The Christmas Appeal is written in one of my favorite storytelling methods - epistolary. The entire novella is told only through emails, messages, police reports and more, just as The Appeal was. There's a large group of players, but it's easy to keep track of who's who. There's also a handy list at the beginning of the book.
The group is constantly bickering amongst themselves. The battle for leadership has spanned many years. The level of 'snark' is off the charts and me laughing out loud more than once - and that's hard to do! Things go wrong more than once, but the 'can do' attitude is the group's motto. Each and every characters has a chance to 'speak'. And yes, I had my favorites (looking at you Sarah-Jane). It was easy to imagine being in the midst of the group.
Is there a crime? Of course there is, but I'll let you discover what it is. Clues are dropped all the way to opening night and are slowly revealed from differing viewpoints. Two law students and a retired lawyer are going through all of those missives, also looking for the final answer! I felt like I was in an Agatha Christie novel, trying to ferret out the damning piece of evidence, ready to point my finger with a satisfied ah ha! Well, point I did, but at almost every character along the way.
Hallett is such a clever, clever writer! Her writing is addictive and so very entertaining. Perfect as a stocking stuffer for yourself and/or a friend!
AND Janice Hallett's new novel - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - releases on January 24, 2024. I can't wait!!
2 comments:
I really loved this one too! I hadn't read The Appeal, so I'll need to work my way back to that one. The drama and petty moments between the characters really brought them to life.
Oh Ethan you must read the Appeal!I love the format! And - she has a new one coming in January.
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