4.5 stars
I found this to be an impressive and unique, modern entry into the epistolary genre of writing. It was a genuinely fascinating plot, and one that I was not expecting to suck me in the way it did. The premise seemed so simple at first - a university masters' level class of disparate students working in multimedia art had to collaborate but found it progressively harder to do so over the course of their school year. Also, nothing is ever really quite as it seems and there's a distinct possibility that something terrible might have happened to one of the students. So the whole chain of events is digitally reconstructed by the end-of-year examiner (who I believe would be similar to university proctors?) who is asking us to sift through all the text messages, school chat threads, emails, and diary/class assignments to which each student had contributed throughout the year in order to piece together what actually transpired.

Of course there's a TON of information that doesn't get divulged until much later in the story, plenty of which had me scratching my head thinking, "huh, why didn't I see that earlier??" I even went back to a few places in the book once certain things had been revealed to see if I could figure out what tiny breadcrumbs could have been left by the author, but I think it's really all a matter of hindsight being 20/20; once you know what you're looking for, the clues are hidden everywhere in plain sight.

Here's my main takeaway: in this day and age, it should be fairly common knowledge that your digital footprint is everywhere and nothing you say online ever really goes away. So, if for example, you're committing some rather serious crime maybe think twice about what you message on WhatsApp or your school's "private" chat forums. But then again, that would have made for a much less dramatic and appealing story, now wouldn't it?

Thanks to NetGalley, author Janice Hallett, and Atria Books for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Janice Hallett book and unfortunately just didn't grab me like I know it has grabbed many others. I did a hybrid listening-reading experience and sometimes I loved the audio and sometimes I hated it. This book follows a master's-level multimedia arts class through their journal entries and group messages and I think the format is largely what didn't work for me (though it works for many). I liked the twists and didn't see many of them coming. Overall, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not sure I'll reach for Hallett books in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Janice Hallett does it again with THE EXAMINER - and I was absolutely thrilled. The rare and innovative style of Hallett’s mysteries continues to delight in her latest novel about a graduate art program, a cohort of diverse students with messy interpersonal dynamics, and secrets that have yet to be surfaced. With her usual creativity, this story is told through WhatsApp messages, emails, and messaging on a university intranet. The academic setting of this mystery distinguishes it from THE APPEAL but the same big characters and relationship tensions are brilliantly on display here, too. This one is full of the kind of reveals that Agatha Christie would applaud, so I won’t say more. Just know that I audibly gasped on more than one occasion - and read the entire book in one night until the small hours of the morning. The most remarkable thing about Hallett’s work is that when you’ve closed the book, you suddenly realize not once have you read an entire scene with dialogue unfold. Everything exists in micro-interactions. That’s an impressive feat. I will immediately read anything she publishes. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

A twisty story told in through Janice Hallett's signature format 🙌🏼
Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of The Examiner {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  8.29.2024
Pages: 480
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

"A mystery unfolds through email, letters, essays, and online correspondence. Six students begin a one-year master's degree program in multimedia art at a British university that has recently been forced to cut many of its fine art programs and redesign the degree with an eye toward art's business relevancy."

Hallett has an incredible talent for putting together a multi-layered plot with a full cast of characters, but what's truly jaw-dropping is the format that her books are all written in. Each book is written in an epistolary format, so we are privy to emails, texts, discussion boards, journals, letters, etc. And Hallett is still able to paint the perfect picture of what is happening within the pages of the book. 

While The Examiner is not my favorite, I was still blown away by how everything came together. 

My biggest complaint is that The Examiner felt a bit too drawn out. It really took me a while to get into the bones of the story. There was also an added element to the plot that did feel a bit over my head, as it was very tech-heavy in places. 

Read if you enjoy:
📝 Mixed media format
👏🏼 Well developed characters
🖤 Dark academia vibes
⁉️ Red herrings galore
🔀 Lots of twists

My appreciation for this book stems from Hallett's incredible storytelling capabilities, and I highly recommend checking out her previous titles.

In The Examiner, six students get more than they bargained for when they sign up for a Multimedia Master of Arts program at Royal Hastings University. At the end of the course, the outside examiner tasked with grading the students' final works discovers something sinister: While going through the course content, he realizes that someone on the course is in grave danger...or is possibly already dead.

With The Examiner, Janice Hallett has mastered the art of the epistolary format, using emails, texts, message board posts, and essays to weave a clever and complex mystery. Each entry builds on the one before to ultimately reveal the entire truth about what happened during this fated masters course, with some dark and unexpected twists along the way.

What's truly impressive to me is how well Hallett is able to develop her characters using only their own written words and the words and impressions of those around them. Each of them has distinct tone, style, and mannerisms. And at the same time, this format gives Hallett room to play with our impressions and the idea of an unreliable narrator, because even though we are reading these characters' words...that doesn't necessarily mean they're writing the truth. It's so smart and engaging.

The Examiner felt drawn out and a bit too convoluted at times, and it has some repetitive moments (which I did expect based on the format). Ultimately, though, it's a satisfying mystery that left me in awe of Hallett's incredible talent and eager for her next book. Thank you to Atria Books for the complimentary reading opportunity.

While I love epistolary novels, I struggled with this one just a little bit in the beginning. It feels like you are taking this art class along with the characters and they are all at least mildly annoying. The pace plods along (even slows a bit in the middle) and then shoots off at break-neck speed around the 75% mark when the plot twists start hitting you one after another. I still can't believe I missed one of the big ones!

This was my first book of Janice Hallet’s and I’m so intrigued to read her others!

The Examiner is a mixed media puzzle of text messages and emails amongst a group of classmates working on a project. The examiner believes a crime as been committed and is reviewing the exchanges with two other examiners.

I love reading mixed media type books so I was really excited to give this one a try. I did enjoy it but it got a little over the top for me at some points. I’ve always been a big fan of old fashioned detective shows so it felt fun to almost be in the shoes of someone trying to piece the mystery together.

This was not my cup of tea but it was certainly a large one. We follow a Master's-level multimedia arts class through their journal entries and group messages and, of course, no one is who they seem. The idea of only following the story through what only the "external examiner" can view is very creative, but the dialogue between the college administrators feels too obvious when trying to fill in the blanks. I'm not sure if it was the focus on art or the overall length of the book, but I ended up just wanting it to be over. Yes, there are twists and turns, but nothing that made me feel like it was a worthwhile read.

I was so excited to get this book via NetGalley - then I won a copy on good reads. The excitement of switching from kindle to hardcover definitely made this book more enjoyable for me.

I loved that this book was told in emails, essays and Text messages.

Gela Nathaniel is the coordinator for a new masters course that bridges the gap between creative arts and the commercial world. If it is successful it will be added to the college’s regular curriculum. Gela recruited the six students who will fulfill a number of assignments before working as a team on a display for a cooperating company. The group includes a sculptor, the owner of an art supply store, an art gallery manager, a marketing executive and an artist who has been recognized for her work. Their story is told through emails, text messages and assigned essays that were turned in to Gela. There is an independent examiner who will review all of the work at the end of the course and decide its’ fate. He has called attention to these communications because he believes that they indicate the possible death of one of the students. There is tension and jealousy among the group as the story progresses and everyone has their secrets. Jem, the youngest, is driven to succeed. She is quick to report her observations of the others to Gela. Three of the group are tied to a group of environmental activists. They plan on using the course to expose the company’s activities, which could have led to war. Aware of the threat, the company hired an investigator who posed as one of the students. As the ending project approaches Janice Hallett throws twist after twist at the reader. As the examiner questions the students’ activities, you realize that even he has an ulterior motive and can not be trusted. The format makes the story move very quickly. It is a format that Hallett has successfully used in her previous stories and provides constant surprises. I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this book.

The Examiners is a mystery set amidst the completion of a MA art course at a prestigious university. The characters were rich and dynamic, and the mystery twisty and thoughtful. There is a reveal that was pretty surprising. My only complaint is that I had a really hard time trying to imagine their final project. They do a lot of describing what it looks like and changes they’re making to it and honestly I could not visualize it. And it irritated me. But that also could be that I wasn’t paying close enough attention, so I’m not sure if that’s user error. Haha. I love the format of Hallett’s books too- they are engrossing and I love trying to find the clues for myself in all the emails and conversations. I will read more by her for sure. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. Rounded up from 3.5.

Hallett writes mysteries in a way that no one else does. She has tight stories that leave clues the whole way through but you never can quite tell where she’s heading until you get there.
Like most of her stories, this is told in two parts; one told in “present” time while the other is told as the bulk of the story unfolds. In this case, we have six students and a teacher who are embarking on a Multimedia Arts course teaching creative-types who to work in the “real world.” It is a prospective course and being added to the calendar full time means that Angela “Gela” will get to keep her job.
We watch the six students work their way through the nearly ten months of the course as they work through personality clashes and their assignments. But some of the students aren’t there just to take the class and at least one of them won’t be alive at the final presentation.
The last section dragged on a bit (the last day was maybe 1/4 -1/3 of the book) and the end was a bit over the top but always a fun read from Hallett.

Four stars
This came out September 10, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I flew through The Examiner -- just like I did my first Janice Hallett book, The Appeal. Something about reading a modern epistolary novel feels like listening to great gossip: you don't need to invest a ton of effort to get a big payoff. The ending was a bigger twist (or handful of twists) than I was expected from how grounded the start of the novel felt, but I couldn't stop reading.

Janice Hallett is a brilliant writer! I was so excited about her latest book - The Examiner. I just knew it would be another fantastic read. (It was!)

A group of six artists comprises the inaugural group of students hoping for a masters in art degree. They're a very mixed bunch but all are eager to take the course. And their professor is thankful for having the funding to run the program. But...

Oh, there's a fabulous but! Each one has their own agenda - and that's the fun of this book. Can you suss out what everyone is up to?

Hallett reprises the epistolary style of writing that I adore. The book is told through emails, coursework, texts, message boards, essays and their inner dialogue. The reader is the quiet seventh student, hearing everything that is going on and and trying to put the pieces together.

Good luck with that! The plotting is absolutely brilliant in my opinion. The clues are sometimes right there to see, while other times they're longshots. Hallett throws in more than one twist and turn on the way to the final 'aha'.

Fantastic! A very easy five stars.

Janice Hallett is the Queen of creative, unique mysteries told through texts, message boards and other media. In this story was have a MA program for artists which gathers a unique group of students.

However, as we watch this group, follow their communications and see each of their projects throughout the school year, it’s clear something has gone horribly wrong. Like murder wrong.

As always with her books, I was quickly hooked and so intrigued to find out what all happened. I truly had no idea where this story was headed.

This is my third book by this author and I will continue to pick her up. Unfortunately by the last fourth of the novel, it was losing steam for me and the ultimate ending and reason for the whodunit was less than climactic for me. I think Hallett rides the line of her stories being a little convoluted. THE APPEAL and THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS rode that line perfectly with lots of information but this one felt like it went a little too far with all the storylines. But that’s just one readers opinion!

Told through a mixed-media format of emails, diary entries, text messages, and coursework, an Examiner (the person assigned to audit the grades) determines that something went very wrong during this art class and that a student may be missing.

A newly developed multimedia art program attracts diverse groups of students, leading to some intriguing dynamics! I consistently questioned each student's motives, as they all seemed to have their own agendas. Most characters were unlikeable, making them perfect suspects.

The mystery novel included multiple red herrings that kept me guessing throughout. While the pacing may have been slow initially, the pace allowed for in-depth character development, which I found quite rewarding for a large cast. Although the book's length felt noticeable, the gradual build-up ultimately contributed to an interesting mystery.

I paired the audiobook with the physical book, and the full cast did an exceptional job helping me understand the six students, professor, and examiner. This really elevated the story during the slower parts.

4.5 ⭐️ - Six aspiring MA students embark on a new course that plans to combine the arts with the corporate world as they blend their skills towards one culminating project. However, through the various forms of discourse that are common in Hallett's mysteries, we soon learn that something isn't quite right. What went wrong, and who didn't make it to the end of the course?

I really love Janice Hallett and her books. Of course, we have the unconventional storytelling that makes all of her mysteries seem so fresh and fun, but, for me, what I love about her books is the characters. I am often smirking, cringing, or full-out laughing at the interactions and exchanges between her characters. If you have recently been enrolled in a college course, especially with lots of online correspondence, then you'll immediately recognize the young go-getter, aging student with computer troubles, and that one person who always has an excuse or is turning things in late. The only reason it wasn't a full 5 stars for me is that it just didn't capture me as much as The Appeal did, although I did appreciate keeping up with fewer characters.

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for my copy of this e-ARC.

The Examiner is one of those books that you can't put down. Told through an online chat network modeled after discord or slack, email addresses, and texts, The Examiner is an epistolary novel for our modern era.

The novel begins with the characters taking an experimental masters degree program that attempts to create a learning experience that will not just have them creating beautiful art, but also give them marketable skills for working in the real world. I like that Hallett is able to make the early texts and chats mundane enough that they seem realistic and grounding for the novel, but gossipy enough that they keep the reader hooked. There is also a sense of gothic in the novel looming that something negative has happened, but we at first are unsure what and then to whom.

There were several interesting twists which were well balanced in that I didn't see fully coming, but were built up enough that they didn't feel as if they came out of nowhere. None of the characters are who they at first seem. The novel will appeal to those who like mysteries and thrillers. Those who work in academics should find Hallett's satirical takes on the field amusing; I found as someone with an MFA in writing some of the situations very relatable despite the very dramatic ending.

If you enjoy this whodunit, you can also check out The Appeal, The Twyford Code and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Hallet.

This was such an interesting read! I haven’t read any mystery books quite like this one. The story was so engaging and it was told completely through chat messages, emails, reports, journal entries, etc. It was really hard to put this book down, especially once I was invested in the mystery and trying to find out what would happen next.

While reading this one I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and there were a few good twists in the plot that kept me guessing. I definitely didn’t see that ending coming.

Read this if you like:
🔍 Mixed media format
🔍 Mystery stories
🔍 Cast of interesting characters
🔍 Academic setting

Overall this was a fun read and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along side the characters in the story.

Thank you Atria Books for sending me a gifted copy to review.

Hallett is a must read author for me and this was a wild story! I did not know where it was headed and there is no way I could have guessed. I love how she weaves her plots - small details and layers being revealed as you go. None of the characters were particularily likeable but Hallett’s writing makes it easy to dislike everyone but care an awful lot about the story. Because they weren’t perfect, they all felt like people you have met in the workplace and definitely would not want to do a group project with.