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The Paris Apartment

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The Paris Apartment revolves around the mysterious disappearance of journalist Ben, who was investigating the Meunier family residing in the apartment building. The story is narrated from multiple perspectives, unveiling secrets, betrayals, and unexpected relationships among the residents. As the plot unfolds, dark revelations about the family's involvement in sex work and a shocking murder come to light, leading to a thrilling and suspenseful climax. Lucy Foley's writing style combines intricate character development with atmospheric settings, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Characters:

Characters are largely viewed as unlikable and one-dimensional, with the protagonist showing some relatable qualities.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is perceived as amateurish and cliché-ridden, with some repetitive dialogue and overuse of translations.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is centered on Jess's search for her missing brother in an apartment building where each resident has secrets, but it progresses slowly and lacks tension.

Setting:

The setting is a Paris apartment building that feels atmospheric, but its significance is questioned as it could be interchangeable with any urban location.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow and can feel drawn out, leading to a lack of sustained suspense throughout the narrative.
For Christ’s sake, Ben. Answer your phone. I’m freezing my tits off out here. My Eurostar was two hours late leaving London; I should have arrived at ten-thirty but it’s just gone midnight. And it’s c...

Notes:

The main character, Jess, is often seen as naive and impulsive.
The other characters are described as unlikable and flat, resembling caricatures.
The story takes place in a Paris apartment building, but the setting doesn't feel uniquely Parisian.
The plot unfolds through multiple perspectives but lacks strong character development.
Jess's brother, Ben, goes missing upon her arrival, setting off a mystery about his whereabouts.
There are numerous twists, but many readers find them predictable or poorly executed.
The book includes French phrases with translations that some readers feel are overly corny.
The pacing has been criticized for being slow, frustrating readers who seek more urgency.
The story touches on themes of familial secrecy and deceptions among neighbors.
Character motivations are often murky and lead to frustration rather than intrigue.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of crime, betrayal, and character backgrounds involving trauma and dark secrets.

From The Publisher:

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"As you patiently await season two of Only Murders in the Building, cozy up with Lucy Foley's latest whodunnit." -- Parade

"Exceedingly clever." -- Booklist

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide…

Jess needs a fresh start. She's broke and alone, and she's just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn't sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn't say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up - to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? - he's not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother's situation, and the more questions she has. Ben's neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it's starting to look like it's Ben's future that's in question.

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

Everyone's a neighbor. Everyone's a suspect. And everyone knows something they're not telling.

Ratings (66)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (19)
Liked It (25)
It Was OK (19)
Did Not Like (2)

Reader Stats (123):

Read It (72)
Want To Read (37)
Did Not Finish (3)
Not Interested (11)

5 comment(s)

It Was OK
3 months

It’s disappointing to see the publisher position The Paris Apartment as similar to the incredible Hulu special Only Murders in the Building, as the show has multitudes more heart and engaging storytelling than this novel. While the central mystery of what happened to Ben is compelling and the nuggets of clues you get along the way are intriguing, the characters are the centerpoint of the story, and unfortunately, they really fall flat. The first-person narration jumps between main character Jess, the visitor, and the many residents of the apartment her brother Ben has disappeared from (as well as some flashback chapters with Ben himself). With all that time spent with the cast, you’d expect to get a good feel for what makes them sympathetic and complex, but none of that really happens and everyone just comes off as annoying, frustrating, and/or unhinged, Jess included. The “horrifying reveal” about the reason Ben disappeared had no urgency or shock behind it either. Some reveals are exciting and make you want to keep reading, but overall the tale at the Meunier residence is far less vivid and engrossing than Mabel, Charles, and Oliver’s adventures in the Arconia.

 
5 months

There are a couple of authors I've been wanting to read a 3rd book from, including Lucy Foley. 3 books is a good sweet spot for me to know how I feel about their work.

This book was kinda eh for me. I like Lucy Foley's writing style, but the pacing sometimes feels clunky, like pushing a car up a hill. That was the case here, although the ending really brought everything together.

Idk if I'll read more from her but am glad to have read it and am looking forward to a few other 3rd book reads.

 
Incredible
5 months

Another great book by Lucy!

 
Liked It
7 months

There were many twists I was able to predict but I was surprised by the ending. The characters aren't lovable and the fmc seems to stumbling along.

 
Loved It
7 months

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that the new trend in thrillers will be a group of people in one place, everyone has something to hide. And some of them are responsible for the crime. This is not a new concept, of course, but I think it is getting very popular right now. This is another book recently released that has this theme. But I'm definitely not going to complain since I like the idea.

Here it was used quite well. Jess escapes to Paris to visit her half-brother, Ben, who lives in a luxurious tenement house. However, she can’t find him there, and the circumstances of his disappearance seem increasingly suspicious. While a group of seemingly typical house residents behave suspiciously and certainly hostile towards Jess.

The author managed to build a suffocating, dark atmosphere quite well. The well-known idea of a foreigner who does not speak the language worked very well here. It effectively convinces us that Jess' possibilities are really limited. I think the author could even go a step further and emphasize the culture shock, especially since Jess has never been in another country before. But also if you expect it to be a very French story, you won't find it here. This story could be set in any other country just as well.

The secret kept by the residents of the house is fine. I partially predicted the twist in the middle of the book, but I still think it's done very well. There are also a few other thoughtful twists. I don't quite know what to think about the ending. On the one hand, I wanted Ben's story to end this way. On the other hand, this story is no longer as dark as it could be, it might have cheapen the story a bit. But finding out what really happened with Ben that first night was very interesting.

There is one more thing that surprised me a bit. From the beginning, the author suggests that Ben may have had sexual relations with several women in the house, and that he is extremely attractive. I usually roll my eyes at the idea. But it didn't bother me here. Maybe because the author successfully convinced me that Ben's attractiveness is not only because he is handsome, but rather because of his way of being. And also that it is part of his defense mechanism, it is something he has learned in the past. His attractiveness therefore makes up his personality.

Overall, I recommend this story, especially to people who like dark secrets in a limited setting.

 
 
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