DNF at 20% because I could not get into the format. I’m disappointed because I really loved The Appeal, but this isn’t working for me. While I don’t know for sure because I don’t know what happens, unless the mistakes are part of the mystery, it’s just very distracting. I might pick it up again in the future, but for now it’s a did-not-finish sadly.

Well there is no time to get bored while reading this fast paced novel. This book is riddled with puzzles and hilarious play on words. I enjoyed the London slang, such great dialogues. One can't help but warm up to the main character, a gangster with a heart of gold :-)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Twyford Code: A Novel by Janice Hallett from NetGalley and Atria Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… if you are interested in an incredibly unique and engaging, character-driven story I would definitely recommend The Twyford Code…

Remembering back, it all started when Steve found a mysterious children’s book on a bus one day by disgraced author Edith Twyford. Hoping to sell it to get some desperately needed food, he is disappointed when his teacher Miss Iles confiscates it and reads the banned book to the class. Obsessed with it herself, Miss Iles believes that Twyford’s series of six books held secret hidden codes which would lead to hidden treasure. So obsessed that Ms. Iles takes a small group of five students on a trip to Twyford’s residence to search for more clues. When Ms. Iles disappears and the students are mysteriously dropped off at school the next morning, whatever happened traumatized Steve and he cannot remember the events of that night.

In the present, to move on with his life, Steve is convinced he must learn what really happened to his teacher on that day. Talking with his old classmates and with the help of a young local librarian, Lucy, he sets out to solve Twyford’s mysterious code to learn why his beloved teacher disappeared and to finally be able to put the past behind him.

Although confusing at times because of the phonetic approach to the text i.e., “mustard” is “must have” etc. the story itself is incredibly compelling. Through the recordings we learn of the loss of Steve’s parents, the difficulty his older brother Colin had keeping them together and his descent into crime with an organized crime family with whom he found a sense of belonging. Steve, although a criminal, elicits sympathy as he has a sense of loyalty to those he loves even if it is often misplaced.

Through the recordings we learn more about Steve’s tragic past, the Twyford code, WWII espionage, hidden gold and the danger that can arise from those who wish to find it at all costs. When he and Lucy go missing Steve’s son takes over, trying to piece together the transcripts to learn what happened to his estranged father. The more he delves into the story, he learns more than he bargained for about his father.

Although at times frustrating to read it is incredibly engaging, if you are interested in an incredibly unique and engaging, character-driven story I would definitely recommend The Twyford Code!

Thank you Atria Books for the copy of The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett. The Appeal was a sneaky surprise of a delight last year and the Twyford Code was also a big win for me. Hallett's approach to mystery writing is refreshing, I enjoy the chance to really be a part of solving the mystery, to being pulled into a story for the joy of putting the clues together, and to see a smart story unfold.

I remain impressed by Hallett's ability to tell a story that is driven by evidence, less by dialogue per se, and how this works well (at least for me). The story moves forward via transcripts of audio recordings and other similar information and delves into a fascinating story about a love for books, words, and mysteries. It is a talented writer who can move a plot forward in this format and leave a reader with a satisfying conclusion!

I am not sure about this one. I wanted to love it for its unique format and creative use of transcripts as a plot device.

I am sure people who love acrostics will really enjoy this one. I’m also sure it was brilliantly written, but it just wasn’t for me. There were too many transcripts of audio recordings and not enough dialogue, character development, or plot for me.

I do like the creativeness of this author and plan to read The Appeal next.

THE TWYFORD CODE was BANANAS and I mean that as a high compliment.

We've got hidden codes, past secrets, foggy memories, and lots of questions like, who is Maxine exactly? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MS. ISLES?!

Told through transcripts of voice memos recorded by our main character, Steve, THE TWYFORD CODE is a delight of a mystery and a puzzle that begs you to try to figure it all out along with the characters. . . good luck.

I fear saying too much more. It's definitely a book you just need to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Specific review will be on my Instagram account, @fromsarahsbooknook on the pub date,

Hallett obviously created this book as a labor of love. The codes are intricate, the story is refreshing, and the way the story is told is one I haven't read before. I would classify it as an epistolary novel since it is ostensibly told through documents.
Unfolding in transcriptions of files taken from a found iPhone, we learn the story of Steven Smith, recently released from prison. We don't learn why he was in prison until the end of the book but it is that experience which took him away from most of his son's life, the son he is transcribing all of these events for.
The main story revolves around a book Steven "Little Smithy" found on a bus. When he brought it into school and showed his teacher, she used the book to connect his remedial English class to the written word. She also seemed to take note of the book and tells them about a code in the book. On a field trip to visit the author's house, their teacher vanishes. Decades later, Steven is trying to figure out what actually happened but it seems to have dropped him right into danger.

Four stars
This book comes out January 24, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Wow. This book blew me away.
I will say you have to invest time into the story but once you're into it the author really keeps you intrigued and I promise you wont be disappointed.
The alternative format is so unique but also plays into the mystery. The story itself is thrilling, mysterious and beautiful. The mystery the reader must solve is intricate and really gets you involved in the story. This is the type of book you can read over and over again and discover more clues.
I really enjoyed the dyslexia representation and felt very empowered by the depictions inside the story. I also love a story with a sentimental theme and the ending really solidified the 5 star rating for me.
I read The Appeal last year and I liked it but The Twyford Code really takes that concept to a whole other level.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. This book is out in the US January 24th.

This book was very unique. At first I thought the format of voice messages was a cool idea but I was sick of it by about 50%. At times it was hard to tell what was happening and who was talking because it never explicitly says. I did get confused a couple times and had to reread. On top of that, the direction the story went in wasn’t my cup of tea. There were parts I enjoyed but most of the time I just wanted to finish it to get it over with. The ending brought everything together and was clever. Although slightly outrageous, I enjoyed the ending so I added a star. I bet if I re-read this book it would get a higher rating now that I know the ending, it has all of the makings of a 5 star read for me and I think if the entirety of the book was executed differently, it would be 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Janice Hallett for the ebook copy. Netgalley says this book will be published January 24, 2023 but from what I can see online, this book was published already in January 2022. I’m not sure what’s going on there.

The structure of this novel was unique and creative however I really struggled with it. To be honest, this was a real slog to get through. I just think that I didn’t really care about any of the characters. I found myself wanting to put it down multiple times and took me quite a long time to get through. The mystery at the core of this novel kept me going out of pure curiousity and the ending was imaginative and satisfying. This was my first novel by the author and have since also read The Appeal which I found much more enjoyable.

@janice.hallett is so creative with the way she writes her books. I loved her debut, The Appeal, which is told through written messages sent by the characters (emails, notes, letters, etc). In her second book, The Twyford Code, the story is revealed in audio files that have been transcribed into print by a software app. The grammar, misspelling of words, and replacement of words/phrases by the app make it believable. For example, “must of” is transcribed as “mustard.” The audio files lay out the life story of Smithy and his search for his old teacher who went missing on a field trip. The use of audio files to tell the story creates an unreliable narrator and it kept me hooked to find out what Smithy discovered about the Twyford Code.

Janice Hallett has sealed herself as a must buy author for me! I can’t wait to see what creative way she reveals her next story.

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

Puzzle lovers will have a field day with The Twyford Code, although I can see some readers being put off by the format. Steven "Smithy" Smith records each step of his investigation into the long-ago disappearance of his teacher in a series of recordings on an old iPhone, and at the beginning, readers are told that the software used to transcribe the recordings can sometimes make mistakes. As a result, "Miss Iles" becomes "missiles". "Gonna" becomes "gun a" and so on. It can take a bit of getting used to, but this format actually made Smithy's voice more distinctive in my mind as I read.

Aided by Lucy the librarian, Smithy finds himself on a trek down Memory Lane as he tries to find out just what the Twyford Code leads to and what happened to his teacher, Miss Iles. But the further into his investigation we get, red flags begin to go up. Why are old classmates being so evasive? What kind of treasure could the Twyford Code possibly lead to? And just how forthcoming is Smithy being in telling us about his investigation? Could something else be going on?

I really enjoyed the unfolding of all the puzzles and Smithy's character in particular. My deductive skills really got a workout, but by book's end, the resolutions were coming so thick and fast, it was almost overload-- like eating a favorite flavor of ice cream much too fast and then getting brain freeze.

If you love pitting your detective skills against a skilled puzzle master then you must read Janice Hallett's The Twyford Code. No doubt about it, I'll be looking for the other books she's written.

I wanted to love this book so much, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I felt at times we were going around and around in circles with Steve. I struggled with 85% of this book. I was understanding why Steve became obsessed with certain things that didn’t connect with the story. I’m still a fan of Janice Hallett and will continue to read more.

The Appeal was one of my favorite books last year and I was super excited to receive a copy of Hallett's newest. While I enjoyed this one, the voice memos and calls weren't as effective for me like the emails and texts were in The Appeal although they were compelling and innovative. It was hard for me to keep track of some of the clues and theories as they worked on the code. The ending was strong and I really liked how Hallett wrapped up many of the loose threads. I can't wait to see what Hallett writes next!

The Twyford Code is an original, fast-paced, fun, and crazy heist story - for the right reader. I loved the book and wanted to stop everything and keep reading. The story stayed on my mind, even when I wasn't reading it. The structure of the novel may not work for some readers, though. It took me a while to adjust to the format, a series of auto-transcribed dictation complete with autocorrect errors. Sometimes, I needed to catch up on who was speaking, which frustrated me, but I still found the format an exciting change of pace.

The mystery is a highly complicated puzzle. It's been a long time since I read a book so full of clues and red herrings. It kept my mind noodling for the entire ride.

I read the book on my Kindle and used the "search this book" function more than usual as I returned to earlier sections to remind myself about certain characters and events. The audio might be fun to listen to but hard to follow. A combination audio-print read would be optimal.

Here are some things I especially enjoyed:
The primary character, Steve, shows the reader how early childhood trauma can lead to a series of life derailers. At the same time, the tone is relatively light-hearted and humorous.
Steve has a learning disability that he ultimately overcomes (in prison) and learns to read, but as he can't write well, he relies on phone dictation. It was an excellent way to show how neurodiverse people can use accommodations, and I can't recall reading anything similar.
The Twyford Code was a genuine puzzle within a puzzle within a puzzle. That made it confusing at times but ultimately rewarding. I can see reading the book a second time to catch all the clues.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook version of the book in return for a review.

This book was a bit of a code itself. The use of the audio files from Steve "Smithy" Smith as a concept to tell the story was very creative, but a lot of that portion of the book was hard to follow.

The audio files were definitely Steve's life story, but many parts were hidden or not how they seemed. The Tyford books held many of secrets, but Steve had so many secrets too.

It took me awhile to figure out the over all point and plot and was thankful for the explanations near the end from Steve's son who was analyzing the audio files.

This book is definitely not a typical "here's the clues for the treasure" type of book. For those looking for a lighter read, this book is not it due to the critical thinking involved to follow along. I enjoyed it once the pieces eventually came together.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

I liked this one, but not quite as much as The Appeal. The format was super interesting and the plot kept me guessing, but something about the ending left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

Told entirely in recordings of audio files and emails, this is a mystery and a puzzle. Steven Smith is out of prison after 11 years and desperate to solve some mysteries in his life - where did his beloved teacher, Miss Isles, go? What is The Twyford Code? I really don't want to say too much, because this is a unique story with so many twists and turns, I'd hate to ruin it for the next reader. The conclusion is amazing.

"It's time to solve the murder of the century...

Forty years ago, Steven Smith found a copy of a famous children's book, its margins full of strange markings and annotations. He took it to his remedial English teacher, Miss Isles, who became convinced it was the key to solving a puzzle. That a message in secret code ran through all Edith Twyford's novels. Then Miss Isles disappeared on a class field trip, and Steven's memory won't allow him to remember what happened. Now, out of prison after a long stretch, Steven decides to investigate the mystery that has haunted him for decades. Was Miss Isles murdered? Was she deluded? Or was she right about the code? And is it still in use today? Desperate to recover his memories and find out what really happened to Miss Isles, Steven revisits the people and places of his childhood. But it soon becomes clear that Edith Twyford wasn't just a writer of forgotten children's stories. The Twyford Code has great power, and he isn't the only one trying to solve it..."

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

We were pleased to share this title at our live Spring Book Preview event for the Modern Mrs Darcy and What Should I Read Next communities on January 10, 2023, when 1200 readers attended live and twice that many watched the replay in the following week. The PDF from that event is attached. Long story short: this satisfying puzzle box of a mystery is perfect for fans of Magpie Murders.

I absolutely loved Hallett's previous book The Appeal so I was thrilled to have a chance to read her next work. The premise immediately drew me in and hit on my favorite story elements, mysteries and puzzles. This book was definitely unique, especially in the format (interview transcripts). I was interested in the plot and was invested in the ending of the story but I really struggled with the narrative voice. I think the transcript format just does not work for me. I still recommend this book because I think plenty of people will connect with the story and voice. I am also anticipating what the author writes next because I really enjoy her story ideas. Thanks to Janice Hallett, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.