Publisher: William Morrow
Published: February 22, 2022
Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher
Summary:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide…
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.
The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.
The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge
Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.
My thoughts:
This is the third book I’ve read by Lucy Foley and I just love her writing. While this latest book is a bit different than her previous two books, I really liked it and the more I’ve sat with it, the more I really appreciate that.
Lucy Foley has proven that she can do locked-room mysteries and do them well. It’s a trope I will never get tired of and I love all her different takes on it. In this latest one, we have a cast of troubled characters and lots of secrets and I loved the way we are slowly given information, bit by bit. The characters many not all be likeable, but boy do they all keep you guessing as to what is really going on, so much so that you have to wonder if they are even reliable.
There is something incredibly atmospheric about this story – the apartment building itself just oozes suspense – it’s so claustrophobic and cloying. I loved that I could totally picture the watchful concierge just keeping an eye out, hidden from view most times. It’s downright spooky when you think about it.
Between the short chapters and the twists, I was completely on edge reading this one. While I did figure out a few things, the author still managed to catch me unaware with her clever red herrings and misdirection and it just proves why this author is a must-read for me!
