Sadly this book wasn't for me. It is the third Lucy Foley I have read and I loved the others. I found this one tedious, didn't like any of the characters and found the story quite boring. It started with promise, got to the point quite quickly with lots of intrigue but then just dragged on. I continued to read just to find out the punch line and I'm glad I did.

I would still read another by this author. Even Stephen King has at least one book that doesn't quite hot the mark.

I’m a big fan of Lucy, so I was really excited to read this.

Once again, it’s a blinder! All of the characters I felt like I knew very well (bar one obviously!), and I really felt every twist and turn of this plot - I had zero clue who to trust and felt for Jess every step of the way.

Absolutely gripping!

My thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

TW: Sexual content, Murder, Trafficking, Death, Homophobia, Suicide

Book in One Sentence

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, narrates the ordeal of Jess, while she tries to save her brother from danger, and in doing so, she uncovers deep, dark truths about the residents of the complex.

Introduction

Jess had a hard life, and she needed a break. Her half-brother, Ben, is there in Paris, and she decides to crash at his apartment for some time until she finds her footing again. While Ben is not particularly enthusiastic about welcoming Jess, he does not object. But, before Jess can even make it to his place, Ben goes missing. At first, Jess thinks that Ben is just being careless. However, certain evidence points otherwise. Coupled with the neighbours’ behaviour, Jess becomes suspicious and promises to uncover the truth and save her brother at any cost.

Themes

Family

The importance of family is highlighted numerous times in the story. We see how much extent a family can go in order to protect each other from any kind of danger. We also see Jess doing anything and everything in order to save her half-brother, Ben. Nick is especially open about the importance of family and blood. In fact, in the end, we see how Nick’s father, Jacques, and his brother, Antoine, detest Mimi and do not consider her as a family member because of being adopted.

Mental Health

The novel is dark and dissects the psychology of the characters by giving them respective POVs. We get to see the different traumas and inclinations of each character and how that shaped their personalities. For instance, Mimi’s stalkerish tendencies find a new low when she barges into Ben’s room without his knowledge, her romanticising Ben and his actions, and her possessiveness over Ben while he never gave him much of a sign that those romantic feelings are well-reciprocated.

Nick’s destructive behaviour manifests in the form of physical exertion and exercise. He is too much involved in self-help, to the point that it has become almost self-destructive. His minimal apartment décor also shows how detached he is, from his family. And how, he just wants to get away from them.

Antoine is an alcoholic with anger issues. He is possessive regarding his wife and lets his envy and anger cloud his judgement. We see that when he becomes suspicious of Dominique having an affair with Ben, when in reality, it was with Camille, Mimi’s roommate. Antoine’s anger manifests in many forms — from his violent actions towards Dominique, him blackmailing his step-mother, Sophie, and his constant detest towards his adoptive sister, Mimi, for not being a “true” part of the Mueller family.

Exploitation

This is an underlying theme of The Paris Apartment. The crux of the novel and everything that goes on in the story lies in exploitation. Jacques’ business of exploiting helpless, young women, who came to France with hopes for a better life but ended up falling victims of a grand scheme of sexual exploitation. Ben, a freelance journalist, came to know about it and its connection with Nick’s family. He ebbs his way into the family by using his charm in order to get deeper into the matter and uncover it along the way. However, after his cover was blown, he was beaten and kidnapped by the family, which led to Jess trying to rescue her brother.

The Ending

The ending signifies how everything in life is not black and white. Yes, we’d like to see criminals behind bars. But, sometimes, people take extreme measures in order to protect their loved ones from harm, even if it means inflicting harm on other people. Jess saw the truth in this, and, after rescuing Ben (and having very limited options to bargain for safety), strikes a deal to keep her mouth shut and keep the Mueller family away from harm. She, however, does right by the young, helpless, foreign women, by exposing the exploitation scheme with the help of Ben.

Significance of the Title

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley discovers the hidden secrets of living in the complex. As the story goes on, we uncover the dark pasts of the residents and how they are connected to the disappearance of Ben.

Final Thoughts

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley is a psychological thriller that delves into the psyches of the characters with the help of individual POVs. The characters are very well-rounded and beautifully written. All of Foley’s books have an eerie atmosphere that is hard to emulate on paper. However, Foley beautifully carves it in the story. Overall, The Paris Apartment is a well-written and nicely thought out novel for people willing to give crime fiction a try.

🥀 Jess, just after leaving her waitressing job, decides to visit her only family, her stepbrother, Ben. Ben is a renowned journalist, living in a posh apartment in Paris. It is only when Jess arrives in Paris and finds her brother is missing, she realize things are darker than they look. The occupants of this apartment are far more heinous than their posh facade can afford to cover. Will Jess be able to find her brother in this unwelcoming city?

🥀 This is my first book by Lucy Foley and I can strongly recommend this as a masterpiece. From the very beginning, it gives this uncanny insight to the reader which gets darker as the story proceeds. Multiple characters and their point of view is what makes the plot even more thrilling. The ending is great and totally unpredictable. At some points I got Agatha Christie vibes from this book and I really liked it! It took me around 4 hours to complete this book. In my opinion it was fast paced and a gripping thriller. The main theme of the book was the age old saying "blood is thicker than water" and " how far will you go to protect your family?" A very pragmatic and compassionate story that will warm your heart and give you chills at the same time.

''Things are not what they seem''.

It was a Friday and Jess Hadley was keen to get to her half-brother's flat in Paris. She'd come across from London on Eurostar, courtesy of the money she'd stolen from The Pervert's till in the Copacabana Bar in Brighton. It wasn't likely that the police would be on to her yet but she'd like to be somewhere safe and with food and drink inside her. She'd phoned Ben and got the address - 12 Rue des Amants - and he told her that the apartment was on the third floor. She's outside what's obviously a very upmarket building but she hasn't been able to get in touch with Ben.

Jess might be vulnerable but she's learned quite a few skills in her twenty-eight years. The man going into the grounds wasn't particularly careful about hiding the security code, so getting into the building wasn't difficult. Ben had taught his sister to pick locks, so it wasn't long before she was in the apartment. There's a strong smell of bleach and Ben doesn't seem to have any towels. Most worrying though was the fact that he seems to have gone out without his wallet and keys. But how do you get help when you're not too keen on making yourself known to the police? How do you cope with the fact that your French is very limited?

Nick Miller lived on the second floor. He and Benjamin Daniels had met when they were both at Cambridge. A chance encounter had led to Nick suggesting that he might like to rent the apartment one floor up in the building where he lived. Now he takes Jess to talk to a policeman he knows and she's at least moderately hopeful that something will be done. The other residents of the building aren't quite so helpful. Sophie and Jacques Meunier who live in the penthouse are dismissive of the problem. Mimi (it should be Merveille, but what girl wants to be called Miracle?) lives on the 4th floor with her friend Camille. Mimi's in her teens and has poor impulse control. Camille's not much older and seems to be a party girl: they're not going to be much help. The final resident is Antoine - the man who failed to conceal the security code for the building on the night Jess arrived - is a drunk with violent tendencies.

Then there's the old concierge, who sees everything and seems to be everywhere.

''The Paris Apartment'' is a gloriously well-observed psychological thriller. The plotting is what we've come to expect from Lucy Foley. I first encountered her skills when I read [[The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley|The Hunting Party]]. She has a particular skill of being able to create entirely credible characters, place them in a location which she brings vividly to life - and then lets them get on with their story. All the clues are there but I certainly didn't see the final twists - and there are a few. It's a cracker of a story.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for my arc of this book.
As a big Lucy Foley fan I had to request this so was excited to read it!!
Love a thriller that keeps you guessing which is exactly what Lucy's books do and this one was the same!
Once you get your head around who is who in the apartment you can start trying to piece the story together. Couldnt see where it was going or who could be trusted and who couldn't and then the twist half way through was a curve ball, didn't see that coming!!! Didnt see any of the twists coming and really liked the ending!
This was another brilliant read to add to Lucy's list and if you loved her other books then you have to read this one!
Out 03/03/2022 so add it to your pre order list!

After previously loving both The Hunting Party and The Guest List I was excited to get in to this one. It didn't disappoint. Initially it took a little time to get up to the pace of gripping me in but when it did I didn't want to put it down.

I really enjoy Lucy Foley's way of writing and the endings which always surprise. I hope there are many more books like this to follow

Jess turns up at her brother Ben's Paris apartment after giving him little notice. When she gets there, he is not there and there is a bleach stain on the floor and blood on his cat. She is worried that something has happened to him and set out to find out what has beset him.
Along the way she meets the weird occupants of the other apartments. Nineteen year old MImi and her flatmate Camille. Nick, a former university friend of Ben's. Antoine, a drunk whose wife leaves him quite publicly, the concierge and Sophie Meunier, the matriarch who is married to Jacques, a businessman, who is away on business.
The more Jess pokes around, the stranger things become and she feels unsafe.
She has her own reasons for not wanting to go to the police, but NIck takes her there to report Ben missing and asks for a particular inspector who appears to have a relationship with him.
The story is told from the view points of all the residents and we learn how interwoven their lives are.
Despite being irritated by Jess'c character initially, and I think that was the point, I really enjoyed this.

Another great novel from Lucy Foley set (as the title suggests) in a Paris apartment which just adds to the closed room genre.

Jess goes to stay with her brother Ben, and after receiving a strange voice note from him finds the apartment empty, all except the cat.

She meets the other occupants of the apartments , Nick, one of Ben’s university friends, Sophie Meunier who lives in the penthouse with her husband, Mimi and drunken Antoine. She also encounters the concierge.

Jess is determined to find her brother, and more importantly why he has disappeared and what he had discovered!

I loved this book. Some of the ladies I read this along with got a bit hung up on the set up of the apartment block, trying to work out how they could look into each other’s windows etc. I didn’t dwell on this as I don’t think it affected the way the story was told.

As with her other books, Foley enjoys a split narrative and telling the story from joint perspectives with a small bit of time jumping in place, back to the event before Ben’s disappearance.

There were subtle clues early on which if you blinked you might’ve missed, but as usual it all came together in the end.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Lucy Foley for my ARC of The Paris Apartment in return for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Lucy Foley, having read most of her previous books and this was another brilliant read.
12 Rue des Amants, Paris is a beautiful apartment block where Jess arrives, desperate to get away from England, to stay with her half-brother, Ben, at short notice. Ben is not there to greet her and after she has broken into his apartment, Jess begins to worry that something sinister has happened to him.

The characters are amazingly real and the suspense with sharp twists and turns at every stage keep the reader enthralled.

Highly recommended.

I love Paris so I was immediately attracted to the title although I don’t think I’ll be booking a stay in one of these apartments! A well written and tightly plotted semi-locked room mystery or maybe locked apartment building mystery is more appropriate. Jess is the main narrator and despite her flawed character she is the only one I found likeable. The other characters are a pretty despicable bunch. As for Ben the more we find out about him the more it becomes clear he is hiding something.

Briefly, Jess has come to Paris to stay with her half brother. An unexpected visit, she spoke to him the day before but when she arrives Ben is missing. When she starts asking questions no one seems keen to help her, in fact they seem to be positively antagonistic towards her and no one answers her questions. The more she digs the more doors are slammed in her face, until she faces physical danger.

This is a very tense and suspenseful read, atmospheric and scary. The building hides its own secrets as do the inhabitants. The last bit of the blurb sums this book up perfectly; “The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge; everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.” Plenty of twists and turns that had me guessing and a massive twist at the end. Wow. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Another thoroughly entertaining book written by Lucy Foley. The suspense and mystery was like a maze, layer upon layer of suspicion and lies. I really enjoyed the narratives, written from different points of view from the characters added more depth to the story. I was completely shocked by the reveal at the end of the story, I didn’t expect it at all. Another classic from Foley. If you haven’t read it yet, pick this up.

This is my second book from Lucy Foley. I was not overwhelmed from my first experience with her work but I am always willing to give another chance and the story sounded intriguing. But there are too many POV that slowed the pace down and the story did not have much substance.

Jess travels to Paris to stay with her brother Ben for a while. She is a shady character I could not connect to or root for. She is constantly sniffing through other people things looking for something she can snatch. She also tents to fall for every guy she spends more than ten minutes with. Ben is not there in his apartment when she arrives but she is able to pick the lock and makes herself comfortable. But Ben does not reappear and the other people in the house are acting weird.

The book begins quite strong. There is an eerie atmosphere around the house and its strange occupants. Jess begins to look for her brother but she does not make much progress. The story is told from different POV but instead of keeping you on your toes the story is slowed down by it. There is not much happening and the story failed to hold my interest. I think the story itself could have been interesting and complex but it is told in a very simple way. If you pick up this book to get some Parisians atmosphere you will be disappointed. It is full of clichés. I also wished Foley would have made up her mind if she should write the dialogs in English or in French. The interspersed French words throughout the text were very irritating and ridiculous.

I was not very lucky with my choice of reading lately. Maybe I read too much and need a break or it is getting harder for me to find something that enthralls me. Lucy Foley unfortunately did not enthrall me. And I don’t think I will try another book from her.

This book was fantastic! I absolutely loved it. I was hooked from the very start which is always a good thing and I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. The writing is amazing and I loved the twists and how it all came together. I didn't see the twists coming which is another good thing as there's nothing worse than when you work it all out before it happens.

This is the best book by this author so far! The twists kept coming until the very end…I kept thinking I had it worked out but then suddenly I was wrong! The characters were a’ plenty but they were all well developed and interesting as individuals and I loved how the pov kept changing as it kept me hooked! Really good read!

Lucy Foley certainly knows how to write a book full of intrigue. The Paris apartment certainly doesn't disappointment. You feel like you are a tenant watching things play out.
Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

Oh I just loved this one! More twists that you can shake a stick at...full of suspense and tension. Set in an old apartment in Paris,what's not to love?! You'll devour this. Lucy Foley does it again.

https://lynns-books.com/2022/02/24/the-paris-apartment-by-lucy-foley/
4.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Lucy Foley Does It Again

This is my third read by this author and I have to say I’ve really enjoyed all three. I would say before I start this review that this book had a slightly different feel to the previous two. Still, effectively a locked room mystery with plenty of potential suspects but this one had a slightly different tone. I’m trying to put my finger on why this one feels slightly different but it’s eluding me somehow. I think possibly because the mystery does have outside influences that broaden the story a little and it definitely moves into some much deeper territory along the way.

To quote the description “The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.”

I won’t over elaborate on the plot. As we begin we meet Jess who has travelled to Paris to stay with her half-brother Ben. Jess is going through a bad patch and although Ben isn’t enamoured with the idea of her coming to stay blood is thicker than water and he reluctantly agrees. However, when Jess arrives, her brother is mysteriously absent and the rest of the residents in the apartment building are less than welcoming or forthcoming as to his whereabouts. As Ben’s disappearing act lengthens Jess becomes increasingly anxious to track him down revealing potentially dangerous secrets as she digs into the other residents.

A little background. Jess and Ben’s mum died while they were both children leading to care and foster parents. Ben was lucky enough to be adopted fairly quickly which led to their lives taking completely different turns. Ben had much more opportunity, was well educated and eventually went into journalism. Jess, traumatised by an event from her past had a more difficult upbringing and her job opportunities were not as forthcoming. The two still share a strong bond though and this helps to drive the storyline in terms of Jess’s determination to find Ben.

I really liked the setting. Of course, Paris, but more specifically the once ever so grand but now slightly dilapidated apartment building. I loved this place and it really lends itself to the whole creepy atmosphere. Once a stylish house the place is in desperate need of some TLC but this lack of care leads to some great plus points for the setting. An old, metal cage style lift. Stylish, if slightly dated apartments with high ceilings and plenty of period charm. There’s a penthouse with access to a terrace. An old wine cellar in the basement, the lights in the public areas are motion triggered and frequently time out leaving our main character standing in the dark (at the most inopportune moments), there’s an attic where the servants used to sleep and at least one hidden passageway. On top of this we do travel beyond the confines of the apartment building as the mystery is ramped up.

The characters themselves. Well, I think the supporting cast are a little bit ‘hammed’ up but in a way that I really couldn’t help liking. Everyone is hiding something and there’s a deal of sneaking about and whispering behind closed doors. I actually really liked Jess. Her upbringing has definitely hardened her up somewhat and whilst, at first, she comes across as maybe a little bit brash, it’s this unabashed shamelessness that helps her to poke and pry where others would perhaps fear to tread. She frequently creeps around looking for clues and I was often a bunch of nerves waiting for her to be caught red-handed.

The writing is easy to get along with. As with her previous novels Foley manages to give you an easy feel for the people and place. Her style is definitely what I would call ‘reader friendly’ and she manages to provide enough information about the characters and setting without going overboard with descriptions. We jump back in time every now and again to catch glimpses of not only Ben and Jess as children but also to look at the other characters and how they eventually became involved in the mystery.

Overall, I had a good time with The Paris Apartment. It definitely moves into slightly different territory than the past two books I’ve read with the themes involved but it still manages to retain that certain ‘feel’ that a locked room mystery usually provides. It held plenty of intrigue, there were some moments where I was reading and holding my breath and yet on the whole this doesn’t become too overwhelmingly dark or ‘real’ and I think it’s this element of not taking itself too seriously that I really enjoyed. On top of which short paragraphs and ever increasing tension definitely gave this one some great pacing and kept the pages turning. This is definitely the type of book where you repeatedly say to yourself ‘oh, just one more chapter’ before realising you’re into the early hours.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Jess needs a place to stay for a while and a chance to start over, she turns into her half brother, Ben who now lives in Paris. He left her instructions on how to find his apartment but when she arrives he isn't there, he doesn't answer his phone and no one knows where he is.

The more she asks around, the fewer answers she gets, the neighbours aren't at all forthcoming, they hide secrets and keep the truth close to their chest.

Jess starts to get suspicious about everything and everyone while we learn more about Ben's life and slowly we see the relationship he has with his neighbours.

The mystery is very well build with timely revelations without giving away too much and it kept my interest the whole time I was reading.

There are many turns and a few unexpected twists that happened through the story. I could figure out some twists but I didn't saw the last one coming. I found the ending especially thrilling, the way all the answers were revealed was captivating.

*I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

A gripping read - where has Ben Daniels disappeared to. Will Jess his sister find him and why are all the people on the apartments acting strange - what are they hiding.
This was a thrilling story that kept me guessing, lots of twists and reveals and I never guessed the very final one at the end.