Janice Hallett has easily become an auto-buy author for me. I picked up her first book on a whim and have now AFC read two of her books. I find her writing unique and her story telling utterly captivating.
From the moment you pick up one of her works you're in her clutches until you get to the last page.
This one had me in a chokehold. I was enthralled from reading the preview until the last pages. I read every single page including the authors note and acknowledgements.
The premise of this one is so ingenious. You're given a key to a sage deposit box which contains interviews and transcripts and letters and messages from a stubborn will find the answer to the story even of it kills her author. Once you read it all, you'll have a decision to make...lock it back up and walk away or turn it over to the police. What would you choose to do?
Amanda is researching the mysterious case of the Alperton Angels. Facts don't line up. People are dying. The narcissistic cult leader is in prison. And three individuals key to the case are gone. As the story unravels, whose recollection can you trust? Is there supernatural occurrences here? Is this a big conspiracy? Are people lying and if so, why? How far will Amanda go for her new book?

This is yet again, a 5 star read for me. I can't wait to see what Janice offers up to us next.

I'm so disappointed and frustrated. I loved The Appeal, and was so excited to get an ARC for this book. Unfortunately, it just lacks the same spark. For one, we're stuck with basically just one point of view character and she's awful. Normally I'm down for a deliciously hate-able character, but she's too boring to properly hate. And the case itself just isn't intriguing at all. In a mystery, the number one thing I need from the plot is intrigue. I have to want to solve the case, and that just isn't there.

In deference to the author who did give me one book I liked, I will not be posting a review on goodreads. Here's hoping her future works are more my taste.

This book was okay. I was a passionate fan of the author’s previous books, but I just couldn’t quite get into this one. It was harder for me to keep track of the characters and the revelations along the way just didn’t keep my interest. I’m excited to see the author’s next book because although I didn’t like this one, I still enjoy her style.

Pros: Janice Hallett is one of my new favorite authors, and I have read all four of her books. Her storytelling is inventive with the use of emails, text messages, transcripts, newspaper articles and more to unfold the mystery. I liked this book’s use of a true crime journalist as the main character and found the focus on a religious cult to be interesting.

Cons: This is really not a con, but this is my least favorite of the author’s books. The Appeal being so fantastic makes me go into her newer books with very high expectations, which I know is unfair.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me preview The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't sure what to expect as this was my first experience with Hallett's writing, and I'm not usually a fan of the "found footage" style. However, I was very quickly drawn into the mystery and found the book flowed very well.

All the action is laid out in texts, emails, and interview transcripts from our narrator, true crime writer Amanda Bailey along with pages from books and scripts she's using to research her new book. I was surprised at how well I got to know Amanda, her transcriber/assistant Ellie, and her rival writer Oliver through their correspondence.

The case unfolds slowly, and you never quite know who is hiding what in their interactions with Amanda. I didn't see the ending coming, so kudos to Janet Hallett for all the surprises! I won't go further into the details because I don't want to ruin the journey for any future readers. This was my first book by Hallett, but it won't be my last.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s previous novel The Appeal. When I saw this was written in a similar style, I was excited. I love the storyline. Who doesn’t love a good cult mystery? There were times I found the flow of the story slow or repetitive, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Interesting ending that tied everything together. Definitely worth the read

I love the way Janice’s books flow. I love that she adds the elements of text messages, emails, phone calls, etc. the breakdown of solving her character's mysteries in her books has it's own unique code. It appeals to my detective Spider-Man senses and sucks me in.
Amanda is a true crime writer with a DON'T ever take no for an answer attitude. I loved her.
The story begins twenty years ago when three people (presumed to have been members of a local cult were found dead in Alperton. A fourth body was found in a nearby flat. At the time, two young members of the cult were ‘rescued,’ along with a baby, who was taken up by the social services care system.
Amanda is hell-bent on finding that baby. And taking her rival Oliver out. Does she?

What a delightful new work from Janice Hallett! In the Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, an old culty case is revisited for Amanda Bailey’s upcoming book. A keen journalist with a difficult past, Bailey is determined to produce the first true crime bestseller on the strange Alperton Angels, a religious cult that died by suicide after failing to eliminate the AntiChrist. Challenges arise immediately, with few leads and Bailey's old professional nemesis taking on a his own project on the same case. Hallett's signature multimedia style is elevated again in this one, as she takes on even more types of communication to relay the story - using newspaper clippings, WhatsApp messages, emails, and even scraps of discovered notes. Twisty and compulsively readable, this is a fun campy thriller that will keep you guessing to the end.

I loved Janice Hallett's previous books--The Appeal and The Twyford Code--and couldn't wait to read The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. It did not disappoint! The Alperton Angels tells the story of a "cold case" that involved the deaths of several members of a cult. Interest is sparked in the true crime community as a baby who was rescued from the cult is now turning 18. Two writers (and frenemies) are set to pen updates to the story.

The book is told in Hallett's trademark style, through a series of interview transcripts, emails, WhatsApp messages, and other types of communications, which makes for a really fun read. Although the switch between the various sources is necessarily a little disjointed, the story flows really well, and you get a surprisingly good feel for the personalities of the characters--not just what they're like now, but how they got to this point.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review!

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels has what I like to call the Janice Hallett unique plot. How her mind works is amazing! It has all the components of her previous books including the unusual writing form, this one is in email, phone, message and transcription form. It leads the reader through the intricate details of the suspenseful storyline only to surprise them with an extraordinary ending.

This story revolves around a religious cult back in 2003 called the Alperton Angels, named after the town they lived. The cult included teenagers, a baby, its leader and followers. Back then in the basement of a warehouse four bodies were found. It was ruled a mass suicide of the cult. Gabriel the leader was found guilty of murder and put away for life. The teenagers Holly and Jacob and the baby (which the cult believed to be the anti-Christ) disappeared and have not been heard from since the night of the massacre.

It is now eighteen years since the incident and the mysterious baby would be of legal age. Crime writer Amanda Bailey has a new idea for a book. She informs her publisher she would like to look into the old case and try and find out what happened to Holly and Jacob, but more importantly what ever happened to the baby. Although a few books have been written about the cult and the incidents which occurred in the warehouse, no one at least to Amanda's knowledge has tried to find the baby.

But she is in for a shock. Her publisher comes back to her and says it's a great idea but another writer, Oliver Menzies is working on a story with another publisher, so if they share notes it could work. Amanda unfortunately knows Oliver from years ago and doesn't really think very highly of him but, if that's the only way to research the story, she'll suck up her feelings and go with it.

So, Amanda, Oliver and Ellie Cooper (the transcriber of all the interviews) begin their search. But what they soon find is those involved in the case all those years ago have very different memories of what happened. They also find some of the people closely associated with the investigation at the time or those who were investigating the investigation have died. Some it seems by accident.

As Amanda and Oliver try to one up each other on what information they have been finding out (or hiding from the other) Oliver begins to have a bit of a breakdown of sorts after his prison visit to interview the mysterious cult leader, Gabriel. But neither can find any information on the baby. All this leads to more questions than answers.

Then Amanda catches a break and finds she is close to perhaps finding the baby. But the closer she gets, the more danger she believes she's in. With Oliver hot on her trail, she needs to be the first to break this wide open. Who is this mysterious baby once accused of being the anti-Christ? How are Holly and Jacob really involved in what happened all those years ago. Will WE ever find out what happened!

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is another Hallett triumph in both imagination and suspense. It will hook you from the beginning, reel you in and throw you back so fast your head will spin. And you will love every minute!

Thank you #NetGalley #Viper #Janice Hallett #TheCaseoftheAlpertonAngels for the advanced copy.

I raced through this book, I loved the email,text and transcribed conversations format that make up the book. Solving the many contradictions of the case pits the spiritual/supernatural vs. a conspiracy. The author is not afraid to go there with extreme outcomes for our characters.
If you a reading an e-book version of this book make sure your ereader can show the emojis that come up. They add a lot of humor to the texts and emails. ( The kindle app on my iPad showed these but they didn’t show on my kindle itself ( my kindle is admittedly a few years old. I don’t know about newer models))

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this e arc.

Wow, this is a wild book! I've read Ms. Hallett's two previous novels and was very excited about this one because I was certain it would be an inventive and twisty tale and it did not disappoint. The subject matter — a cult who plans to murder a baby because it's the anitchrist — is dark stuff but because it's so dark and weird it ratchets up the suspense and the stakes of the story.

As with her other books, this one doesn't use traditional narrative prose but transcripts, text messages, emails and scripts to piece together the mystery. it's a very creative way for a story to unfold and while there is a lot to sort through it really puts you at the heart of the investigation as Amanda, the author of the booking within a book, uncovers the truth.

At multiple points as information was uncovered I gasped audibly. It's quite a ride and very enjoyable.

Oh my goodness I loved this book so much! I had read "The Appeal" and was very eager for more of her work, and this one did not let me down. I am a huge fan of the epistolary novel style, and I like how she writes with an edge of humor, even if it is ultimately a rather dark story. I've already shouted this one out on a few of my social media channels, so hopefully it's inspired more people to preorder it and pick up her past books.

Once again Janice Hallett does it again! My only complaint which is what made this a r star instead of a 5 star was the inclusion of the book pages.

I found them unnecessary. And I ended up skimming them. I don't feel they added anything to the book that I personally needed for the story.

Other than that this was an amazing and quick read because you get so immersed into the story.

thanks to netgallery & atria for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

this is a very high quality mystery book. the story and characters are all fleshed out well, and the unique concept the story being told through emails, texts, transcripts, etc. make this book stand out among its peers. i also do believe it would be possible to figure out the mystery before the characters - something that's becoming increasingly rare in the mystery genre. my one main critique would be that many characters play confusingly similar roles, and sometimes former background characters would come back into the spotlight and i would have no memory of who they were. i think potentially a character list would help, but these problems didn't impact my reading in any substantial way that decreased my enjoyment of the book.
i also thoroughly enjoyed amanda and oliver's characters throughout the entire work, and as i am personally interested in psychology, i found the book's handling of cult mindsets and characterization to be accurate and interesting to me. i would definitely read it again, and i applaud janice hallett for her continued high quality work.

“Open the safe deposit box. Inside you will find research material for a true crime book. You must read the documents, then make a decision. Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?”

Janice Hallett’s books are truly unlike any thing else. All of her books are epistolary novels - including her newest - and it means you as the reader get to sift through material and pick up clues on your own.

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS follows a case of a cult like group who were convinced one of their member's babies was the anti-Christ, and they had a divine mission to kill it. The baby’s mother thankfully saved the baby and the Angels committed suicide rather than go to prison.

Two decades later, true crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the case. The baby has turned eighteen and Amanda is desperate to find them to get in the inside story.

You are given all of Amanda’s materials: whatsapps, interview transcripts, emails, and research material. You have to figure out what happened 🕵🏻‍♀️

Read this if you like:
🧐mysteries
😇cults
📧epistolary novels
📚THE APPEAL or THE TWYFORD CODE

Janice Hallett's "The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" invites readers into a labyrinthine world of intrigue and secrets, crafting an immersive narrative that beckons from the shadows and demands attention. With an ingenious use of the dossier format, Hallett constructs a narrative mosaic that tantalizes the intellect and ignites the imagination.

From the initial keystrokes, Hallett plunges her audience headfirst into a realm where truth is a mirage and reality is a puzzle waiting to be assembled. Through a medley of voices and mediums – from emails to interviews – the story unfolds with an air of authenticity that brings readers face to face with the enigmatic characters and their labyrinthine motives.

At the core of this enigma lies a mystery shrouded in the shadows of a forgotten cult, a triple suicide, and the eerie presence of the Angel Gabriel. Hallett weaves her threads with meticulous precision, scattering breadcrumbs that lead to revelations and twists that propel the narrative forward. Her adroit handling of diverse voices, including the relentless true-crime author Amanda Bailey and her insightful assistant Ellie Cooper, adds layers to the narrative, painting a rich tapestry of perspectives that enrich the reader's journey.

The narrative's true brilliance lies in Hallett's masterful orchestration of the narrative's ebb and flow. As readers plunge deeper into the abyss of the cult's unsettling practices and the search for a vanished child, an insatiable curiosity takes root, compelling the reader to journey onward. The enigma surrounding Amanda Bailey's motivations adds a touch of enigmatic allure, making her pursuit of the truth a tantalizing odyssey.

"The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels" pays homage to the art of storytelling through its eclectic mix of documents and voices, adding a contemporary flair to a classic form. Hallett's meticulous crafting of pastiche moments, coupled with her consummate control of the narrative's tempo, ensures that readers are entranced until the final crescendo.

In an era where narratives manifest in myriad forms, Janice Hallett's opus emerges as a beacon of narrative innovation. This labyrinthine tale of secrets, cults, and unrelenting tenacity is a treasure trove for aficionados of mystery, offering a cerebral delight that keeps readers in suspense until the final revelation.

I’m not going to lie… I absolutely LOVE epistolary novels. You know how when your best friend thinks her new partner might actually already have a spouse and you take it upon yourself to scour the internet and find the truth? Janice Hallett’s books will give you the same rush, and you won’t have to do any ‘catfishing’ or deep deep dives through 15 years of Facebook and Twitter posts to get it.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is the third book I’ve read by Hallet and while I would rank the other two slightly higher on a favorites list, it’s still a solid 5 stars. Definitely an auto-buy author!!

Free eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes!

I thoroughly enjoy everything I've ever read by Janice Hallet. I love the way she builds a mystery, the atmosphere, the "found-footage" style made up of texts, emails, transcriptions, and other documents. I liked this one not as much as The Appeal, but more than The Twyfor Code. Our protagonist, true crime writer Amanda Baliey, is not very likable- through her emails and texts, you can see that she's willing to go to any end to find out information for her story. Amanda is also forced to collaborate with a rival writer, Oliver Menzies, and they work together and against each other to discover what happened to the infamous Alperton baby, the survivor (along with its teenage parents) of a suicide cult that had planned to sacrifice the baby as the Antichrist, 18 years after the events occurred.

I would recommend this book to fans of mysterys, cults, people who enjoyed I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. The singular issue I had was that, reading this on my kindle, the emojis in the text messages did not show up, which may have caused a slight loss in tone among some characters. Overall, the mystery is good and twisty and unravels well to a satisfying conclusion!

Janice Hallett's books are always a joy to read. I love the fact that the author makes you think and does not dumb down everything for their readers. I understand that some readers would prefer everything explained to them however.

This one does not disappoint. Told through mix-media, the story gets the reader to feel that they are involved in solving it.