The Appeal: A Novel

This book was as unique as it was confusing. It was a lot of fun, but I honestly can’t say I have any idea what just happened and/or who really did what and did she really die?Anyway, it is a mystery book.

This book is one of my top ten favorite books of all time! It is different from anything I’ve ever read. It was like I was being served all the tea, allowing me to be nosy in the best way! Loved it!!!

The book begins with a note transmitting a case file to two of his employees. He says it is better if they nothing about the case, but should learn about it from reading the documents in the file. These consist of texts and emails exchanged among members of an amateur theatrical company. The group takes on another purpose when a two-year-old child is diagnosed with a brain tumor, the group turns to fund raising to pay for an extremely experimental drug. The texts and emails are written so as to give each character his or her own voice. Often they are funny. The plot has numerous twists and turns that usually make sense.What doesn't make sense is the lawyer's sending the case file to two young employees without any context. They don't even know who their client is. Apparently they are supposed to find out who committed a murder from reading documents. The author's use of emails and texts to tell the story was ingenious. Unfortunately, her framing device explaining why these documents must be read fails. I suggest that readers of the book skip the comments of the two employees reviewing the file, and just stick with the main narrative.

I found this book challenging in a number of ways, not just who is murdered and why, but the presentation itself. I admit that I am not a big texter, and am very reluctant to spend too much time communicating in that format (age and personality play a big factor in those inclinations), so the presentation of characters, their personalities, and the information that was and was not presented was difficult for me to sort through. Who was killed and why was pretty straight forward. The suspect pool was substantial, and I did not develop much feeling for any of them. A novel format to me, but somewhat difficult to get into. But then I am a stuck in my ways old lady. You may adore it.

The format of using emails and messages to convey the story made it somewhat difficult to read although the writing was good. I had initially tried to do this using Audible but it was very difficult to follow so I got the paperback. Keeping track of all the people in this who done-it was part of game. It was like playing a game of Clue but you don’t even know who got murdered until you are 75% through the book. It is a unique book and I have to say that I did appreciate the concept.

You must read this book in one sitting otherwise you will be totally lost. Very twisty and complex plot. I didn't especially like the resolution but overall, I enjoyed the story. I always like books told in a letters or emails or WhatsApp format. (Does epistolary apply to texts and IMs?) Going to read Hallett's other book that appears to be equally as convoluted.

If you need a fun mystery now throw this title in your cart. It is perfect for a long flight or a weekend get away. I found it engaging/clever BUT wish it had been edited down by 50-100 pages. There is A LOT of extra that especially bogs down the last third of the book..

The framework of the story is the engagement of two interns by an experience solicitor to review correspondence and see what ideas they come up with on appeal Primary suspects have already been convicted and the solicitor seems to just see corroboration of a theory that will exculpate them. It seems crucial to him that this occur in order for him to proceed with the appeal. Instead of giving them all of the information at once, he gives it to them in a piece by piece fashion, perhaps putting the theory together in the way he did.I have to say this was a compelling formula with interesting charachters but the plot was overcome with a mound of red herrings being placed on it It all became confusing to the extent that the two intern charachters had to straighten everything out for us every once in a while.This was nevertheless fun to read.

That's it: just don't bother buying it... Very childish and boring. It seemed promising at first, a sort of 21st century epistolary novel, but it just ended up being a teen game in book form. If that was the author's intention all along, then I've been duped into buying it, for the book was advertised as a coming from a new Agatha Christie in the making. That's a bit of an overstatement, to say the least. I ended up reading it through just for the sake of it --- maybe it would eventually surprise me. Wrong decision. Again, just don't bother.

Nel complesso mi è piaciuto, ma non darei più di 4 stelle. Nonostante abbia trovato interessante la struttura, bisogna ammettere che il pretesto narrativo è un po' debole: ai suoi assistenti un avvocato non si limiterebbe certo a fornire solo email e messaggi senza alcuna spiegazione, ma anticiperebbe come minimo chi è stato ucciso e chi è stato eventualmente accusato dell'omicidio. Va bene non fornire questi dati al lettore, ma l'idea che non lo sappiano neanche i due assistenti dell'avvocato... vabbè. Nella prima parte lo scambio di email senza alcuna evoluzione di trama è a tratti noioso. So che si tratta per lo più di caratterizzazione dei personaggi, ma spesso ho avuto la tentazione di saltare alcune pagine. Per fortuna comunque non l'ho fatto, perché dai due terzi in poi il libro comincia a decollare e diventa veramente difficile smettere di leggerlo. Ho apprezzato alla fine le teorie dei due avvocati/detective e sono anche riuscita a prevedere qualcuno dei risvolti del caso, senza però che questi risultassero poi banali una volta rivelati. I personaggi sono senza dubbio tanti, molti di questi poi del tutto secondari e assolutamente inutili ai fini della trama, però è anche questo il bello del romanzo, che alla fine è un ritratto delle complessità e delle contraddizioni della natura umana.

Janice Hallett hat für ihren Kriminalroman einen innovativen Ansatz gewählt, denn er besteht hauptsächlich aus Emails und Textnachrichten. Das ist sicherlich gewöhnungsbedürftig, aber nach ein paar Seiten war ich von der Story total gefesselt. Ich hatte auch keine Probleme, die vielen Personen auseinander zu halten, da es ja hier und da Personenlisten gab (z.B. Darsteller des Amateurtheaters). Ich fand es sehr interessant, dass nicht gleich preisgegeben wurde, wer ermordet wird bzw. wurde. Die vielen Emails sind wie Teile eines Puzzles und erst wenn man alles gelesen hat, kann man sich vorstellen, wer ein Motiv zum Betrügen oder Morden hat. Sehr spannend und unterhaltsam!

Absolutely loved this and could not put it down! I loved the style in which it was written. So fun and refreshing!!I'm sad it's over.

Leider kommt es in Mode. daß Jungschreiberlinge dem Leser die Arbeit aufbürden, nachdem sie ein paarSchnipsel zur Verfügung gestellt haben. Wem das genügt, der wird mit dem Resultat zufrieden sein.Wer allerdings Belletristik erwartet, der kommt sich hier verarscht vor.