The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels: the Bestselling Richard & Judy Book Club Pick

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And yet, who knows? Maybe, that was the true intention of this story all along - as it's so graciously pointed out at the end - 'a cautionary tale' so to speak to all those, who don't look beyond their own machinations that eventually lead to their downfall. So, while I was a bit miffed by that message, I still believe it was worth the read - I did enjoy it. 👍🏻 It was almost as if I was watching a movie - that's how entertaining it was and kept my attention and interest to find out the truth for myself. He adds, “Birdie will be a home where writers feel listened to, empowered and supported. We will make quality drama and comedy that audiences will fall in love with, and we also want to have fun doing it.” If you're still here, I'm not gonna say you made the wrong decision, but . . . just kidding. Maybe you need more info. The premise here is that an investigative journalist is writing a book about an infamous cult murder/suicide that took place about eighteen years before. The Alperton Angels, as the cult members were called, believed that a specific baby was the Antichrist and were getting ready to sacrifice said baby when a police raid interrupted them. All of the cult members killed themselves, and the baby was taken into custody. But now in present day, the baby is eighteen years old and available to interview, if it can be found. Our journalist MC, Amanda, is determined to find the baby and break open the Alperton Angels case in a new way, making a name for herself. You were inspired by true crime and Michelle McNamara’s book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. What is it that interests you about the genre and that book?

After ensnaring the teenagers and convincing them that the baby was destined to doom humanity, they planned to kill the infant at the appointed time – 10 December 2003 – when five planets were due to align in a rare astral occurrence. However, despite the cult’s best laid plans, the ritual sacrifice did not go ahead as arranged, as Holly had second thoughts about the whole thing, took the baby to safety and called the police. Janice Hallett says “I am beyond thrilled to be working with Phil Temple, Birdie Pictures and STUDIOCANAL to bring The Mysterious Case of The Alperton Angels to the screen. Phil’s expertise in, and enthusiasm for original storytelling will deliver this vivid and surprising tale to a wide TV audience. I am so proud to be a part of his new company’s first screen project.” True-crime author Amanda Bailey knows all about the notorious Alperton Angels cult. There have been dozens of books and films about the Angels, ever since the night nearly two decades ago, when they attempted to sacrifice a baby they believed to be the Antichrist. Inside is a bundle of documents, archived research material for a book that has just been published. But do we care enough about this baby? Readers presumably shouldn’t find themselves wistfully thinking, as I did once or twice: “But didn’t this all happen ages ago? Is it time to let it lie?” I think the problem is Amanda. In Hallett’s previous books, the detection of the crime – and the crimes themselves – had origins in characters we learned to care about. Here, the narrative engine is a woman whose psychotic single-mindedness is admittedly interesting, but who has no personal involvement. What’s her motivation? If she’s writing purely for gain, how much will she lose if she fails? What I most enjoyed were the passages of pastiche – especially the snatches of an airport novel called White Wings. And as ever, the author’s control of the material is masterly, the eventual solution quelling any misgivings or objections the reader may have had along the way.DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Maybe mixed media novels just aren’t really for me - I find the concept fun, but I do need to really connect with characters to love a book and this narrative style sometimes feels too distanced for me. I know that’s the point of them, especially when you’re trying to solve the puzzle, but it� Several books and screenplays had been based on the events. The missing baby is now approaching their 18th birthday. If Amanda can find the young person, it would be a coup, adding interest and publicity for her book. She also wants to interview Gabriel, now serving time in prison.

However, I just found the solution of the case too mundane in an odd way. A lot of coincidences had to pile up to make the story as bizarre as it was, so seeing it all unravelled felt almost underwhelming. Additionally, I didn't really find the solution very realistic in some places. I'm trying to avoid spoilers here - but in such a straightforward plan, why the angels, Gabriel? I wish we had gotten more clear answers there. Also, I didn't like Oliver throughout, but by the end he was really off the rails in the worst way. From Matt Wesolowski’s Six Stories to Only Murders in the Building, fictional true crime and epistolary storytelling have become pretty popular – it might even be a movement. Do you see it that way and why do you think readers are gravitating to this and indeed to true crime? I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a couple of times when I thought there might be one too many different types of material but they're all totally relevant. Of course you won't know that till the end, which I didn't see coming at all. Great twist. In fact there's several great twists. A whip-smart and “fast-paced mystery” ( The Daily Telegraph , London) fr om the internationally bestselling author of The Twyford Code and The Appeal about a true crime journalist who revives a long-buried case about a cult—and finds herself too close to the story.There’s something about this case. It burrows insidiously into your mind, then sets about changing it.”

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult-like group who were convinced one of their member's babies was the anti-Christ, and they had a divine mission to kill it - until the baby's mother, Holly, came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than go to prison, and Holly - and the baby - disappeared into the care system. I'm agog at the skill with which Hallett uses her unconventional storytelling method, not just in unfolding the plot and springing surprises, but in building up memorable characters. Character and plot, wit and creepiness, are all in perfect balance. It's another resounding success * Daily Express * On the surface, the central mystery of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is far from cosy: it concerns a sinister cult leader who has languished in jail since 2003 after persuading a teenage acolyte that her baby was the Antichrist and needed to be sacrificed. The plan was thwarted and the baby rescued, resulting in most of the cult members atoning for their failure in a group suicide. STUDIOCANAL has made a “significant” investment in new UK production house Birdie Pictures, as the company announces its first project. We have some exciting news. The English author Janice Hallett has a new novel on the way, and if you’ve read The Appeal or The Twyford Code, you’ll know just what a big deal this is. She’s an author who has caught the imagination of crime fiction lovers everywhere, writing cleverly layered mysteries that roll together elements of half-forgotten secrets, true crime, made-up urban myths and a peculiar sense of, well, Englishness that’s definitely amusing but is hard to actually describe.Michelle’s book is brilliantly written. She was an accomplished wordsmith and absolutely wrote from her heart in a way not all true crime authors do. But when you watch the documentary about her, you can see she becomes so engaged with trying to solve the case that she simply can’t write the book, yet she’s desperately trying to finish it in time for a deadline. I identified with that completely and I’m sure most writers do. The Alperton Angels were a cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Three members of this cult were found dead, whilst a fourth body was found in a nearby flat. It was believed that thegirl came to her senses, called the police and The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial. Meanwhile mother and baby disappeared into the care system. Long-buried truth meets long-awaited fiction with deadly consequences in The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, the third fiendishly complex novel by Janice Hallett. Having skewered the venerable pastimes of amateur dramatics and children’s literature in her previous books, this time round Hallett focuses her perceptive storytelling on the phenomenon of true crime, shining a light on the particularly unsavoury aspects of the hugely popular genre.