thanks to netgallery & atria for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

this is a very high quality mystery book. the story and characters are all fleshed out well, and the unique concept the story being told through emails, texts, transcripts, etc. make this book stand out among its peers. i also do believe it would be possible to figure out the mystery before the characters - something that's becoming increasingly rare in the mystery genre. my one main critique would be that many characters play confusingly similar roles, and sometimes former background characters would come back into the spotlight and i would have no memory of who they were. i think potentially a character list would help, but these problems didn't impact my reading in any substantial way that decreased my enjoyment of the book.
i also thoroughly enjoyed amanda and oliver's characters throughout the entire work, and as i am personally interested in psychology, i found the book's handling of cult mindsets and characterization to be accurate and interesting to me. i would definitely read it again, and i applaud janice hallett for her continued high quality work.

“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?”

Janice Hallett’s books are truly unlike any thing else. All of her books are epistolary novels - including her newest - and it means you as the reader get to sift through material and pick up clues on your own.

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS follows a case of a 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. The baby’s mother thankfully saved the baby and the Angels committed suicide rather than go to prison.

Two decades later, true crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the case. The baby has turned eighteen and Amanda is desperate to find them to get in the inside story.

You are given all of Amanda’s materials: whatsapps, interview transcripts, emails, and research material. You have to figure out what happened 🕵🏻‍♀️

Read this if you like:
🧐mysteries
😇cults
📧epistolary novels
📚THE APPEAL or THE TWYFORD CODE

Janice Hallett's "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" invites readers into a labyrinthine world of intrigue and secrets, crafting an immersive narrative that beckons from the shadows and demands attention. With an ingenious use of the dossier format, Hallett constructs a narrative mosaic that tantalizes the intellect and ignites the imagination.

From the initial keystrokes, Hallett plunges her audience headfirst into a realm where truth is a mirage and reality is a puzzle waiting to be assembled. Through a medley of voices and mediums – from emails to interviews – the story unfolds with an air of authenticity that brings readers face to face with the enigmatic characters and their labyrinthine motives.

At the core of this enigma lies a mystery shrouded in the shadows of a forgotten cult, a triple suicide, and the eerie presence of the Angel Gabriel. Hallett weaves her threads with meticulous precision, scattering breadcrumbs that lead to revelations and twists that propel the narrative forward. Her adroit handling of diverse voices, including the relentless true-crime author Amanda Bailey and her insightful assistant Ellie Cooper, adds layers to the narrative, painting a rich tapestry of perspectives that enrich the reader's journey.

The narrative's true brilliance lies in Hallett's masterful orchestration of the narrative's ebb and flow. As readers plunge deeper into the abyss of the cult's unsettling practices and the search for a vanished child, an insatiable curiosity takes root, compelling the reader to journey onward. The enigma surrounding Amanda Bailey's motivations adds a touch of enigmatic allure, making her pursuit of the truth a tantalizing odyssey.

"The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" pays homage to the art of storytelling through its eclectic mix of documents and voices, adding a contemporary flair to a classic form. Hallett's meticulous crafting of pastiche moments, coupled with her consummate control of the narrative's tempo, ensures that readers are entranced until the final crescendo.

In an era where narratives manifest in myriad forms, Janice Hallett's opus emerges as a beacon of narrative innovation. This labyrinthine tale of secrets, cults, and unrelenting tenacity is a treasure trove for aficionados of mystery, offering a cerebral delight that keeps readers in suspense until the final revelation.

I’m not going to lie… I absolutely LOVE epistolary novels. You know how when your best friend thinks her new partner might actually already have a spouse and you take it upon yourself to scour the internet and find the truth? Janice Hallett’s books will give you the same rush, and you won’t have to do any ‘catfishing’ or deep deep dives through 15 years of Facebook and Twitter posts to get it.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is the third book I’ve read by Hallet and while I would rank the other two slightly higher on a favorites list, it’s still a solid 5 stars. Definitely an auto-buy author!!

Free eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes!

I thoroughly enjoy everything I've ever read by Janice Hallet. I love the way she builds a mystery, the atmosphere, the "found-footage" style made up of texts, emails, transcriptions, and other documents. I liked this one not as much as The Appeal, but more than The Twyfor Code. Our protagonist, true crime writer Amanda Baliey, is not very likable- through her emails and texts, you can see that she's willing to go to any end to find out information for her story. Amanda is also forced to collaborate with a rival writer, Oliver Menzies, and they work together and against each other to discover what happened to the infamous Alperton baby, the survivor (along with its teenage parents) of a suicide cult that had planned to sacrifice the baby as the Antichrist, 18 years after the events occurred.

I would recommend this book to fans of mysterys, cults, people who enjoyed I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. The singular issue I had was that, reading this on my kindle, the emojis in the text messages did not show up, which may have caused a slight loss in tone among some characters. Overall, the mystery is good and twisty and unravels well to a satisfying conclusion!

Janice Hallett's books are always a joy to read. I love the fact that the author makes you think and does not dumb down everything for their readers. I understand that some readers would prefer everything explained to them however.

This one does not disappoint. Told through mix-media, the story gets the reader to feel that they are involved in solving it.

This was my first novel by Janice Hallett, and this book is told entirely through mixed media which is her trademark style. This book was fast-paced, twisty, and carefully planned. Plus, anything about cults is an auto buy for me. You had to pay careful attention to uncover all of the clues trickled throughout the novel that I felt tied up all neatly together at the end. This is not a casual novel that you can read without paying close attention, but I think that is what makes it special.

The one downfall for me is that you do not get as emotionally attached to the main characters when the story is told through mixed media, so some of the final twists did not have that same gut punch as when the story is told through the eyes of the main character. And, the motives of the main character did not become clear to me until the conclusion of the novel. However, I really enjoyed this novel and it kept me on my toes.


Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

This one gets a little confusing at time, lots of names and name changes, and a little convoluted. But I like the way the story is told. Similar in style to The Appeal, the story unfolds in correspondence. Which is a clever way to hide identities and motivations.

A couple things I suspected, in regards to Amanda herself, but the rest of the story was harder to piece together. I really had no idea where it was going until the end. A fun little puzzle to solve.

4 stars!

I look forward to reading Janice Hallett's thrillers every year because every time I think they are completely unique and always told in a fun mixed media format. This book was no different! I was wholly engrossed in the mystery. I loved the premise that the reader has a key to a safety deposit box that has research documents outlining a true crime event, and I thought the cult aspect the whole novel was set around was also super interesting. So excited to read what Hallett writes next year!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately a DNF. I find it really hard to be engaged in stories when they're primarily written in "tech" format (emails, texts, chats), it just causes too much jumping around for my taste, and doesn't draw me into the story. Maybe better in audio format?

"Take away talk of angels and demons and you're left with a very depressing but nonetheless run-of-the-mill story."

What's being embellished about one night 18 years ago and what's true? "People look at the same thing but see it differently." What lens are we seeing events through? Even communication between Amanda and Oliver has meaning between the lines, but how do we interpret it? I was constantly trying to be skeptical while I tore through this book, consisting mainly of text messages, emails and transcriptions of interviews.

Journalist Amanda Bailey has been tasked with writing a book about the Alperton Angels and finding the baby born while its mother was part of the cult back in the early 2000's. (I was at first expecting a giant cult but it turns out there are only the angels and two "suckers" but I guess that can still be defined as a cult.) Amanda ends up working with her former colleague Oliver Menzies, who becomes more and more obsessed with the story as things progress.

I don't want to give much away but this is a RIDE. My only complaint was that things were pretty confusing and I went back and reread some of the book once I knew how things turned out. Not too much of a problem with such a clever book but I had a hard time with piecing all of it together and I kind of wish there was more resolution with certain characters. Otherwise it was a great read and I couldn't put it down.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Hallett for the chance to read and review this. I'll read anything Ms. Hallett writes; each book is its own creative endeavor.

Thank goodness, this was far better than The Twyford Code - but still implausible. Especially the unbelievably quiet and easily pacified BABY. Was it drugged? I can't think of any other way to keep it from bawling in many situations. I also did not enjoy the creepy supernatural angle, even though it was explained away in the end. (Not really a spoiler, I think you could see that coming.) Still, it had some interesting twists on the theme "Don’t believe what you’re told just because you trust the person telling you." A compulsive read!

So well done. I was hooked from the get go. I wasn't sure how the format would be, framed as the research for a book and conversations between many parties. But it absolutely worked!

This book has many layers and came together at the end, flawlessly. Amanda was a force and Oliver was incredibly frustrating. But her journalistic mind is at work here, and her relationship with her assistant Ellie holds so much of the book together (ECs comments during transcription are great).

Highly recommended. It's a mystery, yes but so much more. This would be a great Knives Out mystery.

4.75

this was fucking insane. watching two “level-headed” people slowly become more & more obsessed with a case (on two different ends of the spectrum) was fascinating. and the mystery delivered!!!! i cannot wait for janice hallett’s next release.

thank you to netgalley for an arc.

Janice Hallett is the 21st century master of the modern day epistolary. This tale is told via emails, transcripts of interviews (with wry commentary from the transcriptionist), What’sApp texts, podcasts, film scripts, Post-It Notes, and online articles. The media of today is mostly generated by one person, Amanda Bailey, a true crime journalist, as she rushes to complete a competing manuscript (her rival is a former colleague) about the “Alperton Angels”, a notorious murderous cult of nearly two decades ago, and locate/interview their now 18-year old intended victim, a baby of unknown gender that the “angels” believed was the ant-Christ.

Amanda is intelligent and driven. She’s not above using some deception when trying to obtain sources or coax contacts into revealing more information, but she’s reasonable, usually careful, and understands the risks when multiple sources are suddenly dying mysteriously.

Amanda’s rival, Oliver Menzies (pronounced “Mingus”) starts accompanying her when their editors decide the two should work in tandem and take different angles. Oliver is having personal troubles — a recently deceased father and a phone stalker — facts that creep into his conversations with Amanda, and affect his emotional status as they make new discoveries. The challenge for both of them first is to locate “the baby”.

Ellie Cooper, the stenographer who is listening to the interviews, is our Greek chorus, deciphering moods of voices, cheering on revelations, and playing good angel/bad devil for Amanda.

I love this form of storytelling, although I’d definitely not recommend it in audiobook form (Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling’s latest, The Ink Black Heart, was terribly confusing when texts were described — a big portion of this narrative). It’s amazing how tension can build from successive revelations in texts and interviews — leading to a twisty conclusion. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Not usually a topic in texts or emails. No “I wonder what your devious green eyes are looking at” email questions.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Again, everyday conversation usually isn’t much for describing the surrounding vegetation.

Amanda is a well-known true crime author who has been invited to write a book about the mysterious case of the Alperton Angels, a small cult which twenty years ago committed mass suicide after attempting to sacrifice an infant they believed to be the Anti-Christ. All the most sensational details you can think of attend this case, but Amanda - who has reluctantly teamed up with neurotic Oliver, a fellow author - begins to realize that the truth might still be hidden - and still dangerous.

This is my second Janice Hallett book. While I've read plenty of epistolary works before, this author's trademark is to notch things a bit higher, entangling the reader as deep in the mystery as possible, encouraging them to really root through the clues for the truth. I definitely understand what she's doing - I'm just not sure still if I prefer it!

The mystery is a twisty one, of course, and made rather more confusing at first as the story unfolds in fits and starts, with plenty of digressions and snarky humor in between. My gripe from my last Hallett book, that there's no one to root for, is not the case here, as I got quite attached to Ellie and even Amanda, even if I wasn't convinced the latter always made the best choices during the course of the investigation. I also really enjoyed the commentary about how close a writer can or should get to their story - I had picked up on the parallels with the likes of Michelle McNamara and Jill Dando even before the author paid them homage.

However, I just found the solution of the case too mundane in an odd way. A lot of coincidences had to pile up to make the story as bizarre as it was, so seeing it all unravelled felt almost underwhelming. Additionally, I didn't really find the solution very realistic in some places. I'm trying to avoid spoilers here - but in such a straightforward plan, why the angels, Gabriel? I wish we had gotten more clear answers there. Also, I didn't like Oliver throughout, but by the end he was really off the rails in the worst way.

My final opinion? Hallett is a good read for the puzzles - but as I am not really a puzzle person, she is simply not a good fit for me!

Janice Hallett NEVER disappoints. Her stories are more experiences than anything else. You are immediately engrossed in the story. She the reader up to feel as thought you are IN the story, actively trying to solve the mystery. This book is no different! You will not know what’s going on until the end and your jaw will DROP

SOOOO SATISFYING!!

The way Hallett structures these mysteries is just so fun and mind-blowingly impressive! They hook you in from the very beginning, are so easy to read and so rewarding to find clues. She turns her readers into investigators and it’s the best thing. This is my favorite work of hers yet. I only wish we got a new one every month 😅 anxiously awaiting future books!!

I read this one when it came out here was my review:
5⭐
Man, another win from Janice Hallett. This woman takes the mystery genre, and turns it on its head.
In her newest release we are following journalist Amanda Bailey, and what she uncovered about the cold case of the Aperton Angels. The Angels were a small cult in the early 2000s, who convinced two teenagers that they were angels and that the baby they had procured is the Antichrist. We are following the case 18 years later when Amanda is commissioned to write a true crime novel about the case, and hopefully find "The Baby" who is turning 18.
With all that in mind, this book is so much more. You have crazy characters, a mystery, and it unfolds through documents, messages, etc...
Go into this story as blind as possible, it takes you on such a ride. I think I gasped out loud several times. I cannot wait until next January when we get another amazing novel from one of my newest favorite authors.
You will not regret giving this one a little of your time.

Oh I LOVE this book - so crafty, so devious, so imaginative

Hallett is the author of The Twyford Code and The Appeal (Major FAV!) and utilzes the epistolary method much like a famous artist picks up a pastel. Each of her stories have been quite different but all make great use of emails, letters, found media, and other manners of communication.

The Alperton Angels are a well known cult story - a group that attracted and brainwashed young teens and focused on preparing to war with the Anti-Christ. The story ends with a mass suicide and the potential Anti-Christ missing as a newborn baby.

True crime author Amanda Bailey is hoping to solve the case and rescue her career in one perfect book. She is working against the clock and her nemesis Oliver who just happens to be writing a book as well.

Through emailed commands from publishers, to the transcripts created by the intrepid assistant Ellie, we have a front row seat as Amanda and Oliver travel down a rabbit hole researching and uncovering more and more information about the cult.

A precarious balance of stories and threads that come together in a very surprising conclusion that will please everyone. If you love a cult story, a true crime story, epistolary stories or just want experience a master at work, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is for you!
#Atria #Atriabooks #TheMysteriousCaseof theAlpertonAngels #JaniceHallett