About The Book
Book: French Windows
Author: Antoine Laurain
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Publication Date (UK): 3rd July 2025 (original French publication 2023)
🔍Standout Read. Awarded to books I highly recommend.
My Review
“‘Can you remember the last photograph you took?’
‘Yes’
‘What was it of?’
‘A murder.’“
Nathalia is a photographer struggling with a loss of creativity after accidentally capturing a very dark deed. When we meet her, she has just enlisted the help of Doctor Faber, a therapist.
To overcome her creative block, Dr Faber suggests she writes about the people she sees living in the building opposite, floor by floor. As her Parisian apartment window overlooks a neighbouring block of flats. It could prove to be another creative outlet for her. But it’s also building to something else…
At 176 pages, this is a speedy read that’s constantly being propelled forward by the interspersed short stories. You will be hooked from the premise of the photographed murder and want to settle in to read this in one good binge sitting.
I loved the different stories from each floor, I found these to add a lot of flavour and we get to learn about the residents in great detail. But just how does Nathalia know so much by simple observation? Is she embellishing, is there any truth, or are her stories pure fiction?
French Windows gets a big oui from me.
SIDE NOTE: For me this is a huge example of why bookshops (especially indies) are so important. I saw this sat in both Cat and Megan’s bookseller recommendations boxes at Criminally Good Books in York. But after reading the blurb, I wasn’t sure.
On another visit, I was still thinking about the cover, so I asked Cat and listening to hear describe the book, I knew I needed to give it a go. Of course she was right! Conversations in shops, with friends, on Instagram and through blogs about books are just the best 💙
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