Janice Hallett has carved out a niche as a crime writer with a difference
March saw members tackle a crime novel, but one with an unusual format. Janice Hallett has brought the epistolary novel into the 21st Century by using emails and texts to tell a murder mystery.
Members read her first novel, The Appeal, which has proved such a hit that it has produced a number of follow-ups from the author. The reader is plunged into the machinations of an am-dram group, and the complications of a charity appeal for an apparently sick child.
For many members this was an enjoyable read, and, although it clocked in at more than 400 pages, its format helped to maintain the pace and interest.
There was appreciation for the intricacy of a plot that kept readers guessing and was far from straightforward. Supporters were intrigued by just exactly what was playing out.
Hallett was also felt to have used humour well to draw you in to the world she created, and making you feel you had a stake in the outcome.
There was some discussion about how long it took for the murder to actually take place (around 250 pages). Some felt they were left waiting too long, while others appreciated the need to build the world and set the scene, feeling the delay added to the tension.
For some though, even if the book drew them in at first, their interest waned in the middle sections, and patience was tested. There was still some investment in the outcome, but it had lost its grip.
Some felt there were just too many characters. Although some were there as possible suspects, others felt a little unnecessary.
There was also a growing sense for some of how contrived The Appeal was with a framing device that grew unconvincing. A failure to explain why key details and significant chunks of correspondence were missing also ended up robbing the conclusion of power.
There was also discussion about the format. While some thought its reliance on emails and texts was both original and appealing, others felt it made it relentless and unfocused.
There was agreement that this was a book best read in physical form as those who sampled it on ebook or phone struggled more.
It was another book and another month though that generated a lively discussion.
Members read her first novel, The Appeal, which has proved such a hit that it has produced a number of follow-ups from the author. The reader is plunged into the machinations of an am-dram group, and the complications of a charity appeal for an apparently sick child.
For many members this was an enjoyable read, and, although it clocked in at more than 400 pages, its format helped to maintain the pace and interest.
There was appreciation for the intricacy of a plot that kept readers guessing and was far from straightforward. Supporters were intrigued by just exactly what was playing out.
Hallett was also felt to have used humour well to draw you in to the world she created, and making you feel you had a stake in the outcome.
There was some discussion about how long it took for the murder to actually take place (around 250 pages). Some felt they were left waiting too long, while others appreciated the need to build the world and set the scene, feeling the delay added to the tension.
For some though, even if the book drew them in at first, their interest waned in the middle sections, and patience was tested. There was still some investment in the outcome, but it had lost its grip.
Some felt there were just too many characters. Although some were there as possible suspects, others felt a little unnecessary.
There was also a growing sense for some of how contrived The Appeal was with a framing device that grew unconvincing. A failure to explain why key details and significant chunks of correspondence were missing also ended up robbing the conclusion of power.
There was also discussion about the format. While some thought its reliance on emails and texts was both original and appealing, others felt it made it relentless and unfocused.
There was agreement that this was a book best read in physical form as those who sampled it on ebook or phone struggled more.
It was another book and another month though that generated a lively discussion.
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