The Paris Apartment

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of sexual content.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Lucy Foley structures The Paris Apartment with multiple narrators and short chapters that often end on cliffhangers. How effective did you find this approach? Did this technique remind you of her previous mysteries like The Guest List or The Hunting Party?

2. The novel begins with Ben’s disappearance and ends with most characters embarking on new paths. How satisfied were you with this journey from mystery to resolution? Which revelations surprised you most?

3. The Paris apartment building is described as beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside. How did this setting shape your experience of the story, and what emotions did it evoke as you read?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Jess learns to trust her instincts after ignoring a gut feeling as a child. When have you experienced a strong intuition that guided you through a challenging situation? How has this affected your decision-making?

2. The novel explores the tension between appearance and reality. Have you ever encountered a situation where something or someone wasn’t what they initially seemed? How did this discovery impact you?

3. Jess’s relationship with Ben is complex and defined by their difficult past. How have your own family relationships evolved over time, particularly after periods of separation or difficulty?

4. The apartment building’s residents live in close proximity yet maintain secrets from one another. How do you balance privacy and community in your own living situation?

5. Several characters in the novel feel trapped by their circumstances—Sophie by her marriage, Nick by his father’s influence, Mimi by her upbringing. Have you ever felt confined by parts of your life that others might perceive as privileges? How did you navigate this?

6. The concierge spends years watching over her granddaughter from afar. What sacrifices have you made to protect or support someone you care about, and what guided your decisions?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel portrays wealth as a veneer that hides corruption and immorality. How does this critique of wealth reflect contemporary concerns about economic inequality and privilege?

2. Jacques’s trafficking operation exploits undocumented women with limited options. How does the novel address issues of immigration, exploitation, and vulnerability in modern society?

3. Throughout the novel, characters with less socioeconomic power (like Jess) face greater challenges in being heard and believed by authorities. How does this pattern reflect real-world power dynamics in justice systems globally?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Foley use the apartment building’s architecture—with its hidden staircases, attic rooms, and basement—as a metaphor for the characters’ psychological states and social hierarchies?

2. The novel explores different dimensions of family loyalty. How do the two family units (Jess and Ben vs. the Meuniers) contrast in their understanding and practice of loyalty? What does this suggest about the nature of family bonds?

3. Ben’s cat is a witness to key events in the apartment. How does this symbolic cat function in the narrative, and what might it represent about observation and knowledge?

4. Several characters experience fraught sexuality—Sophie’s affair with Ben, Nick’s attraction to Ben, Mimi’s obsession. How do these relationships comment on the connection between sex and power?

5. The novel shifts between multiple first-person perspectives. How does this technique affect your understanding of the characters and their motivations? Which narrative voices did you find most trustworthy?

6. The title The Paris Apartment suggests that the setting itself is a central character. How does the contrast between the glamorous Paris setting and the dark events inside the apartment create meaning in the novel?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. What would a sequel to The Paris Apartment look like? Which character’s continuing story would you most want to follow, and what new challenges might they face?

2. How would you characterize Ben’s true feelings toward the various Meunier family members if you were to write his private journal entry? What might he reveal about Sophie, Nick, or Mimi that wasn’t explicitly stated in the novel?

3. The Halloween party scenes reveal much about the characters’ inner lives. What Halloween costume would best represent one of the major themes of the novel?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.