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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a lot of fun and a perfect palate cleanser for any heavier books you might be reading. Even though there is no actual description as such of the characters and you only get to know them through their own messages to each other you can see exactly what their personalities are. The mystery worked for me, I didn't get it till it was spelled out at the end. Loved it.
Maybe 2.5. The characters all grated at me, and the mystery wasn't very mysterious. A few fun turns.
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s November 1st, I’ve seen both Mariah Carey and Michael Buble on television adverts, and I’ve got my Christmas cake in the oven – it’s (un)officially the day when we get to start thinking about Christmas.
My first Christmas present to myself has been unwrapping the latest novel by Janice Hallett, author of ‘The Appeal’, ‘The Twyford Code’ and ‘The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels’. In this latest novel, the Queen of the Epistolary Mystery has brought us back to the small town of Lockwood, where the Fairway Players are once again putting on a play: Jack and the Beanstalk, complete with a show-stopping centrepiece for added drama.
Hallett’s dark humour shines through as we see the hapless bunch once again muddling through a play that will only ever end in disaster. Following on from the shady exploits of some of the Fairway Players in ‘The Appeal, their management has been reshuffled and new members of the group have been recruited – unfortunately, all the back-stabbing, prejudices and inflated egos are as present as ever.
At just 224 pages, it won’t take you long to get through the round robins, emails and police transcripts that make up this novella, but I assure you that it is just as twisty and clever as Hallett’s previous full-length titles. A thoroughly enjoyable read, ‘A Christmas Appeal’ will make a perfect stocking filler for anyone who’d enjoy a quick mystery after their Christmas dinner.
Thank you to NetGalley UK, Janice Hallett and Profile Books Ltd for this ARC in return for my honest review.
My first Christmas present to myself has been unwrapping the latest novel by Janice Hallett, author of ‘The Appeal’, ‘The Twyford Code’ and ‘The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels’. In this latest novel, the Queen of the Epistolary Mystery has brought us back to the small town of Lockwood, where the Fairway Players are once again putting on a play: Jack and the Beanstalk, complete with a show-stopping centrepiece for added drama.
Hallett’s dark humour shines through as we see the hapless bunch once again muddling through a play that will only ever end in disaster. Following on from the shady exploits of some of the Fairway Players in ‘The Appeal, their management has been reshuffled and new members of the group have been recruited – unfortunately, all the back-stabbing, prejudices and inflated egos are as present as ever.
At just 224 pages, it won’t take you long to get through the round robins, emails and police transcripts that make up this novella, but I assure you that it is just as twisty and clever as Hallett’s previous full-length titles. A thoroughly enjoyable read, ‘A Christmas Appeal’ will make a perfect stocking filler for anyone who’d enjoy a quick mystery after their Christmas dinner.
Thank you to NetGalley UK, Janice Hallett and Profile Books Ltd for this ARC in return for my honest review.
4/5
Once again, Janice Hallett delivers an intriguing ride into the literary subsection of multimedia writing, by combining it with the likes of Agatha Christie!
As a person who very much enjoyed 'The Appeal,' I think this one nearly hits that same quality (factoring in that it is a novella, and won't have an equal amount of time to flesh out ideas and characters).
It does sometimes fall flat when concerning actual clues to solve the mystery, as the main hints to the solution of the mystery are hidden within a few lines of a 200 page novella. That being said, I don't think Hallett intends to grip the reader with the promise of a jaw-dropping reveal, but the true intrigue is found rather in the way the story actually plays out from beginning to end.
In most whodunits, the climax peaks when the crime is committed, and the book then loses momentum, but in both 'The Appeal' and 'The Christmas Appeal,' the actual crime doesn't take place till 2/3 through the story. With this sort of format, the tension is drawn out to a greater degree, which helps keep the reader engaged.
All in all, I don't think novella formats are the best formats for the way Hallett crafts her multimedia style, but I nevertheless enjoyed this follow up to the appeal (which isn't as festive-themed as one would think given the title).
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Once again, Janice Hallett delivers an intriguing ride into the literary subsection of multimedia writing, by combining it with the likes of Agatha Christie!
As a person who very much enjoyed 'The Appeal,' I think this one nearly hits that same quality (factoring in that it is a novella, and won't have an equal amount of time to flesh out ideas and characters).
It does sometimes fall flat when concerning actual clues to solve the mystery, as the main hints to the solution of the mystery are hidden within a few lines of a 200 page novella. That being said, I don't think Hallett intends to grip the reader with the promise of a jaw-dropping reveal, but the true intrigue is found rather in the way the story actually plays out from beginning to end.
In most whodunits, the climax peaks when the crime is committed, and the book then loses momentum, but in both 'The Appeal' and 'The Christmas Appeal,' the actual crime doesn't take place till 2/3 through the story. With this sort of format, the tension is drawn out to a greater degree, which helps keep the reader engaged.
All in all, I don't think novella formats are the best formats for the way Hallett crafts her multimedia style, but I nevertheless enjoyed this follow up to the appeal (which isn't as festive-themed as one would think given the title).
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
the book was a quick and enjoyable read and the book had me both curious to see what is going to happen next as well as laughing at some of the things which were going on.
the ending whilst it was wholesome left me searching for a bit more, but all in all the writing is wonderful and it makes for a very enjoyable story
i would recommend this for anyone look for a cosy read especially a cosy read during the christmas season <3
the ending whilst it was wholesome left me searching for a bit more, but all in all the writing is wonderful and it makes for a very enjoyable story
i would recommend this for anyone look for a cosy read especially a cosy read during the christmas season <3
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Quick read, having read it without knowing the author had written a novel of the same characers/town I don't think it affected it. I like the email/text format - definitely give it a go for a funny easy read!