4.5 stars

I've just spent the last few hours catching up with The Fairway Players and if you loved The Appeal as much as I did then you're in for another treat with this!

The cast and crew are preparing for their annual panto - it's Jack and the Beanstalk this year, complete with ancient props and a few surprises along the way... It's all written in the same style as the first, with a combination of emails, texts and What's App chats that works so well. This was exactly the comforting cosy crime read I needed this afternoon 💚 The Christmas Appeal is out next month and you're going to see it EVERYWHERE!!

I loved The Appeal, so I was looking forward to reading The Christmas Appeal.

A few things to know before going into it: If you haven't read The Appeal I don't think you'll enjoy this. In my opinion, it's for people who are already fans. While I once again liked the epistolary style, and thought it was nice being re-united with the quirky cast of characters, I have to admit I was let down. I went into it thinking it was going to be a full length novel, but at around 200 pages, it's actually more of a novella. The mystery, if it can even really be called that, doesn't come into play until much later in the book. I will confess that had I known this before hand I might not have been so eager to read it. Overall, The Christmas Appeal was a quick and somewhat fun read, but not really the great mystery I was hoping for.

This is the first book I have read by Janice Hallett, and it was a total delight!
I liked the way the story was spun out over many email and whatsapp messages. The characters were all brought to life through these messages, and the mystery solved at the end.
I will be purchasing the first book in this series, and look forward to meeting the Fairway Players again.
Highly recommended.

It's been five years since a death in the village of Lower Lockwood made the national news and things have moved on. Unfortunately, as 2023 rushes from pumpkins to fireworks, and on towards Christmas trees, gifts, and panto season, Femi and Charlotte find themselves once again looking into its recent history. The recently retired Roderick Tanner KC has once again furnished the two lawyers with emails, WhatsApp messages, and texts, and awaits their comments and deductions.

The 2022 pantomime season in Lower Lockwood lasts a whole day! Of course the new Fairway Players joint chairs, Sarah Jane and Kevin MacDonald have been enthusiastically holding auditions, rehearsals, and prop making sessions for months in readiness for the one performance of Jack and the Beanstalk in all its glory! There have been a few hitches along the way but it will all be alright on the night because, as everyone knows, lightening doesn't strike twice!

Having loved the Appeal and this author's other standalone books I was a little apprehensive but also excited to read about the small village and its foibles once again. There were a few things I wished had been continued but the overall reading experience was as pleasant, welcoming, and funny, as I'd hoped. There are some spoilers so I would recommend reading the two books in order, neither disappoint.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Viper Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. Although shorter than the original this is a perfect length for a relaxing read at a busy time of year. Recommended.

This was as amazing as "The Appeal", I love this kind of misteries. You read emails, and messages, between all the characters, without knowing what is going on until the end. It was also funny, I enjoyed it a lot.
I'm going to keep reading Janice Hallett books for sure.
Thanks to Netgalley for the amazing book!

My thanks to Netgalley and the wonderful Rachel Quin for the ARC of The Christmas Appeal.
I'll admit, I loathe people who draw the winter upon us too soon, and with it the fakery and commercialism of Christmas, but in this case all is forgiven. Hallett pulls it out of the bag yet again, with a return to the poisonous members of The Fairway Players, and their ill-starred - but hilarious - version of a Christmas panto.
Told in her usual epistolary style - which I think is a large part of her appeal, as we all secretly like to indulge our voyeuristic side - the Players are up to their normal village politics and neighbourly back-stabbing... And, as usual, a potential murder adds to the fun.
I did find the somewhat superficial treatment of ancillary characters such as Roderick Tanner a tad irritating, but this is a minor quibble. This story is less complicated and far funnier than the prequel, and - for new fans and old - sure to be a hit in the Christmas stocking. I'm already looking forward to reading it again in-season.

After reading my first Janice Hallett novel last year, I was super pleased to be able to read The Christmas Appeal, as it gave me an excuse to start with her debut, The Appeal, beforehand. Having said that, it is not strictly necessary to read them in order, but I think knowing the previous book helps to understand the dynamics between the characters better, as well as some references to the previous events. In The Christmas Appeal the Fairway Players find themselves again in a spot of bother as the panto they are putting on struggles with casting. organisation, and a clear power conflict within the group. We are once again left with the series of emails and text messages to immerse ourselves into the events leading to the big reveal of a crime. Maybe the humour is not to everyone’s liking but I have found myself howling with laughter at their exchanges between the individuals involved. Janice Hallett writes petty people SO WELL. “Bloody Sarah Jane” , soldiering on despite numerous setbacks was one of my favourite characters and her texts to her husband, in which she vents all the frustrations that she hides from the others trying to stay calm and professional, were pure gold. And weren’t he Hallidays absolutely hilarious? Oh yes they were! The new additions to the cast were also a nice bonus, and the play itself was one to remember for sure. The book didn’t have the most mind-blowing plot, but it was enjoyable and full on, just like a panto, really. Nonetheless I really liked this little Christmas gem, which will definitely delight staunch fans.

I enjoyed returning to Lockwood and seeing what the Fairway Players are getting up to for Christmas.

There were plenty of familiar faces alongside some new ones, but the same old attitudes and squabbles are still there.

I didn't see that ending coming.

Written in the same format as the original Appeal, this festive version is just as well written and tightly plotted. It is also absolutely hilarious! An define ‘must read’ for Christmas this year.

Laugh out loud funny.

Exceptionally clever and brilliantly written.
The only downside was I kept interrupting my sister so I could read her extracts!

Simply brilliant

A good book, I adored the original ‘The appeal’, which remains my favourite Hallett’s book in terms of storytelling methods. I was excited to see, the return of the characters. However, they felt whilst the book may not be as in-depth as the original, it was great to be back with some of the characters and whilst at moments I did chuckle. Yet, Something felt off, I think some elements were added with no conclusions. I will still recommend to people, and it was well written. 3.5 up to 4

I absolutely LOVED The Appeal by Janice Hallett, and this Christmas novella was such a fun edition to the world. It was so cool seeing all the characters again and the new drama that surrounds their play group. Definitely recommend, and I absolutely want to reread this again come Christmas! Also, I love that Janice Hallett kept the format from the original novel!

A return visit to the Fairford Players from the authors first book The Appeal. Amateur dramatics continues to be a hot bed of one upmanship, manipulation and scheming in this festive novella.
A fast paced read that uses a mix of email, texts and WhatsApp messages to tell the story this is a fun read!

Always happy to read a Janice Hallett book and this is no exception! A short, fun, festive addition to The Appeal, based around a Christmas pantomime and with many of the same characters from that book. Read it in no time and might revisit towards Christmas!

Massive thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Loved the bringing back of the Fairway Players and another play gone wrong! I was completely in the dark and had no idea what was going to happen in this - as I was throughout the Appeal as well. I was laughing out loud at parts. A funny, fabulous festive read!

The only thing that could get me more excited than a new Janice Hallett book is a new Janice Hallett book that is also festive!

The Christmas Appeal finds us back in the world of the Fairway Players, as lawyers Femi and Charlotte are once again tasked with going through the documents relating to a murder in the Players’ dramatic milieu.

I thoroughly enjoyed being back with these characters again, and the novella length makes it ideal for curling up with on a winter’s afternoon to read in one sitting. And that cover!

All in all the perfect festive murder mystery to give as a gift this Christmas (or to keep for yourself).

If you loved The Appeal, you'll relly love The Christmas Appeal. The gang are all back and in a rollercoaster of a story about life in the local am-dram society.

I absolutely devoured it and stayed up way passed bedtime to finish it.

Janice Hallet has knocked it out of the park again.

Highly recommend

I mean, is there a more coveted book out this winter time?

It is fascinating how easy this format becomes to read. When I first read The Appeal, it took a little while to figure out, especially as it was a digital ARC so the formatting wasn't 100% as it would be in the book. And then The Twyford Code, which became a little easier. And then the Alperton Angels, which became second nature. And now with this, which is again written in email and message form. And I instantly got to grips with it. It's such a unique form of writing, one I'd never thought of before, but now I can't think that any of these books could be written in any other way. It's a stroke of genius.

I was also a bit worried that, because The Appeal came out a couple of years ago, and I've read a lot of books since then, that I wouldn't remember the characters or the context anymore, but you just immediately get absorbed into it. I can't explain how, but it's like you know these people personally and like you've never been away from them.

Janice wonderfully sets the scene, with over half the book gone before the dead body appears. This might have felt drawn out, a bit slow, but it's expertly done. It gives us the context and we really get invested so that when THE THING happens, we're fully in it and desperate to see what happens next.

We find most of the old cast - the loved, the liked, and the disliked - but there are also some new additions which help freshen it up. There are a lot of characters but none seem to overbear the others (unless that is their character's trait). Enough time is given to each, even in a book this short, and I have really grown to love them.

It is a short book at just over 200 pages, and only took me a couple of hours to get through. It's the ideal read for a cosy winter evening (even if I did read it when it was 28 degrees outside)! She manages so much in such a short time but it never feels lacking in any way.

I generally don't like long books as I never feel they warrant being that long and therefore feel too much effort to read. But I would have gladly read more of this, even double the length, because it is so easy to read and just thrilling.

I have no doubt that Janice will continue with this winning streak of books. She's one of the most unique, original and fantastic writers around, and a new release is always cause for celebration, and so far, I haven't met a Janice Hallett book I didn't immediately love. And I do believe there is a new book due out in September 2024, and I'm already ticking off the days.

Janice Hallett is an author to look out for, her books are without exception a joy to read. Fun and unusual, it’s rare to come across writing that keeps you engaged throughout.

Whilst this book includes characters from her original book The Appeal, there is no need to have read this first, although I suspect if you haven’t you will be off to buy it straightaway!

I really enjoyed this book which I whizzed through far too quickly, I was disappointed when it ended! I loved The Appeal but you don’t strictly need to read it first, although there is somewhat of a spoiler and I think you get more out of it if you know some of the characters. Janice Hallett excels at delivering such distinct voices through text messages and emails that you know who you are reading immediately and means you can become completely immersed. Definitely a good festive read or ideal Christmas present.