I don’t think I’ve read a mystery in Paris in some time. I also enjoyed the setting in Paris as whole, which is a nice change of pace. This is most prevalent in The Paris Apartment where beneath the fancy exterior lies a bunch of secrets. One thing that Lucy Foley alway delivers on is the setting! From the Scottish Highlands to an island off the coast of Ireland, her settings almost serve as another character. I felt there was a disconnect there and I don’t think they were given enough motivation from some of the actions-maybe it needed some more backstory? The character development felt a little off compared to her previous novels I’ve read. I found myself wanting to skim through some of their sections as I didn’t love reading the viewpoints of the others. They appear to fall under certain stereotypes and yes, while there are some reveals for each one (more than meets the eye, so to speak), it didn’t move the needle enough for me. I don’t have to love each character when I read a novel but in this one, the others are a drag to read about at times, to be honest. So we’re stuck with the other characters more often than I would have liked. The concierge could have been more interesting but she doesn’t appear that often in the novel. I wouldn’t say these characters are particularly likable, safe for Jess-she has had a rough life and she is truly concerned about her brother.

Each of the characters have something to hide. The CharactersĪs per typical with the author’s other novels, we read the story from several different perspectives including Jess Nick, the seemingly nice guy friend of Ben Sophie, the sophisticated wife of a wealthy man Mimi, an isolated twenty-something and the mysterious concierge (I don’t think we ever get her name).

As Jess searches for Ben, she soon realizes she left her troubles behind only to find some more sinister ones ahead. None of the other apartment residents are much help and they all seem to be hiding something. But he’s not answering any of her texts or calls and when she arrives to his extremely posh apartment, she eventually finds out he’s no where to be found. What’s the Story AboutĪfter running away from her toxic job, Jess leaves behind London and arrives in Paris to stay with her half-brother, Ben. I did feel, however, some of the characters felt a little flat and that took away from the story for me. I was also surprised at one big reveal in particular. So I was eager to read her latest novel, The Paris Apartment, and thought the setting was vivid, unique and somewhat spooky.

The paris apartment genre