From the Bookshelf of 2025 Reading Challenge…

The Paris Apartment

Lucy Foley

Start date: June 1, 2022

Finish date: June 30, 2022

Discussion: October 2025 Group Read

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Showing 2 of -3 topics — 109 comments total

October 2025 Group Read

Weyward: Mid-Reading Discussion
By Winter , Group Reads · 3 posts · 33 views

last updated Oct 03, 2025 01:03AM

Weyward: Pre-Reading Discussion
By Winter , Group Reads · 7 posts · 33 views

last updated Oct 02, 2025 08:30AM

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What Members Thought

May 31, 2022 Barbara rated it it was ok

Shelves: thriller, 2022-reads

I should have read more reviews before bothering with this one. I wasn't a big fan of Foley's first two books - liking her first more than her second. The second was full of unbelievable plot twists - ridiculous really. I was attracted by the setting so got on a long waiting list to get this from the library. But as other reviews have noted, this book has almost nothing that reflects Paris culture, geography or language. The main character,Jess does actually goes once to a boulangerie (bakery), I should have read more reviews before bothering with this one. I wasn't a big fan of Foley's first two books - liking her first more than her second. The second was full of unbelievable plot twists - ridiculous really. I was attracted by the setting so got on a long waiting list to get this from the library. But as other reviews have noted, this book has almost nothing that reflects Paris culture, geography or language. The main character,Jess does actually goes once to a boulangerie (bakery), a place that Parisians frequent daily. So if you are hoping for a taste of Paris, forget it.

Jess is an English girl who shows up at short notice to visit her half-brother, Ben. When she manages to get into his apartment, he is missing. The reasons for her suddenly leaving England are concealed - for no reason - for half the novel. Her brother lives in a luxurious apartment building despite the fact he is barely employed, working as a freelance journalist.

Another complaint I have is that the building is not well described. It took a long time for me to realize that there were only 4 apartments plus a penthouse. Despite this being a luxury building, the ever-present concierge, lives in a tiny box of a room which appears to be merely a shoddy structure built in one corner of the courtyard. Somehow, the residents of apartments could see across the courtyard to other apartments. But when the reader discovers the actual number of apartments, the layout doesn't make sense.

Something that completely confused me was Jess's reference to a "voice note" from her brother. Did she mean "voice mail"? I looked up both terms to see if the terms were different in England. No, a voice note is a recording that a phone owner makes to themselves as a reminder. This "voice note" is referred to a number of times.

There are ridiculous plot twists. The source of income of the wealthy penthouse owners seems to be one that could be unreliable. The whole setup is hard to believe. There are too many ridiculous twists, a reason I am often reluctant to read the current batch of thrillers which are lazily written, and claim the label by virtue of adding plot twists.

2.5 stars - because I finished it - but rounded down rather than up for wasting my time. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 11, 2022 Jane rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, family-story, womans-story, psychology, noir, coming-of-age-novel, violence

Not my typical read...a best selling mystery...but it was just what I needed. A page turner. Most of the characters are either hopeless, or clueless, or in in some cases both . The men are typically evil, criminally greedy, poorly parented, also hopeless. Not clueless, they are conniving.

Since most of the people who will view this will already have heard of The Paris Apartment, I won't give anything more than that character sketch. I knew if I didn't like it, I could stop reading, but Jess caug ...more

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Mar 15, 2022 Anita rated it liked it

I enjoyed this psychological thriller, but it is definitely a “slow burn” with lots of detailed characters and less action. A man appears to be missing from his apartment when his sister arrives and she finds his wallet and keys left behind. He’s also left her a phone message that is somewhat odd. As she gets to know the neighbors in his apartment building, each reveals secrets that may have a tie to the missing man. This is a complex plot with multiple, well-developed characters. The mystery is ...more

1 like · Like · see review