“You know, I read somewhere that 60% of us can’t go more than 10 minutes without lying.  Little slippages to make ourselves sound more attractive to others.  White lies to avoid causing offense.  So it’s not like I’ve done anything out of the ordinary.  It’s only human.”

 

C’est magnifique! 

 

Foley delivers a compelling read that’s easy to devour.  With short chapters and alternating POV, I found myself lost in Paris and absorbed by this mystery.  

 

Jess’ life is a mess.  The only person she can reach out to his her half-brother who now lives in Paris.  Begrudgingly, he invites her to come stay with him while she gets back on her feet.  But when she arrives, he’s nowhere to be found.  Vanished.  Disappeared.  It doesn’t take long for Jess to realize that something just isn’t right. But where will her amateur sleuthing lead her?  Knowledge is power until it becomes a threat.  

 

If I’m honest, I went into this one ambivalent.  (I wasn’t all that keen on The Guest List.)  But it’s Foley, and everyone loves her work.  (Honestly, I was also having major FOMO.) So I decided to give her another try.  And boy am I glad I did!!  From the very beginning, I was lured into 12 Rue des Amants and all of its secrets.  

 

In The Paris Apartment, Foley has perfected the formula for the locked room mystery.  The residence is grand and full of mystique with an atmosphere that is tense and full of foreboding.  The characters are complex and cagey. Full of secrets and full of motives!  Everyone is a suspect.

 

And the unveiling of the mystery…perfectly paced. Clues were revealed while keeping me enrapt and guessing.  And at the end, when I was sure, very sure, I knew what had transpired…the biggest of twists revealed how closely Foley played her hand. 

 

This book made me miss the streets of Paris. But it made me wary of what’s behind those beautiful facades. 

 

The audiobook is an exceptional addition to the print book.  Narrated by a full cast, it adds to the intrigue while giving the characters a distinct voice.  However, with so much going on in the story, I might shy away from using the audiobook singularly.  

 

Many thanks to William Morrow and Harper Audio for this #gifted advanced copy to read and review.