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4.5 stars

Bienvenue au 12, Rue des Amants, Paris. C’est une maison de secrets. Alors, asseyez-vous, avec un verre de vin rouge et installez-vous pour une bonne histoire! Ok I’m done!! Ben Daniels is in his Paris apartment awaiting the arrival of his half sister Jess Hadley but he has an unexpected visitor first. Jess, as one of the principal narrators is a really good character, she’s flawed but she feels real and likeable and I especially like the way it’s written in real time as if she’s talking out loud to her audience. Are our other narrators likeable? Not so much! There’s a chic trophy wife, an angry alcoholic, a naive obsessive and a spurned lover. All of the characters have a different view point of Ben which is interesting as you try to grasp the essence of his personality. So, settle in and let the games begin.

First of all, how great to be in Paris as it adds an atmosphere all of its own especially as the city is a boiling pot of political unrest which perfectly matches the events in Rue des Amants. Secondly, the house is a star of its own show as the author cleverly uses all its nooks, crannies and corners to create a very strange and tense atmosphere which you feel right from the very start. There are spooky shadows, you wonder what evil lurks in the dark corners and it ramps up the tension with a growing sense of claustrophobia as if the walls are closing in. You have a really good whodunnit here as several characters behave oddly or suspiciously, some are downright sinister or there’s palpable hostility between characters and there’s an increased feeling of foreboding which hangs over the house. The warnings, threats and dangers magnify in intensity and it becomes apparent that there big secrets that people are intent on keeping buried. The plot builds well as revelation piles on revelation. There’s a good twist at the end although maybe it’s all ultimately resolved a bit too easily?

Overall, this is another winner from the talented Lucy Foley. It’s very easy to read as it flows well and is highly entertaining! I really like the cover too!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.