The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels: the Bestselling Richard & Judy Book Club Pick

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If I wasn't involved myself, I'd add this novel to my top reads of the year. But as it stands, this book must not see the light of day. We cannot have more people gaining interest in The Alperton Angels and discover what has been hiding in plain sight all along.

So many writers have inspired me: Cervantes, Thomas Hardy, Emily Bronte, Agatha Christie, Enid Blyton, Patricia Leitch, Douglas Adams… and that’s only a few. An outstandingly clever, compelling and unique read. Pitch-perfect story told in the most innovative way -- Cesca Major, author of THE SILENT HOURSMichelle’s book is brilliantly written. She was an accomplished wordsmith and absolutely wrote from her heart in a way not all true crime authors do. But when you watch the documentary about her, you can see she becomes so engaged with trying to solve the case that she simply can’t write the book, yet she’s desperately trying to finish it in time for a deadline. I identified with that completely and I’m sure most writers do. The queen of the narrative twist. She takes the conventions of the modern mystery novel and upends them as Christie did. And the themes of this book are haunting -- S.J. Bennett, author of THE WINDSOR KNOT Agatha Christie has found her heir. A genius premise. A perfect puzzle. Crime fiction fans will not want to miss this one! -- Victoria Selman, author of TRULY, DARKLY, DEEPLY

What a compelling, complex, utterly gripping read. Hallett's cast of characters - both major and minor - are fully formed and so integral to the unfolding plot -- Sue Teddern, author of ANNIE STANLEY, ALL AT SEA True crime-auteur Amanda Bailey krijgt de opdracht om een boek te schrijven over het mysterie rond de Alperton Angels-sekte. Achttien jaar geleden vielen er in één nacht vier doden, werd de sekteleider opgepakt en verdwenen twee tieners met een baby, maar niemand weet wat precies heeft geleid tot de fatale gebeurtenissen en van de verdwenen personen ontbreekt nog altijd ieder spoor. Amanda is slim, doortastend, brutaal en vastberaden om eindelijk antwoorden te vinden op onbeantwoorde vragen, en om dat doel te bereiken hoopt ze de baby te vinden, of in ieder geval de tieners, en zo haar verhaal vanuit een uniek perspectief op te bouwen. Het is een ambitieus plan, en wanneer ze wordt gedwongen om samen te werken met een collega-journalist, iemand die haar in het verleden pijn heeft gedaan, wordt de zoektocht naar de waarheid steeds gecompliceerder. We have some exciting news. The English author Janice Hallett has a new novel on the way, and if you’ve read The Appeal or The Twyford Code, you’ll know just what a big deal this is. She’s an author who has caught the imagination of crime fiction lovers everywhere, writing cleverly layered mysteries that roll together elements of half-forgotten secrets, true crime, made-up urban myths and a peculiar sense of, well, Englishness that’s definitely amusing but is hard to actually describe. What are the advantages and disadvantages to you as an author, or to the reader, of telling a story in this way?Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the 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 - until the baby's mother, Holly, came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than go to prison, and Holly - and the baby - disappeared into the care system. With Angels we have the notes, interviews, texts, news reports and extracts from other playwrights/authors who have all been intrigued by a decades old mystery involving a cult called The Alperton Angels and its ensuing cover up (or not). Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club novels have reawakened interest in the cosier end of the crime fiction spectrum, and Hallett has been one of the chief beneficiaries; her novels, their covers adorned with the Osman-esque chunky italic lettering that publishers now use to signify “murder for pleasure”, are perfect reading for Osmanites. But although Hallett’s books are unlikely to give you nightmares, they are not insipid: they are designed to give the reader a good time, but Hallett’s idea of a good time encompasses the provoking of deep and sometimes uncomfortable thoughts. From Matt Wesolowski’s Six Stories to Only Murders in the Building, fictional true crime and epistolary storytelling have become pretty popular – it might even be a movement. Do you see it that way and why do you think readers are gravitating to this and indeed to true crime? Maybe mixed media novels just aren’t really for me - I find the concept fun, but I do need to really connect with characters to love a book and this narrative style sometimes feels too distanced for me. I know that’s the point of them, especially when you’re trying to solve the puzzle, but it’s not my favourite. Nevertheless, I think this one will be well received and it was enjoyable enough to keep me reading to the end.

JS: Yes, it’s me, I’m the patient. I’m having palpitations. I read this book, you see, this book about the Alperton Angels & it was so good & so realistic & OMG is it real? Is there an Antichrist? Is the world going to end? Compelling, unputdownable, filled with Hallett's trademark fierce intelligence and kindness, this is the most intricate, spellbinding and befuddling mystery I have read in years -- Catriona Ward, author of THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREETIt's not enough to say that this book is fascinating, gripping and clever. It's an astonishing piece of work. Janice Hallett is playing a different ball game to the rest of us -- Ian Moore, author of DEATH AND CROISSANTS As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong, and the truth is something much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined. The Alperton Angels were a cult led by Gabriel, now in prison, planning to kill a baby thought to be the Anti-Christ, fortunately this does not come to pass as the teenage mother, Holly, flees the cult, but the Angels go on to commit suicide rather than face prison. Amanda is now looking to find, identify and interview that baby, now 18 years old, she is an experienced and manipulative investigator and unearths a raft of contradictory evidence, is there a natural human explanation for this or is there something more sinister at play? Additionally she has unwelcome competition in the form of Oliver Menzies chasing the same scoop, and with whom she has a traumatic past history. Amanda is put in a position where she is having to accept that she has to work with him. Follow the clues in this smart, multilayered and intelligent mystery, with its elements of the supernatural, to the surprising final reveal.

If you enjoyed both The Appeal and The Twyford Code then I’m sure you will really enjoy this one too. It was cleverly done, and had a good ending, but I just never found myself fully invested. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that we don’t really get a huge feel for the main characters as people, but I just didn’t find myself caring, which then leads me to not feel engaged with the novel as a whole. Angels is clever and funny, well plotted, a good twist on a conventional thriller and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Once I got started I gulped it down in three sittings.Because of the format used, it's very drawn out, there's no clear storyline and a confusing multitude of characters, and I use this word loosely as we never actually meet any of them, who may or may not reappear later in the book. However Amanda is forced to join forces with rival writer Oliver Menzies who is also looking for the baby. As Amanda and Oliver delve further into the case, they realise everything they thought they knew was wrong.