The Paris Apartment

A masterclass in sinister fiction.

If this book was a fabric, it would be plush velvet.

If this book was a drink, it would be a rich Bordeaux.

If this book was a fruit, it would be an overripe plum.

If this book was a dream, it would be a nightmare.

Lucy Foley and her tale of a Paris apartment and its inhabitants left me spellbound. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator for Jess, the main character, set the tone for this novel of mystery and dread. Sofia Zervudachi’s narration perfectly showcased Foley’s writing. Her voice was breathy and deep, throaty and slightly scratchy. She read her parts with a subdued mood and cadence, peppered with pauses in all the right places.

Jess has a problem and needs to leave London right away. Her brother Ben reluctantly invites her to stay with him but when she gets to his apartment in the middle of the night he’s not there. Finding Ben is the central mystery in The Paris Apartment, but it isn’t the only one. Questions, twists and secrets abound.

Ben isn’t there to greet her, but Jess soon meets the other residents: guarded Sophie in the penthouse, young Mimi on the 4th floor, Nick and Armand, and the Concierge who lives in a tiny cabin in the courtyard. As Jess digs into Ben’s disappearance the story bends, reveals and conceals. None of the people in the apartment are straight with her about who they are and what they know about Ben. Everything is off-kilter.

The characters in The Paris Apartment each take turns telling their stories in alternating chapters. As the novel inches forward they reveal memories that help flesh out their true identities and motivations. Foley is a fantastic writer, skilled at the trifecta of dialog, description and pacing. She created some standout scenes including a dangerous Halloween party; an unnerving walk at night; and an evening in a seedy club. Her Paris has a fetid underbelly.

Do I need to point out that the apartment is a character as well? It’s all dark stairways, chambers, cellars, hidden passageways and secret compartments. A home that can drive a person mad…

At its essence, this is a novel about fathers, mothers and daughters, brothers and siblings, lovers and obsessions. It touches on wealth, sex, privilege and the tradeoffs humans make for each.

The Paris Apartment is a solidly dread-full mystery, and I loved every anxiety-inducing word of it.