Welcome to Litsy!

What a clever little mixed media mystery. I was really hoping I‘d like this and thankfully I did! The large cast of characters took some time to remember, but after I got everyone down I couldn‘t stop reading. I went into this knowing very little beside the format and I think that‘s the best way to go in. Recommend if you‘re looking for a mystery that‘s a little different.

A murder-mystery told through email correspondence? Yes please! 💕 Picked this up at the cutest little bookshop @books_on_the_rise in Richmond, UK 📚#theappeal

This is now the third book from Janice Hallett that I‘ve read and I just think she‘s so good! I absolutely love a mixed-media mystery, and this was a quick and fun one. What I appreciated was even though there are so many characters, she lists them out twice for the reader, and is even able to summarize all the clues in a way that makes sense for the narration. This had me pumping my fist when I figured out some of the clues being hinted at 😆

I loved The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels so I‘m excited to finally get to this one!

Loved this mystery that is written through texts and emails. It really makes you think and the clues are there. A young girl gets ill, an appeal for money begins, a murder occurs bc of it all. Great read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a clever, heart-pounding book!! I couldn‘t put this down. And I think the epistolary format (which I am always drawn to) made it less scary, because I was safely “outside” the situation, reading the evidence but not actually inside the story. But for regular thriller/murder mystery fans, don‘t worry, it was still duly creepy!!! Thank you @LiteraryinLawrence for the brilliant rec! 🫨

A fun and unique mystery, that is a series of emails, texts and letters. It slowly reveals a story of a community theater group that means well, but finds itself embroiled in murder and fraud. A little longer than it needed to be, I guessed part of the mystery, but not the murderer. A solid 4⭐️read.

Fantastic audiobook. The full cast really brings out the depth of characterization in the emails/messages/transcripts format. The final one gave me a chill I'm not sure I would have gotten from print alone.

I feel I was a bit spoiled by having listened to The Twyford Code first. It has more heart and pathos. This seemed clever for the sake of cleverness.

A nice subtle blood splatter on the cover. #ISpyBingo

“Neighbour labour“ #fourfoursin24

Between a pick and a so-so for me. I enjoyed trying to piece together the clues from the letters and emails but felt that the murder happened too late in the book. Also was not a huge fan of the way it rounded up (which felt rushed and the twist was odd).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really liked this one. The modern epistolary format worked surprisingly well with the story.
Book 2 finished for #scarathlon
10 + 1 + (8 hours × 6 thons × 10)=480
Words 37×10=370
861 for team #spookyghostclub @Clwojick
#readysetread #20in4 #rushathon #31by31 #bookspin (this was my doublespin) #falling4books
@andrew65 @GHABI4ROSES @DieAReader @Catsandbooks @TheAromaofBooks @Read4life

Running total so far: 5,730

Second book of #Scarathlon finished. Another one that was due back at the library. One more to finish then I can read only spooky books. #TeamWhoYaGonnaCall

This is me after staying up way too late to read this book in one sitting.

I liked this one well enough although I definitely didn‘t love it. The format was fun—the story was told through emails, chats, newspaper articles, and so on—but I thought the book was overly long & it took some time for things to really start happening. Add in a cast of throughly unlikeable characters and for me, you have a book that was ok but could have been better if it was tightened up a bit. I see why people like it but it‘s not my favorite.

Going with this one for my flight…

✈️📖

Wow. That was different. In a good way! A murder mystery, presented as a series of email, texts and phone calls. Someone is dead, and you are presented with this evidence as lawyers are appealing the case for the person found guilty, whom they believe is really innocent.

Lots of secrets, lies, and people who don't always tell the truth. What a surprise.

Well Done!

#Bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

I was so absorbed in this that I almost forgot to get off the train! Written like a case file of emails, messages and other documents, it‘s an unusual way of writing a murder mystery but it works and I resented having to put it down to go to work!

Not sure why this was on my list to read but🤷🏻‍♀️. Turns out I have read her 2nd book. I‘ll say the same for this one, slow start almost gave up. Was not a page turner. Took me ages to get through. Written in emails, text messages and What‘s app messages. Different but by the end tedious. I liked her second book better.

Went to the library to return books. Came away with these. Tagged book was on a list I had. No idea why now. Giving Alexander another go. I‘ve gone off him in latter years. The other book just looked interesting. So much for going to return books and telling myself that was all I was doing. Library super busy with Toddler time. Love it.

After reading The Twyford Code, I decided to reread The Appeal. Structure-wise, I think I like The Appeal better. However, I liked how everything was brought together in the end with TheTwyford Code. Regardless, I'll keep reading Hallett's work.

A fun epistolary murder mystery, that slowly reveals everything you need to solve the puzzle yourself. Told mostly through emails and whats app messages, ‘The Appeal‘ has a double meaning. Both as a fund raising effort for a poorly child, and for the efforts to release the wrongly convicted murderer of the late revealed victim. Clever and witty but takes commitment. It‘s not short, and there‘s a LOT of characters! But I found it worth the effort.

February #BookSpinBingo list.
@TheAromaofBooks

This was super interesting and the format really worked to propel the story, which I wasnt expecting. I kept wanting to read one more message and figure out one more bit of the story

This was my #bookspin this month, but I just couldn‘t. I started reading the emails and memos and thought….When do these end? I looked ahead…. NEVER! Not a technique I enjoy I guess!🤣

This story format is done through text messages, emails and other forms of communication. As you read along with the “detectives” you unpack the clues and find out once the police figure out the tangle of who killed who. One dead body fifteen suspects. It‘s a super fast read and the author did a pretty decent job not revealing the murder until the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A thriller mystery written in emails, messaging conversations, and documents. This thriller follows a small UK theatre group through a cancer diagnosis, charitable fraud, and a death. The reader is given access to these documents through the eyes of two law students. An interesting twist on thrillers.

Here we go….I‘m shooting for a black out, but we‘ll see!

#bookspinbingo

Going to try and finish this one up this evening!

I read this early in 2022 but I still think about it. I loved the way the story was set-up. Unique, tense mystery read that I finished in a day because I didn't want to put it down.

#adventrecommends @emilyrose_x

I was so looking forward to this but sadly, it was a MASSIVE letdown. There isn‘t a dead body until almost 300 pages in, one of the “twists” was hugely obvious from the start, and the emails and chats conceit became supremely annoying quite early on. I read half of it on the flight to Jamaica and then promptly abandoned it for 2 weeks. 👎🏼

I'm determined to finish this book but i do hope it gets more interesting. I just realized I've only read a third of it so far. I didn't realize it was so long. I love the concept though and that it's a mystery written in emails/messages.

This is an intriguing murder mystery.

4/5

Read for:

#TheDisneyReadingChallenge2022

I'm a sucker for books written in letters, emails, texts, etc. I hope this is a good one. It wasn't too hot out but the mosquitos were awful. Harley got to monitor the porch for a bit at least though lol #dogsoflitsy

Help fellow Littens! I‘m reading this for book club and I really need to know if Poppy dies. If so, I need to be forewarned.

This was super fun to read! It was all emails, texts, and transcripts from interviews, and you‘re trying to figure out what criminal activity happened in this community theater group. I found it really entertaining and look forward to reading the author‘s other book.

2nd book read during #JubilantJuly Readathon @Andrew65 I enjoyed this suspense/cozy mystery. The story is written in emails/text communications which I think was so creative. Imagine, the whole plot and characters dynamics narrated in this format. I liked the audiobook but you still need the book. Some expected twists some not but it worked for me. I‘m a hardcover lover but I found prettier this paperback cover 3.8/4⭐️

Wow 🤩🤩🤩

This was a fun format. Written all through emails, texts, interviews and new articles. It went on a little too long for me and I‘m not even sure a really understand who did it and why in the end. A very quick quirky read.

THE GOOD: I enjoyed the epistolary approach and being presented with evidence, so as the reader I could “read between the lines” to follow and try to solve the mystery.
THE BAD: some of the correspondence just wasn‘t realistic and took me out of the story. People don‘t write emails as narrations of things currently happening outside their window or in the moment. Also, some characters were so grating, it became difficult to read.

Who killed Sam?
Was the appeal a fraud?
Was Poppy even sick?

Questions....

A neat whodunit written completely in emails and text messages. That part was super interesting. IMO, there was one too many side plots occurring and the book was about 50-100 pages too long. But still, definitely a pick and highly entertaining. Loved reading about the busybody main character and how the other characters truly saw her. A fun read!

You all were correct! This book was fantastic! Once I got through the beginning & found a rhythm, I flew through this book. I don't think I've ever annotated with this level of intensity. It helped me immensely. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I liked not loved this book. It wasn‘t a five star read for me and I‘m glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it, but a solid “Pick”. I had to put a sticky note on the page that listed everyone, I found myself referencing that a lot 😆

I raced through this puzzle constructed from emails and text messages. I love epistolary novels, and this one is great! The frame story is two law students are reviewing the evidence for an appeal. Someone has been convicted of the murder of a member of a community theater group, and the two law students are tasked with looking for the real story amidst the emails. The emails and texts are interrupted by the students‘ musings via text. So fun!

When I started this I was unsure about the format, but after about 20 pages I was completely hooked. The story unfolds in a series of emails, texts, and memos. The central story surrounds a group involved in a community drama club who start raising money for a sick child. Things escalate into so much more though and even I didn't have things fully figured out until the end.

Intriguing, entertaining, and overall just a great mystery read.

Told in a series of emails, texts, and memos, this novel showcases a community theater production of Arthur Miller‘s All My Sons. During rehearsals, Two-year-old Poppy is diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and her family must crowd-fund to afford her treatment. Lots of red-herrings and a murder keep you off-balance until the end!

I need some help from anyone who has read The Appeal by Janice Hallett. I started it & got about 40 pages in & realized I still didn't understand anything going on. I can't keep the characters & their relationships straight.

I want to read it. Everyone who has finished it has said amazing things & I have serious FOMO.

For anyone who has read it, how did you keep it all sorted? Any tips, tricks, or advice are appreciated!

There was no competition for March, although I read some really good books, The Appeal grabbed me on page one and didn‘t let me go until the very last word. It‘s rare these days that I genuinely can‘t put a book down to the point where it make my hubby grumpy 😂 I‘m excited to see what can compete with this book in April!

14/22 When a book stops me browsing Litsy it must be be good. This one had me hooked from the start. It was clever, witty and if you have ever had an encounter with AmDram you will have the added bonus of a sly smile on your face throughout. I enjoyed the format of a pack of evidence to be picked apart, and a ending, although not totally surprising, was satisfying. I would definitely recommend to any mystery lovers out there. 4.5⭐️