The Fairway Players are back in @janice.hallett’s Christmas novella, The Christmas Appeal❤️ Just like in The Appeal, lawyers, Femi & Charlotte, are reviewing written communications between the Fairway Players to determine what happened during their Christmas Eve play and if it was foul play! This novella was a quick read and I loved catching up with the characters I love and loved to hate! I recommend adding this Christmas mystery to your holiday season TBR list!

Thank you @atriabooks for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest opinion.

(This review was also shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Thank you Netgalley and Atria for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is back at it again for a Christmas pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk. However, things go awry when dead Santa makes an appearance! Who is Santa? Where did he come from? How did he die? Who knew or was involved?

This is a short spin-off novella of The Appeal. The premise is the same where the reader is the POV of the lawyers who have been given multimedia evidence such as emails, text messages, flyers, interviews, etc. to go through. It is up to you how involved you want to be in trying to solve the crime before the reveal at the end of the story, or you don't have to take any notes and just enjoy the ride! Everything is explained as it goes. Some of the characters from the first book are in this one in addition to some new ones. I liked how the characters tried to bring up what happened from the original Appeal case but then another shut it down and said to move on. And there was a surprise guest near the end from the first book!

I would say that if you enjoyed The Appeal, you should enjoy this story as well. If you try to read this story without reading the Appeal, you could get away with it; however, I have a feeling you could get confused or overwhelmed with all of the characters that come into play. I felt like the first book did a better job of describing who's who a few times throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this novella. I liked the witty banter and backstabbing that was happening throughout. There's always drama around The Fairway Players! (Pun intended). I like that we have another Christmas story that is not all Hallmark! It's a little darker yet humorous and a fun time!

What another wonderful addition to the Fairway Players tale. I love the style of the the Appeal and I really enjoyed that The Christmas Appeal followed the same style. I think Janice Hallett does an excellent job weaving the mystery through along with humor and antics. The drama between the Fairway Players is realistic and relatable for readers and Hallett does a good job balancing the drama with the plot. This was a great cozy holiday read that a lot of readers will enjoy. I hope to see another story with the Fairway Players in the future!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eArc of this book! My opinions are my own.

The Fairway Players are back for their one night, Christmas Eve pantomime of Jack And The Beanstalk! This years performance will raise money to fix the church roof after some bats made it their new home. With tensions flying between the Hallidays and the McDonalds, a beanstalk that is possibly filled with asbestos, and a dead body in a Santa suit, things are not going to plan.

You know what’s better than a Jack and the Beanstalk? A Katie and a book tree! No dead bodies here! Sorry, I had to…It was just too perfect! Anyway, after loving The Appeal I was excited to read this one and join our stage players for another round. I have to tell you, this book had me laughing out loud at several different points. Like legit laughing out loud. Everything that happened was so bonkers that I could not help but crack up. Told again through the texts and emails of the cast members, this is one you will not want to miss!

The Christmas Appeal is the opposite of the typical syrupy Christmas story. Think snarky, snide, sardonic humor. The humor is often snuck in, just the right word or turn of phrase. You need to pay attention to catch it all. I will admit to having several moments of having to go back over something, as in “what did I just read?”
The Fairway Players are back. Preparing for their pantomime of Jack and The Beanstalk. There’s backstabbing and sabotage galore. Also, I was a little thrown by the blurb citing a dead Santa. At the 50% mark, I started wondering if the blurb was for a different book. But sure enough, he eventually shows up.
Once again, the book is composed solely of texts, emails and round-robin letters. Kudos to Hallett for managing to move the story along with just these devices.
This should not be read as a stand-alone. As this is a novella, Hallett has not spent a lot of time providing backstory. But for those of us familiar with the first book, it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

For fans of The Appeal, we revisit the Fairway Players for their Christmas pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk. Hilarity ensues as we witness Femi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd work to get to the bottom of another mystery provided by Roderick Tanner, KC. This is a delightful short story that is sure to make you laugh.

Thanks to Netgalley and Viper books for the ARC of The Christmas Appeal.

Hallett’s books are amazingly creative and unique and I’ve enjoyed them all. I was incredibly impressed with The Appeal. This book, revisits those characters as they prepare for a Christmas pantomime. It’s a bit slighter than the first book and perhaps less complex, but still a fun and enjoyable read.

It was fun to return to Lockwood with the Fairway Players. You don't need to read "The Appeal" to read this but there is a lot of the same players. And a lot of the angst and grudges but new people have come onto the scene too for a charity Christmas play.

Like all plans - they go awry. Is it accidental or intentional? And when a dead body is found, emotions are heightened. Stress or cover up?

This is a fast read novella told through emails, messages and the like. Just like the first Appeal story, with its epistolary writing you can see the characters well from their personality. The same detectives are reading through the files trying to figure out the case.

While a novella, this was a complete story. I will definitely read more from Hallett. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-arc copy. This releases next month.

This was my first book by the author and I was unprepared for the style of the book. That said, this little short was a fun read, lots of laugh snorts.

I am always so impressed by the way Janice Hallett structures her stories, and this was no exception. It was so fun being back in the world of the Fairway Players and I sincerely hope this wasn't our last installment! If you need me, you can find me first in line for any and all future releases by Hallett.

The characters are SOOOO unlikeable in this series, oh my god. But also, aggressively realistic with the petty drama of people who do not have anything better to do. Janice writes such quick and hooking reads and this was no different. I liked the Christmas theme. I found myself SO annoyed with everyone in this book.

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

Once again The Fairway Players are at it again in this holiday mystery where a dead Santa Clause threatens to ruin their Christmas Pantomime (holiday play). This was just as enjoyable as "The Appeal". Not only is it full of suspense but it is also filled with wit and humor. The reader is once again drawn into investigating a mystery but with a holiday spin. It is a quick read and I think patrons of the list would like to read a quick somewhat cozy mystery.

Sometimes what you need during the crazy Christmas season is a book that will make you laugh out loud. If that sounds like something you’re looking for, then this book is for you.

Plans for the annual Christmas play are underway in this small English town. From the outside, The Fairway Players seem like a happy welcoming community group, but from the inside, there is some serious tension, a power struggle, and a mysterious secret they are trying to hide.

How do you know?

As a reader, you get the inside scoop through every email, text message, and instant message that is exchanged between its members. You seriously feel like you are eavesdropping on a conversation you didn’t mean to hear.

I can honestly say that I went into this book knowing next to nothing other than what I read in the publisher’s description (see below). I don’t think if I’ve ever read a novel that was 100% epistolary, but I loved it. At first, I was a bit confused by the way the story is told. The first half to two-thirds is all told through email exchanges, instant messages, and text messages. Later on you get to learn more through transcripts from police depositions.

In some ways, you feel like an investigator yourself as you try to piece together the story through the various communications that were exchanged. But I laughed out loud at some of the exchanges and mix-ups. (I don’t want to give too much away.)

One of the parts I found interesting is how people will admit to some pretty egregious actions and intentions when they are accused of murder. Let me know if you notice that, too.

This book is a sequel to the best-selling mystery novel, The Appeal, but you do not need to read that book to enjoy this one. I can say because I have not read it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But now it makes me want to go back and read it so I can know more of the backstory.

I’m excited to listen to the audiobook when it comes out especially seeing that they’ve enlisted multiple voice actors to bring this book to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Note: This ARC was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having read The Appeal just recently, this was a delightful novella to get just a bit more of the Fairway Players. Although the twist wasn’t as riveting and it wasn’t as Christmas-y (which I rather enjoyed that it wasn’t all Hallmarked out), it was nice to see what happened to the Fairway players after the revelations of the Hayward’s schemes. The community and its nuisances give cozy English village vibes which I love reading.

This theatre group hasn't failed to amaze me yet. They are always in some sort of a trouble. They are always trying to undermine each other. To be part of this company is almost of like a rite of passage for anyone to be accepted into the community. They are an eclectic bunch.

This time they wanted to have a one night Christmas show to collect enough funds to replace the church offering them the stage. After Haywards were gone Sarah-Jane's family became the first family but Cecilia had thoughts about it. At this point they were not fighting against time but also each other. Eventually, they found a way to put on a show, but what they found out was during the pantomime was not as kid-friendly as they thought.

Janice Hallett is putting our two detectives through an ethical and moral dilemma. It was less about whodunnit but more about "if this was your case what would you do?". I love the structure of collection of "evidence" Hallett uses in Appeal series. Reader is given a chance to really become a detective and solve the mystery along with the duo. I hope there is more of this!

"This immersive holiday caper from the "modern Agatha Christie" (The Sunday Times, London) follows the hilarious Fairway Players theater group as they put on a Christmas play - and solve a murder that threatens their production.

The Christmas season has arrived in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive holiday production of Jack and the Beanstalk to raise money for a new church roof. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking among the amateur theater enthusiasts with petty rivalries, a possibly asbestos-filled beanstalk, and some perennially absent players behind the scenes.

Of course, there's also the matter of the dead body onstage. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they investigate Christmas letters, examine emails, and pore over police transcripts to identify both the victim and killer before the curtain closes on their holiday production - for good."

Oh, I'm a sucked for a murder at a Christmas panto!

The Fairway Players were putting on a Pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk for Christmas, but something went terribly wrong when a dead Santa is found in the middle of the stage. On November 1, 11 months after the death, Roderick Tanner reaches out to the lawyers Femi and Charlotte to ask for their opinion on who may have done it. He sends copies of letters, emails, texts and scans of discovery materials.

This entire book is written in the form of some kind of correspondence - usually text or email. It tells a story, but not in the traditional sense. It’s an incredibly clever approach to a mystery because it provides so many potential hidden clues.

There are some very funny moments and pantomimes themselves are meant to be farcical performances.

This was book 1.5 in the series and I hadn’t read book 1 so none of the characters were familiar to me, and because of the format of correspondence, I found it very difficult to keep track of who everyone was and didn’t understand some of the references

Unfortunately, I only made it 30% of the way through the book. The style of texts and emails just didn’t work for me. It felt hard to follow what was happening or to remember who everyone was. That said, for people who really like to put an emphasis on the puzzle over the characters and setting, I think this would be a great book. It has humor and it is very fast-paced. However, I would strongly recommend reading the first in the series before attempting this one.

The Christmas appeal is a fast paced story with the Fairway Player putting on a Christmas Pantomime. There’s drama among the group, people seeming to play each side, and some trying to cause issues for others. The emails and texts share the drama, thoughts and plans of some members. Some moments are eye rolls, some are laugh out loud.

I enjoyed reading The Appeal so was definitely excited to read this novella. Felt it was easier to get into with knowing what to expect with most of the story being told through emails and text messages. The way it all comes together, makes you feel a certain way for a character without really getting to know them is amazing.

I received an ARC of this novella from NetGalley for my review. This one appeals to the former AIG kid in me—it’s essentially a dossier of collected evidence in a crime that you solve as you go along. A panto production (a staple for a small British town at Christmas) is derailed by drugs, murder, and conniving retirees who would love to quash upstart, young (middle aged) usurpers! It’s funny, quick, and festive! If you enjoy logic puzzles, cozy mysteries, and/or epistolary fiction, check this one out when it is released on October 24th!

I read The Appeal recently and loved it so when I saw the follow up to it in Netgalley I just had to request it. I loved the first book and I was hoping that I would like this one just as much. I’m happy to say that this didn’t disappoint.

This is a novella follow up and is much shorter but I think that’s it’s just as good as the first book. The plot of the first is very briefly touched on but this is it’s own story. A lot of the characters are from the previous book and it was nice to see them again (mostly) but it also has several new people. I liked how they were worked into the story. The plot of this was super fun. It keeps you guessing til the end. The book is quite short (I read it in a single day) and is fast paced and highly entertaining. It keeps you guessing til the very end. The book is written in mixed media formatting where most of the story is written in text messages and emails and I really liked what that added. You get multiple views into the same events and I love it when that happens.

I don’t think that you need to read the first book to understand this but I recommend it so you can get background info on the returning characters involved. Overall I highly recommend this for fans of mystery novels.