The Appeal by Janice Hallett is a highly recommended mystery presented in an epistolary novel. If you are confident in your ability to piece together clues and solve mysteries this novel will certainly appeal to your inner investigator.

Olufemi (Femi) Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd are two law students who are reviewing case documentation for Roderick Tanner QC ahead of an appeal to overturn a murder conviction. The documentation in question consists of emails, texts, messages, letters, newspaper clippings, and police reports. It is a monumental task and Femi and Charlotte have little guidance in the beginning while they read through all the missives in an attempt to piece together the truth.

The case involves The Fairway Players, a local theater group, and a community rallying around a sick child. Martin Hayward, the director, shares the heartbreaking news that his two-year-old granddaughter, Poppy, has been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. There is a new experimental treatment developed in the USA that works on her cancer, but it is very expensive to bring it over to the UK and they must immediately raise $350,000 dollars. The theater group and friends band together to start fund raising efforts. There are some questions beginning to emerge about the treatment and how the money is being managed.

As the cover discloses, there are fifteen suspects and one murder. It's really best, in my opinion, to start this novel with just the basics and follow along, meeting the characters, uncovering information, and gathering clues as you read. Interspersed in the many documents are chat messages between Femi and Charlotte discussing what they think at that point. Admittedly there are times while reading that you will feel like it is just an overwhelming information dump, but it will begin to sort itself out. Some characters are sending out and replying to emails, texts, etc. a lot while others are only mention in the written materials or only respond infrequently. All crime novel enthusiasts will know to pay attention to every clue.

Because of the format of the novel, character development is not straightforward at all for many of the characters although you will develop an impression of almost all of them. Some are very present in the written material, others not so much. One picture or interpretation will develop and then quickly be replaced by another theory as the characters provide more information. The list of characters and their connections to each other is presented several times in different contexts so you will have some assistance in keeping track of who is who and what has happened.

This is a complex, intricate puzzle of a novel that is full of suspects and motives. I did feel like it was a tad bit too long at times, but it is clever and does hold your attention.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Atria Books.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

3.5 ⭐️

The mixed media format of this book isn’t going to be for everyone, but it hooked me from the start. It consists of a series of emails and text messages between 2 young lawyers as well as a theater troupe. We found our early on that there is a murder among this acting group and it is up to the lawyers to dig through months of correspondence between these people to see if there are answers to the murder.

The large cast of characters was confusing in the beginning, but there are 2 separate occasions where they are broken down for us which is really helpful.

As I said before, the beginning sucked me in, but it did get a little long and repetitive towards the last 1/3 of the book. There is a long section where the lawyers are breaking down exactly what we already read in the emails that I think could have been skipped, but overall, this was a super unique book and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Appeal is a totally unique murder mystery in which the reader is enlisted to help “solve” the case. It’s told entirely through emails and texts between the “suspects” and messages and notes between the investigators. This is one of those books you either love or hate, and I definitely fall into the latter category. It’s a long, convoluted and confusing story, with a ridiculously long cast of characters which is almost impossible to follow. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t get into the format, and it wasn’t for me. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Appeal uses a clever format- emails and texts - to lay out a crime. I was so impressed with the way everything came together, as details I had read but not really took note of in the correct way came into play as part of the larger picture. I think this format is not for everyone, but mystery lovers who enjoy murder subscription boxes and crime puzzle games will really click with this one.


Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a unique and creative murder mystery. I could not put the book down ! I absolutely loved the format - you’re given emails, transcripts, text messages and letters in order to solve a mystery. Really kept me engaged ! I haven’t come across a book like this in a very long time. Initially, it was a bit overwhelming because there are a lot of characters, but I quickly got the hang of it and became fully immersed in the story.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC !

This was such a uniquely written book! As the reader you're seeing it as the lawyers as going through the evidence – strictly email and text correspondence, with some newspaper articles and posters. While this was a fun approach, I was so confused for the majority of the book as there are a lot of characters and because of the nontraditional writing. This book would be great for people who are good at murder mystery games – but maybe take notes while reading it? I think that would have helped keep things a bit more organized for me...

Thank you Net Galley & Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!

She tugged at her costume to adjust its tightness then peaked through the crack in the curtains to see the waiting audience. She smoothed her skirt and ran her tongue over her chapped lips… the nerves were getting to her, but an excitement brewed as well. A lot of things have unraveled lately, but “the show must go on” despite the negative atmosphere. She took a deep breath, pasted on a smile, and tried to ignore the dead body.

The Appeal was a unique murder mystery told in an epistolary style filled with emails of evidence. The whole time you are watching things unfold between a group of people who are all tied together at an amateur theater. Drama spills over the pages and the whole time you are trying to figure out who committed murder and whether things going on are true or false.

I loved the style of this one, never before having read a mystery in the epistolary style. Janice did an excellent job keeping the reader guessing and giving all of the characters motives. I honestly didn’t figure everything out!

If you’re a fan of murder mysteries, questionable characters that keep you guessing, and epistolary style novels… then get your hands on this one!

This is a whodunnit? told only in letters, emails, and texts. It was definitely an interesting concept. It was a very slow start, the reader doesn't even know who died until more than halfway through. On top of that, there were too many characters to keep straight. It almost became confusing. I struggle to rate this because it was so unique, but I settled on 3.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Appeal is a very different book. At first the book feels a little overwhelming. There are a pile of characters that may be responsible for a murder. There are two law students that are going through emails, messages, and letters to see if they come to the same conclusion as their boss Roderick Tanner QC, of Tanner and Dewey LLP. Roderick believes the wrong person is in jail for a murder.

The book gives us glimpses of communications between the Fairway players', the Reswick family, and the doctors trying to cure Poppy Reswick. The book is full of twists and everyone's story develops throughout the book. I enjoyed reading the emails and messages in order to figure out who the real murder is. It make for lots of breaks in the book. I read it while on vacation and at a pool. It was perfect for times when you may have interruptions. You do get to know the characters so they end up fairly easy to follow.

Take a chance with this book and see if you can figure out the twists before the end of the book. It is a unique way of presenting a story and it was a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Appeal for an honest review. #NetGalley #JaniceHallett #TheAppeal

The Appeal by Janice Hallett is an innovative new mystery told solely through documents by or to the suspects in the case, including police interviews, emails, and text messages.
The story is about a cast of small-town performers and a little girl with cancer who needs lots of money for an experimental medicine. One of the cast members turns up dead, and students are assigned to look at the paper trail to figure out: Who is the killer? Who knew about it before the body was discovered? And, what was the motive?

I gave The Appeal five stars because of the technique used to tell the story – which is entirely through emails, text messages, interviews, and other such documents. This technique required my full attention from start to finish. I loved this approach once, but I would definitely not want to see it in every mystery. Ordinarily, I love a good story complete with an immersive atmosphere and characters you can empathize with. But to put me in the eyes of the students assigned to find the murder through the provided documents was a fascinating twist and approach. There are plenty of proper clues as well as red herrings and misdirects to stump even the most experienced mystery solver out there.

This story is a complex mystery that is smart and compelling without the typical attributes you typically find in novels, such as atmosphere, character development, and an immersive setting.

If you are looking for unique storytelling and a complex mystery, look no further than The Appeal by Janice Hallett.

Thank you to Atria for my gifted advance review copy!

THE APPEAL is a modern take on the epistolary novel, which essentially means that the story is told through a written medium (think emails and texts instead of letters). The story revolves around a crowdfunding appeal for a little girl's cancer treatment, a murder, and a small-town amateur theatre company. The reader (along with two of the characters) is challenged with the task of piecing together the who, what, when, where, and (most importantly) the why.

I don't want to give anything away by saying more, but this one was FUN. Its style is unique, unconventional, and an engaging puzzle from start to finish. The reader is left to piece out their own conclusions as they pore over email after email. There's a lot to digest here, and the cast of characters is large. There are a few 'key' players, however and after reading through the messages, it's easy to figure out who's who.

This book also appealed to my nosy side. Who wouldn't love open access to everyone's personal messages? When I heard I'd be able to play detective for this one, I was elated!

I do agree with other reviewers who have mentioned that it takes a while for everything to 'happen', but there are a lot of details and setup, and I think the payoff is worthwhile. I read this book in 3 sittings, and I did get fatigued from reading just the messages and not getting any descriptive text, but overall I really enjoyed this format and how much it allows you to 'read between the lines' so to speak.

Go into this one with an open mind! It's worth it, it's different, and it's fun.

THE APPEAL is available from Atria on January 25th 2022!

Have you ever wanted to be "a fly on the wall?" That is what it is like to read this book. Told entirely with emails, text messages, letters, What's App, etc., this new novel challenges the reader to solve the mystery of a death. I took on that challenge and started to read. It was a bit like falling down a rabbit hole. There was always one more message, one more email. . . I encourage you to go in with the minimum of information. Then you will be in the same place as Femi and Charlotte -- our fictional investigators/assistants. Pay attention to the details and put on your thinking cap. This went on a bit long, but most definitely has an Agatha Christie feel to it. I enjoyed it very much!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is told all through emails, letters and messages. It’s a unique format that definitely won’t be for everyone, but I loved it!

Two law students are given all correspondence and tasked with attempting to figure out who the murderer is and what happened. The way the story is told leaves the reader to also become detective and comb through evidence in tandem with the lawyers. It’s a fun, different read to keep you on your toes and I’d love to read another like this from this author.

A fantastic read, this book showed people in their genuine forms. There definitely were many kinds of people and I’m glad to know which ones I should stay away from. I liked how the author portrayed Martin and his family. Irritated as I am that they are wealthy enough to pay for many expenses their family needed but they preferred to take time and money from sympathetic friends. I almost felt bad for Sarah-Jane to be taken advantage of by Martin’s family but she’s bad too because she wanted free service from the band instead of reduce priced when the guy said the band have their own family to support. She had passion in helping, yes, but she should have realized that she’s helping a wealthy family who don’t need so much help as compared to the poor. The email format is good because readers can see how people truly were. Isabel was interesting to follow but hopefully I will never meet one like her in real life! I liked Sam’s character for wanting to know the truth and tell the truth. The consequences of the truth has a price and I liked how Kel explained it. There were a bit too many characters to keep up with so the list of characters at the beginning of the story helped. Some good humor in this story!


This book started with a letter from a lawyer to two people asking them to read through email documents. Then there’s a letter of recommendation for Samantha for the nurse position. She had been volunteering in Africa. This new job Sam will be working at St. Ann’s at an Elderly Care unit. Then the story began with Isabel, 29. She communicated with many characters via email wanting to help Sam and her husband Kel get a part in the community play. Later when the roles were casted, Isabel wasn’t chosen for any of the characters. She appeared fine and even bought a copy of the script to help Sam and her husband study their lines. Then Martin, 59, chairman of the play and owner of a country club announced to the theatre team that his granddaughter Poppy, 2 was diagnosed with cancer. He will step down as director and his son James. 36, will take his place. James gave Isabel a role because Poppy’s mom Paige had to pull out to care for her daughter. The appeal is then set up asking donations for a total of $350k to buy the cancer medicine for Poppy. This story was organized by emails, messaging, and interview transcripts.


The Appeal was well written. I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, and analysis of the characters and who murdered the victim. The reveal was good. I liked that all of the characters were out there in the open. Most stories I read, the killer barely appeared in the story at all. I couldn’t guess who the killer was but I had fun guessing. This book felt like a lengthy read. There were some long emails and repeated discussions of who would do the murder and who knew ahead of time that was a bit slow to get through. Reading this book helped me realize how dislike I am of being in a forced situation. A close knit community where everyone kiss up to the owner because that’s where they work and therefore they were obligated to help donate their time and money. Then there’s no anonymity at all because if you can’t contribute to the cause you became a black swan. I don’t think there’s any good people in this book and I’m glad to have read it so that I can be aware. Overall, an excellent debut and I recommend everyone to read it.

xoxo, Jasmine at www.Howusefulitis.com for more details

Many thanks to Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

For fans of Clue and classic whodunnits, look no further! Told using strictly email correspondence with some texts, news articles, and interview tebaseiord mixed in, this is a uniquely written mystery. Warning: the characters are VERY unlikeable, and it does take a while to get into the action (the author spends time laying the groundwork). Once things get going, though, you won’t want to stop until you’ve figured everything out.

"Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this "dazzlingly clever" (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child - but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their fellow castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival.

But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy - nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material - emails, messages, letters - with a growing suspicion that a killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.

A wholly modern take on the epistolary novel, The Appeal is a "daring…clever, and funny" (The Times, London) debut for fans of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley."

When I first heard about this book in my Waterstones newsletter I knew it was for me. I love how authors are uniquely using modern technologies to reinvent the epistolary novel.

A little longwinded but overall I liked it. Everyone was super, super unlikable but I found myself continuing to read to find out what happened. Definitely a unique story. 3.5 stars.

Ap•peal (n.)
1. A serious or urgent request, typically to the public. An attempt to gain financial support.
2. An application go a higher court for a decision to be reversed.

Both of those definitions will be helpful if you decide to read this book. This is not a typical read. It’s made up of emails, text messages, and various court documents that give you a glimpse into what’s going on. All you know is someone is murdered (but you don’t even know who until 2/3 of the book is done). It’s your job to figure out who did what, how everyone is involved, and what actually happened.

I will be honest, the first half of the book I as so confused. Reading it on kindle, I didn’t “read the back cover,” so I didn’t really know what it was about. Once I read the description it made so much more sense, and I was completely invested. This was sooo uniquely written, and I highly recommend this whodunnit mystery!

The Appeal is more than a book...it is an experience. It is so difficult to adequately describe...absolute ingenuity written into emails, texts, police reports and letters, on a plane of its own. Not only is it highly suspenseful and tense, it is clever and cunning, not to mention witty (warning: frequent chuckling imminent). Its uniqueness enveloped me fully and carried me away. You will know people like these characters. I would dearly love to know how the author envisions her characters are I have firm pictures of them in my mind! It is important to read the email dates and times and other details carefully if you want to immerse yourself.

Fairway Players, a local theatrical group, is both a bane and boon to the community. The remarkable assortment of characters is extensive and engrossing; some emailers are clipped and direct, others flowery and descriptive, capturing and reflecting personalities beautifully. Oh, how I enjoyed them! But tragedy strikes as the toddler granddaughter of the director, Martin and Helen Hayward, from an old stalwart family is diagnosed with a rare cancer requiring highly specialized (and expensive) treatment. Fundraisers of all sorts are held, some more successfully than others, in an appeal to treat the little girl. Fairway Players help in the ways they think best. But tragedy strikes again as a dead body is discovered. There are links to medical clinics, doctors and nurses in Africa and England which add layer upon layer of intrigue. Two lawyers provide summaries of each section mostly in the form of texts and wade through piles of deceit and facts to determine what really happened.

Don't start it late at night. Let's just say it's a good thing I did not need to mentally function today. This book is so astonishing I implore you to read and enjoy it...it is absolutely unmissable, especially for Mystery/Thriller readers but also for those who, like me, adore detail. Janice Hallett wrote a masterpiece here! This is one book I will never, ever forget.

My sincere thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the privilege of living this book. What an adventure!

I absolutely loved the format of this book! A book that is written completely in letters, text messages, police interviews, and e-mails. Even through the different format this 400 page book held my attention and I found myself flying through it.

There was suspense, drama (in more ways that one), and a family dynamic that was over the top. This book truly had it all. I really enjoyed my time reading this one and would recommend it to readers looking to step out of their normal reading box.