Yes, I’ve done it, used the C-word in October! But only for a very special reason, you understand. Today is publication day for The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett. This charming novella is an accompaniment and follow up to her best-selling murder mystery, The Appeal.
Opening sentence:
To: Femi Hassan & Charlotte Holroyd
From: Roderick Tanner, KC
Date: 1 November 2023
Subject: A conundrum for you
Back to The Fairway Players
If you’re not familiar, The Appeal is a very clever murder mystery centred around the escapades (including a murder) of an amateur dramatic group, The Fairway Players. And, as it turns out, they are in a spot of bother again.
Like all of Janice Hallett’s books, The Christmas Appeal is structured as a modern epistolary novel, with the story told through primarily emails and texts. I had such a good time reading this. It’s just so very funny and tongue-in-cheek in tone, it absolutely does tip into slapstick territory at times but in the very best way. It embraces the very British sense of humour when it comes to small town passive-aggression, personal grudges and Christmas traditions.
She undermines SJ whenever she can do it subtly. Her campaign is one of quiet sabotage.
The Fairway Players are putting on their Christmas pantomine and, as she is newly leading the group. Sarah-Jane wants it to be spectacular. She decides on a panto classic, Jack & the Beanstalk and hires a huge 3D beanstalk for the occasion. Imagine her horror when a dead body is found inside it… just who was the body, and how did it get there?
It’s Christmaaaaaasssssss
As this is not a full length novel, it isn’t a true sequel to The Appeal but there are lots of direct references and subtle hints to life since the events of that book.
If you want to put yourself firmly in the Christmas spirit, you must read this funny, touching mystery that’s all packaged up with some festive good cheer – what’s not to love? Bring on the mince pies.
I am such a big of Janice Hallett. Her books are totally unique in their structure, the mind boggles just thinking how she plots and plans the stories. Her back catalogue also includes The Twyford Code and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. If you haven’t read her yet, you must!
- Get your copy of The Christmas Appeal here;
- Published by Viper 26th October 2023;
- 208 pages;
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 
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