This book should come with a warning not to read it in a public place because omg it made me laugh out loud so many times and got me some very odd looks !!
I was so thrilled to be given an early copy of the book from the publisher and also over the moon to be back with the Fairway players from the previous novel The Appeal and I absolutely loved it. I am actually lost for words to describe what an incredible read the book was it had everything that I love in a story and I can honestly say there isn’t anything about it that I can fault.
So superb writing , a whole cast of wonderful characters and a clever plot Janice Hallett gives us all of these things and more I really can’t praise her enough for giving me such a wonderful reading experience … this is why I read to be taken out of myself and loving every minute of it, so a massive thank you to her.
This is a 100% , 5 star must read please don’t miss it it will light up your day.
My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So pleased that Janice Hallett has reunited us with the Fairway Players for a Christmas novella set in the same world as "The Appeal", this time in "The Christmas Appeal". It did remind me of "The Play that Goes Wrong" and a series of loveable characters in farcical situations. It would be the perfect book to give a crime-lover at Christmas.

really enjoyed this book. wacky group of characters, would love some more, exploring the exploits that these charters get up to whilst trying to put a play on

A lovely festive update to The Appeal. As with other books by this author, this is a clever and well plotted mini novel. Bits of it are properly laugh out loud funny.

A short, funny clever story perfect for the run up to Christmas.

This was such an amazing comeback to the Lockwood and the Fairway Players circle! I devoured this in an evening, relishing in how amazingly Hallett works intertwines plot with the email format. Anyone who read the Appeal and loved it will love this seasonal novella as much or even more!

I adore Janice Hallett and I was lucky enough to get a copy of her latest novel #thechristmasappeal via #netgalley

Fabulous as always, it is a lighthearted, cosy sort of crime and if you've read #theappeal already then you will recognise many of the characters.

The cast of suspects are as always enthusiastic in the endeavours and expertly entertaining.

I found myself with a smile on my face the whole time I was reading.

I really hope this isn't the last time we hear from the Fairway Players.

I enjoyed The Appeal The first novel are setting the fictitious village amateur dramatic society. For this novel, the background is a Christmas panto which predictably goes wrong. A body is found inside a giant jack in the beanstalk prop. The mystery is who is the party and how did it to find itself there?
As with the previous novel the story is told as a succession of text messages and emails , I did find myself getting rather lost with the characters as a story flips about quite a lot, because of this I found I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as the previous one.
Anyone who has been involved in how much dramatics would know that it is there a potential hotbed for stories and I love the way the author has done this.
Because of the way the story is told there isn’t much chance for character development. This is primarily a story lead novel.
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley, UK, then novelist published in the UK on the 28th of October 2023 by Viper
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, good reads and my book log, bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com.

I really enjoyed this, would be a lovely quick read in the lead up to Christmas. Unlike The Appeal I did figure out what was going on before the reveal but that didn’t spoil the ending. It was great to visit Lockwood again and I would read more of the trials and tribulations of the Fairway Players!

I loved returning to the world of "The Appeal" in this book! It's light, simple and funny rather than repeating the complex web of connections that made "The Appeal" so compelling, but I really enjoyed it anyway and imagine it would make a fabulously fun festive read. I will definitely be recommending this to readers at Christmas time!

What a delight to be back in the company of the Fairway Players as they rehearse their Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, in aid of the church roof repairs. The usual hilarious backstabbing, one-upmanship and ludicrous casting and design choices are all evident in the round robins, emails and text messages under scrutiny from the two young lawyers Femi and Charlotte. Can there really have been another murder in this small but active community, and who is it this time. Slyly observed and sharp as ever, this is a short but sweet festive treat not to be missed.

Janice Hallett is one of my favourite authors, I even got to see her in Edinburgh at a Toppings event to celebrate her hardback release of The Alperton Angels. I absolutely adore her writing and The Christmas Appeal did not disappoint.
This cosy, festive murder mystery revisits the cast from The Appeal to solve a new murder which happened in the small town. But don’t worry, you don’t need to have read The Appeal to read this book, it is all very self-explanatory.
Books which let the reader solve the crime themselves seem to be the rage at the moment on bookstagram and booktok, so I’d definitely recommend getting your hands on this one – right in time for Christmas!
Thank you again to Janice Hallett, Rachel Quinn, Viper and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this read, zipping through it in less than a day. I thought there was a bit too much of the to-and-fro between Sarah-Jane and Celia at the start and the establishment of group dynamics. I felt my interest waning through these sections as I waited for some action. When it did come it was a fairly simple plot, but revived my interest.

I did enjoy the humour running throughout, and it was very vivid. Even with the format, a clear picture was created. I think it needed a bit more action earlier on and perhaps a sharper focus. It seemed to be too split between wanting to be a gentle character focused revisist of the group or a mystery.

This is one author who will always shoot straight to the top of my TBR pile and The Christmas Appeal did exactly that. At just over 200 pages, this perfect nugget of joy was devoured in an evening. It features a return to the lives of the superb cast of The Appeal where the Fairway Players are planning a Christmas panto to outdo all previous productions until the usual mayhem descends. Building on the unique nature of The Appeal’s storytelling, the Christmas edition again features emails, what’s app messages and an utterly hilarious round robin letter.
I defy anyone who has enjoyed any of Hallet’s novels to not love this one too.
I thought it was brilliant and very enjoyable reading, despite me usually being a confirmed Grinch especially when it comes to Christmas-adjacent books.

Really enjoyed this book just as much as the first one in the series. It was nice getting back with some of the characters from book one. I would highly recommend reading the appeal before reading this as some repeat characters are in this book. But I really enjoyed this book.

I really enjoy reading Janice Hallett's books and this did not disappoint. Set in the area as The Appeal it's a wonderful dip back into the world and those crafty and secretive theatre characters. I loved the fact that the ending wasn't so clear cut and as always, I love how Janice sets out her book. A great read!

Readers of The Appeal will be delighted to see the return of The Fairway Players in time for panto season. Personally, I was thrilled to be invited to read an early copy and couldn’t wait to get started on it, re-arranging my reading schedule to fit it in at the first chance possible. So, now having read it – in one sitting and after lots of chuckling – I’m ready to review it. Now, if you haven’t read The Appeal, don’t worry. The quirky writing style and format will draw you in, and if you’re in any way familiar with community groups or collaborative creative projects, you’ll soon recognise the internal dynamics as sooooo believable, only this time – as a voyeur – you’ll be able to see the funny side of their “banter”. Enjoy!

Retired KC, Mr Tanner has sent a set of documents for review to lawyers Femi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd without telling them exactly what they might be looking for, but he’s convinced they’ll find the info – emails, texts, Whatsapp messages – interesting as well as a chance to “reconnect” with The Fairway Players who are preparing their latest show, a pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk. The Players have a new chair team in Sarah–Jane McDonald and her husband, Kevin, who’ll be managing the performance in every aspect from casting to show night.

From the moment Sarah-Jane issues a casting call, the group dynamics are tested by an opponent to her leadership. With passive-aggressive emails to The Players , it’s clear Sarah-Jane’s rival wants to create a division within the group. It’s deliciously revealing and sets the tone for the rest of the group’s communications. Criticisms abound – but oh so subtly, and never face-to-face!

As Sarah-Jane and Kevin overcome challenges regarding the overlarge beanstalk, rumours of asbestos in said beanstalk, selling tickets (and not giving them away) and providing refreshments and goody bags, it finally looks as though they’re ready. But, of course, they’re not. Enter stage-right Chaos and Mayhem. When the best laid plans goes hilariously awry, the audience – unknowingly – are in for the treat of their life.

Meanwhile Femi and Charlotte are struggling to see why Mr Tanner wants their thoughts on the documents… and it’s only then that he provides a few more snippets of info that, along with the details of performance night and all its craziness ultimately prove there was a method to his madness.

The attempts by keyboard warriors to manipulate others by criticising and stirring up old tensions to change things in their favour are quashed with glorious one-liners and sublime putdowns that are the essence of the pantomime ethos that good will conquer evil.

The ending – and the reason why Tanner got Femi and Charlotte involved – is as off-the-wall as you could ever imagine, so worthy of the pantomime plotline. The personality clashes are as clear as ever, the rivalry as cutting, and the humour as sharp. I defy readers not to laugh aloud as they read through the messages and try to solve the mystery, because it’s a corker. Oh, yes it is!

A joyous Christmas-related mystery, which tells a tale of murder and intrigue while firmly putting a smile on your face. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this prior to publication.
The Fairway Players are a long-established amateur dramatic group preparing for their annual pantomime. Through a series of email exchanges we see the tensions simmering under the surface, and the thorny interpersonal dynamics that run the group. When a body is discovered in the giant beanstalk prop of course we want to know who it is, who knew about it and what on earth happened. We get our answers…though they’re not quite what we expect!
It was entertaining to see some familiar faces here, and the format allowed us to piece together most elements. Great fun.

When this book was announced I was so excited to be going back and reading exploits of the Fairway players and this novella does not disappoint.

Femi and Charlotte are once again investigating a murder that has occurred in the players Christmas Panto, they are sifting through emails, WhatsApp messages etc and this again makes the book very addictive.

i loved reading the round robin Christmas emails and the messages between everyone, and the conflicts and downright bitchiness that happens when people are together.

The mystery was enjoyable and kept you guessing until the last page..

a lovely short read, with all the players from The Appeal, a smashing Christmas treat

‘Date: 1 November 2023
Subject: A conundrum for you’
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What a joy and a privilege to be back with The Fairway Players! A wonderful surprise too, as I didn’t even know this was on the horizon! Will Janice Hallett ever final to be one of the most creative writers out there currently? I doubt it! She’s on a massive roll and every book so far has been an utter joy!
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This short story hit just as much as The Appeal did, and being back with these wonderful characters as they embark on yet another interesting production feels like coming home! With wonderful throwbacks to the first in this series, we follow these characters on as they deal with even more local scandal and gossip, and I found myself, yet again, audibly laughing at points. These characters are so wonderfully real that you can place them all in your local community. A triumph from one of my favourites!
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Thank you SO much to netgalley and the publisher for this early read, and for making Christmas come that little bit early! Very excited to see the buzz that will be surrounding The Fairway Players once again!

Femi and Charlotte solve a new Fairway Players mystery by reading the characters' Whatsapps and emails. A quick and easy read.