Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

222 reviews

caitbop5's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent

macint0046's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Loved this book, great pacing and well written characters. It’s rare for the ending of a mystery to catch me off guard, but this one went above and beyond to mystify me to the very end. 

I’m a fan of Foley’s work, and I’d say this is one of her best. Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a thrilling mystery. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Child death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Grief, and Death of parent

fancyjess_party's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

sophiab27's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

jmdressel's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

an absolute page turner. i only ever put this book down when i was forced to! loved the first person voice from multiple characters. 

the pace was medium throughout, with the end resolution coming in waves rather than all in one bite. 

timeline was a bit difficult to follow in some instances, as each chapter is no longer than a few pages before the POV switches again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Trafficking, Stalking, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, and Deportation

abbyynormal's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, and Deportation

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

I finished this in just 2 days, which is pretty quick for me especially in the summer! It took a bit to get into the story but once I did, I did not want to put it down 🤭

I loved the switching POVs and getting to know the characters. At first it was a little difficult to keep track of everyone but it got easier over time! It also helped having such a large cast that I was constantly trying to guess the suspect.

Writing can be a little too much telling over showing at times. It was harder to get into compared to Foley’s other books. There are also quite a few pop culture/brand name dropping references which I don’t love, it’s a pet peeve of mine that will make the book feel dated in years to come😂

I only guessed one of the smaller reveals/twists. Absolutely shocked at the big reveals and watching the secrets come to light!! My jaw was on the floor, as always Foley has done it once again and continues to be one of my favorite thriller authors ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicide, and Stalking

Minor: Homophobia, Infertility, and Police brutality

tdawgg07's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Infertility, Sexual content, Suicide, and Alcohol

morganeua's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

For some reason, I never felt myself get invested in this book. It might be because so many of the characters were hiding themselves for so long, I never felt like I could identify with them. It could also be because the book is set in Paris and the reader is supposed to suspend their disbelief in the English text, which the author aids by occasionally tossing in some French words in italics. But the italicized words felt a bit silly because it was always very basic things that even an English speaker probably understands. The plot is cleverly woven, but the book just didn't hit me emotionally.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Murder

angorarabbit's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

Context: I wish I could remember the review that made me want to read this, I thought it was going to be more mystery and less thriller. 

 

TLDR:  I got hung-up on the foster care stuff, your mileage may vary. 

 

The plotting was pretty tight for the most part with a few plot holes that didn’t matter very much. The central mystery was interesting and fresh. Most plot twists were a surprise. 

 

My main problem came with the characterisation. The foster care system does heavy lifting in explaining Jess and Ben. Which wouldn’t have been so bad if there weren’t some important plot points that for someone somewhat familiar with the system are just plain unbelievable. I don’t know how much experience Ms Foley has had with the system but she might have benefited from an experienced beta reader.It’s rather like a non-Roma writer with a main character who is Roma and not having some Roma readers to advise them on Roma life. Just saying, “oh, they were in foster care so they are like this” is lazy. 

 

The ending felt like Ms Foley found her deadline approaching and her editor wanted a happy ending for all rewrite. Anyone surviving foster care could tell you that there never is a happy ending for everyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

the foster care system