Reviews with content warning for Toxic friendship - The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

Having been impressed by the intricate plotting and unique style seen in both The Appeal and The Twyford Code, I was keen to see how Janice Hallett developed her modern take on the epistolary format in her third novel, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.

As with Hallett’s previous books, Alperton Angels takes the form of letters, emails, diary entries, newspaper clippings, and records of WhatsApp conversations and recorded interviews. The premise is that you, the reader, have come into possession of a the key to a safety deposit box and these are its contents. The files belonged to a true crime author, Amanda Bailey, and contain her research into the case of the titular Alperton Angels: a cult-like group whose members apparently sacrificed themselves when they failed in their plot to kill a baby that they believed to be the anti-Christ.

Amanda has been tasked by her publisher with finding the now-eighteen-year-old Alperton baby, tracking down the surviving cult members – the baby’s parents, Holly and Jonah – and securing an interview with the group’s charismatic leader, Gabriel. Only problem is that Gabriel is in maximum security prison – and not inclined to provide interviews – whilst Holly, Jonah, and the baby all disappeared into the care system and haven’t been heard of since. Even more frustrating, Amanda’s former colleague, rival author Oliver Menzies, has been given exactly the same brief by a competing imprint and is on the trail of the Alperton baby too.

Saying any more about the plot would spoil the many surprises that The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels has in store: this is definitely one of those books that the less you know going in, the better! Needless to say, however, the case of the Alperton Angels is far from the usual story of vulnerable people and their ensnarement by a charismatic cult leader. Instead be prepared for a wild ride that takes in conspiracies, police corruption, systematic failures in social care, and a personal vendetta with dangerous and unexpected consequences. Despite guessing some of the twists and turns along the way, I did not see where the ending was going!

As with Hallett’s previous novels, it did take a little while for the story to fully emerge. There are a LOT of characters here as well as several interweaving and connected plot strands, so it takes a while to put all the pieces into play and establish the background to the events being discussed. But, as with her previous novels, Hallett does an excellent job of keeping control of the reins, reminding readers of important clues and information at key points, and bringing the whole thing to a deeply satisfying – if unsettling – conclusion.

The other downside of Hallett’s trademark mixed-media style is that it can take a little longer to connect with the characters but, given the limitations of the form, Hallett does an excellent job of distinguishing her characters and building up a clear ‘voice’ for each of them. Both Amanda and Oliver are deeply flawed as individuals but, for me, it made them all the more identifiable and empathetic and I came to enjoy the competitive rapport between them and developed as real sense of creeping dread as external forces start to interfere with their investigation – and their sanity.

Anyone who loved Hallett’s previous novels is sure to find The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels just as enthralling. And mystery fans who have yet to discover her work should definitely consider diving in here! Once the story is established, it rapidly turns into a clever page-turning mystery worthy of Agatha Christie at her finest.

NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre.... My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an e-copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Content Warnings

feebles640's review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

t_higgsreviews's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

5 Stars
CAWPILE = 9.14

Content Warnings

More...