Another clever and quirky book by this author. Really lovely twists and turns with the satisfaction that the clues were all there all along for the reader.

The only downside is that at times there was a lot going on and a lot of information to take in and analyse. It was also slightly tricky to read this as a proof as a lot of things didn’t quite work as they hadn’t been typeset as they will be in the finished book.

Overall, though, another fresh, interesting and enjoyable book from this author who is quickly becoming a must read for me.

I absolutely loved Janice Hallett’s The Appeal and the structure of the novel was so fresh and fun, but I found The Twyford Code hard work so I was intrigued how I would find her latest book.

I am fascinated by cults so I knew this one would be right up my street.
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This was a really engrossing and interesting story and the I think the use of documents as the structure was used in its most effective format here. I loved how it all came together at the end.

It was a bit tricky to read as a proof as the formatting was a bit off and some of the characters didn’t load for emojis, for example, but not enough to be an issue.

4 stars

I've got to say I'm once again amazed that the story has been relayed in whats app messages, emails and transcriptions, this is a very clever and novel way of story writing.

A clever, twisty thriller, which follows a true crime author Amanda Bailey on her research journey of the mysterious case of the Alperton Angels. During her investigation, you find a lot of inconsistencies in stories from people who were actively involved in the case 18 years ago, but follow Amanda Bailey, and piece the mysterious puzzles together to come up with a 'this is what really happened!'

This book has it all, ' angels, demons, troubled teenagers failed by the system, cult members mutilated in a violent bloodbath, a baby in peril......'

I must admit until the last 100 pages of the book I was ready to give it a four-star, however, the last 100 pages knocked it up that one final star, and I really enjoyed the twists.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

Thankyou to Netgalley, Janice Hallett and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books.

"You don't need to be a charistantic individual to influence others. You just need to use the right words, at the right time, to show them certain things and hide others. They'll do the rest all by themselves."

Starting with instructions to open a safe deposit box of documents for a book that's just been published:

"You must read it all and make a decision. Either: Replace the documents and the box, then throw the key where it will never be found...
Or: Take everything to the police."

What follows is those documents, a mystery to involve the reader, using technology and a mixture of media as a plot device, all the author's hallmarks. The mystery is the 'Alperton Angels', a small cult in London, involving angels and an archangel Gabriel Angelis (he changed his name by deed poll), a charismatic and coercive figure, who convinces a young couple (Holly and Jonah) their baby is the antichrist; the angels are found brutally murdered / death by suicide in a warehouse, Gabriel is imprisoned, the baby put up for adoption and Holly and Jonah given new names and identities. Or so it's believed.

Amanda Bailey, a bright and determined, investigative true crime author is reluctantly working with gullible and rather irritating Oliver Menzies (who she studied journalism with), ably assisted by Ellie Cooper, who transcribers the audio recordings of their nterviews. Other books have been written about these crimes creating a distinct narrative, but none have tracked down Holly, Jonah or found the baby, who is due to turn eighteen, since. The readers follows Amanda's and Oliver's investigations through their communications, interviews and message exchanges as they search for new angles. I loved Amanda and Elly's exchanges and her acerbic comments on what she was transcribing "[Just tedious small-talk from here on. EC]

It's a complex and ambitious plot of conspiracies, with numerous characters, deliberate contradictions and red herrings, which speeds along and (thanks to Hallett's deft handling and of course Ellie's tight editing!) is all killer and no filler. As ever there are a number of clever 'Easter eggs' or hidden messages that have greater meaning as the plot unfolds. Another amazing novel from this author, I didn't want to put it down, or finish it, which is the mark of a great book!

I was a bit wary going into this book as I really was not at all keen on the last book. I found the format really confusing. This one was also written in an unusual manner but this one I LOVED. The story is compelling and and I ripped through it in a few days.

What an amazing ride this book is!
I read this immediately after The Appeal, my first Janice Hallett book, which I thought was brilliant and would be hard to top…but this just blows that great book away. I literally read it every spare minute I had and was sad when it was over. The story is so gripping and takes you down so many wrong turns, surprising you with completely buried twists just when you think you know what’s going on.
This is a much darker premise and had some genuinely scary parts - I embarrassed myself by nearly jumping out of my skin when an inspector asked for my ticket while I was reading it on a train! The author builds on her style of writing with the inclusion of excerpts from fictional texts related to the central story, that add another depth and lens to the context of information you get as you read. There is no backing away from the terrible things that humans will do for their own benefit, nor for the lengths they will go to in order to achieve their goals…both good and bad ones, sometime bad ones done by ‘good’ people and vice versa.
The intricacy of the plot is a thing to behold - I imagine Janice Hallett must have had one of those big boards with red string linking all the characters, places, and facts like you see on crime programmes with an obsessed detective hunting a killer, such is the expert way that everything hangs together with no plot holes.
Just a great entertaining way to lose yourself for a few hours, and give yourself things to think about for many hours after.

Well, what can i say about this book? it was outstanding! I absolutely loved it and i had been a little reluctant to begin with as i was unsure how i would get on with the unusual format of emails, notes and messages but i flew through it, unable to put it down.

The case presented is involved and interesting and you feel that you are part detective working through all the clues to find out what happened. The twists were good, especially the ones towards the ending which was superb.

I have already bought her past two books to read and can't wait to get to them!

4.5

Right, if you've read either The Appeal or The Twyford Code you will know what to expect with a Janice Hallett novel in that she doesn't write a novel the way others do. In Appeal we got a story patched together from notes, texts and I loved it. Twyford was patched together prose and recordings and I hated it but that was mainly because I thought the story insane.

With Angels we have the notes, interviews, texts, news reports and extracts from other playwrights/authors who have all been intrigued by a decades old mystery involving a cult called The Alperton Angels and its ensuing cover up (or not).

Janice Hallett manages to weave together an intricate plot that moves backwards and forwards in time as Amanda Bailey, the would-be author of a new book about the mystery pulls together her source material with help from other authors, Police, those involved and a whole cast of people who may or may not be what they seem and could be helping or hindering .

I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a couple of times when I thought there might be one too many different types of material but they're all totally relevant. Of course you won't know that till the end, which I didn't see coming at all. Great twist. In fact there's several great twists.

Angels is clever and funny, well plotted, a good twist on a conventional thriller and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Once I got started I gulped it down in three sittings.

Highly recommended for anyone who liked The Appeal or those who enjoy a quirky thriller.

I really wanted to read this book and I have to say it’s a fab gripping read.

Author Amanda (Mand) Bailey is to write a book about an historic event, the Alperton Angels. A cult of mystery, what will be found out?
Unfortunately for Amanda just after starting to research the Alperton angels, she finds she has an old rival, a fellow author who is also going to be writing a new book too on the same subject? Oliver Menzies.
How will this all pan out?

I really wanted to read this book, the title really appealed to me, and I have to say I was not disappointed. It had me gripped.
When I first started to read the book it took me a little while to adjust to the start of the story, through email and text messages. Once I was in the swing of this I really enjoyed the unraveling story, and it had lots of twists and turns that kept me reading well into the wee early hours of the morning.
I won’t comment about the plot as I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
I loved the tv show Line of Duty, and I can see this book in my opinion as a tv programme in the same vein.
This is the first Janice Hallett book that I have read, and now I need to buy her previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Publishers for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions of the book are my own.

Consistently Unexpected…
Another refreshingly unique take on the mystery genre from this talented author. With layer upon layer of mystery to solve, a selection of media to unpick and decipher and a narrative that succeeds in moving from the darkness to lighthearted humour this seems to have it all. Cleverly done, once again, and with a deftly drawn cast and an intriguing plot of many depths with genuine puzzling mysteries at its’ very heart. Consistently unexpected and quite delicious.

Rating: 4.0/5

As with her previous two books, I suspect that opinion will be divided over the style employed by the author in "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels." Once again, Janice Hallett takes an unconventional approach to constructing this novel. If you like your reading material to be packed with flowing prose then you are likely to find this hard work and possibly even quite irritating. On the other hand, if you relish seeing a writer take a fresh approach that not only challenges the reader's expectations, but also seeks to engage them in an unorthodox manner, then this could be right up your street.

Janice Hallett makes use of extracts from e-mail communication, screenplays, books and transcripts of recorded conversations in the course of this novel. It is likely that it will take a little while to become accustomed to following the progression of these various formats, but once you have, you can really appreciate the degree of skill that has gone into its construction. All of the extracts and the characters within the story comes across as entirely authentic and believable and the clues that will lead to the ultimate unravelling of the mystery have been painstakingly planted along the way. This may not appeal to the conservative traditionalists, but if you are a keen reader of the mystery genre I would urge you to read this and/or Janice Hallett's previous novels.

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

This book gave me all the joy. Yet again Janice Hallett has given the reader a role in the story.

Two rival authors are wanting to write the same book, but their publisher thinks they should work together. It's quite a complex storyline, layers within layers, some of which I did manage to unveil. However, there was one particular element where I was well off the mark. Which I do like in a mystery book, nothing worse than solving it all.

If you liked how the story was told in The Appeal, then you will enjoy this one too. Emails, whatsapp, text messages, post it notes, transcriptions of meetings at Costa.

You know straight from the start that there is history between the main character researcher Amanda and rival researcher Oliver. This one element of the mystery to solve, never mind the murders.

Amanda's relationship with her transcriber Ellie, was just so genuine and it comes across with such humour they clearly know each other well. This was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book for me. It had me tittering out loud. It's a clever way that Hallett manages to bring in an additional conversation within a transcription.

So now you want to know if I will destroy the documents to take them to the police...

I'm standing in front of the shredder with the papers in my hands as we speak.

I very much enjoyed this crime mystery, one you can not afford to miss out on.

This book gets all the stars from me!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Out in hardback 12 Jan 2023 (UK), pre-order now, if money is tight get in early and reserve your copy at your local library now! Be first in the queue!

Big thanks to @viper.books for sending me a review copy 😘 & @netgalley

I have read and enjoyed Janice Hallett's previous books. She is very clever about trying new methods of story-telling, and I think this is the best one yet. Amanda and Oliver are writers/journalists who have been commissioned to write rival books about an old murder case known as the Alperton Angels, It is told through WhatsApp messages, emails, and interview transcripts, and is absolutely gripping. It is well written, fast moving, and with a lot of interesting characters and plot twists. Recommended.

This book really made me feel my age! The device of using tweets and other short posts to tell the story just wasn’t a readable format for me and unfortunately I didn’t finish the book. The story itself had plenty of interest, involving a cult, deaths, a baby who had been singled out as a sacrifice and journalists trying to get to the truth of what happened, many years after the event. For younger readers more used to seeing life in 140 characters or less this is probably a wonderfully absorbing book, but it wasn’t for me.

Another brilliant book by Janice Hallett!

Her style is so refreshing, a very good break from the usual narration, and she makes it sound so effortless... I am amazed by Hallett's ability to switch from emails to texts, dialogue transcripts, scripts, etc., and make the story coherent. It must be so difficult, yet it works so well. The sections are short and easy to read, so I was a victim of the 'just another couple of pages' trap and I read the whole 500 pages in no time :)

To top it all, the plot is full of twists (which are very difficult to predict!) and kept me constantly guessing.

I cannot recommend this book (and all her previous ones) enough!

Thank you NetGallery and Viper books for an arc in exchange of an honest review.

Absolutely intriguing and totally absorbing account of a reporter trying to find out what really happened during a gruesome cult killing 18 years ago -and what happened to the baby who would now be nearly an adult. The blend of fact and fiction and the weaving subplots and dark angles are superbly handled. I am not normally keen on epistolic works but this reads so well I am a convert. Dark, twisted, shocking, funny, a satisfying end, first class.

Just call me Detective Em 🕵️‍♀️😂 I am obsessed with this book. I loved the style of writing, how it’s all played out through emails, texts, file notes, interviews….amazing and so clever!

The plot is dark, exciting and gripping. I love a good cult storyline 👏🏻 Its so bloody smart and you do need to pay attention. If you are like me though, you will be hooked on a quest for the truth 🔍🥸

I really took this detective role seriously guys…😂

I found myself laughing at the banter between some of the characters which provides some light relief. On the subject of characters, there were many complex ones as you can imagine and there are so many layers to the story. You have to follow the clues to get to the heart of this mystery and I was totally surprised by the final reveal. Ahhhhh! 😱 Loved every minute of this book and highly recommend for those mystery fans out here 👀

Release Date: 19 January 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I was given an eARC by Netgalley and the publisher, Viper, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had mixed expectations going into this novel. I absolutely loved The Appeal by Janice Hallett, but was let down by The Twyford Code. I found The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels to sit somewhere between the two.

The first 100-150 pages were really chaotic and full of many intense info dumps. It took a while to wrap my head around the characters, the plot, and the direction the story was ultimately going to take. After these initial pages, the book seemed to find its groove and I began to settle into the mystery and the events that get more and more mind-boggling.

Janice Hallett is great at creating twists that you would never see coming, and this novel is no exception. There were many times I had to put the book down and just stare at the ceiling while I processed what had just happened. There was only one reveal I can think of that didn't blow me away (see: baby), likely because it just felt anti-climactic in comparison to the wider story.

By the time I turned the final page, however, I was satisfied with the story. I would have given it 4 stars if those opening 100-150 pages had been better written. I would recommend reading this, but my favourite novel by this author is still her debut, The Appeal. I will be reading her fourth book which is currently planned to be released in 2024, The Examiner.

Wow what a book , what an ending and what the hell did I just read it was pure genius !!
This is a story that is unlike anything I have read before it leads you down paths never traveled, gives you clues that make you believe you know what is happening and twists your mind so much you no longer know what to believe or who to trust.
I really am in awe at the brilliance of the author Janice Hallett to put all what happens in the story together and write it in such a unique and fascinating way really does take superb skill and storytelling.
When I finished the book I immediately wanted to start it all over again just to see if I missed some clues, to see if I could have figured everything out but I damn sure I didn’t miss anything the plot was just so amazing I defy anyone to say they guessed the ending.
The story is a complex one but so skilfully written that very quickly I found myself immersed in a plot that is impossible to describe, I loved the main character of true crime writer Amanda Bailey and her determination to get to the bottom of the Alperton Angels mysterious cult, the apparent suicides and murder told through What’s app, emails and transcripts etc it was so compulsive as were Janice’s previous 2 novels both of which I absolutely adored.
So as you can tell I loved this book and so much so I have pre ordered a signed copy because it is a book I will treasure and bore people to death I’m sure by constantly telling them to read it but it really is too good to miss and will be a massive success I have no doubt, many thanks Janice Hallett and can’t wait for the next book you write.
My thanks also to NetGalley, Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My grateful thanks, once again, to Netgalley and Viper Books for the ARC of Janice Hallett's latest - all opinions are my own.
You know when you get your hands on a Hallett that all other plans are out the window for the weekend (I couldn't possibly start her during the working week, or a sickie would be pulled; even basic food and bathroom needs are often sidelined in favour of turning "just the next page").
At this stage fans will know that much of what the characters say or do is unreliable; part of the thrill is wondering how she's going to pull the rug out from under your mental feet. The Alperton Angels is no different: the intrepid Amanda is hot on the trail of new evidence in an unsolved cult crime, replete with ritual murders and a possible Antichrist baby. Told in Hallett's usual multi-media fashion, the plot just whips along; her inability to find the original baby is interwoven with the evidence of many of those originally involved, from police to social workers and journalists; added to this is the subplot of Amanda herself, and Oliver, an old newspaper nemesis, which becomes vital to the resolution of the plot, and helps underline the themes explored.
I must admit, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as The Twyford Code, as I found a few of the techniques used to allow the reader access to the past were a smidge contrived, the film script in particular. Also, I felt that what we knew of Oliver didn't quite sit with his sudden belief in the supernatural, and I thought he was too easily manipulated.
The interval with the aunt was also somewhat contrived (would you really contact an estranged family member just to get some shorthand translated? I'm sure an investigative journalist could find someone else without re-visiting all that trauma.)
The author didn't convince me of Gabriel's air of charisma or menace either, and he was such a central part of the original crime that it detracted somewhat from the whole demonic aura that these true-crime documentaries and books try to project.
For these reasons, I'd nearly give it a 3.5 rating rather than the full 4, but then, there are not many authors at all that hook you so thoroughly, and the explanation for the original crimes was so good that I'm going to continue to enthusiastically endorse Janice Hallett - and, no pressure, but like all the other fans I'm already eagerly awaiting her next book!
Thank you Netgalley and the wonderful Janice Hallett, long may her devious brain continue to invent new ways to jolt our cosy assumptions.