Usually when I do this I am at least somewhat disappointed because my expectations are insanely high. And lastly, when the plot reveals finally start happening in the last quarter of the book, they weren’t interesting enough to be worth the tedious lead-up. I also enjoyed the final twist even though some part of the conclusion made my eyes roll, it was somewhat fair ending for the characters truly deserved!

Also, the “twist” that Camille and Dominique are lovers? Totally out of left field and also, who cares? Don’t get me wrong – there were some considerable twists that I didn’t see coming whatsoever, however, by about the halfway mark I felt myself piecing things together in a way that felt premature from what the author wanted. While this one had a whole different vibe from her other thrillers, it shares some of the same stylistic techniques, from the short chapters told by different characters, to the cliff hanger chapter endings that make you want to keep reading. In addition, her description of this lux, overwhelming, and shadowy apartment complex is so detailed, I can see every square inch in my mind’s eye. This helped me stay engaged as the action unfolded. After some tense moments, she is finally able to secure access without his help, but once inside, he is still no where to be found.In the present, Aurelia Leclaire inherits an apartment in Paris when her grandmother Estelle passes away. An apartment that has been closed up since 1943 and which is full of priceless art. What Lia discovers in the apartment makes her question if she ever really knew her grandmother. With the help of an art appraiser Gabriel Seymour, she learns the provenance of the paintings and her grandmother's role in the French resistance. I don't quite understand the hype around this author. This is my second Lucy Foley novel and I tried very hard to stay with the story.

Jess, a Londoner escaping her less-than-ideal job, arrives in Paris to stay with her brother, Ben, only to find him missing. From the very start, every character has something to hide. Foley spends much of the first half of her novel unwinding the threads connecting each character to Ben and their potential motives for his disappearance. The pace is rather slow and focuses more on developing the personalities of apartment building’s inhabitants than on the main mystery at hand. Delving into subplots of roommate drama, affairs, and extortion, Foley takes occasional detours from Ben’s disappearance. Despite leaving the reader impatient and wanting more action, this exposition provides much needed context for the latter half of the novel and builds the tension that makes the ending oh-so-satisfying. Lia is determined to find out more. She will go in search of true ownership of the paintings and she will enlist the help of Gabriel, an art appraiser. BTW, it’s so strange how several of the family members fell in love with Ben though but also absolutely hated him. Why did Sophie act like she hated him if she kept him alive? Same with Mimi’s reaction about Ben. And what were they planning to do with him? I don’t know if I missed that or it was never explained. Strange. The linear approach might have made a few more things more predictable than in something like The Hunting Party but, by and large, this was a really fun read from one of our favourite authors!Jess wants to stay with her half-brother Ben in Paris until she gets herself sorted. He is reluctant to comply, but ultimately gives her permission to come to his new apartment. However, when she arrives he is missing. As she meets his wealthy neighbors, she begins to question what they are hiding. What happened to Ben? The Paris Apartment is an absorbing book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The field of WWII books that take place in Paris has become a bit crowded but I found this story to be a particularly good one. The characters are well developed and both timelines are equally interesting. While it presents the seriousness and horrors of the war, it’s a lighter read than some of the other books of its kind, which was a welcome change for me. there's more weight to this one than The Hunting Party/ The Guest List—it's more ambitious in structure and content than the fluffy drawing room-style mysteries that preceded it, and it has a more meaningful story than fancy people getting murdered. not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's good to know she's got more in her than reheating a been-there-done-that plot. To me, The Paris Apartment is a mixed bag of genuinely thrilling revelations that really work, and others that fall so short of the mark they leaves a reader feeling underwhelmed. Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.