Paris Apartment to be a very readable novel with tons of suspense and twists galore. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Paris Apartment. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lucy Foley and Harper Collins for this E-Arc

I loved The Hunting Party and so had really high hopes for Foley’s new release. However, it fell slightly flat.

I enjoyed the writing style; how every chapter was written from a different character's perspective. There are a lot of characters and I followed whose who easily. There were also a couple of twists I didn’t see coming and the ending really lived up to my expectations.

I will definitely read more from Foley in the future.

You know what to expect with a book from this author (and that‘s not a slight!). Lots of characters introduced at the start of the book, some of whom may or may not know each other; a murder, maybe; lots of twists and turns; a surprising reveal at the end.

I liked the Paris location, and there wasn‘t anything I didn‘t like (although none of the characters were particularly pleasant!) but it wasn‘t a WOW - just a great, easy read. I'd probably give it 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 here.

ETA - I don‘t like this cover, much prefer the (US?) one with pink writing.

The Paris Apartment ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jess needs to get away and so travels to Paris to stay with her journalist brother Ben, who thanks to an old school pal has landed on his feet and is living in a luxurious apartment in the city. However when she arrives there is no sign of Ben and the other inhabitants are less than welcoming!

This is a fast paced thriller with a couple of great twists that I didn’t see coming. Unfortunately there were a few too many inconsistencies and unanswered questions for my liking but was still an enjoyable

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book

a need to escape her present predicament jess goes to join her brother ben in paris, but when she arrives at his address he isnt answering and the occupants of the house arent the friendliest..

as the hours tick by with still no answer from ben jess starts to worry and finding the neighbours not as helpful as they could be, jess decides to dig around to find out where or what has happened to ben

i found this book started off very strongly but i didnt find one redeemable character to like at all...so i did start to struggle

the twists and turns were well written and as a psychological thriller it is well up there but i needed a likeable to character to cheer on and i struggled

"...Shit. I'm an idiot...after hearing that voice note I should have taken extra precautions. I should have out something in front of the door. Should have known that someone might come in here, poke around. Because they wouldn't need to break in. If it's the same person, they already have a key."

Fleeing poverty and a predatory boss, Jess escapes present-day London for Paris, to stay with her journalist, older half-brother, Ben. Charismatic and outgoing, shy Jess longs for Ben's luck to rub off on her. When she arrives at his apartment in a large, grand and spooky, old building she discovers Ben is not there. The next morning he has still not appeared. As Jess meets the building's unwelcoming occupants, Sophie, Nick, Antoine, Mimi and the mysterious Concierge, (none of whom are as they seem) and more time passes, she suspects foul play. With the help of a journalist contact of Ben's, Theo, they begin to investigate Ben's disappearance to discover what it has to do with the building's unnerving residents. Can she trust anyone and will she find Ben in time?

A dark and creepy thriller, this is a side to Paris tourists don't see. Initially from Jess's perspective the reader also gets chapters from each of the building's residents, even Ben, as the author slowly but surely drops little bombs of information, cleverly drip-feeding the uneasy atmosphere. It's pacy and takes place over a few days, until there is a resolution, of sorts. There are plenty of clever twists and turns, some I foresaw, others I did not, as the grim tale unfolds. A claustrophobic and dark plot for fans of domestic, psychological thrillers.

Lucy Foley is so good at writing twisty thrillers full of unlikeable characters.

All of the characters in this book are flawed – selfish, spiteful, manipulative and privileged.

Jess goes to stay with her half-brother. The siblings have little in common, but share a traumatic childhood. When she arrives he is not there to let into the flat and it soon becomes clear he has disappeared.

Jess starts to investigate and soon meets the other tenants of the appartment building. Unfriendly and suspicious of Jess, no one is answering her questions and it soon becomes clear that there are dark secrets hidden behind their doors.

The more Jess investigates, the more it appears that journalist Ben may have uncovered something that has put him in danger. And jess may be in danger too.

I won’t say more as too many details will spoil this. This is dark and twisty read. It’s unclear which characters you can trust. I was a little disappointed with the ending which felt a little rushed after all the build up. But this was a compelling and atmospheric read.

Thank you to Netgalley for a gifted advanced copy of The Paris Apartment.

I really enjoyed the last two Lucy Foley books, but, despite enjoying her writing, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. I found it quite tedious and wasn't really interested in the characters or what happened to them
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book

I was a huge fan of Foley's other books - The Hunting Party and The Guest List, so I was very excited to read this one! However, I wasn't quite sure if my expectations were too high, and I was destined for disappointment.

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. I was a little more hesitant when I realised that the structure was a little different to Foley's other books - we don't get a tandem narrative of past and present events - but it didn't take long for me to start enjoying the story. It's a interesting setting, a unique set of inter-connected characters, and although I had some inklings about what was going on, it still kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end.

All in all, a hit for me, and one that fans of Foley's are sure to enjoy.

This really is a compelling read and is a return to great writing from Lucy Foley after the (according to me) dip with The Guest List, after enjoying The Hunting Party so much. There is so much going on in this book and keeping track of the multiple points of view is interesting but each is distinct. Whilst few of the characters are ones you would like to know the reveals that go on throughout the book will make you eye some of those 'still waters' you know with a different eye. Great characters, great setting.

2.5 Stars

This book started really well. I loved the set up and the intrigue from the start.

Sadly, after that initial great start, it slowed right down and felt like it plodded along, not really doing much for the majority of the book. Lots of characters, not one of them likeable and because there were so many it felt quite difficult to keep track of who was who and who had done what. I unfortunately ended up finding myself speeding up to get to the end.

Disappointing.

This one definitely gets off to a slow start! And I struggled to keep my focus throughout. We get wee hints and insights into what might have happened to Ben, but it takes a long time for things to come to a head.

I’m not sure the characters are likeable and unfortunately, like the Guest List, this author hasn’t captivated me. This may be mainly because I have come to learn I don’t like multiple POV novels much. It’s hard to keep track when there’s more than 2 characters to read about so this is more a personal issue for me.

Good idea, tensions builds well but it’s too slow for me…

Breathtakingly brilliant. Lucy knows how to draw on the hopes, fears and despair we can all have within us to paint a terrifying and exhilarating thriller and she does it with expertise.
Jess doesn’t have a penny to rub together and she travels to Paris to seek refuge with her brother, who is expecting her, but when she gets there he is mysteriously missing. Jess manages to get into his apartment but that’s where things start to get even more strange and sinister and she can’t help but think something dreadful has happened to him and that she’s being watched. Being alone, feeling threatened and in a country where she cannot communicate fluently is possibly a anyones worst nightmare, especially as the darkness is the story and information about the other residents of the apartments starts to surface. The ending in particular is very dramatic, completely edge of the seat stuff and very satisfying. I read this in a day as I needed to see how it ended. Top class.

Thank You to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
This is the first book I have read by Lucy FoleyAnd it follows the pattern of several more I have read recently in that each chapter is written in the first person of a different character. In this instance, the style works well and the story flows quite nicely always holding the reader's attention.
It follows Jess as she seeks to discover her brother's fate after arriving at his Paris apartment building only to find he has gone missing.
The secrets of the building and its disparate group of residents are slowly revealed leading to a final shocking exposure.
I found the book to be well written and worth reading.

Wow, wow, wow! What a brilliant book from Lucy Foley! The Paris Apartment had me gripped from the very start. A brilliant plot, with multiple POVs, secrets, lies and mysterious characters, this book has it all!
Short, punchy chapters make it impossible to put down as secrets and lies are revealed leading to twist after twist as the book ramps up to the shocking ending.
Reading this book felt like playing Cluedo without the board! Lucy Foley gives the reader just enough detail to suspect each and every character in this book and I could envisage them all being there in that opening scene driven by their own motives and secrets. Every characters' relationship with Ben is revealed in perfect timing, explaining why each of them would have reason to want rid of him.
It is so cleverly written and developed, I really enjoyed every minute of reading The Paris Apartment and would definitely recommend adding it to your TBR!
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Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Lucy Foley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.