A schoolboy finds a children’s book on the bus and is caught reading it in his classroom (Remedial English class). Things then spiral onto a class visit to Bournemouth and a mystery which haunts Steven Smith for many years to come, even through a spell in jail. Told through voice recordings, predominantly with his old schoolmates, Steven Smith tries to solve the mystery of the Twyford Code. Not as gripping or original as her first novel, this is still an interesting read.

What a fabulous book. If you love puzzles and being taken on a fun, intriguing ride, you will absolutely adore it.

Through the medium of transcribed audio files, the author mixes humour and heart into a tale of secret wartime codes hidden in vintage children’s books, missing persons and rumours of treasure. And that’s only one layer of the story. It’s so full of twisty detail that when you reach the triumphant conclusion you want to go back to the start and read it all over again just to admire how clever the author is. This is a beautiful book about love and the power of stories.

Janice Hallett’s previous book The Appeal has been on my wish list for ages and I will definitely be buying it now, and can’t wait for future works from this ingenious writer.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. Thanks to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books.

Another absolutely fascinating story from Ms Hallett.

So clever and as with The Appeal, almost impossible to put down and equally difficult to review without spoilers.

I couldn't wait to read it and wasn't disappointed. This book will be on my 'pressies for friends and family' list this year just as The Appeal was last year.

Cracking good story.

Highly recommend.

Sorry I will be unable to review this book I loved the authors first book, but due to the unusual format I think it’s one of this books that best read in physical form so you can flick back in fourth. I found it confusing reading on my kindle sorry. I will look forwarding to read The Twyford Code on its release in hardback as I loved the premise and the first couple of chapters

Steve is released from 11 years in prison and has had time to ponder his life. He remembers a book of his childhood, written by Edith Twyford, which he had found on a bus. When he showed the book to his teacher ,Miss Isles, she took him and his fellow pupils on a trip to find out more about Edith. Steve remembers that Miss Isles disappeared on that trip and now,40 years later, he wants to investigate her disappearance,
He keeps a record of his investigation by recording it on a mobile phone. The novel is written in transcripts of his audio files and this may put readers off initially but it is well worth persevering with this unusual form of writing as the story it tells is so well crafted and clever. Layers of truth are peeled away as new elements of the story are introduced.
This is a unique mystery which engages the reader in puzzles and twists and turns in order to break the code. A really “cracking” read!
Many thanks to Viper books and NetGalley for the Arc.

When Steven Smith found a copy of a famous children's book by disgraced author Edith Twyford he takes it to his English teacher. She thinks it is a puzzle, but then disappears.
Stephen then spends time in prison but when he is released he starts looking into the mystery of the book but is he the only one looking for answers.

This was a really different mystery that had me totally gripped. I haven’t read any books by this author before but the description of the book really intrigued me and it didn’t disappoint at all. Would completely recommend if you enjoy puzzles and a multilayered plot.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this excellent mystery novel.

I was super excited to read this as I loved the authors previous book. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one as much. I’m unsure whether it was the format (audio transcripts via a voice translation app) or whether the story was too clever for me. I almost gave up several times.

However, I decided to persevere and was glad that I did as the latter half of the book really ramps up and there are a number of twists and turns (which I had both hoped and expected given previous experience of this author).

It’s been really hard to rate, but I’ve decided to go with 2.5 stars It’s very skilfully written, and the plot is clever, which although I didn’t love it, I can still appreciate. It’s a book that will get people talking for sure, and that is no bad thing.

Thanks to Viper Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review

I loved The Appeal and read it in one sitting. As soon as I saw this available, I had to read it. This book is just as good and has so many twists all the way through. This is a story you have to read a couple of times to really get to grips with the characters and the plot , you will definitely see more every time you read it.
Can’t wait for more from this author

The Twyford Code is such an imaginative, brilliant and tricksy mystery that will keep you on tenterhooks. Hallett is the writer to watch in the genre.

I adored The Appeal and yet again, Hallett has crafted such an exquisite mystery for you to unravel and puzzle over. Personally, I love the epistolary format of her mysteries, allowing time and space to become blurred. It allows you to investigate mystery for yourself and almost encourages you to take notes. The sheer amount of detail and layering here is wonderful to witness unfold and as per usual, you immediately want to delve back in to pick up all the tiny hints you missed.

Here, most of the story is told through audio transcriptions. Despite this gap, you get such a full sense of every single one of the characters. They become fully embodied people from just a few lines or a quick phone call. I loved how detailed they were, even from a quick sketch. Of course, you find out plenty more details and surprising backstories as the book progresses. I really loved the intersecting timelines and several mysteries that all wove together to create Hallett’s intoxicating spiderweb. This plot is complicated and discovering its true core is such a brilliant experience.

I don’t think I can fully articulate just how exquisitely done this mystery is. There are so many twists and turns, all of which are well-executed and genuinely surprising. Hallett keeps you on your toes, forcing you to keep questioning everything you’ve read. Every time you think you have this nailed, there’s another curveball to throw you off kilter. From the first page, Hallett really throws you into the thick of it. The pacing and tension are superb and unrelenting. Even in the supposedly quieter moments, there are plenty of subtle hints and tiny details that build up the bigger picture.

The Twyford Code is one of those books you’ll ruminate over time and time again. It’s an ingenious puzzle that rewards those with a keen eye and will leave armchair detectives reeling time and time again. Hallett truly is becoming my modern Christie.

After reading ‘The Appeal’ and loving it, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this, Janice Hallett’s eagerly-anticipated follow-up, ‘The Twyford Code’. Thankfully, the kind folks at Viper Books accepted my request for an advance copy and I now can’t wait for it to be published so I can discuss it with anyone who’s read it!

Steven Smith is recently out of prison after taking the fall for a crime he was part of with a larger gang. Whilst trying to get back on the straight and narrow, he recalls his childhood to his Probation Officer, Maxine, via voice recordings on an old iPhone. Included in these are his fond memories of teacher at school who had gone missing in mysterious circumstances during an unplanned school trip. His curiosity reawakened, Steven begins to investigate, contacting old schoolfriends for their own recollections, but his attempts to solve the mystery get him deeper and deeper into a sinister world of codes hidden in books for children, spies, Nazis, and vast quantities of missing gold...

It is practically impossible to write a review of this book without giving away dozens of spoilers! So, all I will say is: if you love mysteries, codes, and thrillers: you have to read this book! If you have already read and enjoyed Janice Hallett’s first novel, ‘The Appeal’, I can guarantee you will love this book. If you haven’t, then I thoroughly recommend you buy both.

The novel is a real page-turner that will puzzle you, shock you and make you laugh in equal measure. I really enjoyed spending time with rough-diamond Steven through his voice recordings, ‘listening in’ to his reminiscences of his past and his ongoing quest to solve the mystery of his teacher’s disappearance. Featuring in his recordings, he is helped along the way by a varied and interesting cast of friends, family and a very helpful library assistant. Plus, trying to solve the codes is also a huge part of the enjoyment, of course!

Janice Hallett is now a firm favourite author of mine and I’m looking forward to reading more from her in future. Once again, huge thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the advance copy on which this review is based.

I’ve not read Hallett’s first novel, The Appeal, although it’s been on my TBR since seeing all the enthusiastic reviews. So, when the opportunity for a proof of The Twyford Code came up I jumped at the chance. I hadn’t read the synopsis, I just liked mysterious sounding title!

I absolutely loved this book and yet I’m finding this a very difficult review to write. This book is super original and tells a great story. My difficulty is in explaining how wonderful the different elements are, without giving anything away. I can talk about the plot (majorly intriguing), the characterisation (solid and believable) and the themes (important). But that’s not where the magic lies. And this book is magic, not in a fantasy sense (it’s not that genre) but in how brilliantly it is conceived. I’ve never read anything like it!

Ostensibly it’s the story of Steven Smith who on release from a long prison stretch is ‘going straight’. Part of that is trying to reconnect with the son who he didn’t knew he had, part is trying to come to terms with a childhood event. As is often the case, Steven does not have a full recollection of his childhood trauma. It involves him finding a book which he takes to Miss Isles the remedial English class teacher. The class gets excited about the book because Miss Isles believes it contains a secret code and that leads to a class trip during which Miss Isles disappears. There is, however, a lot more to the story… which I can’t discuss.

The story is told in a very original format, through transcripts of recordings made by Steve onto an old iphone. He is making these recordings after leaving prison, for Maxine his probation officer.

It’s an intricate, multi-layered story which I know I’ll enjoy re-reading in the future. I’ll be trying to spot clues and seeing if there are any bits of secret code hidden in there which I’ve missed or something. Epic fun!

Highly recommended to lovers of great mysteries everywhere.

Another very impressive and gripping mystery from Hallett. Just when you think it’s all over it takes a completely unexpected turn. Really very clever. Less driven by the reader solving the mystery than The Appeal and more about being along for the ride - but what a ride!

40 years ago Stevie Smith acquired a book by a famous children's author (think Enid Blyton), what then happened has bothered Stevie for some time and so 40 years later he decides to investigate by contacting old school friends. The story is told through audio transcriptions, if you've read The Appeal Janice Hallett used a different narrative device, tweets and emails. I found I engaged with The Appeal however I could not connect with the audio transcripts and struggled with the characters. I think this is a reader issue and not the book's fault.

I am sorry to say I have had to put this book down unfinished at 150 pages I loved the first book and was so looking forward to this one but I just coudlnt get into it its taken me ages to even manage to get this far in. I just didn't like it at all.

Rating: 4.6/5

I really enjoyed Janice Hallett's innovative debut novel, "The Appeal" and this second book is even better.

On the face of it, "The Twyford Code" is about a former prisoner, Steven Smith, looking back on a significant moment from his childhood: Steven comes across a book by the famous writer if children's fiction, Edith Twyford (based very obviously on Enid Blyton). The teacher of Steven's remedial English class, Miss Isles, is convinced that there is a secret code that runs through this and other books by the same author and she even takes the class on a trip to Dorset to visit the home of Edith Twyford. However, during the trip Miss Isles disappears, but Steven's memory won't allow him to remember the details surrounding that day. Having been released from prison many years later, Steven starts to look into both his teacher's disappearance and the veracity of the mysterious Twyford Code.

As she did in her debut, Janice Hallett takes an unconventional and original approach to constructing this novel. This time around she makes use of the medium of voice recordings as the vehicle for the narrative. If you are the kind of person who likes your reading material to be full of flowing prose, then this will probably not be the book for you, as you are likely to find it irritating. However, for those who enjoy seeing a writer trying something fresh and different that both challenges and engages the reader in an unorthodox way, this is a welcome breath of fresh air. Yes, it is likely to take you a little while to become accustomed to following the format relatively fluently, but once you have you can really begin to appreciate the degree of craft, and also the wit, that has gone into the format of the content.

There is something very satisfying about a complicated mystery that (ultimately) actually makes sense. "The Twyford Code" has been so cleverly assembled and the eventual unravelling of the mystery is an absolute joy. This may not be one for conservative traditionalists, but that aside, if you are a keen reader of the mystery genre, then I would urge you to add this to your reading list. I don't give out many 5-star ratings for book reviews, but "The Twyford Code" absolutely deserves that mark and I am already looking forward to book three from Janice Hallett.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

I haven’t read Janice Hallett’s previous book ‘The Appeal’, but I can see from its reviews that it’s a sharp and clever thriller with an unusual narrative style. It certainly seems that Hallett has found herself a niche as The Twyford Code is very similar. The narrative style is very odd and can at first be quite jarring. The chapters are written as audio files which have been transcribed (badly) by automated software. We are warned at the beginning of the piece that certain words have been mis-typed (such as ‘mustard’ instead of ‘must have’ etc) and the whole book is quite a rambling point of view as Steven Smith, having escaped from prison tries to figure out a childhood mystery. I must admit I didn’t initially get on with the style of writing, but it turned out to be a very clever narrative device.

The story itself takes on many twists and turns and we get the air of a very unreliable narrator. There are many threads to the plot and Steve flits between them constantly – telling the story that landed him in jail, memories of his childhood class field trip, trying to solve the mystery of the Twyford Code – it all seems a bit jumbled in places. However, stick with it and the pay off is exceptional. The last few chapters had me gasping as they slowly revealed the truth of the book I had been reading for the past few days. My only point would be, unusually for me who loves my Kindle, that this book might perhaps be enjoyed more in paper-format as you can jump around the re-read the specific audio files that are mentioned in the denouement with new eyes.

Steven Smith is an interesting main character, a man who is almost illiterate, out on parole with a drinking problem and limited prospects in life. Although he has a shady past, we do feel some empathy for him as he tries to get his friends together and solve the mystery. I did feel like the middle section (particularly when they visit various ‘banks’) felt very slow moving and more confusing than it needed to be in regard to the ending.

Overall, The Twyford Code is a really clever thriller with an ending that you won’t see coming and will leave you gasping with shock. Another fantastic 2022 read – thank you to NetGalley & Viper Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Steve Smith, recently released from prison, is navigating life on the ‘outside’ working in a lorry park and living in a hostel. He wants to stay on the ‘straight and narrow’ and starts recording audio-files for his Probation Officer Maxine chronicling his unstable childhood, school years and falling in with the Harrisons, a South London crime family, and his life now he’s out of prison.

He sets about making it his mission to uncover the disappearance of his inspiring English Teacher, Miss Isles, who went missing on a school trip to Bournemouth. He visits his local Library and befriends Lucy, a Librarian, who helps him with his research and book selections. With her help he tracks down his classmates for their help in unearthing the truth of what happened that day.

Was her disappearance linked to one of Edith Twyford’s Secret Six books that he found on a bus and brought into class? Miss Isles read the book to the class and how they’d engaged with the story, so much so Miss Isles read Twyford’s other books to the class and organised a trip to Bournemouth to see where Edith Twyford lived and wrote. Had Miss Isles discovered a secret code in the book and was the trip to Bournemouth a rouse? Are their lives now in danger as they try to decipher the code?

The book reads as individual transcribed audio files, which I found highly original, intriguing and engrossing. I loved the code aspect of the book and was left genuinely surprised by the twists and turns.

I have not read Janice Hallett’s first book, but I will seek it out and will look out for other forthcoming Hallett books.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Viper books for making this ARC available to me for a fair and honest review.

I was a huge fan of Hallett’s first novel The Appeal; so much so that rather than just recommending it, I bought it for three people. It was an epistolary novel and also a mystery, written from a number of character perspectives and the reader was given an opportunity to see if they could read between the lines to solve the mystery.

I was excited to see what this novel would be like, given it too appeared to be an innovative way to tell a mystery: via audio transcripts (complete with audio misdescriptions and TM after trademarked words). The description of the book really appealed to me (puns aside!) because it sounded like a mystery wrapped up in an Enid Blyton-esque story to be used as a code to solve things. As a reader of the GCHQ codes and puzzles and a mystery lover, I was intrigued.

This novel didn’t suck me in at all in the way The Appeal did. I had to take 3 runs at the opening section because I couldn’t make it through the first 5% without finding I was switching off. The description of the book was so thrilling but the delivery for me on this occasion wasn’t. Once I got to the conclusion, I felt deflated. There were so many intentional misdirections.

Janice Hallett will still be a go-to author for me but I’m afraid that from my perspective, this book felt less than the sum of its exciting parts.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publishers a need the author for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"We can all see through this, this apparently simple story with its archetypal characters and stereotypical baddies, to what it's really about. Now, of course, I only wish I could."

The reader is introduced to a series of transcripts of voice recordings taken from an old iPhone 4, in which illiterate, ex-con, Steven Smith (Smithy) tells his probation officer about trying to trace Miss Iles, an former teacher of his, who went missing on a school trip with her remedial English class. With the help of old classmates and a library assistant, Smithy is on a mission. The adventure, interspersed with Smithy describing his career, working for local gangsters, The Harrison family, sees him uncover a tale of literary espionage from the Second World War. Or does it? The Twyford Code is understood to be in a series of outdated and discredited children's fiction, about The Super Six, by Enid Blyton-esque author, Edith Twyford. Smithy's audio diary switches between current events (Smithy trying to crack the code) and explaining his life up until that point.

As with her debut, The Appeal, the author uses technology as a plot device, but this time it revolves around codes and the appeal of finding long-hidden treasure. The lack of inverted commas in the bulk of the transcripts, which also misunderstands some words (or does it?), based on Smithy's accent and pronunciation (Miss Iles becomes missiles), takes a little getting used to, but very much adds to the atmosphere. Smithy is likeable and engaging, having experienced a difficult childhood, so the reader roots for him on his mission. Complex and full of twists, turns and red herrings (and other fish!), this is a clever and colourful adventure that will test your code-cracking skills!