The Paris Files: A Novel

by Eva Jurczyk

A sophisticated, character-driven thriller in which a romantic rendezvous in Paris turns disastrous after the disappearance of a new lover

Genie St. Onge’s heart is broken more often than it’s not—but that doesn’t stop her from diving in head-first when she meets Jacob Ford. Their connection is instantaneous and consuming, and they agree to meet again in Paris. In a heady mix of sugared pastries and rumpled bedsheets, they begin plotting their future together. In the dreamy apartment they're renting in the 11th arrondissement, they become intoxicated by each other.

Until Jacob disappears.

Genie knows Jacob would never leave her. Not by choice. When phone calls to hospitals turn up nothing, she grows convinced that someone must have taken him. It's the only explanation.

Under the scrutiny of the French police, however, Genie’s story doesn’t quite hold up—and it sounds like Jacob might not be all he seems, either. Through police interviews with Genie and nearby residents of the 11th arrondissement, the truth remains elusive. She swears has no idea what happened to Jacob – so why doesn’t her story align with anyone else’s?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 6, 2026

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an ARC review, and I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

I really wanted to love “The Paris Files” by Eva Jurczyk because the premise behind the storytelling is genuinely intriguing. The idea of unraveling a mystery entirely through interview transcripts is bold and creative. On paper, it promises an immersive experience, almost like the reader is sitting in on the investigation and piecing everything together firsthand. That concept alone deserves credit.

Unfortunately, the execution just did not work for me.

The entire story unfolds through one sided interview transcripts, and instead of feeling clever or innovative, it quickly became frustrating and difficult to follow. Without hearing the questions being asked, the responses often felt disjointed and unnatural. It is hard to believe that detectives could call in potential witnesses or suspects and have them immediately launch into exhaustive, uninterrupted monologues about every detail of their lives. And I do mean every….little….detail.

Most detectives would probably love that level of cooperation, but it simply is not realistic. The interviewees frequently repeated themselves, circled back to the same points, or wandered off on tangents that added very little to the plot. What might have felt layered and complex instead felt repetitive, with too many interviews revisiting the same information without adding anything new to the mystery.

What made it even more frustrating was investing so much time wading through all those transcripts and waiting for the big reveal, only for the ending to feel abrupt and rushed. After spending so many pages on excessive detail, it almost felt like the story reached a point where the author decided it was time to wrap things up and quickly tied everything together. Instead of feeling satisfied, I felt shortchanged.

There is a solid mystery buried here, and I truly believe the structural idea had strong potential. But between the unrealistic interview format, the repetition, and the rushed conclusion, the execution ultimately undermined what could have been a much stronger read.

[Olga Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! Who done it with lots of spins. If you like murder mysteries this book is for you. Beautiful Paris scenery. Thank you NetGalley for the free advances version.

[Alexandra Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh this was so unique!

A story told in a series of interviews. It took a while to get to the plot. But after about 100 pages I was sucked in. Poor Genie was desperate for love and was made out by the Parisians to have conjured up a whole love story in her head when she asks for help finding her missing lover. This was thrilling and twisty. Definitely recommend!

[Corinne Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young man goes missing in Paris, and his girlfriend has reported him missing. The entire story is written in an investigative report format, whereby a number of different characters are interviewed. This was different to me, but it worked. All kinds of crazy things go on in the apartment complex the couple is staying in. The story progresses through all of the different interviews until the mystery of the young man’s disappearance is revealed. There was a lot of deception and gaslighting that at one point I thought the female MC was losing her mind. Overall, this was an entertaining read.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Pamela Dorman Books for the invitation to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

~thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review~

Not a bad read. Each chapter was pretty short and fast paced. Each chapter was also different people that they were interviewing so that was cool. It was just kind of confusing because there were so many characters. It also didn’t pick up until halfway through the book.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC of this! What a fun, psychological thriller/mystery! The short chapters and constant switching of POVs makes you feel like you are racing through this book trying to figure out what has happened. Are the narrators reliable, as they give them statements to the police? Who knows! That’s part of the ride. See if you can figure out what’s happening before it all comes crashing down.

[PSz · Rating 5 out of 5]

she's baaaaaaaaaaaaack! after her last two books were letdowns I was starting to worry. but she's back and better than ever. maybe even better than her first book?

[Christina Wiendels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Penguin Random House Canada for my seventh ARC Giveaway and the opportunity to write a review for Eva Jurczyk’s fictional novel, The Paris Files! Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

This title stood out to me for a few reasons: though categorized as fiction, the novel has elements of thriller (plots twists and danger), mystery (the classic whodunit), and romance (hence, The “Paris” Files), which make it thought-provoking and complex; the cover, though not final yet, is attention-grabbing, as it features a twisty staircase with two windows on either side and the book title, which is printed in cotton-candy-blue letters that are large and all-caps; and the novel is not only written by a female Canadian writer and librarian, but its main character is also a Canadian woman—she is a Torontonian staying in the eleventh arrondissement of Paris—which, for me, as a fellow Canadian, made the story feel closer to home.

The Paris Files is a fast, wild ride that keeps the reader guessing who is lying and who is telling the truth. Written in seven parts and told through interviews alone—the interviews are implicit, since the questions are never given but they can be guessed from the characters’ answers—Jurczyk keeps the readers’ interest from start to finish through a vast array of well-drawn characters: The Tourist, Genevieve (Genie for short) St. Onge; The Classmate, Aris Tsoulias; The Landlord, Fatma Mbaye; The Best Friend, Partridge Middcoffe; The Caretaker, Rolande LeGoff; The Neighbour, Henri Thiers; The Shopkeeper, Yousef Al-Shami; The Poet, Noor Thiers; and one additional character who will go unnamed here, simply because this review seeks to preserve the novel’s surprises. (Lieutenant Serge Callais and Lieutenant Therese Diouf of the Directorate of the Judicial Police conduct the interviews, but we know very little about them.) Genie, The Tourist, is the main character, and she is on a ninety-day visa when she agrees to meet Jacob Ford—the cute American with curly brown hair that she first met in the Philippines—in Paris for a couple of weeks. Even though Jacob is ten years younger than Genie, they quickly become enamoured with each other and want to meet up again. For Genie, Jacob is refreshing after her series of failed relationships. He is also a bit unusual and mysterious: besides being a thirty-year-old backpacker with a stand-out green backpack and a ridiculously common name, he insists on “no phones” until they see each other again and, when they do see each other, he pays for everything with cash (that is, no cards). He is also startlingly tidy, always folding up his clothing in packing cubes, and oddly stubborn when he has set his sights on something (for example, a certain cake). When Jacob suddenly disappears the morning after he has agreed to extend his time with Genie in Paris (that is, on April 15th), Genie struggles to find assistance from the neighbours who reside at or near 44 Rue Oberkampf in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. Part of the problem is that Genie is frantic to find Jacob (in case he is in danger), so everyone thinks she might be crazy, and another part of the problem is that no one seems to have ever seen Jacob while he was staying with Genie! Does/did Jacob exist, does/did Jacob love Genie, and, if so, where is Jacob now? Genie is a photographer, but Jacob always said, “No phones,” so Genie seems to have no evidence of Jacob’s existence to share with the individuals around her . . . Genie’s hasty hunt for Jacob—captured through her repeated mantra about how Jacob is real, Jacob loves her, and he needs her help—is mirrored in the novel’s form through its short, fast chapters. The chapters range from a single page to eight pages, with a number of chapters just two pages in length. Notably, the longest chapters are told from Genie’s perspective, so the reader is inclined to believe Genie’s retelling of the events that took place in Paris. Should we trust Genie, though?

Because The Paris Files is told from the first-person point of view, and from a plethora of perspectives, it is both a deeply personal story—we learn a lot about each of the character’s precise thoughts and feelings (sometimes these thoughts are surprisingly humorous)—and a story that limits what the reader can know, since we only know what that specific character sees, hears, and experiences. The only way to try and determine what actually happened to Jacob is by trying to see through each character’s biases or opinions and comparing the characters’ retellings of the events that occurred during those two weeks in Paris. As we learn each character’s side of the story, we gain insight into his or her personal motivations and how he or she truly feels about Genie, the beautiful forty-year-old (that Genie is beautiful seems to be unanimous) whose French is, from The Shopkeeper’s perspective at least, abysmal. Besides the characters who reside in or near 44 Rue Oberkampf in Paris—Rolande, Henri and Noor Thiers (they are husband and wife, have two sons named Sebastian and Andre, and are Genie’s next-door neighbours who live in flat 4B), and Yousef Al-Shami—there are a few outlying characters who are able to provide perhaps more objective perspectives and help us understand more clearly the personalities of Genie and Jacob specifically. Partridge, a married woman with a little son named Theo, is Genie’s closest friend—she probably knows Genie best—while Aris, a young man living in Cleveland (where Jacob is supposedly from), is Jacob’s good friend from high school and was his roommate after college, so he probably knows Jacob best. Fatma, the elderly landlord who is renting out her flat (4A) to Genie from the 1st of April, rents out her place when she goes on holidays or stays with her granddaughter. Though some characters are more prominent in the story—for example, Henri and Noor and their children—what makes Jurczyk’s novel so compelling, at least in part, is how each and every character’s interviews are in in some way critical for the reader’s understanding of not only the mystery of Jacob’s disappearance, but also how the various characters’ lives are connected to each other. The mystery aspect of this character-driven thriller is, in my opinion, a success because the various characters’ lives feel simultaneously close (first-person perspective) and at-a-distance (overlapping and sometimes conflicting event retellings) due to the perspective and structure of the novel.

While The Paris Files is moreso a thriller and a mystery, it also has aspects of romance, in part because it is set in the most romantic city (Paris) and in part because it is about the challenges that intimate relationships pose. Up until Jacob’s sudden disappearance, Genie and Jacob’s relationship is dreamy and fun. They spend the first weekend of their time together in Paris completely inside the flat: they make pasta and have coffee, and simply enjoy telling each other stories about their lives as they flip through old photos on Genie’s phone (the only time they use a phone together). Afterward, they explore the city together: Genie is interested in seeing the city, while Jacob is interested in eating the food. Jacob soon becomes determined that they visit all of the farmers’ markets. Besides Genie and Jacob’s romance, however, there are a number of other relationships in the novel, as well as a preoccupation with the difficulty of finding a committed romantic partner. Henri and Noor’s relationship as husband and wife is explored through their sometimes at-variance retellings of events, while Partridge and Aris reflect on the challenge of maintaining a relationship. In this way, The Paris Files gives a more even-handed—in a word, realistic— representation of romance: it is important to love love, like Genie does, but it might take some time to find the right person.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books entertain you. Some books keep you turning pages. And then there are the rare ones that quietly rearrange your brain furniture while you're still standing there holding a throw pillow. The Paris Files is another one of those books.

Told entirely through police interviews, this novel unfolds piece by piece, layer by layer, like a puzzle you don’t realize you’re solving until you're already deep inside it. At the center of the story is Genevieve St. Onge, Genie to her friends, a woman who falls in love easily and has endured her fair share of heartbreak. Now 40, she believes she’s found something real with Jacob Ford while traveling abroad. Their whirlwind romance leads them to Paris… and then Jacob disappears.

From there, the story unfolds through a series of interviews: the landlord, the neighbor, the best friend, the shopkeeper, the caretaker, the classmate, and even Jacob’s wife. Each voice adds another layer. Each perspective shifts the ground just a little more. And before long, you find yourself questioning everything and everyone.

Did Jacob exist?
Is Genie a reliable narrator?
Are any of these witnesses telling the full truth?
And what about that elevator?

What I loved most about this book was the structure. The police interview format felt fresh and incredibly effective. Rather than building tension through action, the author builds unease through contradiction, omission, and subtle shifts in perspective. The tension starts quietly, almost gently, before tightening slowly until I realized I couldn’t stop reading.

This is very much a psychological thriller, but not in a don't-close-your-eyes way. Instead, it creates a creeping unease. I wasn’t scared; I was more unsettled. I felt like there was something deeper happening just out of reach, something I needed to understand but couldn’t quite grasp.

The characters were another highlight. Genie is romantic, hopeful, and vulnerable in a way that makes you root for her even as you begin to doubt her. The supporting cast is equally compelling, their perspectives adding layers of uncertainty. Each character felt distinct, believable, and important to the unfolding mystery. The plot was brilliantly constructed. The layering of perspectives creates a perfect storm of unreliable narration. By the end, I trusted no one. Absolutely no one.

If I had to offer a small critique, it’s that the tension builds slowly at first. Readers expecting immediate suspense might need to settle into the pacing. That slow burn, however, is exactly what makes the payoff so very effective.

Content warnings to consider: themes of psychological manipulation, dementia, emotional distress, and disappearance.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, layered storytelling, and stories that leave you thinking long after the final page. If you like books that quietly get under your skin, this one is absolutely worth your time. The ending was one of those stare-at-the-wall-for-a-few-minutes endings that makes you immediately want to reread the book and see what you missed the first time. And yes… I’m already considering a reread.

Thank you to Viking Penguin for providing this advanced copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun for a book where I was so frustrated by how people treated a woman (gaslighting and out right lying to her) and also a book where I was sort of annoyed by her extreme reactions to being gaslit and lied to.

The Paris Files is told in the form of witness statements given to the police. So each interview reads sort of like a long monologue. You have the Tourist - the woman in question, Genevive St Onge, a Canadian traveling around Asia until she can re-up a European visa; the Shopkeeper - a brusque, regimented man who is both mildly attracted to and completely fed up by Genevive; The Neighbor - Henri who lives in the flat next door; The Poet - Henri's wife Noor, a writer and mother to their young boys; The Best Friend - the improbably named Partridge, Genevive's best friend who is reached via phone from Toronto; and so on.

On her last night in a small surf town, Genie meets a cute boy, not really a boy - Jacob is almost 10 years younger than she is - and the flirtation is all grown up. They spend the night together and, in the morning, impulsively make plans to meet up in Paris in a few days.

Genie arrives first, anxious that their one night together meant more to her than it did to him, and that perhaps another, younger, woman has turned his head in the meantime. But Jacob appears and they proceed to have an idyllic, honeymoon like time, with Jacob insisting that they put their phones down and focus only on each other and on Paris. She is charmed; this reader was suspicious. They fall into a sweet little routine where he gets up to buy fresh baguettes for breakfast, while she goes and buys fruits from the crabby shopkeeper.

One morning, after an evening of planning their future together, starting with extending their stay in Paris, Genie wakes to find Jacob is gone. She guesses he's off getting breakfast but when he doesn't return in a few minutes decides he must be spending some alone time and they will surely meet up later. She goes off exploring the sights, taking photos, etc and soon the entire day has gone by and she realizes that she hasn't heard from Jacob. Knowing his aversion to the phone, she heads home, figuring that he must be there but instead the flat is empty, his things are missing. Something is terribly wrong.

Where things go from here takes twists and turns not to be believed. There are some cultural, generational, and misogynistic issues at play. She is dismissed for not doing things the French way, for being too pretty, for not speaking the language, for being in the way. In the end the person you'd least expect is the one that gives Genevive a chance to heal.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you to Eva Jurczyk, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House/Viking Books/Pamela Dorman Books for the eARC of The Paris Files in exchange for my honest review.

My, my, my Eva, you wrote quite the story!

Genie, a Canadian tourist meets her dream guy named Jacob in the Philippines and begins a wild tourism affair, ending in Paris. One night though, he disappears and through police interviews, the story unfolds that Genie's story doesn't match up at all with anyone else's. Because this story is told through police interviews, a section at the beginning calls out that though Genie's interviews were spoken in English and French citizens spoken in French then translated, the [conduct of the lieutenants on the case didn't hinder the investigation] (paraphrased, not quoted). The unreliable narrator trope was immediately at the forefront of my mind. Let alone, Genie's interviews (and who we come to know of her as a person), adds to the unreliable narrator theme. This made the entire novel a very fun read.

The buildup and tension at the beginning is quite slow but steady. You're introduced to a variety of characters, all of which stand out from each other. This is quite a task to mentally keep track of who is who. Each chapter functioning as the next person's interview (or continuation of a previously heard character's interview) are conveniently labeled "The Neighbor," "The Poet," etc. so you could keep track. The entire framework of the novel was creative, exciting, and enjoyable. I do just think the first 20% was slow but necessary for the plot.

My only other real critique was that Genie was a tad insufferable. She was sooooooo in love with her Jacob that I think this point was literally nailed into my brain like a nail in a coffin. I got the point. Not that this is bad, just bad for me. It greatly sold the storyline by the climax of the novel and overall, I understood why it was necessary.

Overall, I'm giving this book 4 out 5 stars. It was enjoyable, I couldn't stop reading it once I got to the 45% mark, and loved every single character. The book made me want my own life in the 11th Arrondissement, getting a fresh baguette in the morning every morning, arguing with the most French looking Frenchman who owns the fruit market across from my flat, and wary of any future conciergerie in Paris. A brilliantly fun, twisty turn read.

Thank you again to Eva Jurczyk, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House/Viking Books/Pamela Dorman Books for the eARC of The Paris Files in exchange for my honest review.

[The Starry Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paris Files by Eva Jurczyk is a Parisian mystery thriller about about disappearing dreams and what one is willing to do find them.

Genie St. Onge a serial dater, falls head over heels in love with Jacob Ford, a free spirited world traveler. When they decide to meet up in Paris, their fling turns serious when they begin planning their lives together. Enchanted by the Parisian amour, their romantic days and nights spent together in their rental flat consumes them to the point of obsession. Things takes a dark turn when one day Jacob disappears. Genie can't believe it and when police interview the residents of the rental building, it makes her question everything she thought she knew about Jacob and herself.

This is the second Eva Jurczyk book I have read, 'That Night in the Library' being the first, and I enjoyed this story as much as her other book. I liked how the story was written from the pov of police interviews of the various characters, because it made everyone feel like a suspect. I did end up suspecting a few different characters as the story progressed, and I am glad it turned out to be completely different from what I thought. The twists and turns and the intoxicated romance was dizzying which helped me as a reader experience everything from the point of view of Genie, making me question her state of mind. It was shocking how far one was willing to go to get what they want, throwing all morals and values out the window. The gaslighting was crazy and the greed equally so.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this page turner. The big reveal at the end was shocking, one I didn't see coming. I still have some questions and I like that I finished the book still doubting some of the characters and events.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Shanley McGinnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Files is an immersive suspense novel that immediately pulls you into the investigation and refuses to let go.

The story begins when Genie, a woman nearing forty who is hoping to find lasting love, meets Jacob while traveling abroad. After deciding to spend time together in a rented flat in Paris, everything changes when Genie wakes one morning to discover Jacob has vanished without a trace.

What makes this novel stand out is its unique format. Much of the story unfolds through police interview transcripts, allowing readers to piece together the mystery alongside the investigators. Every interview adds another layer, revealing new details while raising even more questions. As each character shares their version of events, it becomes increasingly difficult to know who is telling the truth and who may be hiding something.

The cast of characters is full of surprises, with nearly everyone proving to be far more complex than they first appear. Just when I thought I had solved the mystery, another revelation sent me in a completely different direction. The twists felt well-earned, and I genuinely didn't know how everything would come together until the very end.

If you enjoy investigative thrillers, unreliable accounts, and mysteries that invite you to play detective alongside the police, The Paris Files delivers a compelling, twist-filled reading experience that keeps you guessing until the final pages.

[mkm_bookloverarchivistreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eva Jurczyk's latest novel, The Paris Files, hits stores in October. New to this author? This book is a great place to start. The story follows Genie St. Onge, a lovable but hapless romantic who's always getting her heart broken. She meets Jacob Ford, and it's love at first sight. They plan a romantic trip to Paris, but things take a dark turn when Jacob vanishes. As Genie teams up with the French police to find him, her own life starts to fall apart, revealing secrets and lies. Eva Jurczyk's The Paris Files is a real page-turner - think mystery, thrills, and intrigue, all served up with a side of French flair. The story unfolds through a series of interviews, chapter by chapter, part by part. If you enjoyed A Murder in Paris by Matthew Blake, you'll love this one - trust me, it's a wild ride! This book's unique narrative structure, featuring multiple POVs and brief chapters, is undeniably captivating, but it also prompts an intriguing question: how reliable are these narrators, really? The Parisian atmosphere is a real showstopper - a perfect mix of dark mystery, alluring charm, and memories that will haunt you forever. Eva Jurczyk's The Paris Files is a real page-turner! With its intricate character development and twisty plot, this thriller is sure to captivate fans of Lisa Jewell and Lucy Foley, and even those who are new to the genre will find themselves hooked. You won't want to miss 'The Paris Files' - the thrilling new read that's got everyone talking!

[Alysa Blum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC. I'd give this a 3.5; but rounded down because it didn't quite feel like a 4 for me.
The Paris Files is told through the unique lens of police case files documenting the disappearance of "The Tourist's" lover, Jacob Ford. I really enjoyed the creativity of this format—it immediately grabbed my attention and made for a fun, fast read. The short chapters, multiple points of view, and cast of interesting characters kept the pages turning.

That said, the case file format didn't always feel completely authentic. The reports contained an incredible amount of detail that felt more like traditional storytelling than actual police documentation. It worked for the sake of the novel, but it occasionally pulled me out of the story.

I also struggled to connect with the characters. Genie, the main character, often came across as desperate and obsessive, making it difficult to root for her. Jacob wasn't particularly sympathetic either, as a cheating drifter, and by the end I found myself feeling fairly indifferent toward almost everyone. While I don't necessarily need likable characters to enjoy a thriller, I do want someone to leave a lasting impression.

Overall, this was an entertaining and easy read with a clever premise, but it never quite delivered a true "wow" moment for me. If you enjoy unconventional storytelling, multiple POVs, and quick chapters, it's definitely worth checking out.

[Elyse F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Viking Penguin and NetGalley for this ARC!

I'm not a fast reader, but I devoured this book in under two days. This thriller kicked off quickly, telling the reader that what they're about to read is a series of police interviews related to a case in Paris. Then, boom! We're trying to put together the puzzle pieces of a mysterious crime, wondering who is a reliable source and what may have happened.

The format was creative and the writing was engaging. The way details and clues gradually unfolded kept me guessing and eager to read more. The details about life in Paris felt authentic, and the cast of characters added to the mystery and the setting. I especially loved Youssef, the fruit seller. His view of American tourists gave a humorous touch that rounded out the writing. The way each characters' interviews both interacted with the police and recounted events was very well done.

As the mystery progressed, I worried this would be a tale with a wholly unreliable female narrator, and was very excited to find that was not the case - that would have been a cop out and there were no lame cop outs here! There were appropriately paced twists and reveals so I wasn't rushed, confused, or disappointed. There were the right amount of bread crumbs and red herrings so I could passenger princess a bit and guess a bit. I wasn't left scratching my head, but instead was pleased with the wrap up.

I can't wait for this to be published so I can discuss it with friends!!

[Lauren Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paris Files was a fun mystery novel with lots of twists throughout the story. It’s written in a found footage style in police interview transcripts, so as the reader you feel like the detective trying to unravel the clues. The story takes place in Paris that follows the mysterious disappearance…? Murder? Of Jacob while Genivive St Onge has a romantic getaway that turns sour. Did she make this whole story up? What really happened to Jacob? Or did he ever exist at all?

The characters were all interesting but I feel like they could’ve gone a little deeper. Genie the main character was a mess and I found her interviews to be the funniest, while the other characters revolved around her storyline mostly. I wish that we could’ve gotten more from the ACTUAL crime that took place, while I loved the twist and idea of it, I feel that there could’ve been some really good details and more back story on the mysterious Jacob.

I also thought there would be more romance but it’s kind of a sub-plot and the spice level was pretty limited as everything was closed door. Which is okay it’s just not what I anticipated!


Overall I’d give this read a 3.5 as a suspenseful psychological thriller! Definitely worth a read especially if you’re planning a little Parisian vacation.

Thank you net galley and Viking Penguin for the opportunity to read this book!

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Character-driven psychological suspense novel set in Paris. A smashing twisty read.

Told in an epistolary format of police incident or interview reports spanning three days, the reader becomes part of the story of what happened to young American, Jacob Ford. He’s come to Paris to meet up with an older woman, Genie St. Onge, a Canadian, he met in the Philippines, to continue an affair in an apartment in the 11th aggrandizement. Besides Genie, the police interview the apartment landlord, the apartment concierge, the family next door, a shopkeeper, and several of Genie’s friends and family back home. It becomes evident at one point Genie is the leading suspect. The ending is a good one too!

The chapters are short so the story moves quickly but as the reader you are part of the story having to piece together the events and the clues - think Good People for those who read that book, though this book had a clearer ending. The pacing is good too using this format especially as the characters flesh out and motivations are clearer. Great tension too aids in this smart mystery.

This is perfect for mystery readers who enjoy a suspense filled read that places them in the middle of the action. Really enjoyed the read.

Mt thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Paula Dorman Books for granting me access to this ARC.

[Angelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Paris Files is told in such a refreshingly unique way. I was sucked in, turning page after page. So many multiple POV character driven novels are hard to follow and it can hard to keep track of who is who, but this author tackled that feat so well telling the story all through police interviews. I liked everyone in their own way. I got a sense of each character, a sense of the atmosphere, and the internal claustrophobia that hovered around everyone.

This story gets a bit out of hand, but in an unhinged way that I like in my mystery/thrillers. I am here for the entertainment, and can say I was thoroughly entertained.

4.5 instead of 5 stars, only because there is quite a bit of repetition, but not so bad. The M-POV makes the repetition sort of necessary to put it all together.

I did have this one mostly figured out before the end, but that didn’t impact it in a negative way at all. I mostly want to just tout my ability to finally solve a twisty book! This was twisty, with no one seeming entirely reliable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for providing the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

[Paden Belanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of The Paris Files.

First, the positives: the story is gripping, the characters all feel like real people, and the mystery unravels at a good pace without feeling rushed.

The negatives: while they feel like real people, some characters feel like a hyperbolized version of Parisians and the ending did not do it for me.

I had a hard time rating this book. I like the unique writing style of telling the story through police interviews. I usually abhor books that try to get too cute with that kind of thing to stand out, however, I think it is well done. Only 1 character is likeable out of the 10 or so we get interviews from, which makes sense in the context of the book, but it is a little annoying at times. The other issue I had was with how repetitive it was. There are several interview sections that just rehash what was said previously with a small detail change to implicate a character or create motive.

Overall, I had a fun time. The mystery is interesting and I felt myself compelled to figure out how it would all end, resulting in reading the last third of the book in one sitting. I am giving it a 3.75, rounded up to a 4 and would recommend to most people that are interested in a uniquely written and engaging mystery.

[Shasta Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The female main character, Genie St. Onge, is a down on her luck romantic who instantly falls in love with Jacob Ford. When they go on a romantic trip to Paris together, Jacob goes missing and Genie will do anything to track him back down.

I wanted to love this book because the premise sounded like it would be a fast-paced entertaining read. Trying to solve a mystery through interview transcripts only should have been an exciting and innovative way to dive into the story, as other mysteries have had great success doing this through podcast recordings, newspaper articles, etc.

However, the story felt really flat to me. Genie was funny and has a rose-colored glasses POV on life, but that made her a little naive and annoying at times. Like, ma'am, the other people in your life? They are taking advantage of you or straight up lying to you, but Genie just can't/won't see it.

Overall, I would say this was a solid 3 stars for me, but would be interested in re-visiting as an audiobook if that helps the transcripts come to life more.

[Mandyloves2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS!

The Paris Files by Eva Jurczyk

This one completely sucked me in! What starts as a romantic getaway in Paris quickly turns into a twisty, addictive mystery when Genie’s new love, Jacob, suddenly disappears. From there, I was questioning everyone and everything.

I loved how the story slowly revealed little inconsistencies and secrets through Genie, the police interviews, and the people surrounding them. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was happening, another detail would pop up and make me second guess myself all over again. Nobody seemed completely trustworthy, and that made this so much fun to read.

The Paris setting was absolutely perfect , beautiful and romantic on the surface while something much darker was unfolding underneath. The suspense kept building, and I genuinely needed to know what happened to Jacob and who was actually telling the truth.

Twisty, clever, atmospheric, and seriously hard to put down. The Paris Files was a fantastic 5 star read for me! If you love psychological thrillers where everyone has secrets and nothing is quite what it seems, definitely add this one to your list!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky to get the arc of this book through Netgalley and it comes out October 6,2026. This book follows the journey of Genie St. Ogne's journey of meeting Jacob Ford and trying to figure out what happened to him when he disappeared suddenly. There are many characters throughout the story as it follows each one through an interview style format for each chapter. I really enjoyed how short and quick each chapter was because it made you wonder who would be next in line to give their interview and what would happen next. I will say for me personally the book was a bit slow and didn't pick up until about halfway through. If that is something you like then this book is for you! The story itself was intriguing and kept me wondering where it was going up until the end. I was questioning everyone's stories and interviews through the whole book which I think the author did well because it made me feel like I didn't know what was going to happen next. Or if I has an idea, I was wrong.
The story line is great, the pace was just slow for me!

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The Paris Files is scheduled for release on October 6.

I was genuinely excited to pick this one up. A mystery set in Paris seemed like it would be right up my alley, but unfortunately, this was a miss for me.

The biggest issue was that I never connected with a single character. I found every one of them unlikeable, which made it difficult to stay invested in the story. The interview-style narrative also didn't work for me. Instead of building suspense, it made the story feel disjointed, and I often struggled to follow the flow. I also found many of the witness statements to the police highly implausible, which made it hard to suspend disbelief.

I will give the book credit for an ending that managed to surprise me. Unfortunately, by that point I had already lost interest and found myself skimming much of the second half just to reach the conclusion.

While the premise had so much potential, the execution simply didn't work for me.

[Melanie Zitzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 The Paris Files was a great mystery that had me guessing clear until the very end. I thought I had it figured out at least three different times and in the end I was still wrong!

I loved the way that Paris was described in this book. I feel like I was there enjoying the fruit, pastries, and bread along with them. The descriptions of locations were fun for me to remember from my last trip there.

I really enjoyed the format of the book. Reading pieces of people’s interviews and learning the backstory while you go along was a new way for me to experience a story and it worked very well. I enjoyed the mystery of it all from page one.

I did find myself frustrated with Genie quite often. But I guess that makes her a flawed and realistic character. It was fun to consider if all the characters were reliable in their testimony or not.

[anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the interview-style writing. The police transcripts and shifting perspectives made the story incredibly easy to follow while deepening the suspense with every page. Watching Genie try to uncover what really happened to Jacob…while questioning whether the mystery lies in his disappearance or her own mental health…was gripping. The uncertainty is handled so well that you’re never quite sure who to trust.

This was completely binge-worthy! The story just kept getting better and more layered as it unfolded. The characters feel real in that unsettling way where you recognize pieces of people you know in each of them. There were even a few LOL moments that didn’t take away from the thriller vibes but instead made the characters feel more human. Brilliantly done and impossible to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.

[Lynn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery unfolds through a series of transcripts of witness statements. Initially I found this a little tricky to get into, but as the book progressed, I became completely caught up in the story.

I found myself questioning which version of events was the correct one. Is our heroine delusional or the victim of gaslighting? Clearly somebody is lying, but the different witness perspectives make it hard to decide which characters are truthful.

I did not see the solution to the mystery coming until the very end which is always a good sign for me. The characters (with all their flaws) felt believable and well developed. The Parisian setting is definitely a plus. I would recommend this one to fans of mysteries with a psychological thriller feel.

4.5 stars rounded down to 4. Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of the book.

[Antoinette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts out a bit slow but when the action hit, it hit fast!

The book is written in short chapters as interviews of the characters, giving multiple perspectives of each character and event. This format made for great suspense and questioning throughout the story. I truly wanted to believe Genie but when the math wasn’t mathing, I felt sorry for her and started wondering, like the other characters, if Jacob really existed. The selection of characters that participated in the interviews was a great way to
Provide perspective into who they all were.

In the end, we found out what happened but there were some details that were missing to paint the full picture. It felt a bit incomplete, especially after the level of detail that was provided at all other parts of the book.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to fans of the genre.

[Dana Trevino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Paris files was a complete surprise for me. I adored the unique format told through interviews with the characters, which gave the whole store such as easy, natural flow.
Genie was the standout for me. Her free-spirited energy, her refusal to bend when it mattered, and the way she held firm on her beliefs made her impossible not to root for. I rooted for her the whole book.
The book also doesn't shy away from exploring the darker side of ambition. The greed-whether it's cheating, manipulation, or the hunger for property and power, really feels sharp and intentional. It adds tension without every overwhelming the characters.
Overall, The Paris Files is clever, engaging, and original. I loved every minute of it and it was an easy five stars for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my first exposure to Eva Jurczyk, but it’s safe to say it will not be my last. This might be one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Writing the entire novel as only interviews with suspects and witnesses was incredibly creative, and I think it was pulled off well. I spent the first 2/3 of the book utterly confused and unsure who to trust in the best way. The book is full of twists and turns, gaslighting, and plenty of drama. On top of that, even when I thought I had it figured out, I was still wrong. Between the plot and the short chapters, I found myself flying through this book.

The true crime aficionado in me truly loved reading this book and would definitely recommend it. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept it throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!