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The mysterious case of the Alperton Angels
The mysterious case of the Alperton Angels | Janice Hallett
28 posts | 20 read | 15 to read
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?
Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.
Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby's trail.
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Floresj
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Pickpick

Fun mystery following a journalist and her investigation. Love the switching of mediums- texts, plays, interviews and prose. Easy reading, good pace of plot.

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janeycanuck
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Finally sat down to catch up on my reading journal and do my February #readingwrapup. So much reading in February!

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Sharpeipup
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I set aside the whole day to read based on everyone‘s comments. @thegirlwiththelibrarybag

35 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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Pickpick

THIS WAS SO GOOD! I was so hooked, I was genuinely annoyed that I had to go to work and had to wait to finish this. When the pieces all finally slot into place, I had to put the book down for a couple of minutes - just to process. *chiefs kiss*

Traci1 I started this one on audio, but it was just too hard to follow because of the format. I'm gonna need to get it in print. 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Traci1, oh yes, that would be an issue. Print version also has a handy who‘s who list at the start ☺️ 2mo
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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I mean… I think I still hold the crown for the most unusual name in the family…

Certainly no fancy name stickers in the shops with my name on it… (a source of such disappointment for my younger self)

CBee Same! I still look to see if they have keychains with my name - they still don‘t 😂🤪 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CBee, it‘s still a disappointment to me now to be honest 😜 my little brother made a wooden keyring that he‘d carved my name into once - it was hideous but I loved it. 2mo
TheBookHippie My daughter Rachael had this too most of the time it‘s spelled Rachel. 2mo
CBee @thegirlwiththelibrarybag me too 😂 And what a sweet gift from your brother ♥️ 2mo
35 likes4 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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Is Ashleigh not a reasonably common name?

🤔🤔

Brb - gonna message my sister and let her know that her name is unusual 🤭

Aimeesue 😂😂😂 2mo
julesG Maybe the spelling, but I don't think it's unusual. 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @julesG - I would say this is the classic “girl” spelling. I went to school with an Ashleigh, Ashlee and Ashlea 🤣 2mo
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marleed Haha. I recently read a book that carried on about how unusual the name Ezra was to a young generation. I really love the name but thought the author should have reviewed social security/babynames where she‘d learn it ranks #25 in popularity in the US. 2mo
julesG I've seen Ashly and Ashlie here in Germany. The worst spelling of a name I've come across so far was "Eyeline" for Eileen. The poor 15-y/o had to spell her first name for me and I had to keep a straight face. - - - - - my current ARC has an Ashleigh as well. 2mo
julesG @marleed Right?! It's so easy to check. 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @julesG, I feel for kids who have “classic” names with novelty spelling - that‘s a lifetime of having to spell your name out and having it misspelled in work emails or in the case of poor Eyeline - mispronouncing and (probably) constant commentary. 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @marleed, I would have easily believed that it was a less common name for Gen Z or Gen Alpha - but that‘s only because I don‘t know any with the name. Absolutely an easy one to gather data on. 2mo
25 likes8 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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It‘s 1.30AM and I‘m reluctantly putting the book mark in 😫

CaramelLunacy Just finished this one, and it was so hard to convince myself to put it down 2mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CaramelLunacy, I can believe it! I‘m glad I did put the bookmark in but only because there was some unexpected kitchen demolition in the flat below me which would have really irritated me if I‘d been sound asleep when it started (as it was, it started minutes after my wake up alarm went off) but I‘m keen to get home to it (I‘m on the closing shift so I still have hours to wait 😭) 2mo
41 likes2 comments
review
Mpcacher
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Pickpick

This is a story of a cult with a charismatic leader, a baby, a dead cop and revenge. Told through a series of emails, letters and transcribed conversations, it is a complicated story with a convoluted plot. It is, however, surprisingly entertaining and it all makes some sort of sense at the end. The writing style works well and I particularly enjoyed the comments the transcriber inserts into her notes. Thanks to Edelweiss+ for my digital ARC. 4/5

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Nessavamusic
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Pickpick

A very entertaining mystery. I enjoy the different format, where the story is told through different mediums - notes, interviews, texts etc. It definitely kept me guessing, though I didn‘t 100% love the ending. 4.5⭐️
#bookspinbingo 1st bingo!

Dragon Popped over to put a hold on the e-book. Just read her Christmas Novella 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
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TheKidUpstairs
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@TieDyeDude - love the idea for #TuesdayTunes ❤️🎶

These are my most played songs right now:

Brittany Howard - What Now? https://youtu.be/iV7yWoYlDvg?si=NRDABXk3_vASCVP4

Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You https://youtu.be/DqoLMGSBGYc?si=hd_OGaDSdFBWVOPY

Yola - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road https://youtu.be/dWePiTJcBEw?si=v8MGky5Hxhdv3A7H

Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine? https://youtu.be/VQH8ZTgna3Q?si=qPwQ63_5VvfgcNT7

(Tagging this week's read!)

vivastory I'm 100% here for the Chapman renaissance. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @vivastory she deserves all the things. I'm kinda 'meh' on the Luke Combs Fast Car cover (mainly because I think the original is about as close to a perfect song as they come), but I love all the love and attention it's brought to Tracy Chapman. 2mo
TieDyeDude Thanks for sharing. I like Yola's “Diamond Studded Shoes.“ I haven't heard that cover yet. Chapman and Howard are always solid choices! 2mo
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BarbaraBB Hail the revival of Tracy Chapman! I‘ve been loving that album for decades! 2mo
Bookwormjillk I have been listening to Fast Car on repeat since last week. Have loved that song since the 80's. 2mo
merelybookish I saw Yola in concert a few years ago and she was fabulous! 2mo
Billypar I can't wait to listen to Brittany Howard's latest - I think tonight may be the night. And agreed about the Fast Cars cover - it's not a song that can be improved upon. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Billypar I haven't listened to the whole album yet, but the title track hit me hard on first listen, and I can't stop playing it on repeat. I'll get to the rest of the songs soon, I'm sure! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @merelybookish She's amazing. I grew up on Elton John, and I usually hate covers of his songs. His style and voice are so distinctive, that the songs usually lose something in translation and just sound very karaoke-ish. But this one came up at random on a Spotify playlist and just blew me away. She totally makes it her own and brings so much soul and depth to it. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB It's such a fantastic album. Always blows me away that it was her debut. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Bookwormjillk It's just such a good song, eh? I didn't watch the Grammy's, but loved seeing her perform. You could really feel the love in that room, both from and for her. 2mo
merelybookish @TheKidUpstairs She sang Aretha at her concert which is no small feat! 2mo
batsy Agreed on the Fast Car but super pleased with Chapman getting more love 💜 2mo
60 likes13 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

Engrossing, engaging, can't put it down fun. With cults and true crime authors. Hallett's books are best to go into knowing as little as possible, and with a healthy suspension of disbelief. Just sit back and enjoy! It was the perfect palate cleaner after a few heavy books about grief.

darklydreaming I‘m intrigued! Nice review 😊 2mo
jlhammar Yes, so fun! Great review! 2mo
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TheKidUpstairs
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"But just because someone is a born leader, doesn't mean you should follow them."

Can't stop reading. I love Janice Hallett's style of storytelling. So out there and fun.

tpixie Great quote 2mo
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quietjenn
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I find Hallett's books so addictive! Wanted to read this straight through once I started, but had to, like, with and do life stuff. But now it's the weekend, so diving in and not looking up until it's over 😅.

jlhammar Yay! Such a fun read. Enjoy! 2mo
janeycanuck I was the same! She constructs such a good story!! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs I just started this one and am whipping through it! Just what I needed after a few heavy reads. 2mo
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jlhammar
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Pickpick

Sure to be one of my favorite mysteries of the year. I love what Hallett does with the epistolary format. Entertaining, unique and satisfying. I‘ll be eagerly awaiting her next!

Tamra I love an epistolary novel too! 3mo
Larkken Ooh fun. This is on my holds list, it looks great! 3mo
thegreensofa I loved it too. Do you know what the 👻🤡 emoji‘s together meant during the book? It did my head in trying to work it out, lol. 3mo
jlhammar @thegreensofa Yeah, wasn‘t sure about that combo either. Was she using the clown to indicate fool (as in I‘ll play the fool and go for it) or they both could just mean what they are doing/investigating is crazy and creepy/scary? 3mo
thegreensofa @jlhammar That is more than I worked out! Well done!!! I‘m going with your crazy and creepy/scary interpretation, it‘s certainly how it felt while reading, Lol. 3mo
66 likes5 comments
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Melancholy2243
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Pickpick

I couldn't stop. The premise, the way the whole book is just written through transcripts, whatsapp messages, it's gripping, it's engrossing and it's absolutely all consuming. I was racing to read what happens at the end. It's been ages since I have read a good mystery and this is definitely one.

jlhammar Starting this today! 3mo
Melancholy2243 @jlhammar Yaay! Good luck ❤️ 3mo
58 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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AmandaBlaze
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So excited about this! I've read all her books.

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AmandaBlaze
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Kappadeemom
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Kindle, blanket and hot chocolate 💕

Cupcake12 My perfect evening 💕 5mo
KadaGul @Kappadeemom My Kind of December weekend. It gets pitch black @ 4 pm 🕓 , the only thing between 5pm 🕔 -8pm is finding a cozy spot w/ favorite ❤️ tea 🍵/ hot chocolate and favorite ❤️ Book 📖 #DECEMBERWEEKENDS 5mo
40 likes1 stack add2 comments
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AmandaBlaze
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Booksblanketsandahotbeverage I love Janice Hallett 📚 enjoy! 5mo
30 likes1 comment
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Rachiiebookdragon
Pickpick

I loved this one, very twisty.

Read for reading challenges

4.5/5

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VanessaCW
Pickpick

Loved this one. It‘s told in the author‘s usual quirky style, this story told via way of emails, texts, interviews and even a script. I was very much gripped by it. The plot is very complex but clever and the characters well rounded. An absorbing mystery.

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VanessaCW
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Library book. I loved The Twyford Code so hopefully I‘ll enjoy this one, too. The Appeal is on my Kindle TBR.

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deirdrebeecher
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Pickpick

Well she's won me over. This is the book where her epistolary style works 100% for me. The mystery is very good I don't want to say a word more than that. But people who love a complex plot will be very happy. I will say that I feel both The Appeal and The Twyford Code had cozy aspects to them. There is nothing cozy about this book, everyone has sharp edges. But it is very well done, original and hugely entertaining.

LiteraryinLawrence Excited that there‘s another one! I‘m planning to read The Twyford Code this month and I liked The Appeal. 14mo
deirdrebeecher 😁@LiteraryinLawrence I think Twyford and Angels are much stronger books than Appeal. Angels from a technical stand point is the best. Twyford has a really engaging MC. But they are much darker, so its all about preferences. 😁 14mo
8 likes2 comments
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emmaturi
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Pickpick

This is the third book by this author, I really like the different formats used text messages, emails, scripts and interviews. I enjoyed it but still The Appeal is my favourite.

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emmaturi
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I used some Christmas money to buy these newly published books. I will probably read the tagged book soonish.

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AllDebooks
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TheKidUpstairs I loved The Appeal, very excited for this one! 1y
AllDebooks @TheKidUpstairs it's even better 😊 1y
37 likes3 comments
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AllDebooks
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Pickpick

#Netgalley
Published 19/01/2023 by Viper
I have an enormous fondness for epistolary novels. Hallett embraces the format with great skill, bringing the style into the 21st century utilising modern communication methods to launch her plot. She masterfully creates a complex plot dripping information, misdirecting and leaving the reader to interpret evidence as the story moves along. She has done this so well in her previous 2 novels,

AllDebooks but the Alperton Angels is her best yet. When I began the book and saw the list of characters, I was worried I wouldn't keep pace with it. This was an unnecessary worry, the characters are well realised and the plot moves very swiftly. So much so that you are soon caught up in the intrigue. There are layers upon layers of story, beautifully presented. 1y
AllDebooks The antagonism between authors, Amanda Bailey and Oliver Menzies, competing to cover the same story of the Alperton Angels cold case, provides another POV against the background of what really happened to the cult, Holly and her baby in 2003.
If you pick this book up, make sure you've canceled all other plans, as you won't be able to put it down.
1y
jlhammar Sounds great! I so enjoyed The Appeal and am planning to grab The Twyford Code soon (US pub date later this month). 1y
33 likes3 comments