I have loved Lucy Foley's other work, but felt that this lacked a little in comparison. As seems to be the case with a lot of books I've read recently, the ending was a stretch and wasn't really credible, which undermined all Foley's hard work on what came before.

Not her best.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

This was my first ever Lucy Foley book and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved it!
I thought the story was very original and kept me guessing throughout. I definitely did not guess what the ending was and it surprised me a lot.
The pace of the novel was good and it kept me on my toes the whole way through. It was a real unputdownable for me!
I liked all the characters in their own way, Antoine the least but felt he was still good in his own right. They all had so much complexity and background to them, very well thought out.
I actually can’t think of anything specific that I didn’t like! Overall excellent thriller!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Lucy Foley pens another thriller, this time set in an apartment complex in Paris. After getting into some trouble in her job, Jess flees to Paris to spend some time over at her brother Ben's place until she can figure out what to do next. However, when she arrives, her brother is gone and the mystery seems to involve the other tenants in the building.

I've only read one other Lucy Foley book, and she seems to formulate her thrillers over a fixed setting, this time in an apartment complex in the middle of the city. However, while her previous novels enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere the setting provides, it doesn't have the same effect with this novel, even if the novel is told through multiple perspectives - Jess' and four other people living in the complex. While Jess is busy trying to solve what has happened to her brother, the urgency of the narrative doesn't really start until halfway through the book, where Foley introduces the twist, and it develops from there.

My main concern with the novel is that the pacing was really slow. It really was off into a slow start, as it had to build the narrative around the perspectives involved, to give them background as well as how they interacted with Ben. However, once the pacing speeds up, it is impossible to put it down. I didn't get the same moody, atmospheric feeling her thrillers usually have; I found it difficult to have a clear grasp of the setting at all. I didn't know if the setting wanted to focus on the apartment complex itself or Paris as a city because the novel keeps on the taking the reader in and out of the complex. [SPOILER] Even the main part of the novel where everything is revealed isn't even unearthed by Jess, but by an acquaintance of Ben, and he doesn't even seem to be a major player nor is very much invested in the outcome of Jess's predicament. [SPOILER] I would have preferred it if the novel focused more on the apartment complex rather than bringing the feel of Paris in the story. The apartment could have just been located there and leave it at that. However, it was an entertaining read, especially when secrets are revealed.

I was very excited to get my hands on an early copy of Lucy Foley’s latest book, because her closed door mysteries are always a joy to read. Unfortunately I found that THE PARIS APARTMENT and I did not gel as I had hoped.

“What’s not to love about a mystery set in a luxury apartment block in Paris?” you ask. Good question. Paris, this wonderful romantic old city is indeed an ideal place to host a bit of murder and intrigue. And yet I found that I got very little sense of place from this book. Whilst the descriptions of the apartment are atmospheric and gave me old creepy house vibes, the rest of the story could have been set anywhere in the world and would not have been any different. I wanted to FEEL like I was in Paris, the city of love and romance, only to be betrayed by the city with fear and murder. I wanted to picture the smell of coffee and croissants in smoky cafes, the melodic chatter of Parisians milling in the streets, the feel of the ancient city as it pressed in on me. And yet, the city felt flat. None of French charm here. Not even creepy vibes of dark back alleys. If some Paris landmarks hadn’t been mentioned, this could have been anywhere in the world.

Then there was the cast of characters. In retrospect, they all blend into one big glob of unlikeable people with few distinctive characteristics to set them apart. Again, the French could have been any nationality, this horrible bickering family that would have fitted into any other setting without having to change a thing. I tried to get invested in Jess’ plight as she desperately searches for her brother, but even she couldn’t touch my heart. The multiple POVs, instead of drawing me in, made the book feel disjointed and stole a lot of its mystery. To be honest, I stopped reading a few times and only persevered because this was an ARC, and I thought the ending may redeem it. However, even though many things finally fell into place and the story picked up pace, the final denouement seemed farfetched to me. I really wanted to love this book, so it pains me to say that I barely made it through until the end!

All in all, THE PARIS APARTMENT and I weren’t a good fit. I am finding more and more that I am not a fan of multiple POVs, especially in mysteries. I often come away thinking that one person tapping in the dark and struggling to get the answers would make the story more suspenseful. So perhaps it is due to reader preferences that made me struggle with this book, as many other readers have loved it. Saying that, will I line up to read Foley’s next book? Most definitely. At a different time, a different mood, it may all work out better – sadly this time the story and I just didn’t gel.

I enjoyed this! Once again Filey provides us with a twisty mystery that keeps you on your toes. I didn’t want to stop reading because I was desperate to know what happened. As with her previous books, the setting is great and really plays a role in the novel. The apartment almost takes on a character of its own. Some twists I could see coming, but some I didn’t expect at all. A solid thriller.

I found this book by Lucy Foley a bit boring and slow. I really liked her other books The Guest List and The Hunting Party so was disappointed with The Paris Apartment.

Lucy Foley is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors! I love her style of writing, seeing the story develop through the eyes of each of the characters. This is another cracking story full of suspense and twists and turns! A must-read!

An interesting and well written story although I found the narration jump from character to character a little disconcerting initially. As he true picture gradually emerged there were some unexpected twists although quite a few of the denouements were anticiapated but not the two most significant.

It was worth taking the time to read this and I found myself eager to get back to continue reading when i had to pause to get on with other things, which is always the sign of a good tale.

I chose to read this book as I have previously really enjoyed Lucy’s novels. She certainly is a good mystery writer so if you haven’t read the other works, then do look them up. This one is not my favourite but one thing I really appreciate is that each of Lucy’s books is so different. Right from the start of The Paris Apartment you are guessing and continue to do so throughout. I can’t say that I liked any of the characters and found them somewhat unrealistic but then that is what you get in a novel, especially of this genre. The setting in an old renovated property in France’s capital gives very little about the city but then I suppose that also doesn’t really matter. The whole point of this book is the mystery, suspicion and crime which gradually becomes uncovered to the reader.

This is not your average family tale of love and hate or even dislike. But it is the story of a Parisian family and how their involvement in Parisian society. Or at least a darker side of Paris. I would recommend this story and that you stick with it right to the very end. You will not be disappointed. Lucy Foley is a master storyteller, and this is a good story bringing much to life.

First, I hated the way this book jumped from character to character, then I became intrigued by the characters who were being developed, each with their own very different personalities, then as the story developed, I began to love it and couldn’t bear to put it down. In the early part of the book the reader gets a real sense that there is much going on underneath the surface of this story, some of which is violent and difficult to talk about. But it is all handled well by the author, and everything does come together at the end although not entirely as the reader is expecting. There is a real twist in the tale to look forward to. So, choose this book and set aside some time to read it, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you net galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication. I look forward to reading more of Lucy Foley’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of this book for a honest review.

This is the second Lucy Foley book I have read and it won’t be the last!

I found the book gripping at times, I loved the character of Jess but have to say I took a dislike to her brother and Mimi.

The twists in the book keep you guessing until the end!

Would recommend if you like thriller / suspense novels.

Jess has traveled to Paris to stay with her brother Ben, he is expecting her but he’s not at home when she arrives. She is worried when he doesn’t come home the next day and decides to question the other apartment residents to see if they can tell her where he could be.
A slow moving story with a lot of unlikeable characters that failed to hold my interest.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Oh I enjoyed this book.. it was a little cracker of a thriller which was haemorrhaging secrets the more I got into it.. and let’s not talk about the twist and turns as they will spoil the book for you!

After losing her job in England, Jess travels to Paris to stay with her half brother Ben in his Parisian apartment to get herself together again.. when she arrives in Paris there is no Ben to meet her but she travels on to his apartment and somehow manages to get into the complex and the apartment where Ben lives but still no sign of Ben and Jess is starting to get worried as she finds Bens cat covered in blood and his necklace on the floor and the people who also live in the apartment complex are creeping Jess out and she knows that they know what has happened to Ben…so it’s up to Jess to investigate.

I loved the first chapter ... it really set the creepy tone that runs all through the book.. The book is a little slow after the first chapter but then it picks up and I could not put it down.. you need to know who these people are that love in the complex and most importantly what they have done with Ben..

It’s funny because at the start I was quite ambivalent about Ben the character, he is portrayed as a nasty piece of work who interrupts the equilibrium of the quiet Iives that the Parisians have in the complex but
as the books go on you realise that none of the characters are really completely evil or completely good..and that is the same for Ben.. he may do a good thing but he has done a lot of awful things.

The book is full of unreliable narrators including Jess and this adds to the sinister feeling that never leaves you from page 1.

Totally recommend this book… perfect for a winters night when a small scare is welcome and it’s a 4 star from me.

#theParisApartment #netgalley #paris #contempary #thriller

A mystery/whodunnit set in Paris in which a sister (Jess) tries to find out what happened her brother (Ben - who may or may not have been an a**hole) who has mysteriously vanished the day she came to stay with him. I have to admit I got bored of this book halfway through and struggled to finish it. I found the characters were very predictable and one-dimensional and I found some of the things Jess did to be a bit silly. All the hallmarks of a good yarn were there, the fabulously wealthy, decadent apartments, mysterious characters and a missing person but the plotting and pacing fell a bit flat there was very little in the way of tension. I never felt the urgency Jess should have been feeling as she “frantically” tried to find out what happened to her brother, maybe because the book switches between the viewpoints of all the different characters which I found to be distracting. While the ending was satisfying and pretty well thought out by the time I got there I just wanted the book to end. If you are looking for a switch-your-brain-off page-turner to read on your sunlounger you might enjoy this book but ultimately it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from the first page and didn’t put this down! I loved the cover of the book and the narrative was gripping with lots of twists. I enjoy Foley’s writing style and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Perfect for thriller fans.

I have read Lucy Foley's book The Hunting Party and enjoyed it, so was looking forward to her latest novel The Paris Apartment.. I was not disappointed, it is a stunning novel full of twists and turns that has you baffled until the very end. It is a tense novel, and draws the reader in from the first pages. It is a clever mystery set in a Parisian apartment block where the tenants are not at all what they seem. Lucy Foley skillfully creates her characters, giving them a depth that makes you empathise and sympathise with them at various points but she also creates many facets to their personalities that are flawed and makes you wonder about them and their motives. Each character has their own chapter giving their perspective, which in itself which adds to the tension and builds an intriguing plot driven storyline . I loved this novel and think it is her best yet,. I think it would make a great movie or mini series.

This book has a lot going for it. The basic plot is a good one - a woman, Jess, travels to Paris to stay with her brother Ben only to find that he seems to have gone missing. And the flat he lives in, while being very exclusive and extravagant, is a little odd.

There are a number of clues that something isn't quite right, such as a bleach stain on the floor of Ben's apartment, and a creepy voice message that he left before vanishing. Jess begins to try and find out the truth about what happened to her brother, but this only puts her in danger and apparently also makes the other inhabitants of the building into her enemies.

There are lots of good characters in here, and each has their own battles and secrets. It makes for an interesting read because the book jumps from one character to the next, allowing the reader to discover more about each one as it goes along.

I enjoyed the fact that the book paints a picture of very rich and powerful people whose wealth is built on horrors.

However, I did find the writing a bit predictable, and at times the plot. There were too many times when I felt I knew what was coming next (there's someone in the shadows watching Jess when she arrives, the concierge appears creepy with something to hide, etc). It felt as though the plot was following a well-rehearsed route too much of the time.

However, there was enough there to keep me reading to the end, and when the truth of what happened to Ben emerges, there are elements that were genuinely surprising.

I had high hopes for this one but I have to say, I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. “The Guest List” would still be my favourite book from this author!

Things I liked-
✨As expected, Lucy Foley is excellant at setting that atmosphere for the plot to unfold like she did in here previous books and this one too. The story is set in Paris and the whole parisian vibe and description was so great to read about. I love books set in europe!
✨ The author really knows how to grab the reader’s attention in the first half of the book cause I just wanted to keep turning the pages!

Things I didn’t like -
✨ I did not like the second half of the book as much. It kind of fell flat for me.
✨ Too many characters so it can get confusing at times
✨ I did not find the writing to be cohesive which is why the story was difficult to follow in the second half
✨ Very unlikeable characters
✨ The story was quite an unpleasant one which made it a bit uncomfortable to read but it was about a serious issue so I appreciate the fact that she wrote about it.

Overall I feel that the pacing of the book is good; you get to read a lot of different point of views and the story is somewhat complex. I would recommend it to all of you who love thrillers because I feel like this is one of those books that could be a hit or a miss and there could be a lot of mixed opinions so it’s best if you decide for yourself whether it is to your liking or not.

I read and loved The Guest List back in 2020 so I was super excited to get approved for an ARC of The Paris Apartment. It definitely did not disappoint.

I was hooked from the very start, no slow burn here, it went straight into the action and didn't stop to take a breath.

I loved the location of Paris for the book, it made it feel fresh and original.

Full of a cast of intriguing and mostly unlikeable characters I couldn't work out which way this book was going to go. I know I was hoping for a certain ending but was convinced it wasn't going to happen.

Twists and turns along the way led to a well wrapped up ending which was very satisfying to read.

It's told from multiple POV but this was very clear so wasn't confusing in the slightest. The only time I did get a bit mixed up was when it switched between time periods but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all.

Overall a fabulous thriller that I would definitely recommend.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.

After being a bit disappointed with the Guest List, I was really intrigued by the premise for The Paris Apartment, but also a little apprehensive. Luckily, I really loved this one!

Reckless Jess has decided to leave her life in London behind on a whim, to stay with her brother Ben in his apartment in Paris. When she arrives, there’s no sign of him - but there’s definitely something going on. The neighbours are suspicious, the concierge is always watching, and there’s clues that point to a conflict. What happened to Ben? What did he know?

For fans of Foley, this will definitely satisfy - her signature narrative style is back, with POVs from a host of potentially guilty characters. Everyone is a little sketchy, and there’s a lot to uncover. My only criticism is that at the beginning, her style of tension building is a little too obvious for me - having every character talk a lot about how Ben is the worst thing that happened to the apartment block and how it meant it ~had~ to happen. I would’ve preferred things to be more subtle, but after this, it improved a lot.

There’s so many layers to the characters, so many different secrets and turns I didn’t see coming. It’s suspenseful, interesting, and I LOVE when the main twist isn’t easily guessable - I was surprised, but happily so. Definitely the best thing I’ve read from Lucy Foley, and gives me excitement for any future books too!