Janice Hallet is literally a master of her craft. I've read every single one of her uniquely plotted books and I will continue to read them forever.
The covers are always what draws me in first. I love how consistent they are.
Then there's the actual storyline and the waybshe plays it out. Each novel is its own unique story and it's own telling...and honestly, just how does she do it? Her brain must work differently. In the best ways.
No matter what I think I know and how smart I feel, reading these has really upped ny thinking. I'm glad to figure out the victim in this one quite early on. But the why? And all the reasons backing it? ZERO clue.

I was really fond of Jem and Patrick the whole time. I think they were the most real. The most believable. Even finding out their individual twists...just ... what can I say to the level of brilliance of this author and her books?

Gela Nathaniel has created a small group masters-level art course at Royal Hastings College and personally selected her inaugural class. Six students from all walks of life are thrown together to learn more about themselves as artists and create a unique art installation for a company. Told completely through emails, diary entries, texts, class essays, message group entries, this story had me riveted from the beginning. This is the type of mystery I love- every time I thought I had things figured out, I realized that it wasn't at all what I thought. Janice Hallett certainly knows how to deliver a compelling story through found documents. I can't wait to read more from her!

This was my first Janet Hallett book. It took me about a quarter of the way to get into the reading style and settle in to the characters. I enjoyed the mystery and it was very unique. I felt like a lot of the art descriptors had me in the weeds. Overall good!

A new Janice Hallett novel is cause for celebration and THE EXAMINER is easily my favorite of hers yet! Six adults are doing a Master's course in multimedia art. Something Happens that results in an outside group doing an investigation and the book is the collected emails, group messages, journal entries, essays, texts between the students and instructor.

While I had such a great time reading this one, I do feel this is a mystery where the reader can't play along. Later on the the book there's a big reveal regarding the youngest character -- at no point in the novel prior to then was this mentioned -- but once the reader is finally let in on it, then months of texts and emails come out where this was also discussed and a known fact between the other characters. There's also a LOT going on behind the motivations of the other characters (and it's so difficult to even hint at without getting spoiler-y!), but this was a blast to read and the vibes were vibin'.

I'll read anything Hallett writes and can't wait to see what she does next!

I have read all of Janice Hallett's previous novels and have always found her puzzling stories engaging to follow along with. Her intricate plots and clever twists have consistently kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to uncover the next surprise. However, that is not the case with her latest work.

It took me quite a while to finish this book, as I didn't feel engaged with the storyline. Unlike her previous novels, which hooked me from the beginning, this one seemed very drawn out. The pacing felt slow and the plot meandered without much direction for a significant portion of the book. There wasn't any real excitement or twists until well over 70% of the way through, which made it challenging to stay invested in the story.

Despite the familiar elements of Hallett's writing style, such as her attention to detail and well-developed characters, the narrative lacked the gripping tension and clever surprises that I have come to expect from her work. It was disappointing to find myself struggling to maintain interest, waiting for the plot to pick up and deliver the engaging experience I anticipated.

While I still appreciate Hallett's talent and look forward to her future novels, this particular book didn't meet the high expectations set by her previous works. I hope her next story returns to the captivating form that has made her one of my favorite authors.

This was riveting and unpredictable, as expected! Janice Hallett became my favorite mystery author after The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, and nothing will top that book for me. That was the perfect mystery-thriller, with an insidious atmosphere and sinister developments. This one is the perfect inquisitive mystery, and is voyeuristic schadenfreude in a neat little package. Not to say that insidious or sinister things won't make an appearance. I don't want to say anything about the characters or the plot so I don't give anything away, I just know that this book has some of the best reveals I've read, is unputdownable, and fun to read.

An absolute triumph of a book. Thanks to Janice Hallett for writing true 21st century mystery in her masterful and unconventional way - truly this generation's Agatha Christie.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC!

I blazed through this novel like a middle schooler on summer vacation, staying up til one am to finish it in a day. It was pretty brilliantly plotted with multiple twists, reveals, and reversals that made me reluctant to put it down.

I haven't read any of Hallet's other works but apparently she is known for her modern epistolary style-- here employed to build a novel in the form of emails, online forum posts/essays, and texts.

This murder mystery (one of the mysteries being if there even was a murder) takes place throughout the course of a UK degree program in Multimedia Arts. Six students approach their studies with different motivations and backgrounds, and almost everyone has some kind of secret. The very format of the book also limits the information readers have access to, forcing us to play the role of "course examiner" along with the ostensible third party reviewers of student work.

Under scrutiny, some moments felt too unbelievable or created distracting plot holes-- but most can be ignored in the name of a good story.

Would recommend for mystery lovers on a long plane ride or otherwise looking for an engrossing, addictive read.

Review also posted on goodreads.

I'm a huge JH fan, but I had no idea she had a new book coming out. When I saw it was a 'read now' on NetGalley I was so excited! I really like this book. First, I like that Hallett uses the epistolary format, using emails, message platforms and 'reports' to tell the story. Second, like her other books, there's an interesting cast of characters that are easy to tell apart, even without the devices used in traditional storytelling. Third, there's something untoward happening but it's hard to figure out exactly what it is, until the twists start happening. AND THERE ARE TWISTS GALORE! They all make sense and it's such a fun ride. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

3.5 stars

an interesting and complex thriller- i love how janice hallett's books always surprise me and how i can never guess the twists. her plots are always so fun to dissect both during and after the book that can't be understated! as with all her books, the examiner uses mostly dms and emails to communicate how a 6-person M.A. program at a university goes all sorts of wrong. i loved how compulsively readable this was, her thrillers always have me glued to the screen. i imagine that the twist will be divisive, and i'm also mixed on it, but i thought it was better than what happened in the mysterious case of the alperton angels. i do wonder what this would've been like if there were only college students, not adults, enrolled in the class- to me, the youth/naivety/ambition is what makes dark academia interesting, and truly, these adults all need therapy.

my main issues with this were the length and the characterizations. the main event started at the 65% mark, which made getting through the last half of the book feel a bit like a slog. there were also a few character "types" repeated from hallett's previous books, and i understand why she has to have an annoying character in there but whew this one made me want to chuck my kindle across the room.

thank you to atria for the advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this one. But, I've found that Janice Hallett's recent publications (this one, as well as its predecessor, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels) are just not as accessible for the reader to follow along with. They're long-winded, convoluted, and just... strange.

I loved The Appeal and enjoyed The Twyford Code. I even really appreciated the little companion novella she produced called The Christmas Appeal. But these past two have shown promise and lost me by the end every single time.

The Examiner is, in typical Janice Hallett fashion, told through a series of correspondances. In this case, an impartial examiner is sifting through emails and text threads between a group of art students enlisted in a special program. In doing so, the examiner begins to notice some strange occurrences and questions the safety of those involved. While I loved the academic setting of this one, I felt like Hallett focused a bit too much on some of the particulars. There was one twist that I really enjoyed and didn't see coming; however, the actual mystery element of this was a bit of a letdown.

If you enjoyed The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, this might be enjoyable. However, I personally found the two to share some of the same issues and, as such, ultimately wasn't into it.

This was a great book! The different format from a typical book helped the storyline flow quickly keeping me on my toes! It kept me guessing on the outcome and I didn’t expect the ending at all! I really enjoyed it and have recommended to many of my reader friends already!

First, I want to thank NetGalley for the ARC. This is my first book by Hallett and I must say… I’ll be looking into her other ones! I thoroughly enjoyed how this book is presented. It’s told through messages, the course work throughout, as well as the examiner. I hate to admit that numerous times I thought I had it figured out, only to be proven wrong (which was fantastic!) I’m not one who typically rereads thrillers or mysteries, but this one may be an exception just so I can see what I didn’t pick up on before!

Since Hallett's debut novel, The Appeal, I've been waiting for her to write another book just like it. This was even BETTER. The perfect book for someone who loves internet deep dives and wishes reading felt more like snooping in someone's email. For at least half of the story you don't know what it's building towards and I didn't care. Reading felt more like scrolling and my interest didn't flag. Now that I know how it ends, I want to go back and read it again to see the clues.

With her trademark use of mixed media, in the Examiner Janice Hallett tells the story of an academic review board evaluating the results of a year-long multimedia arts course. While I do enjoy this unique method of storytelling, and Hallett continues to find fresh ways to use the method, this one fell a little short of the others I've read of hers. If you like to follow along and play detective, this story may be frustrating. I felt like it was a bit slow and convoluted for the first three quarters.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a free copy of #TheExaminer by Janice Hallett. All opinions are my own.

Through the use of message boards, emails, essays, and text messages the reader follows 6 students through a Masters in Art program. During the course, the students work together and ultimately someone ends up dead. Who did it and why?
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I haven’t read a ton of books written in this format, so at first, I thought it would be confusing to keep track of the characters. However, the characters were diverse and easy to keep track of.
The pacing of the book was a little off for me and the first half of the book was a little slow. About halfway through the book, the pacing picked up and I was excited to see how the book ended. The ending delivered and I was not disappointed!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and a non-traditional format. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for the ARC. This is one of the greatest and cleverest books I have ever read. I love how this story is told through messages, course work, and examiner notes. Huge fan of non traditional story telling formats and I love how Janice Hallett has used this method to make the reader involved in solving the mystery. This book was really funny, something I did not expect. The first half had me laughing so much. The tension between the course mates had me thinking the story would go in a certain direction so I was really happy to be proven wrong. Also, I love Jem's character. She is written to be unlikeable, but this also makes her really funny. I won't say too much, but now she has my heart. All the characters were extremely well written. Certain parts of the book gave me the chills. Overall, this is one of the best mysteries I have ever read and I am in awe at how cleverly the author has constructed the tale and woven the narrative through the messages, course notes, and course work. Also, I need to reread this book after certain revelations, which make so much sense for the story.

Hallett's unique style of story-telling has made her an auto- read mystery author for me. In this book, the use of the university's internal message boards and examination system, along with WhatsApp messaging, makes the story spill out in a very interesting order. I was pulled in early on and made incorrect guesses all along the way - it was such a fun read!

I loved the characters on this mystery. The setting is current, interesting and diverse. The mystery held my attention throughout the entirety of the book. Since I’ve read JH’s first mystery, I purchased the 2nd and 3rd today to ensure I read the full set.

This author has earned an auto-buy from me. Great read, highly recommend.

A review has been posted on StoryGraph.

My introduction to Janice Hallett's writing was The Appeal. It was such a a unique writing concept, it blew my mind. Maybe there have been books in a similar fashion that were published prior to Janice's, but I hadn't known.

I had just picked up her newest book, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton's Angels when I happened to see The Examiner available for request on Netgalley. Of course, I immediately jumped on it.

6 students in an MA Art Program must work together throughout the year to accomplish a large group project, while also completing their individual projects. The entire story unfolds through essays, grades, Doodle messages, Whatsapp chats, and emails. Here and there, we get little tidbits that something might not be what they seem. I was guessing up until the last few chapters and GASPED more than once. Not only is the a great whodunnit, it's a great who did it get done to book.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria books for the advance copy!

Janice Hallett is the queen of mystery and her non traditional form of writing. Every time she puts out a book it is a must read for me. Her stories always draw me in and I love her unique style of writing and how she uses different forms of media (ex: phone calls, emails, texts, voice recordings) to tell stories. This book was wonderful and as always leaves me wanting more to read from her.