Honestly, I put off reading this because the premise felt too complex to even understand. So I’ll cut right to the chase: it is so much fun to read emails and text messages and follow several mysteries (who’s lying? Who’s exaggerating for their own social standing?).
Local community theater, cancer treatment fundraising, and social standing all are at the forefront.
I recommend it if you’re nosy and like unreliable narrators. P

A clever mystery uncovered as we make our way through mail transcripts, texts, police statements, etc. And a dose of fun as well, very witty. Definitely enjoyed this book!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the way Hallett presented all the evidence in emails and other documents so that the reader could try to find the solution. The characters were really well developed with very distinct voices in the correspondence and the mystery just got more and more tangled. The logistics of revealing the ending felt a little clumsy, but the solution was satisfying. After this one, I'm looking forward to reading Hallett's new book.

4.25 stars. This was a fun one. I had a hard time putting it down, trying to figure out what happened and who could have done it. This one is an epistolary novel, which I loved. I enjoyed following all the emails and texts. There is a huge cast of characters, but there are two places in the books with the cast. I was completely surprised by the ending
This story is set in a local theater group and is full of drama and intrigue.

I was given a copy of this book to review by the publisher and my opinions are my own.

This was a mystery read told in a long series of emails, text messages, message board forums, and other forms of written communication. I really enjoyed this mystery read as two long lawyers have to sift through piles of communication.

This novel told through texts, emails, and other correspondence follows a community of people connected by a local theater group as they navigate sickness and, ultimately, death amongst them.

Unfortunately, this didn't do it for me. It was SO LONG and I felt like I was just being strung along the whole time. The concept was very compelling, but just didn't pan out for me. There were a LOT of people to keep track of and that was difficult. Overall, it was okay.

This was a very unique book, where the reader is following again with the detectives trying to solve a murder. This is done by reading different types of correspondence between suspects, and anyone could be the murderer. I really liked the concept, but there were so many characters to keep track of. It also took too long to find out which character was the murder victim, so I lost interest at some points. Overall, very interesting but too long.

This is a super interesting concept for a book., but the plot just moved a little slow for me. I kept wondering if I missed who was dead. Otherwise, it was a quick read, and super clever set up. I could have used more debriefing during the bulk of the transcripts - but did enjoy the theorizing after the fact.

Super curious to read further from Hallett.

The Appeal is a phenomenal unpredictable thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this murder mystery is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Appeal today.

I wasn’t a fan of this title; it had received a lot of press and so I was curious about it. I ended up skimming a significant portion toward the end. It was almost as though it was “too” precious in the form the author chose to tell the story. I can see where people might think reading texts and having people analyze them would be contemporary but I found it all rather boring.

Have you ever wanted to be "a fly on the wall?" That is what it is like to read this book. Told entirely with emails, text messages, letters, What's App, etc., this new novel challenges the reader to solve the mystery of a death. I took on that challenge and started to read. It was a bit like falling down a rabbit hole. There was always one more message, one more email. . . I encourage you to go in with the minimum of information. Then you will be in the same place as Femi and Charlotte -- our fictional investigators/assistants. Pay attention to the details and put on your thinking cap. This went on a bit long, but most definitely has an Agatha Christie feel to it. I enjoyed it very much!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I was dying to read it because I heard so many great things about it, but the formatting of the book and the way it was broken down in emails, text messages, etc. made it difficult for me to be able to really get into the book.

The first half was intriguing, and I enjoyed the set up. However, one key aspect of the plot mystified me. I saw no need for Mr. Tanner to reach out to his associates/assistants to see if they came to the same conclusion he did. I mean really, when it switched to more of a focus on those two texting about what we the reader have essentially just read, at first it seemed like a cutsie way to ensure we were keeping track. Which was a bit irritating, but could live with it since there are so many suspects. But for him to email, "okay you are on the right track" etc, and for that whole bit to continue endlessly, only for him to see if they'd reach the correct conclusion was just really odd. I don't see why a lawyer would need to do this in this manner (text/email/WhatsApp). I mean just have a quick 10 minute conversation LOL. Okay, I think this means I am actually switching it to a 1 from a 2.

If the book had continued with just the correspondence piece of all the key people/suspects, with maybe a brief conversation between lawyers or detectives, I would probably have given it a 4.

The Appeal is an enjoyable, creative "whodunnit" mystery with an immersive plot. This novel was entertaining and a solid mystery. An ode to the classics!

The Haywards, Martin and Helen, are the big fish in their village's small pond. They own and run the local country club and they created the local theatre group, The Fairway Players. Martin directs the plays with the help of his son James and Helen is the star of every show. They also have a daughter, Paige. Tragedy has hit the family. Paige's two year old daughter, Poppy, has been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. Martin has talked with a doctor, Tish, who informs him that a new treatment has been found in the United States but is very expensive since it's not covered under the National Health Plan. The family launches an appeal to raise the money for Poppy's treatment.

The Fairway Players get involved. One of the main couples of the players grew up as best friends with the Haywards and the wife agrees to head up the fund raising for the appeal. There are also nurses on the roster. Izzy has been with the group for a while and she has brought in Samantha and Kel, both nurses who have recently returned from volunteering for several years in Africa. Sam and Izzy work together.

But everything doesn't go smoothly. Although lots of money is being raised, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to account for it or pin Martin down about how it's being spent. There are rumors floating around about a scandal in Africa that may have resulted in Sam and Kel coming home. There are scammers floating around the appeal trying to get their hands on some of that money. When one of the participants is found murdered, everything falls apart.

This is one of the most unique mysteries I've read in years. The entire action is told through emails and phone messages that a group of junior lawyers is reviewing for the head of their law firm. It is amazing that this is a debut novel and I'm looking forward to reading more by Janice Hallett. Everyone has a secret and there are plots and subplots, lies and startling revelations. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett was an interesting but forgettable read. It is slower paced and extremely character driven, so steer clear if that is not your favorite or if you are after something more plot driven. This is epistolary in nature, which was a very interesting way to read this story. Overall, I thought that it was thought provoking, touched on some interesting issues in the day and age of digital communications, and I was interested most of the way through. There are some pacing issues, but they were not super noticeable either. Overall 3/5, a really good debut, and an author with potential, but the story did not really work for me personally on the enjoyment level.

2.5 star read. Started off strong, couldn't wait to see where it went. I expected a complex, twisty, character driven book. What I for was a dry, unrealistic, unrelatable story. There were some good ideas, they just wasn't executed properly. Not my type, but I'm sure there's an target group.

Thank you Atria Books for the eArc of The Appeal!
The Appeal centers on the Fairway Players theater group, especially the Hayward family, as tragedy strikes their granddaughter. The family makes an appeal to raise money for an experimental treatment in the US, but when a dead body is found suspicion is cast on all the players.
The format of this book is really interesting, told through evidence being investigated by a team of lawyers. I really enjoyed trying to sift through the evidence along with the investigative team, though I was definitely not as effective as they were!
This was a unique and compelling mystery, I could not stop reading!

Welcome to one of my favorite books of the year! Oh man! I have been mentally recording a top favorites list of 2022 and this one is probably going to be top 3!

What’s unique about this book is you are the detective. The entire book is email correspondence—sounds crazy right? And you take clues from the correspondence to determine what the crime is and who committed it. The events that take place are so wild, there’s possibility for everyone (and there’s a lot of them) to be a suspect. Literally not one character feels completely in the clear.

I found this book to be completely original. It was such a refreshing change to the average mystery/thriller. I am obsessed with the author’s creativity and impressed with the amount of work that probably took place to perfect the story.

I could never recap the plot because it would take away from the reader’s experience. It’s definitely one you should just dive into!

Overall, The Appeal is as much an entertaining mystery as it is an immersive experience! I highly recommend this to anyone.

Thank you to @atriabooks and #netgalley for my advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the format of this story and the build-up to finding out what the crime was and then who was guilty. The email and text messages made everyone a suspect to crime we weren't sure what it would be. I couldn't put it down.