‘The Appeal’ by Janice Hallett

Author : Janice Hallett
Title : The Appeal
Pages : 430
Publisher : Viper
Publication date : January 14, 2021

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

In a town full of secrets
someone was murdered,
someone went to prison,
and everyone’s a suspect.
Can you uncover the truth?

Dear Reader,

Enclosed are documents relating to the events surrounding the Fairway Players’ staging of All My Sons, and the tragic death of one of its members. Another member is currently in prison for the crime. We have reason to suspect that they are innocent, and that there were far darker secrets that have yet to be revealed.

We believe that the killer has given themselves away. It’s there in writing, hidden in the emails, texts, and letters. Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth? Do you dare?

| MY THOUGHTS |

Clever, addictive and totally frustrating. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then The Appeal is most definitely for you. It’s one of those books you immediately want to read again because you probably missed all the clues.

All the reader knows is that there has been a murder and someone is in prison for the crime. But this person might very well be innocent. And just like that you’re thrown right into the thick of things when two characters set about trawling through emails, texts and letters. This is the perfect opportunity to live out your very own detective/investigator dreams. Try to find the clues, try to uncover the truth … odds are you’ll fail miserably.

The Appeal really is written in all emails, texts and letters that were exchanged between members of the Fairway Players amateur dramatics association. Admittedly that took a little getting used to but once I got the hang of it, it made such a refreshing change. There are also a lot of characters to acquaint yourself with. Few are likeable, some are even downright annoying. I had a notebook and pen at the ready, furiously taking notes all the way through, seeing things that weren’t there and missing the things I should have picked up. I did figure out who had been murdered, had a good idea about who was in prison but didn’t quite discover who the killer was until it pretty much stared me right in the face.

Lies and secrets, twists and turns, red herrings but most of all a unique way to tell a crime story … Janice Hallett pulled out all the stops with her debut. Despite the head hurting and smoke coming out of my ears, despite the bleary eyes the next morning because I stayed up way too late trying to finish this book, despite not being able to see the big picture (even with my most excellent note writing skills 😉) and despite the initial little wobble trying to keep all the characters straight in my head, I had an absolute blast with The Appeal.

With such an original concept, The Appeal makes for one of the most addictive stories I’ve read in a while. It takes “one more chapter” to a completely different level. Read it! Read between the lines! Find the clues, solve the case (or not) and enjoy!

The Appeal was published by Viper in January and is available to buy!

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