Scan barcode
gillianengelbrecht's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
jean_atlas's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
4.0
Easy fun Christmas read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
helena_chris's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Just a fun little read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Confinement and Domestic abuse
shelfofunread's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I absolutely loved Janice Hallett's The Appeal, which introduced the reader to the eclectic cast and crew of the Fairway Players: Lockwood's premier amateur dramatics society. So I was delighted when I heard that the Fairway Players were back for a Christmas special - and that they'd have another dead body on their hands!
The Christmas Appeal picks up a couple of years after the ending of The Appeal and the passage of time has seen several changes in Lockwood - and in the makeup of the Fairway Players. The ever-organised Sarah-Jane and her husband Kevin have taken charge of the Fairway Players but their reign is being contested by former queen-bee Celia and her husband Joel. Two new estates - an executive development and a development of social housing - have brought new members and new tensions to the town. And reports of a murderer being spotted locally are bringing back uncomfortable memories of the events that marred the Players' production of All My Sons.
Despite this, the show must go on and Sarah-Jane is determined that the Player's charity Christmas panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, is going to be a success. She's even hired an enormous vintage prop beanstalk (which may or may not contain deadly asbestos) to be the centrepiece of the production. Unfortunately open night gets off to the wrong kind of bang when, halfway through the production, a dead body in a Santa suit falls out of the beanstalk. Who is the victim? And who might have killed them? It's up to lawyers Femi and Charlotte to investigate yet again.
Like its predecessor, The Christmas Appeal is told through a series of letters, emails, and texts. This form gives the novella real pace and compulsion - I steamed through it in a couple of evenings - and makes it a quick, pacy, and enjoyable seasonal read.
Catching up with the Fairway Players will prove to be a real delight for fans of The Appeal, especially given the changes in the hierarchy of the group. The simmering tensions and behind-the-scenes cattiness that made the first book such fun are back in abundance and, if anything, The Christmas Appeal is a funnier and lighter novel than its predecessor. The spirit of Christmas panto is infused through the text with a good dose of slapstick (including a drunken pantomime horse and the accidental purchase of some highly illegal 'sweets') and sarcasm to keep the pages turning and the laughs coming. Although a truly awful human being, I was particularly fond of snooty Celia's communiques, the 'holier-than-thou' tone of which made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion.
Although the story of The Christmas Appeal does work as a standalone mystery, I do think you'll get much more out of this festive novella if you've read The Appeal. Although Hallett alludes to previous events, there isn't a huge amount of backstory provided and the relationships between the various characters aren't outlined in any depth.
For fans of The Appeal, however, this return to the world of the Fairway Players is a welcome festive treat. Perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's evening, this is a page-turning, light-hearted seasonal read. Although I read an eBook version (unusual for me as I struggle with e-reading), the hardback edition is beautifully presented (just look at that cover) and would make for the perfect Christmas present for a Hallett fan.
NB: This review first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com. My thanks go to the publisher and to NetgalleyUK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Christmas Appeal picks up a couple of years after the ending of The Appeal and the passage of time has seen several changes in Lockwood - and in the makeup of the Fairway Players. The ever-organised Sarah-Jane and her husband Kevin have taken charge of the Fairway Players but their reign is being contested by former queen-bee Celia and her husband Joel. Two new estates - an executive development and a development of social housing - have brought new members and new tensions to the town. And reports of a murderer being spotted locally are bringing back uncomfortable memories of the events that marred the Players' production of All My Sons.
Despite this, the show must go on and Sarah-Jane is determined that the Player's charity Christmas panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, is going to be a success. She's even hired an enormous vintage prop beanstalk (which may or may not contain deadly asbestos) to be the centrepiece of the production. Unfortunately open night gets off to the wrong kind of bang when, halfway through the production, a dead body in a Santa suit falls out of the beanstalk. Who is the victim? And who might have killed them? It's up to lawyers Femi and Charlotte to investigate yet again.
Like its predecessor, The Christmas Appeal is told through a series of letters, emails, and texts. This form gives the novella real pace and compulsion - I steamed through it in a couple of evenings - and makes it a quick, pacy, and enjoyable seasonal read.
Catching up with the Fairway Players will prove to be a real delight for fans of The Appeal, especially given the changes in the hierarchy of the group. The simmering tensions and behind-the-scenes cattiness that made the first book such fun are back in abundance and, if anything, The Christmas Appeal is a funnier and lighter novel than its predecessor. The spirit of Christmas panto is infused through the text with a good dose of slapstick (including a drunken pantomime horse and the accidental purchase of some highly illegal 'sweets') and sarcasm to keep the pages turning and the laughs coming. Although a truly awful human being, I was particularly fond of snooty Celia's communiques, the 'holier-than-thou' tone of which made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion.
Although the story of The Christmas Appeal does work as a standalone mystery, I do think you'll get much more out of this festive novella if you've read The Appeal. Although Hallett alludes to previous events, there isn't a huge amount of backstory provided and the relationships between the various characters aren't outlined in any depth.
For fans of The Appeal, however, this return to the world of the Fairway Players is a welcome festive treat. Perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's evening, this is a page-turning, light-hearted seasonal read. Although I read an eBook version (unusual for me as I struggle with e-reading), the hardback edition is beautifully presented (just look at that cover) and would make for the perfect Christmas present for a Hallett fan.
NB: This review first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com. My thanks go to the publisher and to NetgalleyUK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Classism, and Cursing
More...