Literally Dead Book Club discussion

This is the end!! You've completed the book!!
Full spoilery thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

What is your final rating?

Did the book go where you expected? Any surprises or twists in that final third?

Who was your favourite character by the end? Did it change throughout the book?

Are you left with any questions?

Are there any books or movies you would compare this to/you would recommend to those who enjoyed the book?

I finished it last night! I was totally sucked in just like The Guest List. I definitely felt the Lock Every Door vibes and the whole family thing was a good twist. I loved Nick, then hated him, then loved him lol. I also love a good f'd up heroine!

I tend to just go with the flow and don't try to figure out the twists and was so happy Ben was still alive (I'm nervous even typing this spoiler). The dad twist got me too. I was surprised by the Ben/Sophie thing ... I was assuming he'd hook up with Mimi or/AND Camille. I didn't really see any of it coming, just went with it! I hate giving stars, but I think it's a good 4-5 for me.

Movies/shows I would recommend - Only Murders in the Building (comedy), Rosemary's Baby for the creepy apartment building and neighbors vibe, and a newer show on Netflix - Archive 81 is a found footage "horror" show that was pretty good. And maybe No One Gets Out Alive also on Netflix.

Final rating lands somewhere around a 1.5, because I really hated everything and guessed so many of the reveals very very early on. I guessed the Sophie/Ben affair, the 'Nick is gay' reveal, the 'Mimi didn't kill Nick, but feels guilty because she told on Ben in an obsessive, betrayed rage', and ESPECIALLY the 'Ben is in the maid chambers on the rooftop' reveal the second they mentioned the chamber existed. It all felt so cliche, I hated the overusage of the word 'putain', and absolutely did not like the way Lucy Foley used date r*pe as a chapter cliffhanger to make us think her character was getting SA'd, for like shock value. Made me really sick.

My final rating is a three star. The book did not go where I expected but it also wasn't shocking enough to get a very high rating from me. I didn't really have any favorite characters by the end.

2 stars. This just felt like lazy writing to me filled with cliches, and over usage of French words that honestly didn’t flow with the story at all, even though they’re supposed to be French. Twists were not surprising at all and I skimmed the last half of the book and it still didn’t take anything away from the basic storyline.

I had so many I really enjoyed the book. It had a lot of interesting twists and turns and made me feel like I couldn't trust anyone. Maybe it's not the best book ever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was exactly what I needed.

Final rating, four stars and probably my favourite Lucy Foley actually. I was able to guess the twist about Ben being alive and Jacques being the one who was dead, I figured about Nick being in love with Ben pretty early on, and I thought that the concierge was probably staying because someone was her daughter or granddaughter (though I admit I initially thought it was going to be Irina). Everything about the family and the club and how the murder happened was a total surprise to me.

Overall I think my favourite thing about is was just the vibe of it, so even though some of it wasn't that shocking I still had fun reading it. I loved the setting (the building with the secret staircase), the drama of trying to fit in with Parisian high society. And it was altogether an interesting mystery.

As far as recommendations go I definitely got some Agatha Christie vibes (from certain elements) so I would say Murder on the Orient Express might be a good one. Also, maybe the movie Knives Out.

I thought this book was really bad. Both the writing style and the execution of the plot and characters.

It gets a 2 instead of a 1 for how much I - thoroughly - enjoyed the terribleness of this book! I kid you not, I cackled my way through this! I had a great time, just for the wrong reasons!

(For anyone using G from Book Roast’s CAWPILE spreadsheet: It got a 1 in every category except “Intrigue” (3) because I really wanted to know how terrible it could possibly get and “Enjoyment” (7) because I was truly so entertained throughout!)

Moments where fun twists could have been introduced were just thrown away and turned into random details. They could at least have been fun red herrings! But they were just there, doing nothing. (Why mention the Nazis while talking about the cellar for example? Why did “the concierge” not have a name? Why did Jess recognize the father’s portrait? Or the obvious mystery about the maid quarters.)

I feel really sorry for all of France and Parisians in particular! All those random French words/sentences that had no reason to be there and got translated anyway! Why!? And those REALLY atrocious clichés that were executed in the oddest ways… Just no.

Oh, look a riot! Why? Because Paris.

The writing style wasn’t to my taste at all and I thought the dialogue was especially bad.

Jess was one of the stupidest protagonists ever. Trying to blend in at a Halloween party? Throw a sheet over your head! Surely, nothing will go wrong with that!

And the rest of the book didn’t make much sense either. Ben gets bludgeoned over the head repeatedly, but doesn’t die because they were feeding him quiche! Sure. Need a place for a seedy sex club? Pop it next to the Louvre! Why not? …I mean, come on! You could at least try!

But, as I said, it was very entertaining! For me it was in the territory of it's-so-bad-it's-good.

I really hoped this was going to be Only Murders in The Building good.

The blurb reads: "The socialite. The nice guy. The alcoholic. The girl on the verge. The concierge." With this ensemble cast, I thought I would be sucked into their world. I thought the characters would come alive and feel more real and relatable in some way.

What is your final rating? I don't rate books as much anymore, but this was OK.

Did the book go where you expected? Any surprises or twists in that final third? I wasn't surprised by much. I had an itching feeling that Ben was still alive so I was somewhat surprised that he was. The residents all being related was interesting, but not *shocking*.

Who was your favorite character by the end? Did it change throughout the book? I liked Mimi minus the homicidal stocking tendencies...I didn't like a single character otherwise.

Are you left with any questions? Yeah, why was the big secret about sex work/sex club? For what reason?

Are there any books or movies you would compare this to/you would recommend to those who enjoyed the book? Emily in Paris meets Only Murders in the Building (I thought Jesse was as clueless as Emily).

Also, I thought a book set in Paris would feel more atmospheric, which is what I expected after reading The Guest List.

My least favorite Lucy Foley book to date. I power read it, not out of enjoyment, just so I could get it done. This would have been a DNF if it was not for the book club. I loathed every character, except the Concierge, and the French throughout was annoying. 1 star

Rated this as 4, I really enjoyed it. I've only read "The Hunting Party" by Lucy Foley before and I enjoyed this one much better.

I caught on to Nick's feelings for Ben early on, and had a hope that Ben was still alive in the maids quarters. I didn't think the dad was dead. Immediately upon them entering the club I expected some bizarre secret society not a prostitution ring. Maybe a missed opportunity there...

I want to know if the concierge found Mimi and revealed her relation to her.

Jess was my favorite character, damaged and imperfect but triumphant. Overall I quite enjoyed it and plan to read more of the authors books now. Great pick for March.

I’m not finished yet, but.
Ben is kind of a slut.

Lala wrote: "This is the end!! You've completed the book!!
Full spoilery thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

What is your final rating?

Did the book go where you expected? Any surprises or twists in that fin..."

My final rating's a 1-star and Foley's on my "Do Not Buy List" after two previous "meh" feelings with "The Guest List" and "The Hunting Party".

No surprises. No twists. All terrible obviousness. Terrible!

Sandra wrote: "Final rating lands somewhere around a 1.5, because I really hated everything and guessed so many of the reveals very very early on. I guessed the Sophie/Ben affair, the 'Nick is gay' reveal, the 'M..."

We are in agreement! A big no to this story.

Meh.

I’m upset, I loved The Guest List so desperately, and this was just meh. I predicted every little hecking detail.

I guess 3 stars though. I was bored about half way through, but I had to finish it because of the two previous good titles from Lucy Foley.

The Concierge taking Benoit was the best twist. You go, girl.

A Little Tea and Books wrote: "Lala wrote: "This is the end!! You've completed the book!!
Full spoilery thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

What is your final rating?

Did the book go where you expected? Any surprises or twist..."

THIS!

I finished and honestly, this was a bummer book for me. I called all the twists and the ending was just a little too wrapped in a bow.

I didn’t like any of the characters, maybe Irina. But I wasn’t sad when for a moment I thought I was wrong and that Ben was actually dead.

Rating for this one is probably a 2-2.5. I feel bad rating that knowing this book was the author’s favorite and most challenging writing yet.

I was a little disappointed that I felt like the human trafficking part was a gimmick instead of a focus.

Blah. I’m disappointed.

So many things thrown in just to advance a story: SA, human trafficking, roofies. And tied up with a neat little bow at the end.

I still don’t like any of the characters other than the concierge.

2 stars.

Amber K, glad I’m not the only one who thought all the triggering add ins to further the plot along were awful.

Lots of yikes on bikes with that stuff.

Just finished it, that wasn't really for me. I liked The Guest List better. Everyone felt like exaggerated caricatures. Jess was surprisingly stupid for how much she told us about her street smarts. It all felt really sordid and unpleasant. I didn't really see the Jacques twist coming though, so that's something.

Favourite characters: Camille and Dominique who had the good sense to nope right out of there.

I didn't comment on the other two threads because I just wasn't into the book so the idea of stopping to talk about it felt boring. I honestly thought it was just me not connecting with the audiobook or the characters but it's just the author. I just don't enjoy her books. They're incredibly predictable and slow to trudge through. I saw all the reveals coming. The little hints about the maids quarters, Ben not being dead, Mimi being the killer, everything I saw from a mile away. The reveals weren't even done well. I feel bad picking it apart but this wasn't it.

I'm giving it a 3. It was ok. I feel like I saw everything coming. I also wasn't as into The Guest List as a lot of other folks seemed to be so maybe this author isn't for me? This book was entertaining, but nothing mind-blowing or shocking. I kept waiting for there to be more.

2.5
blahhh, what a bummer. and why was everyone so into Ben? that's the big mystery.

2.75/5

I hated ALL of the characters. I really didn’t care at all about finding out what happened to Ben. 👎🏾

I seem to be the unpopular opinion here but I loved it! I actually was surprised by the twists and reveals. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been one to try and guess where the story is going. I gave it 5 stars, but probably more of a 4.5 or 4.75.

I would give this a solid 3.5/5. I think the story is interesting, I think with how many characters there are, all of them have clear voices and as a writer, I know that that's hard to do. Foley is great about using foreshadowing in this book and no matter how hard you try, you'll still probably miss something. This story is meant to be read more than once--she's good at what she does.

However, I *can* say that reading this book jolted me a bit because of the constant switch of POV and the slow start. There wasn't a ton of investment initially.

I also think that making Ben romantically involved with Sophie, Mimi, AND Nick was confusing in the regard that I don't think it made a difference to the Plot. I think that Mimi's link to Ben by romance made sense, but the others...I'm not sure it was necessary and if left out it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.

Overall this was a 3 stars read for me.

It lies in the 'uncanny valley' where its stupidity becomes its own kind of brilliance — The pacing is definitely propulsive, even though some of the cliffhangers are hilariously pointless (he's holding something sharp and metallic, gleaming in the dark —it was his phone / A blunt, heavy blow, tearing into her flesh — it was a cat).

In the end everyone is a caricature of themselves, the sociopathic one seduces everyone, the quiet one has issue, the drunk one gets drunker, and anyone may switch their sexual orientation halfway through. It's all really cheap tricks, but I can't deny once I'm in, I can't look away.

Despite its city-specific title, it lacks any real grounded context (it's never specified which district or neighborhood this story is taking place, just PARIS at large), other than name-dropping a couple touristy landmarks, this can easily be The [Frankfurt] Apartment or The [Barcelona] Apartment (as long as it's a non-English speaking European city).

Ok, so it did end up to be a 3 star read for me.

There are a few reveals that I thought was shocking and that connected well with earlier parts of the novel. The reason why Nick didn't want to visit the sex club in Amsterdam for example. I guessed correctly that it was the father who is buried out in the garden, so not much of a shock there.

The more I sit with it, the messier I think the ending was. Foley tried to wrap it all up, but it became a bit weird because of that. Antoine doing the blackmailing, Sophie a former worker in the club, Nick's relationship, Mimi killing her father, Ben still alive. I don't know... I could've gone with a bit of a less happy end I guess.

I still don't have a favourite character. I don't like any of them.

I don't know why the author opted for Paris. I also don't know why the riots are a part of the plot.

If people like this book, I would recommend The Guest List because I thought it was better but similar with multiple POVs. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager is a better Gothic apartment thriller. I didn't enjoy The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, but I think it's also a better thriller in a remote mansion.

2 stars for me. I wasn't a huge fan. Jess was reckless, I didn't understand all of the random romance, the reveals weren't really that impressive, and Sophie was the absolute worst. I don't understand why there were a few points made about Mimi's mental state, but she was never given any help, it was just left open. The riot plot point didn't seem to give any value, but I'm assuming it was supposed to be compared to the rich family in the nice apartment. This was my first Lucy Foley book and I'm not sure if I want to read another, unfortunately.

This was a generous 2 star for me. I could not get into this book. It felt hurried. It also seemed like with the multiple POVs, you would understand the characters better. Although I understood the plot and the reveals, I just found the book confusing. Almost like it was too much going on, and was not organized well.

Final rating: 3 - only because the small twist at the end.

What I liked:
I really enjoyed the concierge’s storyline. I thought it was well thought out and perfectly placed.

The fact that Antoine was bribing Sophie.

Things I disliked:
The riot storyline. I could have done without that

Jess and Mimi’s character. Mimi’s mental health was always out there and I feel it was commented on a lot, but the poor girl never received any help, even after the murder. Jess… well she was just so… out there. I don’t know, I just didn’t connect with her.

Other notes/comments:
I guessed that Jacques was murdered. I didn’t guess how, I was shocked to know that it was Mimi. I had also guessed that Ben was being held captive / injured somewhere in the apartment.

I’m happy they ended up helping the girls at the club.

2 stars. The book was all over the place for me. Jess had made some questionable decisions and the romance in this book took the suspense away. It just got monotonous and tiresome after a point. Had a promising start, a confusing middle and a meh end.

I ultimately give this book 3.75 stars. I felt it ended up being a bit better than The Guest List. It's not a favorite by any means but was definitely entertaining enough to keep me interested throughout. I was surprised several times, specifically with who was the attacker with Ben and the killer of the father, that Ben was upstairs all along and the daughter's actual relatives. I liked Sophie more and more as the book progressed which was also something I wouldn't have predicted. For anyone who likes this book, I had some Knives Out vibes and would recommend that movie (much better than this book). I thought it all tied up pretty well when it initially felt like such a mess.

(k6k66i6uujA fun, mostly frothy account of a life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed this book.A fun, mostly frothy account of a life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed this book.A funonononoA fun, mostly frothy account of a life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed thisThnoI couldn't figure out what was going on in the beginning of this book; it reads like historical fiction but everyone is in a gay marriage and there seem to be these strange historical details that don't blend in.  I found it really hard to get into this novel without knowing the rules and history of this alternate universe.  The story itself was fairly dull; a period piece about a man being proposed to by an older man he doesn't want while simultaneously being seduced by a con artist.  I was looking forward to moving to the second section of the book which I knew was a separate story; that was the story of a man living with an older man who controlled everything.  Virtually the same story (lover not Grandfather controlling him, but same useless, powerless main character) with the same character names and still boring.  It's hard to feel sympathy for these feckless manchildren who have all this privilege (money, title, not having to work, etc.) but whinge about being bored or without purpose - go on trips, read a book, write a book, learn an instrument, make some friends, go to college, the whole world is at your fingertips!  Stop whining.

Looking  forward to starting part three after 364 pages of tedium: and the same sort of feckless, dull protagonist from parts one and two.  Starts with the same unsuccessful implicit world building as part one, but, improves throughout.  This section is the best of the three and there is tension developed with the threat of a new outbreak and Charlie's fate.

Ultimately,  the writing is strong but this book is quite long and there's nothing substantive, the characters or the worldA fun, mostly frothy account of aThis is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality and religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout.This is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality andDNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    DNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    This is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality and religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout.DNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    DNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot ofDNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    This is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality and religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout.DNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    DNF.  This reads like a disparate series of interviews strung together instead of a coherent narrative.  He keeps referencing that his family were share croppers  - tell us about that!  Tell us your background at the beginning.  A lot of this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    this seems to be self-marketing,  self-aggrandizing and targeting opponents rather than making an overall point about civility or anything else.    religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout. life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed this book., to hold my interest throughout.  5 stars for the writing but 2 stars for the characters,  world building and plot.e Muppet Haunted Mantion 1The Muppet Haunted Mantion 1 book.A fun, mostly frothy account of a life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed this book.n, mostly frothy account of a life in and out of Hollywood.  It wasn't, for me, as powerful as his first memoir, but I very much enjoyed this book.nono

Quite tedious. Twee child's POV is grating. Paged 363-364 of this book have the most evocative and all encompassing depiction of war that I have ever seen in any medium. Like the first book in this series, this is an incredible work of art. This is how we should teach history in high schools - it's resonant and funny and artistic but it's still conveys all of the historical facts. Paged 363-364 of this book have the most evocative and all encompassing depiction of war that I have ever seen in any medium. Like the first book in this series, this is an incredible work of art. This is how we should teach history in high schools - it's resoQuite tedious. Twee child's POV is grating. All the worst sorts of British villager - stereotypical and only the unpleasant bitsnant and funny and artistic but it's still conveys all of the historical facts. All the worst sorts of British villager - stereotypical and only the unpleasant bits.

This is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very mucThis is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality and religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout.h enjoyed.   Questions about homosexuality and religion/the church and intergenerational trauma really reasonate throughout.

Kat wrote: "This is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very mucThis is a truly rich, evocative and realistic set of short stories which I very much enjoyed.   Questions about ho..."

Erm...I don't think we're discussing the same book here?

Unfortunately, I've downgraded my rating to a 2. I don't like to judge mystery books based on what I was able to figure out myself because a) I write mysteries, and b) I've been reading mysteries for nearly 50 years now. If I'm trying at all and the author is playing fair, I can figure out a LOT just from structural cues. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. I know the author put an awful lot of work into the structure of this book (because she mentioned it in the acknowledgments), but the end result was pretty clunky and overstuffed with too many moving parts that didn't interact properly with the rest of the plot. There was still a lot to like here, just not pulled together very effectively. For me, a 2-star rating means "it's okay," and I will probably continue to read this author. But first I will probably do a ton of nitpicking in my review.

I don't know that I truly had a favorite character at any point in the book. Maybe Theo? I felt bad for the concierge, Sophie, and Mimi, but I didn't particularly connect with their characters. The concierge didn't even get a name! And neither did the cat. Did anybody ever feed that cat? I felt really bad for the cat.

Whether or not you actually liked this book, if you liked the concept of building tenants creeping on each other and one of them disappearing mysteriously and another trying to get to the bottom of it, check out the Hitchcock classic Rear Window. There have been numerous remakes and riffs on it, but it's a classic for good reason.

Also, if you can stomach a more intense, character-driven tale of human trafficking and deep-rooted corruption, consider Complicit by Amy Rivers.

You know when a kid is jumping around and they are like “look at me. look at me.” They do a little something and you have to pretend what they did was great. But it really wasn’t. That’s how I feel about this. 😬

I'm giving this three stars. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I guessed several of the big twists early on in the book (Ben being kept in the maid's room, Nick being in love with Ben, Mimi being the killer), and the things I didn't guess (Jacques being the person who actually died, Mimi killing her Dad rather than Ben), just didn't shock me in the way I think Foley intended. I also found the ending wrapped up too cleanly. Like, no one ever questions where Jacques disappeared to? Sophie can maintain her lifestyle when she doesn't have access to any of the Muenier's bank accounts? None of the Muenier's are punished in any way for what they've done (except Antoine I guess)? They just get to live their lives foot loose and fancy free? Foley should've just slapped a "And they lived happily ever after" on this thing and called it a day.

I'm giving this a 4! I really enjoyed it, I just thought it was fun. I wasn't expecting an over-the-top, completely jaw-dropping, left turn mystery, just a fun creepy apartment mystery and that's what I got. None of the twists had me completely floored, but I didn't really see the dad's death coming. And I had a few issues with the way Nick's sexuality was portrayed---plot twist, secret, it had me questioning if it was even true at times, the cues were so subtle?? But overall I thought it was interesting. Oh, and that Mimi was the Concierge's grandaughter? Probably more obvious but still caught me a bit off guard. My favorite character was definitely Sophie. I just love a conniving older mother character.

Idk, i just didn't like it... I've read some comments here in this chat and I agree with a lot os things...
I really didn't like the overuse:
- of the word "putain"
- of the "fox in the henhouse" expression
- of the "roar" in Mimi's ears/head
- of the "i can't put my finger on it" or "i feel something bad, but i'm gonna do the opposite of what i should" of Jess...
- of Jess never recognizing someone's face right in the act of seeing it, but somewhat later she does
(and she recognizing Jacques' painting, is probably that he looks like Nick or Antoine but older? That never got explained...)

Really, the whole time she was suspecting everyone but still said too much and trusted with the help of Nick, and Theo... having sex with him, even tho she just found out that the guy doesn't really want to find Ben and only wants a story to write? C'mon!
She was just barely beginning to trust him... I can't believe she would really do that, in the middle of everything. If I was in her position, it wouldn't even cross my mind, specially with some dude I just met.

Other than these things that just bothers me a little, there's the fact that there's no character worth liking, or cheering for... I didn't like Jess, for her actions and avoiding that she obviously have to go to the police; even Ben, when in the end we find out he wasn't really a nice guy...

Everytime, the trouble that seemed really dangerous, in the next chapter is all resolved and fine.

I was kinda shocked by the Ben-Sophie relationship... and really did not like it.

I liked the scary and dark tone in the beginning, but that got lost in the middle of the book somehow.

3 stars.
The biggest factor of my thriller rating comes from if it absorbed me and kept me turning pages. This one did.
But in two months of you ask me “have you read The Paris Apartment” I’ll have to look back at my Goodreads review to remember what happened.

I gave the book 3 stars it was decent but nothing that really made me go oh man there is no way that I’m going to be able to put this book down. Which I feel should happen in a thriller. The characters were fine but in the end I didn’t care one way or the other of what happen to any of them. I’ll be honest the everyone is fine and as happy as they can be in the situation ending was crap.

I gave this book a 2 star rating. Nothing really surprised me. The reveals were mid, and I anticipated most of them. I wasn’t even surprised the concierge followed her granddaughter to France. I was just happy to finish it and be done.

I didn’t like any of the characters, and the ending felt so anticlimactic.

No questions at this time.

I can’t think of any recommendations. Maybe Lock Every Door for the apartment aspect, but I know people didn’t really like that one.

Maybe authors should leave apartment thrillers alone 🥴

First, I want to say how much I enjoy being a part of a book club. It's been so nice not to pick one of my books for the month, and I'm looking forward to the next picks!

I predicted pretty soon that it would stay a solid three for me, and that is exactly where we ended up with this one. It wasn't bad by any means; there was just a made for tv like quality to the plot and action that made it very neutral for me. It was fun, and I liked the setting and the reveals, but it just didn't have me completely in its grasp. I'm thinking back to last month when I read Verity by Colleen Hoover, and the way that book made me feel is precisely how I want a thriller to make me feel. I will forever be chasing Verity vibes, and this was not that.

There were many things I did not see coming by the end, but there still wasn't that shock value I was looking for. Instead, the reveals felt slow burny, and there was not that punch that I was expecting.

I mentioned how much I liked Mimi and her roommate in my first post, and I was disappointed when the roommate just up and left in the middle of the book. I had hoped she played a more significant role in the end.

I'd be interested in reading a horror/thriller book that takes place in Paris again. I honestly can't think of any movies or books that are comparable.

I'm excited to hear everyone else's thoughts on this one.
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After sitting on this for a few days, I think this was a solid 3 star read. None of the twists were surprising to me, I had a feeling Ben was still alive fairly early into the novel.
Either way I did enjoy listening to this one, the audiobook was great. I love when it's a full cast. I would definitely recommend reading it in that format.

Terrible. The ending was awful. It was predictable. Just wasn’t good. If it weren’t for the voice acting in the audiobook I would have quit it a long time ago. *Sigh*

Audiobook narration: 4/5 stars.
Story: 2/5 stars
Overall: 3/5 stars

Lala wrote: "This is the end!! You've completed the book!!
Full spoilery thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

What is your final rating?

Did the book go where you expected? Any surprises or twists in that fin..."
Who was the concierge's daughter?