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Brilliantly executed, and with perhaps the most relatable, and reliable protagonist in recent memory.
This promising premise devolves with the plethora of characters introduced and tangential plot lines muddy the cohesiveness of the story. The slow burn aspect of the thriller plods instead of simmers with tension. The plot twists seem transparent and I was aching for a resolution that failed to satisfy. Wow I have been missing out!!!! I have never read Ms. Foley’s novels so this was a wonderful surprise for me.One tiny lift, that barely fits an occupant with one piece of luggage, brings the residents to their own landing- a secret, narrow stairway, is another way to climb from floor to floor, with a door with an old fashioned key hole, accessing each individual unit. Either the book company or Kelly Bowen's editor (or maybe both) did her a great disservice in sending The Paris Apartment to press in its current form. It could have been so much more. Instead of some huge climax where everyone is fighting, Jess finds Ben alive but very injured. Eventually, Sophie lets them go so that Mimi can stay safe. First of all, how great to be in Paris as it adds an atmosphere all of its own especially as the city is a boiling pot of political unrest which perfectly matches the events in Rue des Amants. Secondly, the house is a star of its own show as the author cleverly uses all its nooks, crannies and corners to create a very strange and tense atmosphere which you feel right from the very start. There are spooky shadows, you wonder what evil lurks in the dark corners and it ramps up the tension with a growing sense of claustrophobia as if the walls are closing in. You have a really good whodunnit here as several characters behave oddly or suspiciously, some are downright sinister or there’s palpable hostility between characters and there’s an increased feeling of foreboding which hangs over the house. The warnings, threats and dangers magnify in intensity and it becomes apparent that there big secrets that people are intent on keeping buried. The plot builds well as revelation piles on revelation. There’s a good twist at the end although maybe it’s all ultimately resolved a bit too easily? Passionate, intriguing, haunting, and remarkable, The Paris Apartment needs to be on the TBRs of all hist fic fans, especially those drawn to WWII stories. This one is a powerful standout that brings out every emotion. Well-done, Kelly Bowen!
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-' Also, the “twist” that Camille and Dominique are lovers? Totally out of left field and also, who cares?He stops speaking. Hesitates, listens. A noise. The sound of footsteps out on the landing . . . approaching the apartment door. As Jess digs deeper into the residents at Bienvenue au 12, Rue des Amants she finds that the neighbors are none too happy to see her. Jess is determined and tough and won’t give up until she finds out the TRUTH, AS DARK AS IT MAY BE!!! Ben’s half-sister Jess needed to flee London in a hurry, and with nowhere else to turn-she pleaded with her half brother to let her come and stay for awhile. He reluctantly agrees but when she arrives, he isn’t home and he isn’t answering her texts. 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.
BTW, it’s so strange how several of the family members fell in love with Ben though but also absolutely hated him. Why did Sophie act like she hated him if she kept him alive? Same with Mimi’s reaction about Ben. And what were they planning to do with him? I don’t know if I missed that or it was never explained. Strange. As I mentioned above, this was the first Lucy Foley book where I actually felt I had a decent idea of how things were going to map out. What a FANTASTIC CAST of actors, this AUDIBLE has! I am sure this book will make my favorite Audible list in 2022 because of them! In this case, we end up with a cast of relatable (although flawed) characters, a very spooky setting, the added layer of there being overlapping and shifting alliances, and several fascinating historical elements between the characters themselves.The Paris Apartment is the latest release from mystery-thriller author Lucy Foley. I’d previously read her book The Guest List which was imperfect, but promising enough that I’d been looking forward to her next release. I will say, I did appreciate it wasn’t some huge chase/fight at the end and that they actually kind of talked it over—Jess and Sophie. Sometimes these stories really go out there with the climax and it’s way too much. But in the end, not a lot really happened in this book and I do think it wasn’t a surprise Ben was still alive after all. Encountering the strange assortment of characters living in the complex, Jess is forced into a desperate battle to unearth the truth of what has happened to her brother, and what secrets her new neighbours are hiding from her.
The story is classic Foley, with its varied characters each one having a multitude of shades and a closet full of secrets, and the story as it rolls forward evokes gasps, oohs, and aahs from its readers.” When Jess Hadley arrives in Paris to visit her half-brother Ben (and escape an uncomfortable personal situation of her own in London), she’s surprised that he’s is nowhere to be found and that none of the neighbors in his swanky new building are terribly concerned about what’s happened to him. Naturally, she’s determined to figure out what went down—Ben is many sometimes sketchy things but she doesn’t believe he would have bailed on her so completely—a quest that may end up putting her in more danger than she could have ever predicted.
I love the old building with its hidden staircases, servant passages and a wine cellar. So many secrets....and she has no one to rely on and a language barrier with the local police.
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