The plot is so clever, and the books format, with it being written through letters, transcripts, media and emails is genius and really makes you feel like an integral part of the plot.

I found it fast paced, intriguing and highly addictive. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, the story was so compelling.

An integral part to the the story was based Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight was my home for fifty years and I've visited the Abbey many a time, so I found this relatable and easy to visualise.

Many thanks to The Tandem Collective for my spot on the Readalong.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved this so much, the characters were written well and the action had lots of great twists and turns. The writing was really good and that kept me hooked all the way through. I liked how the action was paced and i felt like i was really drawn in as i had to know what was gonna happen next. This was such a great read and i can't wait to read the next book by Janice Hallett!

Wow what a book! After reading The Twyford Code for Netgalley last year, and enjoying The Appeal the year before, I was very excited to read The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels this time around.

Amanda is a true crime writer and is hot on the case of the Alperton Angels, a suicide pact gone wrong after the plot to kill a baby known as the 'antichrist' nearly 18 years ago. The story is told through WhatsApp messages with emojis, emails between characters, playscripts, letters and many more. I loved this set up and the different formats lure the reader into the sense that we are helping, we are piecing together the information too and trying to find out the truth. I just went along for the ride!

What a fun read! The characters are not particularly appealing apart from Ellie, Amanda's assistant, who writes up transcripts with great wit, but I was rushing to the end to find out how it is all resolved. Interesting, very interesting!

In 2003 teenagers Holly and Jonah escaped from a cult with a baby who they believed to be the antichrist. Cult leader Gabriel is now in prison but what became of the teenagers and the baby? Journalist, Amanda Bailey plans to find out and write about the so-called Alperton Angels in a new book deal.

If you have read Hallett’s previous two books then you will be used to her style of story telling, this book continues that theme of her trademark signature, telling the story through messages, emails and transcripts of interviews.

This book took me a while to get into as there were lots of characters and different communications used at the beginning. However once I got passed this and the number of characters dwindled, it was a great read! The main character Amanda, isn’t likeable but there is something comical about her selfish personality 😂

A quirky mystery with lots of twists and turns!

AS ever a wonderful story by Janice Hallett, I truly enjoy her style of crime writing and my only criticism is that they don't last long enough. Easy reading that will have you hooked in pages.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is the third book by Janice Hallett. As with her other books, it's a mixed media story, comprising of different communications. In this book it's a combination of emails, voice transcripts, newspaper articles, screenplays and WhatsApp messages.

The idea is that the reader has the key to a safety deposit box containing all of the items mentioned. Once the reader has gone through it, the decision must be to lock it away again or take it to the police.

The Alperton Angels were a group of men with a couple of teenagers, in almost a cult where they believed they were angels, and the teenage girl Holly was the mother of a baby that they all believed was the Antichrist. They intended to sacrifice the baby, but at the last minute Holly changed her mind and because the plan failed, the men killed themselves and were mutilated post-mortem. Holly, the other teenager Jonah and the baby were taken into care and subsequently vanished. The lead angel, Gabriel survived and was in prison, having been convicted of the murder of one of the group prior to the sacrifice.

Nearly 20 years later, when the baby is due to turn 18, two publishers commission authors to write new books looking back at the incident and with the intention of locating the baby. One of the authors is well-respected true-crime author Amanda, the other Oliver is someone from her past, who was responsible for something traumatic that happened to Amanda.

They are forced to work together, to ensure they create books looking at the case from differing points of view. The more they look into the case, the more confusion it causes, as things that they believed turn out to be much more sinister, and a lot less clear-cut. There also appears to be supernatural forces at work, complicating their research.

There were so many twists and turns that every time you think the truth is within grasp, it slips through your fingers again, and you feel like you're back to square one. It is such a clever book with so much complexity and multiple layers, it makes it a true page-turner because you become obsessed with finding the truth as much as the characters do.

Oh my goodness - Janice Hallett has done it again. This is an outstanding mystery that twists and pulls you in to conspiracy theories, predictions and possibly the truth.

The layout through a series of emails, messages, interviews and extracts of fiction build the case and ultimately reveals the answers.

Filled with tension this really is a gripping read.

Another cleverly constructed mystery from Janice Hallett. This time we follow two rival journalists/true crime writers in an uneasy partnership as they investigate a decades-old multiple murder linked to a notorious cult. While they search for the baby (now about to turn 18) at the centre of the cult they also investigate the events of the earlier case and the cult's belief that is members were angels sent to earth the destroy the antichrist.

Hallett deftly weaves the take from emails, transcripts, document drafts etc., as her characters track the evidence and try to stay one step in front of a mysterious rival trying to thwart their efforts. It's a thrilling, twist-filled ride with an edge of humour. While it wasn't quite as clever as The Appeal and didn't quite replicate the brilliant way that the different sources intersected and a couple of the red herrings were downright ridiculous, it was enormous fun to read.

Well that was bloody brilliant!!!

I wouldn't be surprised if in December I'm still raving about this one saying this was my favourite read of the year! If you have read The Appeal by the same author and enjoyed it then do not hesitate to grab a copy of this amazing tale...

🚓I adore the format this author uses. The story is told through emails, book drafts and recorded dictations, it reads like a script or conversation. ...for this case you open a 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?

👼The Alperton Angels murder case is as renowned as the crimes of Fred West or the Moors Murders... Nearly 20 years later true crime writing Amanda Bailey is raking over the case and stirring up all sorts of activities. We follow Amanda as she searches for the truth of the case and uncovers all sorts of hidden secrets....

🥰I could actually just go and start the whole book again... Such brilliant writing... I hope Janice Hallett continues to publish more and more books as I'm becoming an avid fan

❓Q. Are you squeamish when it comes to blood and guts!!??

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.'Thank you to the Author @janice.hallett
@viper.books
@netgalley
@serpentstail
@profile.books

EXCERPT: You have a key that opens a safe deposit box.

Inside is a bundle of documents, archived research material for a book that has 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.

ABOUT 'THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS': 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?

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult-like group who were convinced one of their member's babies was the anti-Christ, and they had a divine mission to kill it - until the baby's mother, Holly, came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than go to prison, and Holly - and the baby - disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed - if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby's trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong, and the truth is something much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined.

This story is far from over - and it won't have a happy ending.

MY THOUGHTS: DNF @ 53%

I began intrigued by the opening page. Early on I expressed my doubts about the format of the book which is told entirely in transcripts of interviews, phone conversations, WhatsApp, emails and various other documents.

Because of the format used, it's very drawn out, there's no clear storyline and a confusing multitude of characters, and I use this word loosely as we never actually meet any of them, who may or may not reappear later in the book.

By the time I abandoned this read I had no idea what was going on and really didn't care.

This book may well appeal to true crime readers.

⭐

#TheMysteriousCaseoftheAlpertonAngels #NetGalley.

I: @janice.hallett @serpentstail

T: @JaniceHallett @ViperBooks

#contemporaryfiction #crime #cultfiction #historicalfiction #murdermystery #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Janice Hallett is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist, and government communications writer. Her enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the world several times.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

A very intriguing story with lots of twists and turns. Unfortunately the epistolary writing style is not my cup of tea. The book for most part consists of e-mails, transcipts and texts and that made it hard for me to focus on the plot and to connect with the characters. Nevertheless an entertaining read.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by this author, and again I love her signature format style. This time it is in the format of transcribed notes, texts, emails & WhatsApp messages. They are all woven together in an intricate place which moves backwards and forwards in time focusing on a cult - the Alperton Angels and their mysterious deaths.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to netgalley for this advance read.

Another example to Janice halletts unique, clever and witty writing. This book is darker that halletts others but just as clever. Reading through this I was confused and questioning everything but as with the others everything came together brilliantly at the end and it all made sense.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
Publisher - Viper Books
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to @netgalley for the arc.

‘The Case of the Alperton Angels’ is a book which has stayed with me since reading it. Whenever I think about the book a sense of overwhelming uncomfortableness comes over me and I feel quite royally freaked out! This is nearly four weeks after I read the book and I am still feeling this way and it's also why I have found this review so hard to write! But this can only be a good thing as it means the author has done their job and that this is a brilliant book.

Once again, Hallett has used a variety of techniques to showcase the story - diary entries of both journalists, notes between them, emails between characters etc etc. When ‘The Appeal’ was released many found it to be a very unique way to tell a story and in this case it has once again proved to be an effective way to progress the narrative! This time the premise is that you have taken possession of a safety deposit box which is full of all these sources and documents about a true crime. You could either lock it away again or take all the items to the police.

The true crime is the case of the Alperton Angels cult which was led by a man called Gabriel, who is now is prison. He was planning on killing a baby he and his followers believed was the Anti-Christ. The mother of the baby flees with him and the remaining cult members killed themselves rather than face prison. Amanda Bailey is a true crime writer and is hoping that this book about the cult will help to boost her waning career. She is wanting to local the baby as they would now be 18 years old and she wants to tell their story. She is also competing with another writer, Oliver who Amanda used to work with at the start of her career at a local newspaper.

This is a book which you need to pay attention to as you read it, otherwise, you might miss important clues and reveals! But this is a fun way to tell a story and all the different strands coming together is part of the experience. I devoured this book in a couple of sittings as once you start to uncover this story it becomes all-consuming and addictive. Then when the reveals begin to appear you honestly can not stop reading until the very end.

Let me know if you read this one!

On the one hand this novel is epistolary greatness, with the plot unfolding through WhatsApp's/emails and transcriptions of conversations. But in the other hand the plot is a complicated and full of red herrings which makes it difficult to follow.

A journalist investigates an old story about a baby abducted by a cult, culminating in a ritualistic killing in a disused warehouse.

What emerges is a true mystery where recollections vary, and an unreliable narrator.

All in all a twisty mystery that is worth sticking with once you get used to the writing style.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publisher for an advance ARC which I have reviewed honestly.

My thanks to Serpent's Tail Viper for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels’ by Janice Hallett.

This is Hallett’s third novel and once again her unusual approach to storytelling has produced an original mystery.

At the opening the reader is addressed directly and told that they are now in possession of a key to a safety deposit box that contains a bundle of documents. After reading there is the choice of returning the documents to the box and losing the key or turning them over to the police.

The documents relate to research undertaken in 2021 by true crime author Amanda Bailey into the case of the Alperton Angels, an end-of-days cult whose members believed themselves to be angels in human form. It ended in tragedy eighteen years ago and has since attracted a fair amount of interest from true crime enthusiasts.

Amanda is seeking a new angle on the case as the focus for a new book. She isn’t pleased when she discovers that Oliver Menzies, a rival author, is working on his own book on the Angels. They reluctantly agree to work together. No further details to avoid spoilers.

The narrative is made up of emails, instant messages, transcripts of meetings, post-it-notes, newspaper clippings, and other archive material.

What great fun this was, with plenty of twists. I combined reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, which proved a great way to approach the novel.

Highly recommended.

I love a mystery and this one did not disappoint. I did not see the twists and turns within the book and the how the story unfolded was unpredictable and surprising.

Will definitely read more but the author.

I loved The Appeal and didn’t care much for The Twyford Code, so Hallett’s books have been very hit or miss for me. I’m a massive fan of the format for her books, though, which is why I was keen to give The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels a go.

Not only is it written in mixed media format, it also follows a true crime writer. I have an interest in true crime myself (not in a weird way, I promise) so that was a major draw for me.

I don’t read many books about cults but the ones I have read have been a little unsatisfactory. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels does feature a cult, but the main focus of the book was the true crime writer’s research. Thankfully. I think this worked well.

I always love how confusing Hallett’s books are in the beginning. Not in a bad way. It makes me feel like I’ve really earnt it as I unpack and discover more information.

Amanda was an interesting main character whose backstory is very, well, mysterious. You learn some of it from context, but a lot of it isn’t revealed until the end. I also loved her banter with Ellie, her audio typist. It was so fun, and it added some much needed humour and chemistry to the book.

I enjoyed The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels a lot more than The Twyford Code, and I’m so relieved! It took a little while to get going as Hallett put the pieces into place, but I ended up being hooked.

Janice Hallett is such a unique author and I can’t wait to see what she brings out next.

Okay, wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW!

I absolutely loved this, proven by the fact I finished this book in less than two days.

The plot and writing style is so unique, I loved every single second of, not only reading, but fully embracing the interactive element to pretend like I was actively in Amanda shoes.

This is the first book I've read from Janice (although Appeal is on my shelf) and the great things I have heard about didn't do her justice. Janice has quickly become one of my all-time favourite authors, so much so I'll be buying a physical copy of this book to read over and over!

Thank you again NetGalley, Janice Hallett and Viper for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review also posted to Goodreads.

4.8
A crime writer is researching her next book on the mysterious case of a cult lead by Gabriel, who conned people making them believe they were. angels,

It seems there are people who don’t want this story to come out, as Amanda proceeds with her investigation and interviews, she received threats.

What a book! So many twists and turns, and brilliant storytelling.