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The Appeal: A Novel
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Air Mail, and more!
“[W]itty, original…a delight.” —The New York Times
Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this international bestseller and “dazzlingly clever” (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child—but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.
The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival.
But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.
A wholly modern and gripping take on the epistolary novel, The Appeal is a “daring…clever, and funny” (The Times, London) debut for fans of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley.
Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Air Mail, and more!
“[W]itty, original…a delight.” —The New York Times
Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this international bestseller and “dazzlingly clever” (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child—but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.
The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival.
But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.
A wholly modern and gripping take on the epistolary novel, The Appeal is a “daring…clever, and funny” (The Times, London) debut for fans of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley.
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Community Reviews
A murder mystery told in epistolary format. The title refers not only to appealing a wrongful conviction but also the underlying story refers to a child suffering from a brain tumor and fundraising for an experimental drug, referred to as an appeal.
Fascinating mystery where information is revealed slowly through text messages and emails. There are many characters and lots of twists. I loved the way this author wrote! I couldn't put it down.
Spoiler alert:
It ends up that the little girl was never ill. It was an elaborate scam by the grandparents to raise money to pay off their debts. Lots of people pretended to be others via email. Eventually Isabel confesses (but it's not really clear why- was she protecting James?) It was revealed that James was the killer.
Spoiler alert:
It ends up that the little girl was never ill. It was an elaborate scam by the grandparents to raise money to pay off their debts. Lots of people pretended to be others via email. Eventually Isabel confesses (but it's not really clear why- was she protecting James?) It was revealed that James was the killer.
I absolutely love this! The format is my favorite, getting to solve it alongside the detectives is a blast, and learning everything in ‘real time’ is such a ride. I would love to re-experience this book!
It seems wrong to label a murder mystery as "delightful," but I truly was delighted making my way through this book. The email correspondence format is so fresh and fast-paced that I tore through the first two-thirds of the book in one sitting. I did find the final third, where the narrative shifts more permanently to a different perspective, to be a bit slower however. The humor was abundant but never overplayed. I'd highly recommend this one for anyone with a vice for being nosy ;-)
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