It was time today to welcome back MARGARET MILLS for her regular book review.

The book selected by Margaret this time was a thriller – THE PARIS APARTMENT by LUCY FOLEY,  an author I’d not previously encountered.

The book involves a young woman, Jess who’s just lost her job in less than ideal circumstances, who asks her half-brother, Ben if she could crash with him for a bit in his Paris apartment whilst she tries to sort herself out.

Jess and Ben were orphaned at a young age and became products of the foster care system, but of the two siblings, Ben fared best being adopted by a wealthy family, graduated from Cambridge and is now trying to find his way to a sensational journalistic career, whilst Jess was bounced between various foster homes.

It was clear that Ben was not exactly overwhelmed at the prospect of his half sister moving in with him but when she shows up she finds a very nice apartment, which she wonders how he could  possibly afford – only he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has.

Ben’s neighbours are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly.

Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge.

Everyone’s a neighbour. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

So there’s a lot going on.

The reviews I saw were very mixed, ranging from “unputdownable” and “one of my fastest reads ever!” to “melodramatic dithering” and “a story where pretty much nothing happens”.

But what did Margaret think?

Listen here and decide  whether this might be a book for you: –

We also heard about the man who might consider making an unscheduled trip to Specsavers after  he mistook a discarded trampoline for an old man in need of assistance.  

Yes as he left his house, Royal Army worker, Damian Webster from Sunderland, spotted what he initially thought was an old man with a walking stick leaning up against a wall.

When he appeared to still be there after he returned a few moments later, he assumed that “the man” must be in desperate need of help.

But when the man failed to respond to his calls, he decided to take a closer look only to discover that no help was required as the object of his concern was  just a smashed up trampoline!

Hope to see you again tomorrow,
Scott