I went through a reading phase a while back where I was plowing through classic locked-room mysteries by writers like Agatha Christie and P.D. James. Eventually, I got overwhelmed by these types of books and stopped my mini-binge, convincing myself that the plots were becoming too formulaic even when I was inevitably surprised by the solution to the puzzle at the heart of each novel.

Fast forward a few years, and I found myself pleasantly surprised to pick up Lucy Foley’s earlier books, THE GUEST LIST and THE HUNTING PARTY. Both titles took much of what I loved from those classic English crime novels (the atmospheric surroundings, the neurotic cast of characters) and updated them for the 21st century.

"The book takes a classic formula but makes it feel fresh and modern using contemporary storytelling techniques, ensuring that readers will come away from it eagerly awaiting Foley’s next fiendishly clever puzzle of a mystery."

Foley’s latest effort, THE PARIS APARTMENT, might not be strictly a locked-room mystery --- its action, including some pivotal scenes, does take place outside the titular apartment building where the initial crime occurs. But of course it does, because any crime novelist in their right mind would take the opportunity to write about Paris if their book is set in that evocative city.

As the novel opens, British journalist Ben is awaiting a visit from his half-sister, Jess, who has just quit her bartending job back in the UK and is in need of a place to crash. Ben has been living for the past several months at a posh apartment building in Paris, on the invitation of Nick, one of his university acquaintances, who also has found himself in Paris after a stint in Silicon Valley. But just as Ben is leaving a voicemail for Jess, he is interrupted by an unexpected person at the door. By the time Jess arrives at the apartment a few hours later, Ben is gone without a trace.

Well, not quite without a trace, since over the hours and days that follow, Jess becomes convinced that, despite what both the police and Ben’s neighbors suggest, he has not simply taken off for a few days. He has left behind not only his cat and his Vespa but also his keys and wallet. Furthermore, Jess finds some notes that indicate he believed he was on the verge of breaking open a major news story. She grows increasingly uneasy by the unfriendliness of most other residents of the small apartment building --- everyone except Nick, essentially. The building’s reclusive “concierge” even straightforwardly warns Jess to leave and stop asking questions.

Clearly there are some serious secrets lurking behind the posh façade (and down the secret staircases and hidden cellars) of this apartment building, but Jess is determined to find her older half-brother, who’s the only family she has in the world. But as various people start uncovering troubling clues and receiving threatening notes, can she discover the truth before it’s too late?

THE PARIS APARTMENT is cleverly and intricately plotted, told from several different points of view and occasionally moving forward and backward chronologically. This gives readers just enough clues to allow them to try to solve the mystery while continually pulling the rug out from under them so they remain off-balanced and surprised. The book takes a classic formula but makes it feel fresh and modern using contemporary storytelling techniques, ensuring that readers will come away from it eagerly awaiting Foley’s next fiendishly clever puzzle of a mystery.