SPOILER FREE REVIEW.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. Thank you Netgalley, @SerpentsTail and @Viperbooks
I’d give The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett two and a half stars out of five but I’ll mark as three because I have been in a low mood and it has definitely affected my reading speed and who knows what else… I’ll keep this review short as it just wasn’t for me.
The story is set as transcripts of audio recorded on an old phone. It tells the story of Steve Smith in his words along with occasional conversations with others. His history and a new search for the Tywford Code. You might find it clever where I found it confusing even at the end.
I like the idea of the story. Maybe I’m just not clever enough for this kind of story full of codes and hidden messages. If you like that kind of thing perhaps give this one a try? It’s due for release in January 2022.

Like others, I raced through Janice Hallett's first book, The Appeal and was very keen to read The Twyford Code. It lived up to expectations and more, devilishly clever, it twists and turns like a slippery fish, the ground beneath your feet suddenly slips away, and you're left not knowing what is what or which way is up.
The story is told through a series of transcribed audio recordings from an ex prisoner Steve Smith. He is trying to find out what happened in one particular incident in his past, where he and some school mates went on a trip with their class teacher but he cant remember what exactly happened. His journey takes him back to find his old friends, some of whom are more pleased to see him than others. He also tells the story of his childhood and also events that led him to jail. interspersed through the recordings.
It is so cleverly plotted, I have no idea how you would begin writing anything like this. There were points where I wasnt sure what was going on but I think that's because I was rushing to find out more
I will definitely buy this and read it again with all of the knowledge in mind!

Transcribed from phone voice recordings, this is the story of Steve Smith, recently released from prison and trying to track down his old teacher and classmates. Years ago he brought a book by Edith Twyford into school and it led to the class going on an unofficial trip to Devon. But what really happened on that trip? Where did the teacher go to? What is the code hidden in the Twyford books? And how does it all relate to Steve's life history as a member of a criminal gang?

The format took me a bit of getting used to, but once into it this was a good read, with plenty of twists as to who was involved in cracking the Twyford code and who is tracking Steve. I'm not usually a huge fan of codes, but I was hooked in trying to work out what was really going on - and the ending is really clever!

I loved Janice Hallett's previous novel 'The Appeal' and I was keen to get started on this. The Twyford Code was very original and different from other books, but I was sometimes left feeling frustrated because I was constantly searching for clues and thwarted at every turn until I got near to the end. I don't want to give anything away in my review, but if I had to sum this book up in a word, it would be "clever"!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of The Twyford Code in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgally for a review copy of this amazing book.
This is the story of Steve Smith, who has just been released from jail and would like to find out what happened to Mrs Isle and break the famous 'Twyford Code'. Steve had a tough start in life, made some difficult choices and ended up spending 11 years in jail for murder. Now that he is out he is determined to stay on the straight and narrow and also discover the treasure of the 'Twyford Code'
This book is incredibly clever and well written. I had no idea what the end was going to be and what the code really was. Janice Hallett is a master storyteller and she created a fascinating and inventive story that had me guessing until the end.
The format of the book is unique and the end is also highly creative and surprising.
I cannot wait for a final copy of this fantastic book.

The Twyford Code was every bit as clever and addictive as The Appeal.

The misinterpretations of the audio in the transcripts made the story feel more real, and the characters were all genuine and well-rounded.

Janice Hallett is definitely one to watch.

I read The Appeal by Janice Hallet and so enjoyed the medium she uses to get her story and progress the plot. In The Appeal she used emails.

The Twyford Code was one of my most anticipated books and I wasn't disappointed.

In this book, we read a transcript of voice recordings found on an old phone. I loved this as Janice brought such realism to it including errors that would be found in normal voice to text writing. For example "must have" may be misinterpreted as "mustard." I thought this was really clever and added a lot to the reading experience.

I did find the book a little long, but I say that about almost every book I read, it's just personal taste. I think for most other people they'll be wanting more of this book!

I'm also fascinated by how Janice comes up with these plots for her books! They are so unique and follow such a complex web of storylines. The Twyford Code is no exception. For the first part of the book, I felt like I had no idea what was going on, but as I kept reading I become more shocked as all these revelations came to light.

Overall, I gave this 4 stars and I highly recommend this book!

This comes out January 13th 2022!

Thank you Janice Hallet, Viper Books & NetGalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh my days! I loved the Appeal, and getting swept along with the narrative, rather than trying to solve it. The Twyford Code though, I tried to stay ahead of the plot - which is NOT easy!

I loved the quirks of the audio transcription - the A Level English Language flashbacks were HARD 🤣! - and felt it was a great way to tell this particular tale.

The story it self covers a range of topics, from deprivation, literacy, recidivism, trauma, WW2, an Enid Blyton-Esque author, SO MANY!!!

I can see this being a bit of a marmite book, just the same as The Appeal, but I absolutely loved it!

I adored Janice’s first book, The Appeal, and was so excited when I was sent an early copy of the sequel. Once again, Janice has chosen an unusual medium to tell her story - this time it’s in voice notes recorded on an old iPhone. Like the first book - where it’s all written in email form - this allows the reader to follow the plot (past and present) in real time with the characters. I found this quite a brave book as there’s really only one character we hear from, which is a lot to sustain for nearly 400 pages.

I did feel at times it was perhaps slightly repetitive, but this could be down to just having the one narrative viewpoint. We’re used to swapping narrators, swapping loyalties, digging through layers, which obviously, this book wasn’t full of (well, until about 80% of the way through anyway). However it is still thrilling and kept me hooked until the revelations at the end.

I think the writing style is original and interesting, but would at times have preferred to read it from other points of view, but it does become clearer as the book goes on why this writing style was chosen. By using the single narrative, it is up to us as the reader to decide if the main character of Smithy is reliable or not.

Murder mysteries and the like are always full of red herrings and twists and turns the reader tries to decipher, but I don’t think I’ve read one with such a 360 degree ending as this one. The time and concentration that Janice must have to concoct, plan, write, and keep on top of each aspect of her stories is commendable.

I admit, I preferred the first book as I found it easier to get my head round, and was engaging right from the start, whereas this one took me a little while to get into, but nevertheless I did thoroughly enjoy it. Janice is clearly one to watch when it comes to rivalling Agatha Christie, and is definitely a future legend in the murder mystery genre.

The Twyford Code is a fascinating mystery novel framed as a transcripted audio film from the POV of a reformed criminal trying to solve a code implanted in wartime children’s stories.
What an amazing story! We slowly discover more about Steve’s childhood and criminal life that ended up landing him inside. I loved the slow reveals about Steve and his companions and family throughout the story.
The narrative style was great, the framing is an audio record made on Steve’s sons phone. A style that fun to read also would be amazing as an audiobook or podcast.
However, sometimes I found that the action was lost due to the audio based narration. It was only later through context that I was able to understand what had been happening, this I’m sure was intentional but lost me at times.
This book is really gripping and I would often find myself wondering about it throughout the day. It’s very cleverly written and like all good mysteries I immediately wanted to reread it from the start once I’d reached the end.

Janice Hallett gives the reader another complex and deliberately confusing mystery where the reader feels blinfolded and blindsided by information. The reader is gven transcripts of audio files to try and make sense of with autocorrect mistakes, background noise and an array for characters in order to try and work out what has happened. I found the audio files hard to decipher and wonder whether this would work a lot better as an audio book.

Ex con Steve Smith has been released from a long term prison sentence and decides to record his life story on an old iphone 4 for his son who he was estranged from since birth. Steve's story goes from present day to a traumatic incident in his youth and how he came to be in prison. Steve and his old school friends try and solve the mystery of their teacher who mysteriously went missing one day after a school trip. The group in remedial studies had become absorbed by an old book by Edith Twyford a contraversial Enid Blyton type of author and the hidden code they found within the book. Could the code be the reason for Miss Isles disappearance.

There are so many twists and turns in this novel and the end really made me smile at just how clever it was.

I really enjoyed the first third of this book and loved the concept of the transcripts of the voice recordings by Stephen who has had a difficult life to say the least. A mystery concerning an Enid Blyton write-alike is so appealing - who didn't enjoy those innocent adventures in golden days? I was intrigued but I felt it got a bit bogged down and I lost a lot of interest. To be fair, it was probably a bit too clever for me to work out the clues. However I enjoyed the letters/emails by the son which explained what was really going on at the end and it was good to read something original.

This is the story of Steve, nicknamed Smithy who has just been released from prison. Through phone recordings addressed to his probation officer we find out his life story. At the centre of the voice recordings there is a 40 year old mystery that Steve is trying to solve. As a child On his bus to school Steve finds a copy of a children’s book by author Edith Twyford. His remedial English teacher Miss Isles reveals to the class that there is supposed to be a hidden code in the book. She takes the small class on a trip to Bournemouth to visit places of interest linked to the author. Miss Isles never returned from that trip. Steve feels that in order to find out what happened to his teacher he needs to crack the code in the Edith Twyford book.

I really enjoyed the combination of mysteries and Smithy’s life story. I get the impression that Edith Twyford was based on Enid Blyton. This took me right back to my own childhood as I loved her books particularly her Mr Pink Whistle series.

A word of warning though, because this book is transcribed voice recordings (think Siri) the words appear phonetically not grammatically correct. This does take a little bit of getting used to at first but you don’t notice it after a while. This was a multi layered story with the sad story of one boys upbringing along with the mystery of what exactly happened to his teacher. Although I enjoyed the book overall it is not a fast paced story but it it entertaining and sad in parts. I love the uniqueness of the author’s books so far. I am already anticipating her next book.

After reading and loving the The Appeal, I was desperate to read this book and it did not disappoint.

This time the story is told through voice notes our storyteller Steve has recorded on a phone.

He is trying to solve The Twyford Code, a mystery he remembers from school.

Now its quite hard to say anymore without giving anything away but what I will say is, if you loved The Appeal, you will love this too!

The Twyford Code is a unique novel that took me a little by surprise.

Ex-convict Steven Smith is released from prison and tries to solve the 40-year-old mystery of his English teacher's disapperance, and how it might be linked to the secret code embedded in a series of old children's books.

Essentially, it's a book about storytelling, and Hallett plays with form, voice and perspective throughout. It's an intelligent detective story told with a sense of mischief: all the clues are there for you to piece the puzzle together, but the plot thickens with every page and there are plenty of twists to catch you out. Using the format of audio transcripts to tell the story relies on a strong sense of character, and Steve is a real stand-out protagonist.

Playful and compelling, The Twyford Code is a pageturner that keeps you guessing right to the end. Highly recommended.

I loved Hallett's previous book, The Appeal, and still recommend it to everyone I know.
The Twyford Code also has an unusual and unique style and format, which took a lot of getting used to, and at times I had to reread lines for it to make sense.
The character of Steve was fascinating and intrigued me straight away.
But then at around 40% I found the pace to go much slower, and the small clues around the mystery of Miss Isles were few and far between.
The time frame of each audio transcript went over my head, and reading on kindle made it rather difficult to follow how much time had lapsed between each recording.
I was grateful for the ending letters to fully grasp the closing of the mystery, as I think on the transcripts alone, the reader would find it somewhat challenging.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Janice Hallett’s debut novel The Appeal, I jumped at the chance to read The Twyford Code when I spotted it was available to request on Netgalley.

Like The Appeal, The Twyford Code offers us a different take on the traditional narrative of a book. This time instead of the story being told through emails we have narration through transcripts of recorded voice memo’s that lead us on a twisty tale.

It’s such a clever way to tell a story, it feels very authentic and the ‘mistakes’ from the transcription software add to that feel – some words are transcribed in a variety of ways such as Bournemouth. The reader is clever alerted to this fact early on and after a few pages they barely registered but still added to the feel of the narration.

I loved Steve, our narrator, he was instantly someone you warmed to and as we learnt more about his background and life he make even more so – despite his sometimes questionable methods and life outlook.

I won’t say too much about the story itself as it is all very cleverly intertwined and I don’t want to spoil anything. I will say that this is a brilliantly crafted mystery story that grips from the start and sweeps you along on its journey.

With thanks to Netgalley and Viper Books for a digital copy in exchange for honest review

The Twyford Code will be available January 2022

Very clever and very unusual way of telling a story. I have no words as I am that amazed. Slightly confused for a while if I'm honest but then again I was expecting that after having read her first novel. I feel I should be better at Countdown before I read this again to pick up the clues I missed. Intelligent and a whole lot of fun.

After The Appeal, Janice Hallett once again gives us an unusual angle in the mystery genre in this wonderfully riveting, full of heart, a puzzle of a story. Here we are given transcripts of voice recordings made on a old IPhone 4, with all the fun of decyphering what is meant with some words and phrases in the narrative. Steven Smith has recently been released after a long stretch in prison, having suffered the loss of his wife and is estranged from a son who gave him the IPhone. For 40 years, Steve has been obsessed with the mystery of the disappearance of his remedial English teacher, Miss Isles. He had found a book on the bus, it was by Edith Twyford, a writer, similar to Enid Blyton, who had gone out of fashion, deemed to be xenophobic. Miss Isles reads the book to the class, but takes the book, never returning it to him, convinced it contains a puzzle and secret codes.

However, she did take the class on a visit to the home of Edith Twyford in Bournemouth, a trip Steven has never been able to forget and is haunted by, for that is the day that Miss Isles vanished. Now he is determined to discover what happened to her, with the help of his former classmates, Paul, Donna, Michelle, Nate, and Lucy, the librarian. The voice recordings fill in the details of Steven's troubled personal life, his painful and neglected childhood, with both his mother and father leaving, with his older brother Colin bringing him up. There is his involvement with the well known criminal Harrison family. This is an exhilarating tale of adventures, related with much humour, with the requisite challenges, a format that works extremely well, littered with clues, of secrets, and the puzzle that is Steven's life.

Hallett writes a multilayered, intricate and complex novel, with a format that took me a little time adjust to, but once I did, I was completely immersed and just desperate to find out where it is all heading. I finished reading this, and know I will reread some time in the future to understand and appreciate all the clues in the narrative. The author is beginning to establish a reputation for irresistible and original mysteries that prove to be compulsive, entertaining, engaging and full of twists and turns. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

YESSSSSSSSS….. that was one big sigh of contentment after reading and absolutely loving this outstanding book and it’s a book that is written like nothing I have read before and even though I loved The Appeal by this author and the way that was written this one is different and even better.
So a read that has so many things and difficult to describe at its heart it’s a mystery and a journey of discovery but it’s so much more than that. A story of friendships, regrets and a quest to find something but what ! It’s got puzzles galore, codes, hidden words, clues and more to keep you guessing till the end which had one hell of a twists and if you love crosswords as I do you are going to love this story, I had a little tear in my eye when I finished it but if you want to know why then you are going to have to read the book !
This is a book that is really clever and I have no idea how the heck Janice Hallett managed to pull it off but she did it was an amazing ,superb and a mind blowing 5 star read that far too good to be missed.
Not enough words of praise just a massive thank you to a fabulous author and I can’t wait to see what is coming next !
My thanks to NetGalley and Viper Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.