When Ben Daniels moved into an apartment in an expensive, classic, old building in a good area of Paris, he invited to his half-sister, Jess, to come and stay whenever she fancied a visit, never expecting her to take him up on his offer. However, when Jess urgently needs to get away from Brighton, having nowhere else to turn, she does. But when she arrives, Ben doesn't answer either the buzzer at the gate or his phone, despite the fact he had said he would be waiting in for her. She uses her wits to gain entry, but there is no sign of Ben, either that evening or over the next days.

The wits she uses to get into Ben's apartment come in very handy as she begins her search for her brother, and in her dealings with the other residents of the apartment building.

While most of the narrative is told by Jess, we hear from other residents and the concierge, all of whom hint in their chapters at having something to do with Ben's disappearance, or at least having a motive for wanting rid of him. Is there anyone Jess can trust?

The ever-increasing intrigue is heightened by the mysterious, hidden aspects of the apartment building, which is almost a character in itself – and a threatening one at that.

I found myself unable to come up with any plausible theories as to what was going on, which kept me reading eagerly, desperate for clues as the mysteries pile up and eventually unfold.

A great read.

My 3rd book from Lucy Foley and she definitely an author I will read from again.

I love fast paced thrillers and the bonus for me was that it was set in Paris! I

Jess arrives on holidays to the city of lights to discover her brother Ben is missing from his elegant apartment building in Paris. It’s not long before she realises there’s something odd about the residents of this exclusive building and that all is not as it seems. When Ben fails to appear after a day or two, she fears the worst has happened.

This book is a contemporary twist on the traditional Agatha Christie Manor House mystery starring a group of diverse characters, each hiding their own secrets and each with a potential motive. The book is a multi character narrative from the playbook of protagonists: the beautiful, unhappy younger wife, the stepmother, the violent wealthy husband and the corrupt policeman.

At this stage there’s very much a “Lucy Foley style” and this one is no exception. I’ve read most of her novels and this trope has become a bit stale and predictable for me. This genre has spawned a lot of other authors, such as Ruth Ware and B.A. Paris who all write in a similar vein.
None of her subsequent books will surpass 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 which was a superb, atmospheric thriller. This book lacked a similar injection of pace and tension, despite being set against the backdrop of the 2019 Paris Riots. Saying that, its still a solid 3.5 star read with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked. Personally, I’m just a bit bored by this genre at this stage. 3.5⭐️

Many thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollins for the ARC which was received in return for my honest opinion.

This is a 2.5 star review for me. I found this book incredibly slow, and don’t feel that the narrative flows well. The short chapters from the numerous narrators, which jump back and forward in time, make it feel very choppy. I find this writing style frustrating and irritating.
The characters are all dislikable, apart from Jess, who has pitched up from England without warning, and is now desperately trying to establish what has happened to her half- brother Ben.
The descriptions of the building in Paris, and the dark streets surrounding it, build up the creepy atmosphere, and the threatening presence of several of the residents add to this.
The story is drip-fed so very slowly and ponderously, it just was not enough to hold my attention, and I ceased to care about any of the characters.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

This is the 3rd Lucy Foley book I’ve read and I’d say it was the best so far. The actual mystery seemed to hold together better this time and for the first time there were twists that I hadn’t anticipated.

At the start it was very gripping but that sort of wore off a little bit towards the end, somehow. I wonder if it could have been a couple of chapters shorter. Other than that, though, it’s a good and gripping murder mystery that will do well.

Thanks for my review copy in return for this honest review.

I liked this book, but perhaps not as much as 'The Hunting Party' and 'The Guest List'. The descriptions are good - you get a real sense of what no 12, Rue des Amants is like and how it feels to be there. The characters are well-drawn and their secrets and back stories are gradually revealed. It's intricately plotted and the reader really has to stay on the ball, but I felt that some parts, especially towards the end, were a bit far-fetched and convenient. Who is actually dead and who isn't? Could (no spoilers!) they really have survived? As for the quality of the writing, some closer proofreading might have eradicated some basic flaws, such as 'sat' instead of 'sitting' and 'between my daughter and I', and the use of French in the dialogue is a bit clunky. I appreciate that it's hard to strike a balance between using just enough of another language to evoke the desired atmosphere, while assuming that readers understand it, and using too much, while feeling the need to translate every single phrase. Overall, though, a decent read, and I look forward to what Lucy Foley produces next.

I struggled to get into this book at first but then as it developed and the people living in the building's secrets started to become revealed, I really got into it. It was a bit of a Bluebeard's Castle writ large, not just one secret room, but a building full of them. It was clever and creepy and the family were really weird.

A murder mystery that not only kept me hooked from the first page but also kept me confused and guessing wrongly about what had happened until the final pages. Brilliantly plotted and full of surprises.

A gripping follow up the The Guest List. The setting, twists and lively characters made for a great read

Those first few chapters were tense! What on earth had happened in that house! This was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I did not want to put down. The short chapters, showing the viewpoints of the various characters, helped to keep up the pace and move the mystery forward. Some elements of the story were predictable but there was enough intrigue and surprise to keep me hooked.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins.

This is a good well thought out psychological mystery/thriller.
Complex and detailed characters who you never fully trust, and incredibly detailed backdrop of the apartments and characters of No.12 Rue des Amants, Paris.
Each interesting and very different character of the swanky apartment block have a very different story to tell and a very interesting relationship with Jess’ missing brother Ben. They way that each individual describes Ben as a total different person is clever and intriguing.
This is my first Lucy Foley novel but it won’t be my last! Enjoy this great twist-driven story….

Great book. Really enjoyed reading it. Even learnt some French. Great characters throughout. Looking forward to the next one.

THIS IS SO GOOD! I really loved Lucy Foley's first two books so leapt at the chance to read an advanced copy of this! I've already started recommending it to customers for next year. The locked room/locked apartment block mystery kept me guessing right up until the very end. I absolutely devoured it and it felt different to a lot of other thrillers - it reminded me a little of Ruth Ware''s woman in cabin 10 which is one of my go to thriller recommendations. I enjoyed that it was a puzzle made up of different chapters by different characters, yet though were all linked in one way or another. 5*'s from this bookseller and very excited for publication!

Murder most foul ★★★☆☆

When wayward Jess arrives at her brother’s swanky Paris apartment, she is looking to regroup and rest. However, Ben is nowhere to be seen and none of the neighbours will tell her anything. There is a large bleach stain on the floor, blood on the cat, and Ben’s keys and wallet are still on the table. Something very wrong is going on at Rue des Amants…

Surrounded by the mysterious inhabitants of the other apartments – violent Antoine, charming Nick, teenage Mimi, glacial Sophie, and the creepy concierge – Jess has stumbled into a web of secrets and lies. Secrets that somebody will kill for. Will Jess discover what happened to Ben and get out alive?

Gradually we learn more about the tenants of the apartment block and the connections between them. What begins as an average crime thriller peaks with two big twists which expose the murky underside of the Paris apartments.

For fans of Foley’s previous novels The Hunting Party and The Guest List.

The Paris Apartment - Lucy Foley

Very cleverly written with continuous, mostly short ‘chapters’ by each of the main cast, as the story slowly develops.

Shrouded in mystery and intrigue, this slow burner is a definite page turner that will definitely keep you looking for the truth until the very end.

My only criticism of this most atmospheric of reads, is that the longer it went on, the easier it was to pick (small) holes in the likeliness of certain events ever happening/ being plausible. That being said, this is definitely worth a read!

I loved every single thing about this! It’s the first Lucy Foley book I’ve read but I’m already checking out her previous ones. The Paris Apartment was a joy - really well written, clever, different and totally gripping. I enjoyed the short chapters and the way they flipped from one character to another, adding more mystery and intrigue. I didn’t want to reach the end - it was a gripping, creepy, whodunnit and is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Absolutely brilliant ending, and I’ll be reading it again very soon. Just fab!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this superb book.

Jess is a troubled young woman. She has not had the easiest life, unlike her half brother Ben, who seems to have fared so much better.

After yet another disastrous incident with a boss she hated, Jess thinks it’s time to jump ship before the police pay a visit. Ben is living in Paris, so she invites herself to stay with him at short notice. Ben isn’t best pleased, but agrees to her visit, telling her to come to his apartment. Due to her train running late, Jess arrives much later than expected, in the middle of the night, and is unable to gain entry, despite making as much noise as possible. The apartment is in a very desirable location and, from the outside, looks super expensive, making Jess wonder how Ben can afford to live there on the salary of a journo writing restaurant reviews.

Eventually Jess gains access, no spoilers here, and that is when she starts to realise something is wrong. Where is Ben? Who are these weird residents? What is going on?

Foley is certainly living up to her reputation with this new book. What I especially like is that the reader is not kept in the dark to the very end, no great denouement, just lots of reveals, with an unexpected ending! The revelations keep coming throughout the book, making it a real page turner. I reached 80% of the book in no time, then made myself slow down as I really didn’t want the story to end.

Well done on another cracker of a story.

Thank you NetGalley.

Lucy Foley's thrillers are becoming a sub-genre all of their own: a group of nasty characters thrown together in a cut-off location where one of them will meet a sticky end but the reader doesn't know who or why..
This third outing provides sufficient variation to keep the interest of readers of the previous two. This time we know which character has disappeared, and the setting - a vividly described Paris apartment block - is less closed than the previous settings of a snowed-in Highland lodge and a remote island resort.. This time we also have one likeable character and sleuth. She is the sister of the missing man who only came to Paris to get away from a hairy situation at home, a decision she very soon regrets. Within 24 hours of her arrival she senses every occupant of the building her brother lives in is hiding something.
Ideal for fans of the very slow build-up (and for those seeking a comprehensive crash course in French swear words....)
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

Lucy Foley does it again!!

I loved Foley's previous books, their twists and turns and guessing games, so The Paris Apartment jumped straight to the top of my list when I was granted it to read. And I loved it!!

Characters who came to life in a city described so well I thought I was there. And the apartment block itself was like another living breathing character.

Brilliantly plotted and written. I whizzed through it.

Thanks to Lucy Foley, HarperCollins, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Very different to Lucy Foley's previous books in narrative style and structure but that's not a bad thing. I can see why it has so many positive reviews so far but unfortunately I was looking for more of the vibe of the first two novels. Sometimes The Paris Apartment felt a little slow in pace in comparison.
Well written though and I can tell it will do well.