Lucy Foley definitely has the twisty, turn thriller down pat. I loved the atmosphere she created around the apartment - then the wider descriptions of Paris itself when the action spreads out a little. Lots of (deliberately) unlikeable characters and a story that leads you down several dead ends. It could have picked up the pace a little but overall a good read.

Jess has always been in the shadow of her more fortunate half-sibling Ben, who managed to escape the care system for a life with a wealthy adopted family. Ben is now working in Paris as an investigative journalist, while Jess finds herself at her lowest ebb in a poorly paid job on the south coast of England. When she gets into trouble, he is the only person she can turn to for help. However, when Jess arrives at the beautiful apartment block where Ben lives, she finds he is not there, despite assuring her that he would be. The only clue she has to his fate is a voice message that cuts off in a very troubling way.

Jess may be a fish out of water in Paris, but she does her best to follow the trail Ben has left behind, and what she discovers has her worried. The other residents of the apartment building are hostile from the start - their stories do not seem to add up, and she does not know who she can trust. She becomes convinced that something bad has happened to Ben, but can she uncover the dark secrets of the people who live in this building before she suffers the same fate?

The story is told in multiple narratives from Jess and the other residents of this elegant, and seriously eerie Paris apartment block. From the glamorous Parisian wife Sophie in the penthouse, down through the floors to the unstable young Mimi on the fourth floor, Ben's old friend Nick on the second floor, and the volatile Antoine on the first floor, everyone seems to have something to hide - even the eccentric, elderly concierge in her strange little loge in the courtyard. There is the constant, menacing feeling that Jess is being watched, and Ben's apartment on the third floor is no sanctuary from the danger that haunts the halls, stairwells, and cave-like cellar.

As is Foley's forte, the pieces of this mystery come together very gradually with the shocking truth hitting you with considerable force in the latter stages of the novel. Each narrative has something to add not just in terms of the recent history of the characters, but also their past dysfunctional relationships with each other, and the revelations set you reeling as they take you into country filled with intrigue, passion, revenge and twisted family dynamics.

The premise is deliciously ambitious this time around, bursting out of the more character-led murder-mystery that I have come to expect from Foley. This book cleverly incorporates a claustrophobic mystery of the kind she does so well, via the old apartment block in all its faded grandeur, but it also pushes things up a notch by interweaving these elements with exciting scenes that take you on a caper through highly charged and atmospheric Parisian streets filled with rioters during a stifling summer. I really enjoyed how this moves the story along and serves to change the tempo between slow-burn and fast-paced thriller as you swap back and forth between settings - somehow combining a bit of Hitchcock with a contemporary action adventure tale.

I read this book in one single, gripping session. It manages to cram in all the tension and flawed interpersonal relationships you could wish for in a psychological thriller, with the added dose of brain-wracking whodunnit that is very heavy on the compelling mystery side. Definitely Foley's finest book to date!

EXCERPT: He should call her, give her some directions. When her phone rings out he leaves a voicenote: 'Hey Jess, so it's number twelve, Rue des Amants. Got that? Third floor.'

His eye's drawn to a flash of movement in the courtyard beneath the windows. Someone's passing through it quickly. Almost running. He can only make out a shadowy figure, can't see who it is. But something about the speed seems odd. He's hit with a little animal spike of adrenaline.

He remembers he's still recording the voicenote, drags his gaze from the window. 'Just ring the buzzer. I'll be up waiting for you-'

He stops speaking. Hesitates, listens. A noise. The sound of footsteps out on the landing . . . approaching the apartment door.

The footsteps stop. Someone is there, just outside. He waits for a knock. None comes. Silence. But a weighted silence, like a held breath.

Odd.

And then another sound. He stands still, ears pricked, listening intently. There it is again. It's metal on metal, the scrape of a key. Then the clunk of it entering the mechanism. He watches the lock turn. Someone is unlocking his door from outside. Someone who has a key, but no business coming in here uninvited. The handle begins to move downwards. The door begins to open, with that familiar drawn out groan.

He puts his phone down on the kitchen counter, voicenote forgotten. Waits and watches dumbly as the door swings forward. As the figure steps into the room.

'What are you doing here?' he asks. Calm, reasonable. Nothing to hide. Not afraid. Or not yet. 'And why-'
Then he sees what his intruder holds.

Now. Now the fear comes.

ABOUT 'THE PARIS APARTMENT': Welcome to No.12 rue des Amants

A beautiful old apartment block, far from the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling banks of the Seine.

Where nothing goes unseen, and everyone has a story to unlock.

The watchful concierge
The scorned lover
The prying journalist
The naïve student
The unwanted guest

There was a murder here last night.
A mystery lies behind the door of apartment three.

Who holds the key?

MY THOUGHTS: I think it would be very difficult to find another author who does tension as well as Lucy Foley. I am not going to say anything whatsoever about the plot - it's one of those books where it's best that the reader goes in blind. I love it that the publicity blurb gives nothing away. That's as it should be.

Foley has constructed a gloriously twisty, atmospheric mystery that surprised and satisfied me. I didn't know who to trust, if anyone. The Paris Apartment is told from many points of view, but don't let this put you off. The cast of narrators is: Sophie - the penthouse; Mimi - 4th floor; Ben/Jess - 3rd floor; Nick - 2nd floor; Antoine - 1st floor; and the concierge - the cottage.

The narrators are largely unlikeable and mostly unreliable. They all have secrets to hide, some darker than others, and some interconnected.

The question is, how far will some go to protect their secrets? Will they kill to protect those secrets? Or will they kill to escape them?

Foley takes us beneath the glitzy facade of Paris, the designer fashion shows, the Eiffel Tower, the West Bank cafes, and shares some of its dirty secrets.

I was lucky enough to have been provided with both digital and an audio ARCs of the Paris Apartment, and I equally enjoyed both. The audiobook is superbly narrated by a full cast of characters, making for a wonderful listening experience.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#TheParisApartment #NetGalley

I: @lucyfoleyauthor @harpercollins

T: @LucyFoleyTweets @HarperCollins

#audiobook #book #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #suspense

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley is currently available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and audio formats.

THE AUTHOR: Lucy Foley studied English liter­ature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction edi­tor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Guest List and The Hunt­ing Party. She lives in London.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Harper Collins Audio via Netgalley for providing both digital and audio ARCs of The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I enjoyed this book, thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me a review copy in return for my honest review.

This book really came into its own from about 50% of the book when the frist plot twist hit. There were a lot of characters introduced at the beginning which made it feel like a slow burn read, However the book soon turns a corner and picks up its pace by 75% of the way I was fully immersed in the plot and learning how this mystery thriller was going to finish up.

Brilliant book from Lucy Foley. I would not hesitate to read or recommend any of her books.

This is a great "whodunnit", with countless twists and turns! The characters are fascinating, and I love that everyone is a suspect. It's clever and entertaining, with more than a hint of Agatha Christie.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

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

If that does not sound like a perfect Who-Dunn-it, I don't know what does!

The book starts off strong with Jess arriving in Paris to visit her stepbrother only to find him missing. We get introduced to all the different characters who live in the same house as him, one stranger than the other.

But then the book starts to drag a little... It's written in a kind of frenzy that does not match what actually happens - which is pretty much nothing.

There are a couple of twists and reveals that are interesting, but they don't make up for all the missed opportunities, one-dimensional characters, and pages upon pages worth of blabbering...

Jess arrives in Paris at No. 12 Rue des Amants to stay with her brother, Ben who works as a journalist. She finds his apartment empty, however, Ben’s keys and wallet are there. Ben was a sociable and likeable person, and his disappearance is very unlike him. Therefore, Jess begins to ask questions, much to the dismay of the residents of the apartment block…

Told from the points of view of the residents of No. 12 Rue des Amants, the reader meets the other characters: 50 year old sophisticated Sophie Meunier who lives in the penthouse. She is married to a businessman Jacques and they have it all: money and prestige.

Mimi, a 19 year old girl, lives on the fourth floor and shares the apartment with Camille. The two girls are like chalk and cheese: Mimi is the quiet, observant, shy one, whereas Camille is bold and in-your-face type of girl.

Nick Miller lives on the second floor and he is Ben’s friend. He offers to help Jess, which she accepts with gratitude as her French is rusty.

Antoine lives on the first floor with his wife, and Jess witnesses them arguing. She finds him very hostile and she tries to stay out of his way.

The Concierge, stays in the Loge, a tiny cabin in the corner of the courtyard. She is always watching the comings and goings of the residents.

Jess soon discovers that Ben was investigating something huge for his next article. Is that the reason why he disappeared? She also realises that all the residents are harbouring secrets of their own, and by asking around, she is putting herself in grave danger…

I really enjoyed this book. I found it character driven and I despised Sophie and Antoine, but I imagine that was the writer’s intention. I must admit that towards the end I warmed towards Sophie, especially when I found out where she came from and what she endured. She was a person who would do anything to protect her loved ones.

I loved Jess as a character, she was somewhat damaged and her past made her more resilient in the process. Despite her and Ben’s differences, she persevered in her quest to find him, as he was the only remaining relative she had left in her life.

Overall, it’s a well written book with great amount of tension and suspense.

I recommend it.

I did prefer the paris apartment to Lucy previous two books. Its a mystery/crime set in paris, in an old fancy apartment block. There are layers of secrets which slowly get revealed throughout the book. It is well set up in keeping you wondering and slow getting the pieces to the jigsaw the same time as Jess.

The narration was good and definitely helped during the slow parts of the book which there was a lot. None of the characters are likeable (but i think that is the point).

I like my crime/mystery to be more faster paste which is possibly why i dont enjoy lucys books as much as they are a slower pace to what i like.

Its one ill say stick with it if you do decide to pick this one up. I would say reading and listening helped keep me engaged through out the book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC and a copy of the audiobook for an honest review.

I thought this was a great read - full of twists and suspense. The creepiest family I've come across in a long while- even keeping hidden that they are a family. I haven't always felt Lucy Foley's books live up to the hype, but this one is my favourite so far. A well created atmosphere, I could imagine being in Paris. Excellent thriller. #netgalley #theparisapartment

Having read Lucy Foley's other books I was keen to read this one and I enjoyed it just as much as the others. The setting of the Paris apartment building was a little different and made it all the more intriguing.
When Jess arrives to visit her brother Ben, he's not there and she becomes increasingly concerned for his safety and is determined to discover the truth. The story is told mainly from Jess' perspective but some chapters are from the perspectives of other residents in the apartment building. The story has lots of twists and keeps you guessing about what has actually happened. I found it an enjoyable and gripping read.

I read The Hunting Party and The Guest List over a year ago and loved them both. So I've been really looking forward to reading The Paris Apartment.

I was expecting the bright lights of Paris with all its famous landmarks, however the story is set in a grittier part of the city, a setting which lends the story a much darker atmosphere. The Apartment itself is eerie with its hidden passage ways, secret rooms and things that go bump in the night.

As is typical of a Lucy Foley novel there is a cast of characters that you just don't know who you can trust. No-one is who they seem to be and everyone is hiding a secret or two.

I found the story to have a slow pace which felt faster with the short chapters and hearing from the different characters POV. I don't mind a slow burn when it's done well and I think this story was told extremely well. I guessed some of the plot twists but not all of them and I loved the final one. I do like to have a satisfying ending that isn't rushed.

Overall I thought this was a solid, enjoyable thriller and I would definitely recommend it.

Plot

Welcome to No.12 Rue des Amants

A beautiful old apartment block, far from the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling banks of the Seine.
Where nothing goes unseen.
And everyone has a story to unlock.
The watchful concierge
The scorned lover
The prying journalist
The naïve student
The unwanted guest
Something terrible happened here last night.
A mystery lies behind the door of apartment three.
Only you – and the killer – hold the key . . .

Review

Ok I think I have just started breathing again!

Lucy Foley has done it again with this slightly gothic, twisty, and frankly screwed up tale of murder.

The cast of characters reads like an Agatha Christie novel:
Ben, the journalist who finds out something he really shouldn’t have
Jess, the sister who comes to stay
Sophie, the rich wife who feels everyone is beneath her
Antonie, the volatile neighbour
Nick, Mr Too Good to be True
Mimi, obsessive and unhinged
The Concierge, a ghostly silent figure who knows everything.

All the stories are intertwined and they are all hiding something.

I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil the plot but just when you think you’ve worked it out there’s another twist that will throw you off the scent. It’s a quick read because you don’t want to put it down. You want to know what happens and when the final twists comes Brie e me you won’t have seen it!

All in all this is once again brilliant from the author who is slowly becoming my Queen of Crime (don’t tell AC I said that)


Rating

5/5


Recommend
Yes yes yes. Just remember to breathe!

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyment: 5
Total rating: 5

Jess needs a break from her messy life and decides that visiting her brother in Paris is as good of an escape as she will ever get. She lets her brother know she is staying with him in Paris. Ben doesn't want her to stay but is given no say in the matter. When she arrives, though, Ben is nowhere to be seen.

Jess finds it strange that Ben disappeared without leaving a message as he knew she was coming that night, and the longer he remains missing, the more she starts to find out what happened.

She soon meets the building residents: The socialite, The nice guy, The alcoholic, The girl on the verge and The concierge. Every one of them seems to be hiding something.

I honestly hope that everyone reads this book. The Paris Apartment was so worth the wait! I love all of Foley's books, but The Paris Apartment is on a whole other level. I had so much fun reading this book. It was literally impossible to put it down; Foley knows how to grab a reader's attention and take them on a journey. This book has her signature unlikeable characters to whom you're drawn, hidden secrets, human-nature-at-its-worse, and a masterfully crafted plot that unravels seamlessly. Her twists and turns are carefully thought out and never take precedence over the story; they are believable, fair, and make sense. The subtle gothic atmosphere was the cherry on top of an already perfect cake!

This is for sure a book I will repeatedly be reading when I need a pick me up. Even though I have first read it as an e-ARC, I have purchased the book and audiobook.

I buddy read it with a friend, which was so much fun - this book is perfect for reading alone but even better as a buddy or book club read!



Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing a copy of The Paris Apartment.

I think this is probably my favourite Lucy Foley to date. Particularly enjoyed the departure from the structure of The Guest List and The Hunting Party, which I read in quick succession and found quite samey. (Although this does still follow the same pattern of woman-less-well-off-than-the-other-characters-has-to-deal-with-privileged-rich-people-murder.)

I think Lucy Foley’s biggest asset is how foreboding she writes place. The apartment (big house?! hotel?! still unsure) block is creepy and lends itself to the locked door mystery.

It all comes together quite conveniently, and by the end I’d mostly twigged the final twist, but I liked that the “bad guys” get their comeuppance whilst the characters caught in the crossfire/schemings of them get to move on and live a (hopefully) happier life.

Having read and enjoyed previous books by Lucy Foley, I had high hopes for this story. Although I couldn't say that this was my favourite of her works, I very much enjoyed the premise of the story and the Parisienne setting. I loved the description of the old apartment with it's secret staircases and it's cave. The characters were difficult to warm to but if they were sympathetic soles, it wouldn't have fitted with the story. I did feel that it all ended a bit too neatly and conveniently (I won't be more specific due to risk of spoilers), compared to the more likely outcome. Definitely worth a read if you want to delve beyond the tourist attractions of Paris.

I really loved this book. It kept me guessing from start to finish and still didn’t guess correctly then !!
10/10

I’ve finished this last weekend and it’s one of the best thrillers this year!

I loved the setting, Paris, the estate, the eclectic neighbours, the background story, all of it.

The characters were pretty unique and well tailored for the plot. I liked that the author gave the same almost importance to each one of them. It gave off a balance of some short between characters that a lot of books lack of.

The plot and the ending were so good and enjoyable and it left me completely satisfied!

This was my favourite of Lucy Foley's books so far.
I loved that it was mostly set in one big apartment building and told from each of the residents POV.
There were lots of twists and secrets to keep it interesting and that I didn't find out what had really happened until close to the end.

Like lots of people, I thoroughly enjoyed the previous books by Lucy Foley so I have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read this one.

Jess arrives in Paris to visit her half-brother Ben but when she gets to his apartment he is nowhere to be found. When he fails to appear, Jess seeks help from the eclectic set of residents in Ben’s apartment building but they are far from helpful and it soon becomes clear they know more than they are admitting. Can Jess get to the bottom of what has happened?

Foley is a master at creating atmosphere - she brings a steamy Paris in summertime in the midst of rioting to life and the apartment building is a slightly creepy character in its own right, with an unfriendly concierge, hidden staircases, secret passages and crumbling cellars. Told from multiple points of view by a group of wholly dysfunctional narrators, the short chapters effectively build the tension and it is one of those books that keeps you turning the pages as you question who to trust and who to believe. The twists keep coming as it builds to its dramatic conclusion and I raced through it - Foley is cemented her place as a must read author for me.

I am a huge fan of Lucy Foley and her gripping writing style. The Paris Apartment is a novel told
From the perspective of several characters, all of who live in a luxurious apartment block. The exception to this is Jess who has come to visit her brother Ben, but upon arrival finds that he is missing and suspects the other residents know more that they’re letting on.
I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as the previous ones, and the the story was quite predictable, but maybe that’s because I am so familiar with the author’s style. I am still looking forward to future novels though and can see why some people would throughly enjoy this one.