Janice Hallett's The Christmas Appeal is a clever and engaging mystery that intertwines the festive spirit with a compelling whodunit. Set during the holiday season, the story follows a group of characters drawn together by a charitable endeavor that takes a dark turn when a scandalous event disrupts their plans.

Hallett’s writing is sharp and witty, effectively blending humor with suspense. The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own secrets and motivations to the table, which keeps readers guessing as the plot unfolds. The clever use of multiple perspectives adds depth to the narrative, allowing for a rich exploration of the dynamics at play.

The pacing is brisk, with twists and turns that maintain the intrigue while also capturing the holiday atmosphere. Themes of generosity, deception, and the complexities of human relationships resonate throughout, making the story both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Overall, The Christmas Appeal is a delightful and captivating read that will satisfy fans of cozy mysteries. It’s a festive treat that reminds us that even the most well-intentioned gatherings can reveal unexpected truths.

I love Janice Hallett. Her books are so original and fresh. I love following along through the emails and memos. They’re always such fun stories and I am already looking forward to her next one!

Thank you for an e-arc of this book. I apologize that it has taken me so long to get a review to you. However, real life got in the way of reading as well as some mental health problems. However, here is my review.

I felt that I needed to read the Appeal before I read the Christmas Appeal which also made it harder to get this review done. However, now that I've read both, I don't feel that I needed to in the end, save for having some background into the characters. I did enjoy the Christmas Appeal in being a nice holiday cozy read and using the epistolary format. I'm always in the mood for those kind of books and so it was nice to see that format again. The sense of community was also nice to see shine through in the book.

All in all, a nice little holiday treat reading!

This is such a wonderful companion to the original novel. It’s shorter and therefore doesn’t have as much character development, but if you’re a fan of The Appeal and want something cozy, short, fun and Christmas-y.

Janice Hallett’s "The Christmas Appeal" is a delightful holiday caper that expertly combines festive cheer with a thrilling mystery. Following the Fairway Players as they prepare for their Christmas production of Jack and the Beanstalk, the novella immerses readers in a world of petty rivalries and backstage drama, all while unraveling a murder that threatens to upstage their performance. Hallett’s writing is as engaging and fun as in her previous novel, The Appeal, making it an easy choice for fans of her style.

The joy of this novella lies in its interactive nature, where readers can delve into Christmas letters, emails, and police transcripts alongside the characters. The process of piecing together clues and uncovering the identity of the victim and the killer adds an extra layer of excitement. Hallett’s knack for crafting witty, engaging narratives shines through, creating a story that is both entertaining and satisfying. Overall, The Christmas Appeal is a festive treat that beautifully blends humor with mystery, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys being part of the sleuthing fun.

Delightful! I've enjoyed all of Janice Hallett's books and a holiday-themed tale was a great addition.

Janice Hallett's short, seasonal mystery novella brings back some offbeat characters familiar to fans of *The Appeal*. In her trademark style, Hallett delivers fun, farce, rivalries, humor, and murder as the Lockwood Fairway Players plan a Seventies-themed pantomime of *Jack and the Beanstalk* to raise funds for the church roof. Roderick Tanner (KC) provides multimedia documents, including social media, WhatsApp messages, texts, and emails, for the curious Charlotte and Femi to review.

Hallett masterfully lets distinct characters shine through her unique and engaging format. The festive mystery is filled with intelligence, wit, laughs, suspense, and twists. Even if you haven't read *The Appeal*, don't hesitate to dive into this delightful novella—you won't regret it.

With the novel "The Christmas Appeal," Janice Hallett once again proves her mastery of the mystery genre with a seamless dive into a captivating whodunit. Returning to familiar faces from "The Appeal" feels like reuniting with old friends; their personalities leap off the page with familiarity, effortlessly drawing readers back into the fold.

In this installment, the evolution of the Fairway Players is expertly woven into the narrative, showcasing both the passage of time and the enduring dynamics that define the group. Against a backdrop of holiday cheer tinged with the chaos of amateur dramatics, Hallett infuses the story with a delightful blend of wit and wisdom.

Despite its shorter length, the book is brimming with suspense and intrigue, keeping readers guessing until the very end. It's a delightful addition to Hallett's repertoire, offering a festive escape into the charming world she has crafted. With its small-town setting and richly drawn characters, this novel is a true gem for fans of the genre.

A fun Christmastime read! Would be great for a December book club. I'm all for seasonal reading, but often find Christmas-themed stories corny. This is a good alternative!

A fun Christmas caper set in the world of The Appeal. Light and fluffy nonsense, perfect for the holidays. I enjoyed it!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Short fun twist on the usual Christmas book! I loved having a mystery to go to instead of the typical hallmark like stories that flood the bookstore during the holidays..

A quirky little Christmas mystery novella, structured as two lawyers rifling through past paperwork, emails, and letters from a local community theater putting on their annual holiday play. It wasn't quite for me, but it was an easy seasonal read for those looking for something different than the typical holiday rom-com that dominates the Christmas-themed fiction genre.

This was fun and silly. It's the kind of story that is almost ridiculous, but it works here. It's charming and funny and ever-so-slightly over the top. If I ever join a drama troop, it's got to be the Fairway Players. Time reading this short book was time well spent.

The Christmas Appeal is a moderately well written and cleverly constructed sequel(ish) mystery by Janice Hallett. Released 24th Oct 2023 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
The author is well known for her multimedia style of writing. Readers are provided a mix of emails, texts, and other media clues and red herrings. The characters are members of a local dramatic group, the Fairway Players, and then more or less left alone to puzzle out what's going on by themselves.

The format of the mystery is challenging, and readers might struggle for immersion. This one is also character heavy with a large cast, and there are some difficulties with keeping them all straight. That being said, once the book achieves liftoff, it's an engaging and surprisingly cleverly constructed puzzle.

Three and a half stars. This would be a good candidate for a mystery book club read/discussion, public library acquisition, and home use. It's a very oddly formatted book, but readable and engaging after a while (the first third is a slog).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I mean, cmon, Janice Hallett never misses with her books! This was such a fun addition to the world of "The Appeal". It was such a quick, fun, engaging mystery that I devoured in one sitting. I hope Janice Hallett continues with her mixed media mystery books since I think they bring so much fun to the genre!

It wasn't a bad read but I will admit I was a little confused. Maybe that's because I didn't read the first book.. I dunno! There was so many things going on it was a little hard to keep up.


*Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review*

In this delightful Christmas mystery featuring familiar characters from "The Appeal," lawyers Femi and Charlotte are tasked with unraveling a mysterious case through emails and text messages. As the Fairway Players prepare for a special performance of Jack and the Beanstalk to raise funds for the church roof, a series of mishaps and unexpected events unfold, including the discovery of a potential crime scene. Overall, this book provided a fun reading experience. While you don't have to be familiar with the first book, readers who have read the previous book will find this one even more enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of the Appeal (I don't read a ton of mystery novels and it was one of the company's monthly picks, so why not try?) so when I heard that there was going to be a spinoff of it I was very excited. My secondary thought was that the Appeal really did not need a sequel, but it's worth a try. I thought it was pretty good! It was nice to see the characters all again, I thought this focused more on the cozy aspects rather than the big spooky mystery (you had the foreboding of the "something will go wrong" itself because the detectives tell us early on like with the Appeal). It wasn't a necessary read but as a little Christmas bonus, it was a fun time. Not to mention when I saw it at hardback when we got it was like a miniature sized book and it was adorable so brownie points on that!)

The Appeal is one of my favorite books of all times so I was excited to read it. While I still enjoyed it and the interesting format, I felt like making it a "sequel" to The Appeal was unneccesary and made it more confusing than it had to be. I also didn't feel like the mystery was that satisfying.