The Paris Apartment: A Novel Paperback – February 21, 2023

Jess's last voicemail from her brother Ben provided the address of his apartment: number 12, Rue des Amants, 3rd floor. He mentioned he would wait up for her; all she had to do was ring the buzzer. However, nothing is as it seems. The neighborhood is different, the apartment feels strange, and it's empty except for a cat. Where is Ben? Jess has no real reason to return to London.The story unfolds through the perspectives of several residents, although not all of them are featured. As Jess interacts with these residents about Ben, their indifference toward his absence is unsettling. It's not merely what they say, but what they don't say that feels ominously secretive.The residents include:- The concierge, who lives in a small cabin in the courtyard.- Antoine and his wife, Dominique, who reside on the first floor.- Nick, a friend of Ben's from university, is on the second floor.- Mimi, who lives on the fourth floor with her roommate, Camille.- Sophie, who is married to Jacques, lives in the penthouse.A gripping thriller, building the intensity of suspense throughout the short chapters until the very end! The author excels at creating a rapid-fire pace that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Each chapter unfolds like a mini cliffhanger, raising the stakes with every page turn and leaving you wanting more. The brevity of the chapters contributes to a sense of urgency, while the plot twists and turns with relentless momentum. The characters are developed quickly yet effectively, allowing readers to form a connection despite the fast pacing. As the tension escalates, the stakes feel even higher, making for an exhilarating reading experience where every moment counts and surprises lurk around every corner.This was my first encounter with the author's writing, and I look forward to exploring their other books.

🔆REVIEW🔆𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒚!!𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:I LOVE THIS BOOK! I thought about this book when I wasn’t reading it, my mind would wonder about what would happen next and what the final scene would entail. It was an easy read and I didn’t want it to be over. This was my first @lucyfoleyauthor novel and I purchased her two previous novels before I finished this one. I am suddenly a huge fan!𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:➖The setting, I love all things Paris and while I don’t feel it made a huge part of the book I enjoyed it.➖The story wasn’t one that felt forced. The story unfolded gently and with good pacing.➖The characters were very diverse and they all surprised me in one fashion or another. The concierge was my favorite.➖I really enjoyed the ending𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐭𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠:➖There weren’t as many intense scenes as I had hoped for originally. This isn’t necessarily negative but I was hoping my blood pressure would have been raised a few more times.➖In hindsight I wish the hidden door, the dumbwaiter, and the cellar were more present throughout. I think I anticipated they would have a larger role once we learn of their existence.➖The changing perspectives makes for great reading, but in some situations I felt I wanted some more depth.

Told in short chapters through multiple POVs, in the latest Lucy Foley’s thriller we follow Jess Hadley, a bartender at the Copacabana bar in Brighton, England, who finds herself in a difficult situation in which she needs to leave everything behind. So she decides to go to Paris to visit her half-brother Ben.While Jess is on her way, her brother leaves her a message giving her instructions on how to proceed when she gets into the building. But when Jess finally arrives, Ben is nowhere to be found. His apartment is much more she could have imagined. How Ben could afford such a fancy apartment being a freelance journalist? He also left his wallet behind and Jess decides to ask around his whereabouts.The reader is left in the dark for most of the story. It is impossible not to be reminded of the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, without the podcast element, while reading this novel. Just like in the series, everyone living in this building becomes a suspect. The building holds a lot of secrets, and secret passages, and the protagonist soon realizes that things are not what they seem.The characters are well developed. Foley gives us a background story of Jess and Ben, and their different upbringing. After their mother died, the siblings were split up. Ben was adopted by a wealthy couple and had a comfortable life while Jess lived from one foster home to another. There are some unexpected twists and her writing flows. I like the author’s ability to create a creepy atmosphere.It was my first Lucy Foley and I enjoyed reading this one. I also liked how the tension was built slowly but there was nothing in this novel that really wowed me. I believe The Paris Apartment would be an enjoyable read for fans of mystery/thriller in general. It is an ok book, one that will entertain the reader without being extraordinary. Now I am curious to read more from this author.