Sinister goings-on amongst the pretty: The Paris apartment

The Paris apartment is the second book that I have read by British thriller and historical fiction author, Lucy Foley. Check out my review of her 2020 book, The guest list. I can see the similarities between the two novels: both have an atmospheric setting, a bunch of fairly unlikeable characters, and some sinister goings-on in what seems on the surface to be an ordinary situation. Foley's novels are quite character-driven and I like thrillers written in this vein. It's not the suspense or a gruesome murder or the huge twist that I like, it's the exploration of the dark side of human nature. I also admire clever storytelling, as I think it takes a lot of skill to write a thriller. Lucy Foley has my vote so far!

The Paris apartment | Published February 2022 | Read December 2024

Twenty-eight-year old British woman, Jess, travels from London to Paris to stay with her journalist stepbrother, Ben. She's just quit her horrible bar job and is broke and in need of some comfort. Jess shows up in Paris late one evening at Ben's swanky rented apartment but there is no sign of him. Jess hasn't been to the apartment before, and she is puzzled as to how Ben has managed to rent such a spacious and elegant place in the posh part of Montmartre. The historic building houses four apartments - one on each floor - and a penthouse, plus a wine cellar and some attic space that used to be maids' quarters, all surrounding a beautiful courtyard. Ben lives in the apartment on the third floor.

Jess eventually meets Ben's eclectic bunch of neighbours, none of whom seem very friendly nor keen to talk to her about Ben's whereabouts. There's also an elderly concierge, creeping about the place and retreating to her tiny cabin in the courtyard whenever she is questioned.

Like The guest list, the book is characterised by a creepy atmosphere, this time the old apartment building and the tumultuous streets of Paris currently in the grip of civilian unrest. Foley paints a vivid picture of both the building and the city, and I felt transported there throughout my reading journey. Lucy Foley is a skilled writer and her books flow well with enough description of people, places, and spaces to draw the reader in without labouring the point. I loved the hidden staircase, the rickety old metal-grated elevator, the dark cave-like basement, and the roof garden with its flimsy railing. There was so much just to the building to weave a story around, let alone Ben's disappearance!

The book could be described as a slow burn but because I love character-driven thrillers, I was fully immersed in it and read the book super quickly. It's clear from the outset that something sinister is going on, and each of the apartment's residents seems to have something to hide. None of them is likeable - they're all a bit mad as well as potentially evil - but they're deliciously drawn without being caricatures. I liked Jess! She's tough and resilient, having survived a traumatic childhood and the British foster system. I was fully engaged in her quest to find Ben.

The chapters switch between apartment residents, all written in the first person point of view, although it's mostly Jess's voice we hear. Readers need to be on their toes to ensure they are clear as to whose perspective the chapter is written from, but there's plenty of depth to each character to hold interest. All the people - including Jess and Ben - are completely dysfunctional and unreliable narrators, but that's what makes the book a compelling read.

I loved the way Foley crafts the tension, starting with Ben's mysterious disappearance. She then slowly builds a picture of what may have happened to him, pointing the finger at the Paris apartment residents as the story unfolds. There's a reveal part way through the book that provides some explanation (clever!) and then the final reveal gives the book a nicely surprising and twisty ending without straying into bonkers territory.

A locked room mystery with a strong sense of foreboding, a dysfunctional and eccentric bunch of characters (and unreliable narrators), and an elegant but slightly rundown apartment in Paris - what more could you want!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐