This has got to be one of the most confusing books I have ever tried to read before. I am sorry to say that I had to DNF. The style is just not for me and I hope someone else enjoys it more than I did. I truly think it was the format and not the author's writing. I will be giving the author another chance as I would like to see what else she comes up with in the future.

This is a fascinating, unique reading experience!

It's a murder mystery. Go in with nothing but the top note - a letter from an attorney. He's asking you to look over the evidence in the file and let him know what you think. Someone has committed a crime but first you need to meet the suspects.

It's a fast read, almost entirely in text message, email and other "app" type correspondence. There are a few letters from the attorney to aid you in your research and some exchanges betweent the two reading the evidence together. Otherwise, it's just you learning about a group and trying to decide what you think happened. It was easy to get swept into the drama. There are so many unique POV and characters, you can't help but be completely charmed by them all. I didn't mind it took quite a few pages to get to the crime, you really neeed to flush all the details out.

And I didn't guess right. I was drawn in and follwed the red herrings. I loved the mystery, the adventure of trying to solve it and how all consuming the story was. This was great, a refreshing change in story!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett is an interesting story about a theatre group writing emails to each other over the course of auditions and rehearsals for an upcoming play. I’m these emails, we learn that one of the actor’s granddaughters has cancer, and the cast decides to raise money for her treatments. When one of the actors raises doubts about where the money is going, this leads to someone being murdered on the night of the dress rehearsal.

I did not realize this was an epistolary novel when I decided to read it. These types of books can be hit or miss for me, but I felt this one was done really well. I will say this though, if you are going to listen to the audiobook, I recommend having a physical copy of the book to read along with so you can keep track of all of the characters. I found myself a bit confused as to who was who especially if I took a break between listening.

I found it interesting the way the author decided not to reveal who was murdered until about two-thirds into the book. I had my suspicions throughout about who would be blamed and who the killer actually was, but I never truly figured it out.

I enjoyed trying to solve the crime along with the lawyers who were reading the emails in the book. My biggest issue though, was that there were just way too many characters to keep track of. I look forward to seeing what Hallett writes next.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good! I want to see more from this author in the future!! I couldn't put this book down. What a page turner!!!

This is one of the most interesting books I've ever read in my life. It is exclusively told through emails, text messages, and transcripts. It definitely took some getting used to but once I got in the groove and realized who everyone was, I was entranced.

It was a really interesting plot but I think what made it really interesting and made me want to find out more was the strange setup. When you were reading everyone's emails, you knew there were missing pieces and it was done purposely to make you curious about what was going to come next.

While I loved the setup of the book, I also really enjoyed the twist and turns of the story. You thought you knew what was happening but then it went a different way, or you were just constantly trying to guess where the story was going. It kept me on my toes and I enjoyed every second of it.

I can't get over how incredible this book was... if you're looking for a nontraditional crime novel, you will love "The Appeal".

When tragedy strikes a family we know, our first impulse is to do everything we can to help, and that includes raising funds. It’s normal, and we trust our friends and acquaintances to do what’s right. So when the granddaughter of the director of a small amateur theatre group is struck with brain cancer, everyone rallies round. Soon, a charity has been formed to raise money, and notes and emails are flying back and forth between members of The Fairway Players, as well as their families and friends.

We know from the beginning of the book that something has gone wrong. What we are reading is an assortment of emails, notes, official notices, newspaper articles, etc. Two young lawyers have been assigned to look for a murder and a killer in these pages. There are at least 15 suspects, and there is some question as to whether or not a murder has actually taken place. There is also some questions about those funds being raised. Are they necessary? Is everyone being honest and transparent? I suppose you think the fact that I’m asking means they haven’t been–but am I right in my suspicions?

I enjoyed The Appeal so much! Author Janice Hallett does an excellent job capturing people’s voices and writing styles in different emails, including their blind spots and foibles. The idea is fresh and well-executed. It was so fun reading other people’s emails and seeing so clearly what they’re hidden from themselves, and the story itself is gripping and draws you in. Highly recommended.

This was an interesting way to tell the story. I thought I would be confused at first but I kept track of all the characters pretty easily, shady as they all were. At times there was a lot going on, and I don’t think everything was necessary, but overall I enjoyed the story and wanted to see how it ended.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I LOVED this book! The formatting of the book is different, as the story is told through a series of e-mails, which will not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it!

This book requires you to take your time with it, and pay close attention as so you do not miss any important clues throughout.. It is a larger book, but one that I devoured from start to finish and was so hard to put down!

I loved the small town vibe and setting, and all of the characters were well developed and likeable..

This book is for anyone who enjoys a good crime/mystery book! Highly recommend!

This was so much fun. Epistolary novels are extremely hard to pull off, as are books with a large cast of characters. Hallett expertly weaves a mysterious tale that slowly unfolds. Humor, intrigue, small town politics within a larger world setting - I was absolutely engrossed by these characters - and how impressive that Hallett is able to tell us about two characters, their motivations and characterizations without ever giving them a voice/POV. I will be commending this to anyone looking for a fun but thought provoking read this year. Thank you!

Poppy, the two-year-old granddaughter of the Haywoods, is diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer, the whole community rallies around them to raise money for her treatment. But not all is as it seems in this little town, and when someone turns up dead on the night of the Fairway Players' dress rehearsal, the truth must be uncovered.

I picked up this book because someone here recommended it (thank you!) and because it's been a while since I read a good epistolary novel. Certainly I've never seen one that's a mystery, and I really enjoyed this innovative format. The gaps between what people say and what's really going on makes for a twisty narrative.

I also liked how interactive the story felt, like a puzzle. The legal interns are studying the same documents as we are, sorting through them and searching for clues just as we are, and I felt a little bit like a detective doing it, which was fun.

However, I wish I liked the characters better. There was no one that I really wanted to root for, and I could not stand Issy, who is one of the main characters in the story. Therefore, while I went on to try and find out what had happened, the read wasn't always enjoyable in a narrative sense.

Overall, a twisty and innovative read with complex characters. I would read more by this author as she seems to have a knack for complex but comprehensible mysteries.

I found the Appeal an interesting concept on how to tell a story. Everything through email and text messages. The author had me guessing about what really happened with this mixture of characters until the very end. The Appeal was an interesting that pulled me into the story.

Welcome to the Fairway Players, a community theater group rocked by tragedy when the granddaughter of the troupe’s leaders is diagnosed with cancer. But the show must go on, and along with it so too does a charity campaign to raise money for an experimental treatment for young Poppy. By the time the curtain rises for the first show, a troupe member will be dead, and it becomes clear not all is what it seems when it comes to the fundraising campaign. The reader is put in the place of a member of the defense team for a potentially wrongfully accused murder suspect, and has to sort through correspondence of the involved players leading up to, and just after, the murder to see if they can solve the mystery. Told entirely in epistolary format, The Appeal is a unique contribution to the mystery genre. A very rare thing indeed these days.

Does the idea of going back to school and doing a case study involving sorting through tons of (often tedious) correspondence sound appealing to you? That may sound like a less than enthusiastic description of this book, but that kind of thing does in fact very much appeal to this reader, and I really enjoyed the experience.

This isn’t your normal easy, breezy beach thriller read. Those are great, and have their place, but I appreciated the change up in formatting and storytelling here. You’re going to have to put on your thinking cap for this one. Though perhaps you should make sure said cap is your best houndstooth deerstalker, so you can Sherlock your way through this clever mystery. Also, be warned: because this book is nearly entirely in the form of short emails and text exchanges, it is far too easy to tell yourself “just one more”, and end up reading far past your bedtime. I will say that I found it pretty unrealistic that so many of the exchanges were emails versus texts, but I was able to look past that once I got into the story.

I certainly wouldn’t want to read this kind of book all the time (and I imagine the author put so much time into it that she wouldn’t want to write another anytime soon), but this was a great change of pace for those looking for something a little different. Especially recommended for those who like things like logic puzzles, actually enjoyed classes like Con Law, or who find themselves always solving the mystery before the big reveal in most thrillers. Here, even if you do solve it, it feels like you’re making a professor or boss proud, rather than simply ruining the book for yourself.

I was utterly charmed by this unique murder mystery! The premise is great – a detective duo has been given a stack of correspondence (text and emails) and asked to read through and determine who was murdered, why, and who was wrongly accused.

Of course we readers get to come along for the ride – reading their post-it notes or texts to each other as they try to solve the mystery. I was desperately trying to solve it along with them but I was stumped!

The ending was truly shocking and the many twists and turns had me flying through the story. I read part of it and listened to part. Both formats make for a wonderful experience! This is one I’ll be recommending for years to come!

This was a very different format from my typical read. Though there are gobs of characters, the author works hard at making that manageable. The fact that the clues to the murder mystery are delivered via texts and emails is a unique approach. the author does a great job of providing suspense mixed with humor that keeps you invested in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viper for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I'll start by saying this book was way too long. It could easily have been 100 pages shorter and just as effective. I flew through the first 150ish pages but then it started to repeat itself and the plot didn't move forward at all. I ended up skimming at 80 percent because I just stopped caring and I had figured out most of the reveals (though that's not necessarily a bad thing!). I really like the concept and the author did a great job developing characters just through emails and texts. I'd definitely give Hallett's future works a try.

At no point did I fully understand what would happen next. The twist at the end was definitely worth the wait and, in my opinion, was well-supported leading up to its reveal. The Appeal shows how dark a community and its actions can go when the wrong motivators are in place.

This is one of those novels that has your head spinning from the beginning to end! Told in a series of text exchanges, emails, memos, and the like, the book documents a community theater's rehearsals and production of All My Sons. But what goes on behind the scenes is what the book is really about! Two-year-old Poppy has been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and needs an unusual drug not available except in the US, so grandfather (and director) Martin is determined to raise awareness--and the money of course--to begin her treatment. But there are so many characters who come under suspicion for various reasons, even as Martin and his family begin the fundraising to help cure her. This isn't an easy book to read because unless you are used to going through your day reading only emails, you can only know what the person sending them SAYS--not always what is meant! So go into it blind and settle in for a hair-raising ride...and be patient for the ending may knock your socks off!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

The story is told entirely in emails, texts, and letters. You get to be the detective and look for the clues. There is a large cast of characters and it can be a little daunting to keep up with who is who. Overall it was an enjoyable story.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest w.

This one was difficult for me to read as it is laid out in bits of email and letters instead of prose. While the style is unique and I could see where a book & narrative can be formed by reading others' opinions and thoughts as the story unfolds, it was hard to keep my interest.

Published in the UK in 2021; published by Atria Books on January 25, 2022

A character in The Appeal knows a secret. That character is murdered to keep the secret from coming out. What is the secret? Which character will die? Who is the murderer? Those questions propel this delightfully unconventional epistolary novel.

A barrister gives a collection of documents — primarily texts, WhatsApp messages, and emails, although police interview transcripts, memos, and a few other documents are later added to the pile — to two law students. He asks them to read the documents without context and to answer some questions: Who committed the murder? Who knew it was going to happen? What three things did the victim tell people before the murder? Who knew about the murder before the body was discovered? Who has been wrongly imprisoned for the crime? Who of the named people are not who they say they are?

The action surrounds an amateur theater group called The Fairway Players. Martin Hayward, a respected local businessman, chooses and directs the plays. His talented wife Helen plays the female lead. His daughter Paige usually plays a role. His son James is his assistant director. James’ wife Olivia is pregnant with twins so James’ time is limited. When the document dump begins, they are casting for All My Sons.

This production differs from others because Martin must devote his time to raising funds for his granddaughter Poppy, who is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Dr. Tish Bhatoa is sourcing experimental drugs from the US, but Martin will need a large sum of money (the total changes from time to time) to acquire them. He eventually does a fundraising appeal with other members of The Fairway Players. The appeal is managed by Sarah-Jane MacDonald, who has fundraising experience.

Samantha Greenwood and her husband Kel are newcomers to the group. They just returned to England from Africa, where they were relief workers. Samantha has some history in Africa with Dr. Bhatoa, who warns Martin that she is not to be trusted. Samantha meets Isabel (Issy) Beck at the hospital where they are both employed as nurses. Issy latches onto Samantha and recruits her (and Kel) to The Fairway Players. Issy desperately wants attention and is slavishly devoted to anyone who gives it to her, but most members of the group have a low opinion of her. Issy lives in a fantasy world and soon imagines that Samantha is her new best friend.

The fundraising takes unexpected turns as a potential donor disappears after asking questions about the miracle drugs that Dr. Bhatoa refuses to answer. An investment manager who promises to multiply the donations apparently disappears with the money. Sarah-Jane and others tell fibs (“Poppy is going blind!”) to encourage others to help with the appeal. Suspicions are formed, accusations are made, and eventually someone dies. The reader soon begins to question every fact related to the fundraiser and later to the murder.

Janice Hallett brings out the personalities of characters through their texts — Dr. Bhatoa is brusque, Issy is clingy, Martin is evasive, Samantha is principled. Each question that the barrister poses might have various plausible answers. The law students change their view of the evidence as they review the documents and acquire more information. The reader will do the same.

The novel is a true mystery, a whodunit mixed with uncertainty about what actually happened that led to the death. The novel’s construction, inviting the reader to tease the truth out of primary source documents, engages the reader’s attention and challenges the reader’s detective skills. Simply because of its structure, The Appeal is among the most innovative and entertaining crime novels I’ve read in recent years.

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