It’s early December 2022 and the Fairway Players are rehearsing for their latest command performance: a one-night-only production of Jack and the Beanstalk in aid of the local church’s roof repair fund. The parts have been cast, the props precured, and the set staged, and despite the group members’ propensity for drama, everything seems to be going to plan. However, the festive cheer is soon marred by simmering conflicts and overt sabotage within the amateur dramatics group, setting the stage for a compelling whodunit.

Of course, Janice Hallett’s work is never that straightforward.

In fact, similar to The Appeal, her sublime debut novel, The Christmas Appeal is a contemporary epistolary novel comprised entirely of texts, emails, and other assorted records. Once again, newly called criminal barristers Femi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd are tasked by their mentor, the recently retired Roderick Tanner KC, with working through a bundle of documents related to yet another contretemps in the genteel market town of Lower Lockwood.

With nothing but the e-discovery scans provided by Tanner to go on, Hassan and Holroyd have to figure out what actually happened during rehearsals for the pantomime and who, if anyone, is responsible.

While The Christmas Appeal represents a return to familiar ground—the painfully repressed, middle-class, and surprisingly spiteful Lower Lockwood—some things have certainly changed since the events of The Appeal. Perhaps most significantly, following the enforced departure of the Haywards, control of the Fairway Players has passed to Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald. Hints are dropped as to their and other characters’ roles in the original novel, but unravelling the current mystery does not require knowledge of the previous one.

Although the delightfully venomous Celia Halliday, a one-time Hayward loyalist, considers the MacDonalds to be terribly uncouth, the theatre group is actually going from strength to strength under their leadership. Still, that’s not to say that the traditional gossiping and back-biting within the group have ceased. Fortunately, the rivalries and resentments remain strong, and it’s clear from the opening correspondence in Tanner’s document bundle that there is more than one duplicitous thespian among the Fairway Players.

Perhaps one of the major themes of The Christmas Appeal is the notion that the more things change, the more they stay the same, and this is reflected in the fact that the eclectic cast of characters are just as zany, peculiar, and aggrieved as ever. The way in which they by turns butter up and gaslight, praise and besmirch, each other via text and email is hilarious and sadly true to life. All human life is present in the amateur dramatics group, and their varied perceptions and recollections add detail and intrigue as the central mystery unfolds.

Beyond the Fairway Players, the rarefied Lower Lockwood has itself undergone a major upheaval due to the addition of two new developments: the upmarket Hayward Heights and the affordable Grange Estate. The differing opinions as to who should be invited to join the group, with Sarah-Jane advocating for as many new members as possible and Celia staunching insisting that residents of the Grange Estate are not exactly theatre people, forms another strand of Hallett’s comedy of manners.

For such a pleasant environment, many of the residents are so amazingly unpleasant that it’s a joy to follow their exploits. In fact, while the Fairway Players have decided that farce is now passé, several of the members repeatedly find themselves involved in farcical situations. The often deadpan way in which such things are described, whether directly or in passing, in the correspondence is very funny, making it impossible not to laugh at the absurdity of just how seriously they take things.

Through such matters, Hallett expertly captures the essence of small-town rivalries and social dynamics, skilfully interweaving humour and puzzlement throughout the novella. The fact that the story unfolds through a series of electronic communications ensures that it is both fast-paced and immersive, lending a welcome modern twist to a traditional literary format. Moreover, learning about events from a range of viewpoints enhances the complexity of the mystery, making it difficult to determine whodunwhat.

The Christmas Appeal is another excellent work of crime fiction from Janice Hallett, offering an enthralling blend of mystery, humour, and holiday cheer. Its pacey plotting and well-developed characters make it the perfect choice for those seeking a light and highly entertaining read during the festive season.

Janice Hallet does it again! Ever since I picked up ‘The Appeal’ I’ve loved her books and I was thrilled to be allowed to read an ARC copy of ‘The Christmas Appeal’.
There was something comforting about returning to Lockwood and even though I haven’t read ‘The Appeal’ in ages, ‘The Christmas Appeal’ touched on enough of the past book that you don’t need to have read it to understand.
I can’t wait for Janice Hallet’s next book!

I'm so happy that I got another glimpse into the middle-class community drama that is the world of The Appeal! and another Janice Hallett book is always cause for celebration.

Yet again, Janice Hallett lays bare the pettiness that nestles comfortably alongside dark secrets within a middle England 'idyll' - both are treated with as much importance as the other, showing the inability of the residents to separate the important from the mundane when it impacts them and their neighbours.

I love the style of writing that we have come to expect from Janice - it unveils little snippets of information as you read along, meaning that you (or I, at least) am constantly changing my mind as to what I think is going to happen, and who has done what. The other thing that works brilliantly is that we, as the reader, get to see the viewpoints of the main characters as the story originally unfolded, and also the viewpoints of the solicitors reviewing the material after the fact.

Let's not forget the storyline here too - it's a brilliant farcical whodunnit (and what, exactly, was done) with a superbly bonkers pantomime in the middle of it. The characters are all eccentrically lovable and so familiar to anyone who has lived in a small town in the UK.

Before I get to my thoughts about The Christmas Appeal a word of warning. While I guess that you could read this book without having read The Appeal, I would strongly advice against such an action. The Christmas Appeal very much moves on from the earlier book and contains (vague) spoilers for the prequel.

While I’m on the subject of similarities between the two ‘Appeal’ titles, I want to add that this second one is very much a continuation of the first story. Once again Charlotte and Femi are invited by their mentor to investigate emails and messages shared between the members of the Fairway Players amateur drama group in order to figure out who was murdered by whom and how it happened.

While the setup of the Fairway Players has changed as a result of what happened in The Appeal, the dynamics between the members are as intriguing and amusing in this sequel. The politics, gossip, and backstabbing in the drama group remain frequent and as delicious as they were before. There is a nice mixture of familiar characters (with one very surprising appearance) and new faces.

Once again, the murder mystery appears to be an afterthought to what is happening within the group. In this book too, (the remains of) the victim don’t appear until near the end of the story. In both books, the reader wouldn’t know they were dealing with a mystery if it hadn’t been for the instructions given to Charlotte and Femi at the very start of the story. And yet, it is all the apparently unconnected interaction between the various members of the group that give us all the clues to what is really happening—provided we pay enough attention.

After discussing The Appeal with my book club I’m more conscious than ever that these books aren’t for everyone. Having the story revealed through what at first glance appear to be irrelevant emails and messages about the production of a (Christmas) play can be confusing. Personally, I love it. While it can be a bit like hard work trying to keep up with who is who and how they related to each other, I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between these people, all with their own agenda, while trying to figure out how any of their communications might relate to the mystery in question.

Finally, while The Appeal certainly had its moments of light relief, The Christmas Appeal is funnier. In fact, it’s a bit over the top, a caper, which feels perfect for a mystery centred around the production of a Christmas panto. And while The Appeal was all about righting a miscarriage of justice, The Christmas Appeal puts a different spin on what does and doesn’t constitute justice. Whether or not you agree with the outcome is a personal choice.

Long review short: The Christmas Appeal is a wonderful sequel to The Appeal and a well-plotted and delightful mystery.

Janice Hallett set a high marker for her books, they were unique, challenging and brilliant. The Appeal was formidable and to be back with some of the same characters, setting and style is amazing.

Back to texts, emails and what’s app messages to follow a story, one without a murder for some time. It is compelling to read and you get sucked in to the group dynamics and conflicts.

It’s a fabulous story, certainly perfect for Christmas with the players putting on a Panto! I can see this being hugely popular with readers.

What a joy being back with The Fairway Players, another belter from Janice Hallett. If you liked her other books then this is for you. Best read if you have already read The Appeal. Witty, dark and with an excellent plot I couldn't put it down. Told again through transcripts, memos, emails, texts and WhatsApp messages it keeps you guessing and is just a brilliant way of telling a tale. Cannot wait for her next one! Highly recommend.

Lawyers Femi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd have been contacted once again by their former senior partner Roderick Tanner to get their opinions on a case. It seems that intrigue has struck once again concerning the Fairway Players (see The Appeal) and he wants their opinion on the case. So once again, they receive a deluge of emails, texts and WhatsApp messages to trawl through to build a picture of what exactly happened.

It was panto season for the Players and it seems there is friction in the ranks. Disagreements about the choices of play, for example, or the level of investment needed for a one-night panto. But in the middle of the performance, something nobody expected happens… or did someone expect it?

I loved The Appeal. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I admired the follow-ups – The Twyford Code and The Mysterious Case Of The Alperton Angels – rather than enjoyed them, so when I heard there was a short book, about 200 pages, revisiting the world of The Appeal, I was rather excited.

But you know the feeling when you creep downstairs to unwrap a Christmas present, only to find it’s a copy of The ABC Murders with John Malkovich on the front cover? A gift with some good points – it is The ABC Murders after all – but not really what you wanted? Yeah, that’s kind of how I felt about this one.

It starts well – the first half of the book is pretty fun. There’s barely a whiff of murder in it, just bickering amongst the drama group, but it’s funny and sets the scene well. It’s like a pantomime version of The Appeal in some ways, which kind of seems appropriate.

What lets it down is the second half, when the murder (or is it) is discovered. It just didn’t hold my interest, I’m afraid, and there’s not exactly an awful lot going on. It’s still quite funny, as if the author didn’t want to get too serious given the festive theme, but people looking for The Appeal 2 may well be disappointed.

4+ ✨️


I wish this book had been longer.
I could have spent double the time reading the texts and emails between the Players, the whole time with a smile on my face.
I never pick up on all the clues in a Hallett book, to be honest, lucky if I get any, so they're always a revelation as to the who and why.
Incredibly entertaining, and has just left me wanting more from these characters.

The Christmas Appeal Review

I have never been so excited to receive an ARC so thankyou to @viperbooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy.
We are back with the Fairway players in their Christmas pantomime. This is a great little added novella if you were missing the chaos of this amateur dramatic group told in the same mixed media style as The Appeal and all of Hallett’s other work which I’ve grown to love.
I loved the Appeal and non-stop recommending it so for me this was no different, it’s a quick fun read to get you in the festive spirit. The fact that is told through emails again also means that EVERYTHING you need to know is in those emails therefore, turning you into a mini detective alongside Femi and Charlotte all over again.
There are also some laugh out loud moments, such as the sweets on pantomime night (iykyk) which I feel like was very well needed to lift the vibe of the overall mystery.

Everyone needs to read this this Christmas, you don’t need to of read the Appeal first to understand the characters, so please just go and get your hands on it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

A gloriously snarky return to the world of the Fairway Players. Loved it.

The fairway players are staging, a Christmas production of Jack and the Beanstalk. A one night only performance, which ends, not in the way most of the cast had anticipated.
What is the situation with the Beanstalk?
Who knows more than they are letting on?
And is it an ‘inside job’?

Many familiar characters, return in this excellent story
Thanks #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

The Christmas Appealby Janice Hallett ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I know Janice Hallett states that she did not want to return to this world but I'm so glad she did.

I read this in one sitting and was not disappointed. I was anxious, laughing out loud, wanted to punch a certain family in the face still, overall I enjoyed this as much as the first book 'The Appeal' If you haven't read that one yet make sure you do before starting this one.

Would definitely buy this book for myself and a friend.

Just in time for Christmas we return to the Fairway players as they prepare for their charity pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk. Written in the form of round robins, emails and text messages Femi and Charlotte are once again tasked by Rodrick Tanner QC to discover both who is been murdered and by whom. The humour and sarcasm in this book had me just laughing out loud as rivalries come to the fore and actions are taken to sabotage the play. I will never look at a wrapped sweet in the same way again. I just loved it and it will be making its way to several stockings this year, no matter if the recipient has been naughty or nice everyone deserves to read this. I can’t wait for the authors next novel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARRC of this novel in return for an honest review.

Returning to the world of the Fairway Players, The Christmas Appeal follows the characters we know and love from The Appeal put on an unforgettable pantomime – for all the wrong reasons. It started slowly as we are thrown back in with Femi and Charlotte reading through all the documents to decipher what happened at the yearly pantomime. However, it did not take long to get fully back in the flow as I feverishly read all the developments in one sitting. As a true Christmas special, this novella featured nonstop comedic episodes, petty provincial rivalries and ridiculousness galore. Best not to read too much of the synopsis of this as it does cover the major reveal – but do not worry too much if you already know where this is building.

Written exclusively in mixed media as in the previous installment, and at only just north of 200 pages, this charming novella is the perfect cosy mystery to spend a day with during the festive period. As it is so short with little time to develop the characters, I would recommend picking up after reading The Appeal.

It was such a pleasure to meet the Fairways Players again in this festive mystery! It was indeed like meeting old friends, like the author says in the acknowledgements.

This is a great novella and the perfect book to read in a cold winter night. The characters are sassy and the story is very entertaining and fun. I loved all the drama, the passive aggressive messages, and the pettiness of some of the characters. That's such a close representation of real life.

The mystery was excellent and, as always, perfectly executed using only emails and messages. Hallett really is the master of telling a story using these media.

A book I recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Viper for an arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Appeal, so was delighted to have the opportunity to read this follow up.

It was a very quick read, but packed with plenty of details. I really enjoyed the texts/letters/email format of the original, but found myself a little frustrated with the style in this particular tale. I think this has more to do with the level of exposition here. I grew tired of 'for the benefit of the transcript' in the police interviews, and the strange message towards the end which mentioned fracking - it just seemed like it was trying too hard to be funny.

I noticed others have said you don't have read The Appeal in order to understand this one. It's been a while since I read the first book, and so I couldn't remember most of the characters and what had occurred. I found this a bit disorientating at the start, so read up on what had happened previously. I don't think it's completely essential, but there's a lot of details that have been sprinkled throughout which would be hard to understand without that prior knowledge.

Leaving it so long to reveal what had happened (just in terms of the crime that had been committed, rather than explaining the whodunnit) meant I got a bit bored - and this is a short book! There's only so long that you can spread out the parochial chitchat, and most of the events in the book are pushed towards the end.

I think previous fans of the author will really like this book, but I just felt it wasn't for me on this occasion.

The Fairway Players from ‘The Appeal’ are back with another play and another mystery. This time it’s the Christmas pantomime. New Chairs of the company, Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald are staging a classic 1970s production of Jack and the Beanstalk, determined it will be funnier and more professional than the company’s previous pantomimes. Meanwhile, aggrieved and jealous couple Celia and Joel Halliday (OBE), who believe they should have been elected Chairs of the company, are doing their best to undermine the production and make it the biggest flop ever.

As with ‘The Appeal’, the mystery is laid out in the form of texts, emails, interviews and reports which retired QC, Mr Tanner sends to his two trainee lawyers, Femi and Charlotte for them to work through and solve. This works well because the novel is short, humourous and engaging. The correspondence is often bitingly funny as the characters tell each other what they really think about other people and their actions. The main character is without a doubt is the behemoth of a Beanstalk which overshadows the stage and the players and has its own story to tell. The plot builds up to the night of the pantomime and the discovery of an unexpected extra cast member followed by the police investigation of the mystery. There isn’t a lot of backstory given so readers may want to read ‘The Appeal’ first to find out what really happened before to get the most enjoyment out of this cosy Christmas mystery.

I love Christmas, I love mystery and I love that it all starts with a dead Santa. This book I just couldn't put down and I must say I finished it in no time as I loved it that much.

This book is filled with everything you want in a good book. There is Christmas (of course), drama, secrets, humour, murder and mayhem. This book/novella was just the thing I needed to read, quick easy and lots of fun and entertainment. And although I know nothing about this author and the other book so many reviewers have alluded to, I didn't miss a thing but I now have to go find the other books as I feel I must be missing out.

Great read, loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Janice Hallett only writes clever and entertaining books, this one is the perfect example of how she mixes humour, social satire and a description of the relationship amongst the member of the The Fairway Players.
There's a good balance amongst these elements: the power plays, the snobism and class distinction, the secrets hidden behind the facade.
I had a lot of fun but I think there was also food for thought as sharp and witty social remarks are spot on.
This is a story set at Christmas time but it's not a Christmas story. There's any magic moment with the snow falling, there's plenty of very funny moments.
It was a great follow up to The Appeal, an original and fresh novel that I read in one sitting.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It's Christmas and The Fairway Players are back rehearsing their pantomime. Sarah -Jane is now the chair of the Players but she is getting a lot of grief from other members. This is such an amusing tale, a oversized beanstalk, a dead body and so much more.

The book is written as The Appeal with lawyers trying to crack the case, looking at emails, messages and police evidence. Party bags take on a whole new meaning in this engaging and entertaining festive tale. If you loved The Appeal as I did you will be delighted to return to Lower Lockwood and Janice Hallett’s clever take on a murder mystery novel. One to add to the Christmas reads list !