Review of "The Paris Apartment" by Lucy Foley

 

Review of The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Since I’ve enjoyed the last two books I’ve read by author Lucy Foley, I was excited to dive into “The Paris Apartment”. This novel is an atmospheric thriller that draws you into its eerie setting. The story takes place inside an old, Parisian apartment building that feels almost like a character itself. Its narrow spaces, strange residents, hidden passages, and unsettling history create a sense of isolation for the main character. The setup reminded me of the television series Only Murders in the Building—a seemingly ordinary apartment complex filled with eccentric neighbors, secrets, and the mystery of what really happened to the missing person.

The book has an interesting cast of characters that add to the intrigue of the mystery. Each resident has a distinct personality and each has secrets they are trying to hide; including a big one that connects the entire building. As the mystery unfolds, you begin to question everyone’s motives and how they knew the missing person. Author Lucy Foley is known for jumping between multiple characters’ points of view. Foley does a good job of slowly revealing bits of information while moving between all the characters’ perspectives. This allows the reader to see the situation from multiple angles, slowly putting the pieces in place. The result is a story that keeps you guessing about which characters can be trusted.

The main character, Jess, is the sister of the missing person. She comes to Paris thinking she is going to stay with her brother, only to discover he has gone missing. We learn that both characters lost their mother and ended up in the foster system in England. Jess’ brother went to a rich family, leading to some estrangement between the siblings. Jess is a fairly basic main female character, that falls into certain tropes, but she also shows bravery and persistence to find her brother. Despite everyone telling her to leave.

Like most mystery thrillers, the end twist of “The Paris Apartment”, will change the way you view the characters’ stories. Suddenly, details that seemed insignificant take on new meaning, and the situation feels completely different from how it initially appeared.

My biggest criticism is that some of the characters and their decisions can feel predictable. Several characters make suspicious or questionable choices that had me wondering why they would put themselves in certain situations, and at times their behavior felt more convenient for the mystery than completely believable.

Overall, the atmospheric setting, intriguing cast, and clever reveal made “The Paris Apartment” an entertaining mystery that kept me invested. This book is on par with the other books I’ve read by Lucy Foley. If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers with eccentric characters, secrets, and an apartment building full of suspicious neighbors, this is definitely worth picking up.