The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - Janice Hallett

Open the safe deposit box.

Inside you will find research material for a true crime book.

You must read the documents, then make a decision.

Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby's trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over.

From the bestselling author of The Appeal and The Twyford Code comes a stunning new mystery for fans of Richard Osman and S.J. Bennett. The devil is in the detail... 

What did I think?

I absolutely loved Janice Hallett's debut novel, The Appeal, written in the epistolary format of letters, emails and texts so I already knew what to expect with her third novel, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.  It's incredibly intriguing to be presented with all the evidence and to try to work it all out for yourself, although I didn't manage to predict anything that happened in this extraordinary novel.

The Alperton Angels story has remained a mystery for 18 years.  What really happened the night the 'angels' died?  Where is the baby that narrowly escaped being sacrificed?  That's what true-crime author Amanda Bailey intends to find out.

I didn't really like the main character of Amanda, but I think it's simply because I find journalist types to be ruthless and sneaky as they will do anything to get the story.  I really liked the competition between Amanda and Oliver, who have both been tasked with writing a book on the Alperton Angels.  There is clearly some history between them which adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

I loved Ellie who is transcribing all of Amanda's recordings, often recorded surreptitiously (see what I mean about journalists being sneaky?).  Ellie can't help adding her own comments and opinions to the transcription and it often made me laugh.

There is so much information to dig through in the form of letters, emails, texts, scripts and book excerpts that you really feel as if you're part of the case.  I am completely in awe of Janice Hallett; she is an incredibly talented writer to not only write a captivating and intriguing plot but to create several styles of writing as if many different people had written the material.  

Cunning, clever and compelling, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is as impossible to predict as it is to put down; prepare to be up all night reading this one.  Five stars feel woefully inadequate to rate this book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I received a gifted hardback copy for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Appeal - Janice Hallett

 

IN A TOWN FULL OF SECRETS

SOMEONE WAS MURDERED.

SOMEONE WENT TO PRISON.

AND EVERYONE'S A SUSPECT.

CAN YOU UNCOVER THE TRUTH?

Dear Reader - enclosed are all the documents you need to solve a case. It starts with the arrival of two mysterious newcomers to the small town of Lockwood, and ends with a tragic death.

Someone has already been convicted of this brutal murder and is currently in prison, but we suspect they are innocent. What's more, we believe far darker secrets have yet to be revealed.

Throughout the Fairway Players' staging of All My Sons and the charity appeal for little Poppy Reswick's life-saving medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. Yet we believe they gave themselves away. In writing. The evidence is all here, between the lines, waiting to be discovered.

Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth?

What did I think?

Wow, just wow!  The Appeal is written in the most original format I have ever read and it's such an addictive read that I was loathe to put it down even for a moment.  Janice Hallett's exceptional debut novel doesn't just immerse the reader in the story but consumes them.  I didn't feel like I was reading a book; I actually believed I was part of the legal team reading through the evidence - what an amazing experience!

Written in the format of emails from various sources, it may take a little while to get used to, especially as you try to remember who is who.  Thankfully, most of the characters are part of a theatre group and the cast list for their latest production is an invaluable reference, especially with little post it notes attached showing the links between people.  Although there are a lot of characters, I was surprised how quickly I got to know them through the individual characteristics and tone of their emails.

I think there's something so very personal about reading emails, especially when you see things from all sides.  People just can't help bitching about other people and I felt really sorry for Issy who is desperately trying to fit in.  Reading what people thought about her and comparing this to how Issy related the same occasion to her friend was simultaneously sobering and shocking.  The characters in The Appeal aren't just two faced, they are diamond geezers; they are so multi-faceted that it's impossible to work out who you can trust.  

At the heart of The Appeal is the story of Poppy Reswick who has been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer.  As Poppy's grandparents are the alpha family who run the theatre group, the group all pitch in to raise funds so that Poppy can receive treatment that the hospital can't provide.  Issy taking the minutes for the fundraising meeting is absolute genius; it made me laugh out loud and I'm still laughing now just thinking about it.  

The Appeal is absolutely brilliant; it's an inventive and unique format that makes the reader feel like they're part of the story as they sift through the emails searching for clues.  It is SO addictive; once you start reading the emails you simply can't stop, so make sure your chores are done before you start The Appeal as there'll be no housework getting done until the final page is turned.

I really can't thank Viper enough for sending me a gifted proof of what is sure to be one of the hottest debuts of 2021; this is my honest review and all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon