I still love this world and Halletts writing style. The wittiness, the banter, the arguments and the twisty storyline that makes you doubt your own thoughts. I shall forever read her books.

I was a little disappointed that Izzy wasn't really featured in this book because she was my favourite in The Appeal. That said it was still a brilliant read and one I have recommended to everyone. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for my advance copy.

The Fairway Players are about to put on their annual pantomime but there is dissent and rivalry within the ranks. When a dead body emerges from Jack's Beanstalk, a murder investigation ensues.
I know that Hallett is a very popular writer but when I first read one of her books I just didn't get it at all. Therefore I thought I'd try again with this very short festive themed book. Told in an epistolatory manner, this is a mash-up of high farce, nostalgic slapstick and with a mystery hidden deep inside. Yes, it was amusing in places but, to be honest, it did nothing for me. I know the writer has legions of fans so I will emphasise that this is a personal opinion only!

Returning to Lower Lockwood & the characters of The Appeal is like putting your snuggly slippers on. Comforting & cosy, quite appropriate for the title & time of year.

The Fairway Players are front & centre once more with a raft of messages to decipher, be they emails, WhatsApp exchanges or texts etc. Alongside which, Jack & the Beanstalk must be performed using some old props…

Due to the writing style these books are easy to dip in & out of but this one is really short at just over 200 pages. Perfect as a stocking filler for any budding amateur sleuth.

✨ My Thoughts ✨

I’ve read every one of Janice’s books so I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this one and see if I could solve the mystery myself and of course get back involved with the Fairwyay Players.

It’s fair to say I couldn’t solve the mystery because it was such a shocker.

The story had me laughing out loud.

It’s such a funny read and when you think of all the backstabbing and sly comments some players make to each other via email and texts it gets you thinking of what more could be at play?.

It’s the Perfect Christmas mystery.

Now I am not a big Christmas fan but that doesn’t mean I wont tuck into a christmas themed book especially one that comes highly recommended by several people that have been responsible for my ever increasing TBR pile and I can honestly say that I have never laughed so much at a book in my life. The Christmas Appeal follows the Fairway Players in the run up to their annual Christmas Panto and there is as much drama off the stage as there is on it. Now as a child I was involved in a local group that put on similar productions each year and although I was young, I am pretty sure our group was a little more sedate and organised that the Fairway Players seem to be.
Janice Hallett has written the book as a string of emails, text messages and Christmas newsletters. It is this that makes it unique and feel quite pacy. The reader gets quite an insight into some of the members of the group, showing a sense of entitlement and inner snobbery to such an extreme that you cant help but laugh at the stupidity of the seemingly intelligent group and to a certain extent everything that happens is possibly no less than they deserve.
This in not just about the panto though and there is a surprise or two that no one quite expects (although the kids in the audience love it) and the aftermath of it manages to provide a final twist in what you think you know. If you are looking for a christmas book that is slightly different from the norm and will bring a smile to your face then I would 100% recommend this is added to your list.

A contemporary, festive murder mystery revisits Lower Lockwood, revealing a unique blend of gossip, prejudices and secrets. A retired barrister and his two former pupils judge the events and face a moral dilemma once they realise the truth.
This story has many levels, from the mundane to the secretive, revealed through electronic media. Set against the rehearsals and performance of the annual pantomime, the story plays out with an unexpected body, plot twists and numerous suspects.

The unusual and distinctive writing style is addictive reading. It also encapsulates the pantomime ethos. I like the believably flawed characters, the festive setting and the clever use of contemporary writing tools.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I can’t wait to enjoy many more.

I devoured this book, it was so fast paced and the story was so enticing I didn’t want to put it down.

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

This is a lovely follow on from The Appeal. To feel like you know the characters I think its best read as a follow up rather than a stand alone.

The joy in the book is going back to these characters. The mystery feels very risk light and I felt like it played farcical humour well, even if there were some in The Fairfield Players snotty about Farce as a genre.

Its a short one, but a fun, light read with a festive spice for fans of The Appeal to return to Lockwood.

If you enjoyed The Appeal, then this is going to be the perfect festive read for you.

Back with the Fairway Players as they attempt to put on an ambitious pantomime.

There’s a power struggle going on, gossiping and snarky comments galore. There’s costume disasters, an enormous beanstalk that causes havoc, casting issues and rehearsal dramas.

Through emails and transcripts of WhatsApp conversations and texts, the conflicts and secrets of the Fairway Players are revealed.

The night of the performance arrives and it is chaotic and fun and a bit bonkers. And then Santa turns up! Who is he? And how has a body ended up in a beanstalk?

I think this will work better for a British audience who understand the humour and traditions of pantomime. It also probably wouldn’t work as a standalone – there’s definitely an assumption that the reader is familiar with Fairway world.

I really enjoyed this. It’s like meeting up with old friends. Janice Hallett can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned!

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted digital copy of The Christmas Appeal.

I really enjoyed The Appeal by Janice Hallett so I was excited to read the next instalment. The Christmas Appeal was such a lovely, humorous and quirky read that I utterly loved. The length was perfect, not too drawn out and I managed to read it in one sitting. A whole host of fabulous characters with great personalities. I really enjoyed catching up with The Fairway Players. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

I loved the original Appeal. It was cleverly wrought, the characters were all too recognisable and the format worked perfectly with the tension (and humour) of the content. I was nice to revisit the socially conscious and bumptious people of the Fairway players with all their in-fighting and self-importance. This time a new regime in place following the scandal of the original book and not everyone is happy about the new leadership, though they’d never say it to Sarah-Jane. We know that something dark is in the wings because once again Roderick Tanner, KC (now retired) has been in touch with his erstwhile protegees Femi and Charlotte with all the snide emails, texts and flyers that make these stories such a hoot. With theatrical infighting, missing cast members, a giant beanstalk and a body in the wings Hallett has created a fun sequel with a Christmas flair as the Fairway Players set upon staging a pantomime like the world depends on it. Sure, it’s more of a fun return to a familiar setting and characters than a proper sequel but it’s very entertaining and with just enough heart, moral ambiguity and tension to make it a worthy partner to the original hit novel.

If you loved The Appeal then you will love this one!

The Fairway Players find themselves in a kerfuffle again whilst organising this years panto. Struggles with casting, mix up with sweeties and a clear power conflict within the group. It’s drama filled!

Once again the drama is told through emails, text messages, interview transcripts etc. It’s a short story, an easy read full of laughter. Hallett just does characters soooo well, her skill at having characters come to life (especially when using correspondence to tell a story) is fascinating.

A brilliant read at Christmas time, I would definitely recommend and it’s out now!

Unfortunately, this was not for me and I quickly dropped the book and DNF.

I had two main problems with the text.
First, apparently there was an earlier mystery that introduced the characters and setting, and which I had never heard of. I found it hard to understand who everybody was and their relationships, and since nobody seemed very likeable, I wasn’t interested in trying to get up to speed either.
Second, I really struggled with the plot being told via emails. I couldn’t even begin to fathom who was lying, when, who hated who or what it was all about, so I quickly gave up.

However, other reviewers who had read the earlier novel loved this, and you might too. It’s mainly a question if you like the way the story is told.

I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

We’re back in Lockwood with the Fairway players and what a welcome return it is. I absolutely loved this book, it had me laughing out loud and as always Hallett’s format of emails/texts and newspaper reports lends a fast paced tone to the novella. I wanted a full book it was so bloody good. More please!

I read this in one sitting and am glad that I did, it was a good novella to follow the very popular previous novel from Hallett.

Whilst it was lovely to be back with the characters we know from The Appeal the mystery itself was very clearly signposted from the start and didn't hold the same twists and turns as the first novel, I also found the interactions between Femi and Charlotte (the 'investigators') a little forced and their dialogue seemed out of character from the previous installment.

Overall a good festive read and anyone who enjoyed the first book will likely enjoy dipping back into this.

Before I write anything else, two questions for all prospect readers: have you read “The Appeal” (of course, by Janice Hallett)? If you have not, would you like to? If your answers were, respectively, “no” and “yes”, then set The Christmas Appeal to the side and go ahead and read The Appeal first. The Christmas Appeal is, to a certain extent, a sequel to The Appeal. The story is different and can stand on its own, but there are frequent references to the first book. It will spoil the ending for you.

What Janice Hallett did in these books is unique and so engaging and fun. The Appeal and The Christmas Appeal are among the most interactive books I have read, for sure the only ones I have ever annotated.

The Christmas Appeal was a great way to get back to Lower Lockwood, discovering new and old characters and getting to know what they had been up to in the last couple of years. I loved the new dynamics and the tension behind the scenes of the new Christmas production of the Fairway Players theatre group. And, of course, the looming sense of mystery. And the yummy, yummy pettiness. It really did hit the spot.

Unfortunately, I liked everything around the mystery except the mystery itself. This because (1) I had figured out the central people and pieces of the mystery quite early on; (2) within the book, the mystery itself was solved quite quickly, and I didn’t find the solution as satisfactory as in The Appeal; (3) I did not like the way Femi and Charlotte talked about the case, I found their explanations a bit too forced.

Despite the mystery in itself being a bit underwhelming, I read The Christmas Appeal in one sitting, glued to my reading chair, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would warmly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a distraction in this dreary weather!

In this new novella, published just in time for Christmas, Janice Hallett returns to the world of her earlier novel, The Appeal. Once again, newly qualified lawyers Femi and Charlotte are sent a folder of documents and are challenged by their former mentor, the now retired Roderick Tanner, to read through them all and solve the mystery they contain. And once again, the mystery unfolds in the town of Lower Lockwood where the amateur theatrical group known as The Fairway Players are preparing to stage another play, with the aim of raising money for the church roof appeal. This time, it’s that great British tradition, the Christmas pantomime! This year’s choice is Jack and the Beanstalk and rehearsals are about to begin.

Sarah-Jane MacDonald, the fundraising expert from The Appeal, and her husband Kevin have now been elected as co-chairs of The Fairway Players, a move that not everybody is happy with – particularly not Celia Halliday, who believes that she should be the one running the group. Celia is determined to do whatever it takes to prevent Jack and the Beanstalk from being a success, but it seems that the pantomime is already destined to be a disaster and anything that can go wrong will go wrong. What has happened to the young couple who auditioned for parts and have never been seen or heard from since? Is it true that the giant beanstalk Sarah-Jane wants to use as a prop is made of deadly asbestos? Is it really a good idea to use a script written in the 1970s? And whose is the dead body that appears on the night of the performance?

Like The Appeal, this book is written entirely in the form of emails, texts, WhatsApp messages and other types of media. If you’ve read the first book you’ll already be familiar with many of the characters which will make things easier to follow, but if not I don’t think it will be too much of a problem as this one should also work as a standalone. The format of the book allows the different personalities of the characters to shine through very strongly, from bossy Sarah-Jane to snobbish Celia, so you should be able to get to know them quickly.

I found this a more light-hearted book than The Appeal, with lots of humorous misunderstandings and funny moments (I particularly loved Kevin attempting to buy ‘sweets’ to hand out to the children on performance night and accidentally purchasing something completely different instead). I felt that Hallett was trying to make this an entertaining festive read rather than a more serious crime novel, which does mean that the actual mystery is quite weak. The solution relies heavily on information that is only revealed by Tanner at the end of the book and I think it would be almost impossible to solve otherwise. As Tanner already knows all the answers, he doesn’t really need Charlotte and Femi’s assistance and there’s a sense that he has set them this task simply as a problem-solving exercise and to see what they will do with what they’ve learned.

Despite the mystery not being very strong, I enjoyed this book for the characters, the humour and the insights into staging a Christmas pantomime. Hallett’s next novel, The Examiner, out next year, seems to be unrelated to this one, but I wonder whether she’ll return to the Fairway Players in the future for another book.

Janice Hallett delivers a festive masterpiece with "The Christmas Appeal," a brilliant murder mystery that seamlessly combines holiday cheer with suspenseful intrigue. Returning with the beloved cast from the bestselling "The Appeal," Hallett treats readers to a captivating and witty narrative that is sure to be a Christmas delight.

Set in Lower Lockwood during the holiday season, the Fairway Players are preparing for a festive pantomime, "Jack and the Beanstalk," aimed at raising funds for the church roof appeal. However, goodwill is in short supply among the amateur dramatics enthusiasts, and tensions rise as threats to the production emerge. The situation takes a sinister turn with the discovery of a dead Santa, leaving the town full of suspects and mysteries to unravel.

Hallett's writing is sharp, witty, and suspenseful, creating a perfect blend of humour and intrigue. The festive atmosphere permeates every page, immersing the reader in the joys and challenges of Christmas in Lower Lockwood. The author's ability to balance the holiday cheer with a compelling murder mystery is a testament to her storytelling prowess.

The characters, especially lawyers Femi and Charlotte, add depth to the narrative with their sharp wit and dynamic chemistry. As they navigate the complexities of the case, reading round robins, examining emails, and poring over police transcripts, readers are treated to a delightful investigative journey filled with clever twists and turns.

The pacing of the story is well-executed, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. Hallett masterfully weaves together the various plot elements, ensuring that the mystery unfolds seamlessly while maintaining the festive spirit. The inclusion of humour and suspense in equal measure contributes to the overall enjoyment of the novel.

"A Christmas treat," as hailed by the OBSERVER, "The Christmas Appeal" is a great deal of festive fun, as praised by the GUARDIAN. This novel is a testament to Janice Hallett's ability to craft a compelling and entertaining story that transcends the boundaries of traditional murder mysteries.

In conclusion, "The Christmas Appeal" is a five-star festive triumph that offers readers a delightful blend of holiday joy and mystery. Janice Hallett's storytelling brilliance shines through, making this novel an instant holiday classic. Whether you're a fan of murder mysteries or simply seeking a heart-warming Christmas read, "The Christmas Appeal" is a must-have for your holiday bookshelf.

The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

Another funny and mysterious month with The Fairway Players! This was a short novella involving the mystery of a dead Santa in a giant beanstalk.

This was funnier than the book it is based on, The Appeal. It not only allows for a mystery but accurately portrays the internal politics and battles that happen within the amateur dramatics world.