Oh merde! Why did I start this on a Sunday??! 😩 I wish I had commenced this on Saturday cause once you start you can’t stop! 🤷🏻‍♀️ Lucy Foley has done it again 👏👏👏👏👏
Another multi-star cast in an incredibly atmospheric setting. This time Foley takes us to Paris, but this is not Parisian dream.
The prologue begins with Ben calling his sister. He regrets inviting her to his new flat, courtesy of his good friend Nick. Midway through his call there’s a knock on the door and Ben is hurt. Cut to a few hours later Jess turns up outside the flat building but her brother isn’t answering his phone. He seems to have disappeared. Looking for answers will lead to unravelling the secrets of Ben’s neighbours and they’re willing to go to extreme lengths to keep their secrets hidden.
The writing grips instantly. Chapters end on cliffhangers, and I was eager to turn the pages. I was hooked through and through, unable to put this down. I loved contemporary references to things like Emily In Paris. I loved the setting, Paris is stunningly evoked, but it's gritty here and dark. There’s reveals and surprising turns. A complete rollercoaster ride!

I liked the French setting of this book, but found it difficult to get into. Having different chapters narrated by different characters is an interesting way of telling the story. I have enjoyed other novels by Lucy Foley but this one didn’t really do it for me.

The Paris Apartment is a very exciting and thrilling novel with some good twists!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers that will leave you gasping

Such a different book from Lucy Foley's other ones. It took me a while to get into it, with its stories from different characters' viewpoints, but once I did I was there, in Paris, in the apartment and totally engrossed.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. However, I was amazed, given that Lucy Foley's previous books were on the reserve shelf of libraries for the whole of 2020/21, at the poor quality of the writing.

The characters were, despite the author giving their individual points of view, all written the same, with no presence or style to differentiate them from each other. But this was on a par with the writing in general, which was chock full of clichés. I chose this book in particular because it was set in Paris, but there was absolutely no Parisian atmosphere, except for the few usual landmarks (the Eiffel tower, the pyramid of the Louvre) thrown into the text to remind us that we were not in Milton Keynes; the author did, I suppose, manage to get in yet more clichés about Parisian women staying thin at 50 because they starve themselves, and we couldn't go without the good old quiche at the boulangerie...perhaps Foley has sadly never been to Paris or met a real French person.

The setting and hackneyed characters aside though, what really let this book down was the boring plot. I don't usually read thrillers, but Hallett's The Appeal or even Osman's Thursday Murder Club gave the reader a good ride, and if you are a lazy reader, like me, who prefers the characters to do the detecting, then both of these (particularly the former) at least kept one guessing and provided many twists, turns and red herrings.
The Paris Apartment, on the other hand, took around 175 pages (out of 400ish) to even partially get going, then there was another boring slog where not very much happened to the insubstantial characters, until the last 75-odd pages. And - I will not insert spoilers here, but really, the term is a misnomer in this case - the ultimate dénouement was both far-fetched and slightly ridiculous. Did it surprise me? Yes, it did, if only because I have not come across such an unrealistic ending outside of Disney films or children's fiction.

My rating is more like 2 and a half stars, rounded up to 3 because of the author's popularity. If you want something trite and easy to read, that will send you to sleep, then I guess there are worse books out there. And the cover is very striking...which just goes to prove the old adage.

A really excellent, twisty thriller set in an old and spookily beautiful apartment block with an eclectic mix of characters who show different sides to the reader as the story progresses.

As Jess tries to unravel the mystery of her brother's disappearance the narrator swaps between Jess herself, an exquisite Parisian wife, the brother's old college friend and a disturbed young woman. Meanwhile there is a also creepy concierge, a drunk and Ben's editor to add to the mix as events slowly unfold leading the reader down first one path and then another as more clues and connections come to light. A terrific read with a satisfying ending, possibly even better than Lucy Foley's previous books.

I've seen so many good reviews of Lucy Foley's work but, until now, I hadn't read any of her novels. When I saw her latest novel, The Paris Apartment on NetGalley I decided it was time to change that. Plus I love a novel set in Paris!

When Jess makes a last minute trip to Paris to stay with her brother, she finds his upscale apartment empty - with no sign of Ben! Jess takes it upon herself to find her journalist brother, starting by asking his neighbours if they have seen him.. As a reader, we soon realise that these neighbours have their own secrets, and perhaps know more than they are willing to say.

I found this book so atmospheric. It felt creepy, the old historic building gave me the chills. I felt this constant feeling of dread and anticipation as I raced through the pages hoping, like Jess, to figure out what on earth was going on!

So, obviously, I cannot compare this to Foley's other work but this is a twisty, dark novel. I enjoyed the twists and turns - some I suspected, others I definitely did not. It found it such a quick read, I couldn't stop turning the pages! I think I'm definitely going to have to check out more of Foley's work now.

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!