I originally received this book from net gallery but I got behind on my reading so I had to get it again after it was released. I’m glad I was persistent though because overall this was a good 3.5 stars. It took me longer to get through then most. I had nicknamed it “my angel book” when my family asked what I was reading. I spent most of the book trying to figure out what the heck Amanda and Oliver were doing! The ending was a tad bizarre as well. All in all it was interesting and I did learn a bit about police investigations and baby adoption processes.

Another masterpiece by Janice Hallett! After being slightly disappointed with her last book, this reminded me of everything I loved about about the Appeal. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is an epistolary novel told through emails, voice recording transcriptions and messages and tells the mystery of the Alperton Angels, a cult that believed they were angels sent to take out the anti-christ who was a baby at the time. 18 years later, Amanda Bailey is writing a true crime book about the cult and is trying to find the baby and what happened the night that the cult members were found dead in a warehouse. I just love how Hallett tells these stories. I was struggled to put this one down. It was fast paced and I was constantly trying to figure out the mystery and what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this one, especially for those who loved her first one!

For those who enjoy nosing around in true crime and relish a challenge, this book is a must-read. And if you never read crime, and If you're a fan of authors like Jennifer Egan, "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" by Janice Hallett will charm you. This thrilling novel takes you on a deep dive into true crime writing as the author unravels a chilling murder mystery involving a cult, a baby, and a desperate race against time. So, get ready to be absorbed by this gripping and subversive thriller.

Amanda Bailey and Oliver Menzies are on a mission to find the Alperton baby and write the book of the year. However, they soon realize that things are not as simple as they appear. As they attempt to work together, they must navigate their complicated history while competing to be the first to uncover the truth. The secrets they discover about the Angels are shocking, leaving them reeling. The stakes are high, and the danger is real as they risk becoming part of the story they are trying to tell.

What sets this book apart is its authenticity. You'll feel like you're right there with Amanda as she conducts her research, battles her rival, and meets some truly unique characters along the way. The use of WhatsApp messages, emails, and interview transcripts makes you feel like an active participant in the investigation. With snarky banter, sizzling chemistry, and dogged determination, Amanda and Oliver will stop at nothing to find that one crucial piece of information that will break the case open.

The unique storytelling approach employed in this book manages to maintain its momentum and intrigue, while also incorporating quirky details such as snarky comments from Amanda's transcriber - one of my personal favorites. However, at times, I found myself wishing for more descriptive passages as the book doesn't allow for total immersion and instead requires active participation. As the story unfolds, you'll find yourself piecing together clues alongside Amanda and Oliver. This book is not for the faint of heart or the lazy reader; it's a highly interactive and engaging way to experience a mystery.

An exceptionally creative work that focuses on the whole true crime fad that has been going on for some time now. A true crime writer is commissioned by a publisher to write the story of the Alperton Angels -- a cult that considered its members angels on earth, and who planned to murder an innocent newborn baby for being the antichrist. Now, all these years later, the baby, who survived, will be turning 18, and finding that baby is important to the author. The entire story is told through text messages, emails, transcripts of interviews, letters, articles, and various other texts. Fun and fascinating to read and puzzle out.

True crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career. She decides to write a book about The Alperton Angels, a cult that almost convinced a teenage girl that her baby was The Anti-Christ and needed to be killed. But after she calls the police and is dropped off at the hospital, she disappears and so does the baby.

Now Amanda is trying to find the perfect angle for this book when she discovers that Oliver, another author, is also on the case. When they decide to collaborate, they discover that the story goes deeper than they could have imagined.

I started reading this book but then switched to the full-cast audio version and could not put it down. The book is written as WhatsApp messages, emails, and transcripts. I absolutely loved this five-star read and highly recommend the audio version for a deeper reading experience.

The twists at the end! Oh my goodness. The epistolary queen of mystery is back! This is probably my favorite of hers so far. I would recommend this to all types of readers, not just mystery readers.

I thought this book had such an interesting premise and kept me guessing the whole time. I really love when stories are written in this perspective with emails/texts/documents. It really stands out in comparison to the popular thrillers/mysteries currently out. An easy 5 stars, I didn't want to put this one down and honestly wished there was more.

This book was something out of my comfort zone however I must say it was a decent read. I enjoyed the story and I was completely fond of the characters.

Bestselling true crime author Amanda Bailey needs a new project. So when her editor comes to her and suggests the Alperton Angels. It was a cult mass suicide, where a baby was supposed to be sacrificed. Supposedly, the baby was the antichrist, and the cult were angels who were tasked with stopping the infant before it could grow up and destroy everything. All the angels were waiting for was the Alignment, where the heavens aligned, creating the perfect moment to rid the planet of the evil that is about to come.

But they failed. The infant got away unharmed, and three of the angels were found dead, killed by suicide, their bodies mutilated and left by the fourth. There were also two teenagers in the cult, known as Holly and Jonah. They also escaped alive, protecting the baby from harm and then all disappearing into social services right afterward. Gabriel, the only angel who survived, was tried for the murder of a neighbor that had happened in the weeks leading up to the massacre and is spending the rest of his life in jail.

The case had always had a lot of unusual interest. Between the angels, the possible human sacrifice, and the cult symbols left on the floor, the public have never known what to make of the Alperton Angels. But Amanda thinks it’s time to revisit the case, since the baby is about to turn 18. Amanda is determined to find that baby from when it disappeared into social services, and she’s going to write a new bestseller with that information.

The problem is that the information is hard to come by. Sources have died or don’t want to talk about the case. And those who do talk give her conflicting information. There were three dead men in the warehouse. There were four dead men in the warehouse. There were cult symbols on the floor. There were no cult symbols. Gabriel was the father of the baby. Teenaged Jonah was the father of the baby. Everywhere Amanda looked, the facts were murky at best. And adding to the mystery is the movies and novels that add some things and leave out some things, making it all that much more confusing.

Amanda reaches out to everyone she can think of to try to make sense of this case—the police who were there, the social workers, her fellow true crime writers, and her transcriptionist. She taps into her sources from other works and emails with armchair investigators. She visits the locations and reads all the news accounts and fictional accounts of the night the baby went missing. Amanda is determined to get to the answers. She is determined to get to the truth. She is determined to get to the Alperton baby. Even knowing that others have died trying to solve this case. And finding the truth will set her free. But it may not be the way she wanted or expected.

Master mystery plotter Janie Hallett is back with The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, and it is an amazing work of fiction. Told through texts, emails, transcripts, excerpts from novels and film scripts, and Amanda’s own opening chapters, this story unfolds slowly. There are bread crumbs from the start, little bits of information that draw readers in, and as you keep going and find more bread crumbs, it gets harder and harder to put the book down and walk away. And as so often happens with Hallett’s books, you will think you have it figured out only to find out that you were wrong, over and over and over.

I got sucked into this story right away. I was looking forward to a creepy cult story, and I got that . . . for a while. Then it slowly changed into something else entirely. And then again. And then again. But one thing that stays the same throughout is the understanding of a coercive relationship and the damage it can do to someone who is vulnerable. While nothing of this story turned out the way I expected, it was amazing and surprising and brilliant. It’s why I love Janice Hallett so much, for creating this roller coaster of a story and sliding in back into place so perfectly at the end. So buckle up and get ready for a wild, wild ride! It will be unforgettable.

Egalleys for The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels were provided by Atria Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I think this might be my favorite Janice Hallett book. She has completely perfected this unique storytelling formula of hers.This time around, she has crafted a compelling multi layered mystery that will keep you entertained and guessing until the very end. If you enjoyed her other novels, then you'll love this one.

I have to admit that because I have learned what to expect from her that I wasn't quite as surprised by the reveal as I was with The Twyford Code. But even so, I immensely enjoyed every minute of this intriguing book. I look forward to seeing what she has in store next for her readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It really is interesting how Janice Hallett can tell a story through such unconventional means and I still feel as though I personally witnessed everything. This story is interesting because it deals with cults and how people can end up doing things they wouldn't otherwise do because they become so convinced of things that aren't true.
The mystery unwinds at a good pace, and this was an interesting story. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Thanj you to netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book was incredible. What a ride.

I was so shocked and stunned like dozens of times as the cases was explained and the real truths were uncovered literally until the last page.

The mixed media method of including texts, interview transcripts, and emails, was just great! Loved it. 5/5 Highly recommend.

“𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫.”

Janice Hallett has done it again! She returns with another modern-day epistolary novel that simmers with tension.

Using the premise of a safety deposit box filled with copies of emails, text messages, audio transcripts, news reports and notes from research into a true-crime exposé on the Alperton Angels, the reader is invited alongside ‘narrator’ and true crime writer Amanda to solve what happened that deadly night. Hallett has such a skill to tell a story through unconventional means, and yet develops characters so well. Amanda is heartless and manipulative to get what she needs, yet also yearns for justice and truth. Amanda’s transcriber, Ellie, is a breath of humourous fresh air with her aside comments and remarks, and Oliver, Amanda’s frenemy, is both intriguing and dark. I love how inaccessible the case is; every avenue Amanda tries seems to have roadblocks - blocked accounts on social media, suspicious deaths of key witnesses, blocked information because of Holly and Jonah being minors at the time, which helped me get absorbed into the story and desperate to find out answers! The story becomes, much like for Amanda, Oliver and Ellie, an obsession, turning pages as Hallett drops shock after shock and ties together all the different pieces perfectly.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is a story of manipulation, mind-control, belief, vulnerability, and betrayal. It is fun and dark tale that has sharp turns on the path to uncovering the truth. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Love the author's unique and creative talent of telling the story (including apps, texts, emails). Really flips novel writing on its head with not only the unique format but the many twists and turns within this mystery (within a mystery!) If you like Andy Horowitz, you will love this.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hallett's novels keep getting more inventive and more fun. Filled with all kinds of people, most of whom seem to be outright nefarious or downright surprising- but none are truly stereotypes. I thought this mystery was a notch above the one in the Appeal, with as many twists and turns as one could hope for. Keep bringing on these semi-epistolary novels and I will keep on reading them! Four and a half addictive stars.

This was such a fun, fast-paced mystery. The opening really works well in getting you intrigued with the story. I thought at first I might not get along with the style of the writing being interviews, emails, and text messages, but I think this was really well done and made the plot move quickly. I also think the transcriber and her comments helped lead the reader through the story, point out inconsistencies, and helped with character development. It worked really well, and you could tell the author put a lot of work into formatting the story just right.

I also really liked how Hallett showcased the 'how' behind cults, the manipulation it takes, and how people no matter who they are and how smart they are can be drawn into something like this. It really is a fascinating psychology. The ending though, I wish was a bit more climactic. The tension could have been built up more, if there may have been more text messages or something to help build that scene. Instead it felt like an afterward, and kind of lessened the impact. That's the only thing that I can nit pick about this, because otherwise I really enjoyed this mystery and hope to pick up Hallett's other work. I have The Appeal on my bookshelf and am even more excited to get to it!

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another unconventional format mystery from Janice Hallett, told exclusively in the form of text messages, emails, and interview transcripts. The conceit of this one is that true crime author Amanda is writing a book on an infamous case from 18 years before - that of the Alperton Angels, where famously several cult members killed themselves in a ritual suicide while two teenagers who had been living with them escaped with the baby that the cult had told them was the antichrist - or so the story goes. Now, Amanda is conducting research for a new book while her rival Oliver is working on a competing book - and they are digging up a lot of mysteries along the way.

This book was seriously wild - started out very confusing but ended up with an ending that was both completely unpredictable while still making perfect sense - to the point I finished and almost wanted to re-read immediately now that I knew all the revelations from the book! I seriously could not put it down and just tore through it!

Janice Hallett has quickly become one of my favorite mystery writers. I was drawn in initially by the book covers and her use of mixed media, but I keep reading for the well-plotted mysteries. The Appeal and The Twyford Code were great, but The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels was incredible. Hallet gets better with every book.

Alperton Angels grabbed me from page one. I instantly wanted to find out what was going on. I found the characters interesting, unlikeable, and unreliable, which I love in a mystery. The mystery was intriguing and got more interesting as it went along. The ending was satisfying.

I will note that Hallett's books are slow and subtle. They require patience. What I like most about Hallett's writing, beyond the use of mixed media (which she excels at), is how tightly plotted her mysteries are. No matter how hard I concentrate, I never figure it all out, which I love. I love how subtle the twists are and how everything comes together. I have actual a-ha moments. Her books are for lovers of puzzles and codes, and I eat them up.

I highly recommend Hallett's books via audio. However, I usually read along with the audio for the first 15 to 20% of the book to get situated with the story and the characters. The mixed media can be confusing at first when I don't see it with my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an interesting read to me from the way it was written literally like how it looked to the shift in perspectives. I don't know if I have ever read a book like it before. The style is mostly conversations that have been transcribed or through text messages as well as a tv script. I was thinking it would be a solid 4 stars until the end which I did not agree with. It happened a little too suddenly- I actually had to re-read the conversation to make sure I hadn't missed something.

Amanda Bailey, true crime author extraordinarie, is on a new assignment. She is going to crack the case of the Alperton Angels. You know the case of the cult back in the early 2000s that involved true archangels on Earth kidnapping a baby that was the AntiChrist. There are a lot of gray areas involving this case. Where is the baby now? Why won't the Archangel that called himself Gabriel speak to anyone in jail? Where are the two teens that were roped into this scheme in the first place? What really happened that night?

Her old colleague, who unbeknownst to him semi ruined her life, is also working this case. They are now working the case together and writing novels from different angels. They get to meet a lot of fun characters throughout the book and help jog their memory on what happened during this whole ordeal, and the more they uncover the more questions they have. Like where did the baby come from in the first place? How were these kids recruited to the angels? Why was there a case of another teenage Holly hanging out with Gabriel from the 90s? Which one of the authors will find out the truth first?

I liked how the story came together, and despite it being written unlike anything I have read I enjoyed the plot. But the end was just too off script for me. At the end of the day, this was a case that was shrouded in mystery and misdirection. I didn't see how it would unravel until it did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

NetGalley ARC

I judged this book by its cover and expected a cozy mystery. Boy was I wrong! Amanda Bailey is writing a true crime book about the Alperton Angels, a case which included a cult, mas murder and a missing baby who may be the anti-Christ. Because of the notoriety of this case, Amanda, a seasoned writer, has to work with her old colleague and novice Oliver Menzies.

As Amanda digs into the case, she and Oliver diverge on their book concepts, Amanda focusing on the actual police case, and Oliver is on the Anti Christ angle. The Amanda goes, the more danger she is in.

The story is told via WhatsApp conversations, news stories, notes and book excerpts. While the pace was slow in the middle, the end packs a punch.