I loved The Appeal by Janice Hallett and was eager to get my hands on this one. I honestly forgot I had a Netgalley copy of it, luckily my good buddy reader Lucy asked me if she could chat to me about it, so I jumped in with my arc!

So we didn’t read this together, I was struggling with the formatting of the Netgalley arc, so I was a bit behind Lucy. But I loved sending her random messages whilst reading, and she liked seeing me in shock haha.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is full, and I mean FULL of twists and turns, left, right and centre. I had to voice note Lucy as soon as I had finished as I had too much to say! I love the way Janice writes, the book is full of transcripts (my favourite parts were the transcripts and the little notes she puts in there), screenplays, letters, messages etc. It makes for such good fun while reading too as you find yourself looking for clues along the way. Lets just say it ended where I didn’t expect at all. I honestly had so many different scenarios in my head as to what went down, and none of them were right!

I honestly think this was my favourite of the 2 of Janice’s books I’ve read, and i can’t wait to dive into The Twyford Code in March with Lucy!

Thanks so much to Netgalley, Viper Books, and Janice for my arc. I can’t wait to get my Physical signed copy that my amazing #tsundokusquad pre ordered for my birthday!

The blurb of this book sounded intriguing & after starting to read I wondered how long it was going to continue in the email/transcript/Whatsapp format- it didn't! I suppose this was a different way of telling a story but I found this format unsatisfying in that the setting & the characters got lost somewhere along the way. Once I realised I was stuck with it I persevered to the end but it won't appear in my top reads!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book

As always this clever author draws the reader right into the mystery of the Alperton Angels with this intriguing opening message...

"Open the safe deposit box. Inside you will find research material for a true crime book. You must read the documents, then make a decision. Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?"

Bringing the epistolary novel right up to date, the story of the mysterious Alperton Angels comes to light in a series of clever communications between the main protagonists, as they seek to discover more about a series of killings which took place eighteen years previously and of the baby who mysteriously disappeared at the time and who is now about to come of age. The menacing atmosphere of this cult like group is revealed ever so slowly in a series of emails, text messages, conversation transcripts, and for Amanda Bailey, an author who has been commissioned to write a true exposé of the events, there are far more questions about this sinister group of people than she could ever have imagined.

Absolutely believable from the outset and with all the trademarks we have come to expect from this talented author The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels brings to life the secret and shadowy world of a charismatic and dangerous cult leader who manipulated everyone into believing he was the Archangel Gabriel and of the deadly consequences of vulnerable people who were sucked in by his twisted theology.

What a great book! Truly enjoyed the storyline, the complex side-stories and the way it all unravelled.

Loved the format of it, the first of this kind I have ever read!

Honestly, it hooked me right in and always left me wanting to read more, even after my eyes were closing late at night.

Most definitely a "one more chapter" kinda book.

Than you for the ARC, NetGlalley!

I hate to start a review of a book with a comparison of another book but the similarities of structure between "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" and the author’s previous novel "The Twyford Code" are too great to ignore.

I read "The Twyford Code" just about a year ago and loved it. The idea of using modern technology and transcriptions of phone messages and emails to construct a diary format was/is fairly unusual and was used to great effect in that novel but to have a virtual action-replay of that just a year later feels a bit like treading old ground. There are certainly distinct differences in the feel of the novels with "The Twyford Code" being very much a ’golden age’ crime novel in form but with a very modern feel whereas "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" is more of a simulated ‘true crime’ novel, but again using the conceit of a diary constructed from electronic communications.

The premise of a ‘found’ document revealing a shocking mystery is initially intriguing and the writing of the opening sections certainly does draw you in, however, things ground to a bit of a standstill for me around the halfway mark. By this time the mystery has been firmly established and I was ready for the climax and Big Reveal but instead we get a lot more of the back and forth messages/emails/recordings… and I’m sorry to say, I got a little bored. But when the denouement does eventually come, the novel is once again genuinely gripping and imaginative.

To be fair, it is hard to fault a writer who is doing something a little different to the standard thriller and is genuinely head and shoulders above the rest of the field, just because the novel isn’t a totally new concept from her last and might be a little too long – it is still a ripping yarn!

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is a story told through a collection of research materials for a true crime book. The Alperton Angels was a case from almost twenty years ago involving a dangerous cult that nearly got a baby killed. Luckily the baby survived and was taken into care. However now that it has turned eighteen, author Amanda is desperate to interview them. When her rival Oliver also joins the investigation it becomes a race to find out the truth first, which is a lot more perilous than anyone realises.

I spent 24 hours glued to this book, unable to tear my eyes away. It is a complete must-read.

From the first page it immediately dives into the thick of it and became instantly addictive. The use of e-mails, media and interview transcriptions made for a fascinating method of delivery, true to Janice Hallett's unique style. It has such an originality that you won't find anywhere else.

I absolutely loved trying to piece together what was going on. Of course I wasn't even close but you should see the pages and pages of notes that I made while trying to figure it all out!

Janice Hallett really is a genius for putting together such an incredibly clever and intriguing plot.

You need to pick this up because it might just be the best book you read all year. It was the first book I read in 2023 and it has really set the standard for everything else!

Thank you NetGalley and Viper for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I’m a massive Janice Hallet fan and I just think she can do no wrong with that genius brain of hers. Whilst this one didn’t break my brain as much as the reveals in her last books, I am still left thoroughly impressed by her skill in weaving together a story using different forms of media, in this case transcriptions, texts and emails. The epistolary novel is exactly where her talent lies and I could not be more excited to see what she does next.

Thank you so much to Viper Books for my eArc of Alperton Angels - unfortunately the format of the book on my Kindle missed a lot of bits out e.g. the emojis throughout the text conversations, so I was left a bit confused, and then sometimes it missed gaps between the different emails/conversations/manuscripts so I wasn't sure what was going on. I got a physical copy so that I was able to better understand what was going on.

As soon as I had the physical copy I sped through it! I love how Janice sets out her books and how we have to piece it all together through conversations. I was thoroughly engrossed with this book - I loved the suspense it held with trying to piece everything together! My favourite character was definitely Ellie Cooper - I loved her witty comments throughout her transcribed conversations and her thoughts on what was happening.

I was not expecting the huge twist at the end, it came quite abruptly and really shuck me. I'd love to say I'd pass all the info on the police but I think I'd just destroy it and then move away to a different country!

I can't wait to get the paperback to add to my shelves and go with Janice's other books, I also can't wait for The Examiner which is due out in 2024, eek!!

Admittedly, I read this book over the course of two weeks and I didn’t have the time to properly focus on all the details, of which there were LOADS.
I think the entire story wraps up well and in a quite satisfying way. I think given the amount of characters introduced throughout, this book would read better if I was able to read it in a shorter amount of time to keep all names and events fresh in my mind.

However, I adore Janice Hallett’s attention to details and slow building of the world that has so many intertwined characters.
The story of Alperton Angels was a well structured mystery. I really enjoyed the format consisting entirely of interview transcripts, whatsapp messages and email exchanges. I know not everyone is a fan of that, but I personally found it very readable.

Thank you so, so, so much to Viper Books and Janice Hallett for this copy of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.
This was my first time reading Hallett's work and I am kicking myself! I picked this up in January ahead of its release and it quickly became a firm favourite! From the first page I could not put this book down. I. Loved. It!

The style/layout of this book made it unputdownable! The mixture of emails, transcripts, texts, WhatsApps and interviews had me on edge. Giving the reader little breadcrumbs throughout made this such a bingeable book and I had it read in no time! I think the story also had a huge amount to do with why I devoured this novel so quickly. I am a huge true crime fan so I was really intrigued by the premise behind the Alperton Angels. I loved the cult/occult aspect and it was definitely creepy in parts!

All in all, I absolutely adored this book! It was one of my favourites of January and I cannot wait to read everything Hallett has to offer. Her writing is quirky, thrilling and gripping!

* Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

Janice Hallett has me in a choke hold with her books. I have loved every single one and this one was no different. I love how she is able to use mixed media to tell a story that's so compelling I will stay up late to find out what is happening. This one cleverly weaves a true crime story about a cult into a collection of information that tells of the events that lead to the death of multiple victims and a baby that was thought to be the Anti-Christ. Using Whatsapp messages, emails, screenplays and book chapters we are taken down a path of discovery that will leave you reeling when all is revealed.

I really enjoy being a part of the mystery in Hallett's books. Rather than her telling you what is happening like in usual crime books, she includes you in the investigation. Spending time digesting the evidence unearthed by the characters and following the strings to the next clue is so rewarding as a reader and makes the whole experience far more intriguing. Yet again I had no idea where I was being lead and the ending was a real shocker, but it played out so beautifully. I think I can safely say I'm Janice Hallett's number one fan.

Having been impressed by the intricate plotting and unique style seen in both The Appeal and The Twyford Code, I was keen to see how Janice Hallett developed her modern take on the epistolary format in her third novel, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.

As with Hallett’s previous books, Alperton Angels takes the form of letters, emails, diary entries, newspaper clippings, and records of WhatsApp conversations and recorded interviews. The premise is that you, the reader, have come into possession of a the key to a safety deposit box and these are its contents. The files belonged to a true crime author, Amanda Bailey, and contain her research into the case of the titular Alperton Angels: a cult-like group whose members apparently sacrificed themselves when they failed in their plot to kill a baby that they believed to be the anti-Christ.

Amanda has been tasked by her publisher with finding the now-eighteen-year-old Alperton baby, tracking down the surviving cult members – the baby’s parents, Holly and Jonah – and securing an interview with the group’s charismatic leader, Gabriel. Only problem is that Gabriel is in maximum security prison – and not inclined to provide interviews – whilst Holly, Jonah, and the baby all disappeared into the care system and haven’t been heard of since. Even more frustrating, Amanda’s former colleague, rival author Oliver Menzies, has been given exactly the same brief by a competing imprint and is on the trail of the Alperton baby too.

Saying any more about the plot would spoil the many surprises that The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels has in store: this is definitely one of those books that the less you know going in, the better! Needless to say, however, the case of the Alperton Angels is far from the usual story of vulnerable people and their ensnarement by a charismatic cult leader. Instead be prepared for a wild ride that takes in conspiracies, police corruption, systematic failures in social care, and a personal vendetta with dangerous and unexpected consequences. Despite guessing some of the twists and turns along the way, I did not see where the ending was going!

As with Hallett’s previous novels, it did take a little while for the story to fully emerge. There are a LOT of characters here as well as several interweaving and connected plot strands, so it takes a while to put all the pieces into play and establish the background to the events being discussed. But, as with her previous novels, Hallett does an excellent job of keeping control of the reins, reminding readers of important clues and information at key points, and bringing the whole thing to a deeply satisfying – if unsettling – conclusion.

The other downside of Hallett’s trademark mixed-media style is that it can take a little longer to connect with the characters but, given the limitations of the form, Hallett does an excellent job of distinguishing her characters and building up a clear ‘voice’ for each of them. Both Amanda and Oliver are deeply flawed as individuals but, for me, it made them all the more identifiable and empathetic and I came to enjoy the competitive rapport between them and developed as real sense of creeping dread as external forces start to interfere with their investigation – and their sanity.

Anyone who loved Hallett’s previous novels is sure to find The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels just as enthralling. And mystery fans who have yet to discover her work should definitely consider diving in here! Once the story is established, it rapidly turns into a clever page-turning mystery worthy of Agatha Christie at her finest.

This is the first book I’ve read of Hallett’s, even though I own The Appeal! I enjoyed it!

I wasn’t expecting the different mediums of writing, I wasn’t sure how excerpts from interviews, text messages, newspaper articles, calls and such was going to work in telling a story… point proven! It works when Janice Hallett does it! 👌🏻 The writing style with the multiple formats is refreshing and fully immersing experience for the reader!

I enjoyed the story, it was dark, entertaining and complex how it was woven. I don’t think you could read this when your tired!

I was kindly gifted a kindle copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to @viper

True crime author Amanda Bailey has been commissioned to write a book looking back on the story of the Alperton Angels - a cult of people who believed they were angels and set out to destroy the Anti-Christ. Only it’s not just Amanda who is searching for the truth, fellow journalist and rival Oliver Menzies is also writing a book, and it’s a race to see who can uncover the story first…

The story is told via mixed media, transcripts of conversations, e-mails, text messages etc which is a really interesting way to watch the story unfold and allows you to feel like you are uncovering the mystery alongside Amanda. I will say this may also have led to the book having a bit of a slow start, however from the halfway point the mystery picks up with new evidence being thrown into the mix and different theories being explored.

A really enjoyable read and definitely worth it if you enjoy a mystery.

This story was so cleverly written and definitely makes me want to read more by this author. I engross the relationship between Oliver and Amanda throughout and feel it added to the overall mystery.

I love a mystery and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels did not disappoint. The plot and writing style were unique, I did not see the twists and turns coming and the story unfolding the way it did was unpredictable. An entertaining read, dark and disturbing, though there is a little humour.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Serpent's Tail / Viper via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Another deliciously layered mystery from Janice Hallett, and if you have enjoyed her innovative way of presenting her previous stories, you will love it.
Rather like "The Appeal", the story is presented as a series of emails, Whats App messages, letters, news clippings - and phone recordings, transcribed by a faithful assistant, Ellie, whom we can also thank for the excellently curated presentation of the materials. The dossier was originally compiled by Amanda, a true-crime journalist who has decided to write her next story focusing on several grizzly murders which took place decades ago. The murders were centred around a small group dabbling in the occult, and convinced they were saving the world from the anti-Christ; the perpetrator was instantly taken into custody at the time, and is now (thankfully) incarcerated in secure institution. After the group was disbanded, a baby was taken into care, and, seeing her way into the story, Amanda starts her mission to locate the surviving members of the group, and, most importantly, "the baby" - a mission which she pursues obsessively and ruthlessly, without any apparent ethical or moral considerations. If all that were not difficult enough, Amanda is forced by her publishers to work with Oliver, an old colleague - perhaps nemesis even - upon whom, it becomes clear, she is intent on meting out some kind of personal revenge.
Seen through their communications, Amanda is a classic and intentionally obvious "unreliable narrator", and Oliver seems to steadily disintegrate to a state of nervous breakdown - but in contrast, Ellie is a delight, and provides a much-needed stable and realistic viewpoint, while she doggedly researches and transcribes the material Amanda provides her with.
Once again I did enjoy the author indulging her ability at pastiche in reproducing sections of other (fictional) blockbuster novels of differing genres inspired by the murders, as well as a hitherto unproduced screenplay.
This is a much darker story than Hallett's previous books, and I felt a constant sense of anxiety, although I am not sure of its source as it was not concern for the characters, who are for the most part not very sympathetic. Although we don't like Amanda, the story is compelling with a terrifically tense and unexpectedly twisty ending - and most of all, we do love Ellie.

My thanks to NetGalley and Viper publishing for the opportunity to review this book.
I confess it did get me a while to adapt to the books format but once I did 'Brilliant' a definite page turnertowards the end.

This author can literally do no wrong! I loved this as much as The Appeal.

I was completely hooked from the start, I do feel like I missed out on some aspects by reading it on my kindle, so I will be purchasing a copy for a re-read and will update my review/rating

This was another absolutely brilliant read from Janice Hallett (to be fair it's not like I expected any less)
Told in the brilliant way Janice does, it kept me hooked as I tried to unravel all the clues and find the answers before the last page, and fail once again.

Everyone has heard of the Alperton Angels, a cult that planned on killing a baby to save the earth from it. Luckily this never happened and the mother vanished into the care system along with the baby. The baby is due to turn 18 so true crime author Amanda Bailey wants to track the baby down and finally solve this mystery. Alongside her is fellow author Oliver who also wants to be the one to interview the baby.

This was just incredible, it was gripping. I was sold on the cult-like aspect of this but this runs so much deeper. The plot is thick heavy and intertwined in ways you would never expect. Amanda and Oliver have a history of working together so you would expect the relationship of the pair to develop and boy does it.

I loved the way this was told through all the research that was discovered in the process of trying to track down the baby. This obviously allows the reader to try and discover what actually happened on that night and in the immediate aftermath. I find that Janice writes these books that are unlike any others I have ever experienced.

I think you have to really lose yourself in this book because you really need to concentrate on what is happening if you want to stand a vague chance of figuring it out but realistically - that isn't going to happen and it's just going to hook you in. This was 100% a 5* read for me. I found i trusted no one and i wasnt warming to the characters this became very apparent towards the end as i started to question everything i had read so far and well it just is a kicker. Fantastic book.