Lucy Foley Books

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Lucy Foley is an English author of mysteries and historical fiction. Born in Sussex, England, in 1986, she attended Durham and UCL universities, studying English literature. Foley worked in publishing as a fiction editor.

She couldn’t have asked for better training as an aspiring author. While others signed up for writing courses and pursued degrees in creative writing, Foley spent her days pouring over manuscripts.

The experience changed her perspective. Initially, even though she had the drive, Foley couldn’t imagine writing a full-length novel. Even if she completed a manuscript, why would any publisher worth its salt accept her drivel?

But then she joined a publishing firm and began scouring the messy first drafts that experienced writers routinely submitted. She quickly realized that every glossy novel on a bookshelf started as a half-baked story that went through several stages of revisions.

The realization gave her the courage to give writing a shot. Admittedly, her preexisting publishing career had some drawbacks. For instance, she remembers attending an editorial meeting in which someone said that epic historical fiction was dead at a time when Foley was writing a historical fiction novel. The comment discouraged her.

Fortunately, she persevered. Her time in publishing gave her a keen understanding of trends. She believes that aspiring writers should take the time to identify a target audience before putting words on the page.

Some people prefer to write for themselves, which is fine. However, they should accept that finding suitable readers may present a challenge. On the other hand, Foley doesn’t chase trends. She writes the stories that interest and excite her.

She gravitates towards mysteries because they have an element of predictability. The villains always get their just desserts. You know that every wrong will be righted, and the protagonist will solve the mystery, which is comforting.

She’s pretty outspoken about her preference for difficult heroines in fiction. The protagonist of ‘The Paris Apartment’ fits that description. Besides being messy and flawed, she also lies and steals.

The characters who know her think she’s a pain in the ass. Her weaknesses originate from a dark past that Foley enjoyed exploring. She wants her readers to get as much joy from reading about her difficult protagonists as she does in writing them.

Speaking of writing, Foley doesn’t have any strict writing rituals. Although, she prefers to work outside her home. The author writes in cafes because she enjoys the noise. Sometimes, her writing space sparks ideas for future books.

For instance, the idea for ‘The Paris Apartment’ came when she rented an Airbnb in Paris. Foley was trying to escape the distractions of home to finish ‘The Guest List.’ She never expected the apartment building’s high ceilings, large windows, and Gothic elements to inspire a new book.

Lucy Foley Awards

Foley’s accolades include a Goodreads Choice Award. Her work has been longlisted for a CWA Gold Dagger Award.

Best Lucy Foley Books

The author takes pride in the comparisons people make between her and Agatha Christie. Whenever she hits a creative wall, Foley starts by asking herself what Agatha Christie would do. Foley’s best novels include:

The Guest List: Guests flocked to an island off the coast of Ireland to attend the perfect wedding. The groom was a handsome television star. The bride was an ambitious magazine publisher. You couldn’t have asked for a more glamorous ceremony.

But then things went wrong. Resentments flared. The groomsmen indulged in unsavory drinking games. The bridesmaid ruined her dress in what might have been a deliberate act. And then some died.

The Paris Apartment: Jess wanted to start over. With her job gone, she had every reason to migrate to Paris. Her half-brother Ben was far from pleased. Nonetheless, he had agreed to host her for a little while.

Jess was not sure what to expect when she arrived. The apartment was far too nice, so much so that Jess wasn’t sure how Ben could afford it. Her half-brother’s neighbors were a quirky lot, and they did not take kindly to her meddling.

Unfortunately for them, Jess had no intention of leaving them alone. Ben was gone when she arrived at the apartment and he hadn’t returned. What happened to him? Was he alive? Had someone taken him? Jess wanted answers.

When Does The Next Lucy Foley book come out?

Lucy Foley doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Midnight Feast and was released on June, 18th 2024.

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