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The Examiner
11 hours
Told in emails, text messages, and essays, this innovative pause-resister follows a group of students in an art master’s program that goes dangerously awry, from the internationally bestselling “new queen of crime” (Electric Literature) Janice Hallett.
Gela Nathaniel, head of Royal Hastings University’s new Multimedia Art course, must find six students from all walks of life across the United Kingdom for her new master’s program before the university cuts her funding. The students are nothing but trouble from day one.
There’s Jem, a talented sculptor recently graduated from her university program and eager to make her mark as an artist at any cost. Jonathan, who has little experience in art practice aside from running his family’s gallery. Patrick runs an art supply store, but can barely operate his phone, much less design software. Ludya is a single mother and graphic designer more interested in a paycheck than homework. Cameron is a marketing executive in search of a hobby or a career change. And Alyson, already a successful artist, seems to be overqualified. Finally, there is the examiner, the man hired to grade students’ final works—an art installation for a local cloud-based solutions company that may have an ulterior agenda—and who, in sifting through final essays, texts, and message boards, warns that someone is in danger…or already dead. And nothing about this course has been left up to chance.
With her trademark “unique and exhilarating” (Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot) voice, Janice Hallett weaves a fresh and mind-bending mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Told in emails, text messages, and essays, this innovative pause-resister follows a group of students in an art master’s program that goes dangerously awry, from the internationally bestselling “new queen of crime” (Electric Literature) Janice Hallett.
Gela Nathaniel, head of Royal Hastings University’s new Multimedia Art course, must find six students from all walks of life across the United Kingdom for her new master’s program before the university cuts her funding. The students are nothing but trouble from day one.
There’s Jem, a talented sculptor recently graduated from her university program and eager to make her mark as an artist at any cost. Jonathan, who has little experience in art practice aside from running his family’s gallery. Patrick runs an art supply store, but can barely operate his phone, much less design software. Ludya is a single mother and graphic designer more interested in a paycheck than homework. Cameron is a marketing executive in search of a hobby or a career change. And Alyson, already a successful artist, seems to be overqualified. Finally, there is the examiner, the man hired to grade students’ final works—an art installation for a local cloud-based solutions company that may have an ulterior agenda—and who, in sifting through final essays, texts, and message boards, warns that someone is in danger…or already dead. And nothing about this course has been left up to chance.
With her trademark “unique and exhilarating” (Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot) voice, Janice Hallett weaves a fresh and mind-bending mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
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First published August 29, 2024
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About the author
Janice Hallett
13 books2,615 followersJanice Hallett is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist, and government communications writer. She wrote articles and speeches for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office, and Department for International Development. Her enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the world several times, from Madagascar to the Galapagos, Guatemala to Zimbabwe, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. A playwright and screenwriter, she penned the feminist Shakespearean stage comedy NetherBard and cowrote the feature film Retreat. The Appeal is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,115 reviews
October 22, 2024
Every time I read something by Janice Hallett, my mind is 100% blown. The Examiner was certainly no different and just might be my favorite out of all of her novels so far. With a mixed media format that had me excitedly slapping my armchair sleuth cap onto my head, the finely layered plot and jaw-dropping twists managed to spin a tale that had me flying through the 450+ pages. Easily my most loved piece to this satirical story, I delighted in sifting through the clues until all was revealed in the downright shocking conclusion.
The characters easily kept up with the glorious plot no ifs, ands, or buts. Well-developed and completely authentic, they were also all entirely unlikeable in the best possible way. So much so, in fact, that I was overjoyed as my sense of schadenfreude was thoroughly roused when the group dynamic began to implode. After all, it was the relatively small cast of vivid personas with clear cut identities that allowed the deepening mystery to succeed as well as it did. Thanks to them, I wholeheartedly bought into their journey as the darkness crept in.
All said and done, it is beyond me how Hallett manages to craft such realistic scenes from mere emails, messages, essays, and chat forums. An immersive experience, the mix of mystery and speculative fiction was everything I wanted and more in all of its unpredictable glory. That being said, I did guess one tiny piece while also completely missing the overarching whos, whats, and whys. Nevertheless, the dark academia vibe, original premise, unending misdirection, and brilliant dark twists meant that this puzzle of a plot was an utter home run. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
University professor Gela Nathaniel must make her new master’s program in multimedia art succeed. If it doesn’t, then Royal Hastings University will cut her funding and she’ll be out of the job she loves. The six students in this inaugural course will be key to that success…but how well has she selected the team?
The students include a talented young sculptor who is determined to graduate with top grades, a former gallery owner with limited artistic skills, a single mother more interested in a paycheck than homework, a people pleaser who struggles with technology, a marketing executive suffering from burnout, and a successful artist who seems rather overqualified for the program.
At the end of the academic year, when the examiner arrives to grade the students’ final project, he finds himself asking what happened. Because if someone in that course isn’t in mortal danger, then they are already dead. But who, and why?
He wants us to read through the students’ coursework, texts, message boards, and final essays to see if we can find the answers. Only one thing is certain: nothing about this course has been left to chance, and each of these students has their own very different agenda.
Thank you to Janice Hallett and Atria Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 10, 2024
Trigger warning: nothing of significance
The characters easily kept up with the glorious plot no ifs, ands, or buts. Well-developed and completely authentic, they were also all entirely unlikeable in the best possible way. So much so, in fact, that I was overjoyed as my sense of schadenfreude was thoroughly roused when the group dynamic began to implode. After all, it was the relatively small cast of vivid personas with clear cut identities that allowed the deepening mystery to succeed as well as it did. Thanks to them, I wholeheartedly bought into their journey as the darkness crept in.
All said and done, it is beyond me how Hallett manages to craft such realistic scenes from mere emails, messages, essays, and chat forums. An immersive experience, the mix of mystery and speculative fiction was everything I wanted and more in all of its unpredictable glory. That being said, I did guess one tiny piece while also completely missing the overarching whos, whats, and whys. Nevertheless, the dark academia vibe, original premise, unending misdirection, and brilliant dark twists meant that this puzzle of a plot was an utter home run. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
University professor Gela Nathaniel must make her new master’s program in multimedia art succeed. If it doesn’t, then Royal Hastings University will cut her funding and she’ll be out of the job she loves. The six students in this inaugural course will be key to that success…but how well has she selected the team?
The students include a talented young sculptor who is determined to graduate with top grades, a former gallery owner with limited artistic skills, a single mother more interested in a paycheck than homework, a people pleaser who struggles with technology, a marketing executive suffering from burnout, and a successful artist who seems rather overqualified for the program.
At the end of the academic year, when the examiner arrives to grade the students’ final project, he finds himself asking what happened. Because if someone in that course isn’t in mortal danger, then they are already dead. But who, and why?
He wants us to read through the students’ coursework, texts, message boards, and final essays to see if we can find the answers. Only one thing is certain: nothing about this course has been left to chance, and each of these students has their own very different agenda.
Thank you to Janice Hallett and Atria Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 10, 2024
Trigger warning: nothing of significance
August 23, 2024
Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars so I'll round up - Janice Hallett continues to deliver the multi-media, puzzle box mysteries I've come to love from her. This is page turning, fun, and definitely has plenty of reveals that do not feel like cheats. I flew through this and couldn't wait to see what happened next!
I will say my 2 cons are 1) that I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity to incorporate more kinds of multi=media elements given it's an art class that we're following (maybe even having soundscapes included somehow? hopefully they do that for the audio book at least), and 2) that the last 30% or so goes kind of off the rails in a way that was not wholly successful for my tastes. It left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. That said... I cannot help but admire any author who chooses to Go For It rather than play it safe, and the chutzpah of the choices were still very fun to read.
All in all - a very entertaining read with a shaky ending. Can't believe I have to wait a year for another one from this author!
I will say my 2 cons are 1) that I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity to incorporate more kinds of multi=media elements given it's an art class that we're following (maybe even having soundscapes included somehow? hopefully they do that for the audio book at least), and 2) that the last 30% or so goes kind of off the rails in a way that was not wholly successful for my tastes. It left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. That said... I cannot help but admire any author who chooses to Go For It rather than play it safe, and the chutzpah of the choices were still very fun to read.
All in all - a very entertaining read with a shaky ending. Can't believe I have to wait a year for another one from this author!
May 23, 2024
So, I have had some time to let this settle and I have very mixed feelings here. I love Janice Hallett’s storytelling, and this was another addictive read comprising a series of messages, journal entries, emails and reports. But...
The idea is that three examiners are assessing the coursework and other documents from a ‘Multimedia Art’ master’s degree. One of them believes ‘something disturbing’ happened on the course and was covered up by the students, so they ask the others to read all the documents (i.e. the text of this book) and make up their own minds. This on its own is convoluted enough – just the degree, a combination of art-making and marketing skills, is convoluted enough – before we even get into the plethora of links between the characters, dramatic backstories, and bizarre solutions to problems. And the plot hinges on not one but two incredibly stupid MacGuffins that make very little sense. I mean, I know all Hallett’s books have silly elements, I’m not expecting Crime and Punishment here, but this really does take it a bit far.
I wish I hadn’t read this so early now – I’d love to get some different perspectives on the story. And thinking about this makes me wonder if what I’m really looking for is someone to convince me it’s better than I suspect it actually is. I had fun, but I’d like to feel the story is at least a little more plausible than this (The Appeal, for example, works so well partly because its English village eccentrics and ‘big fish in a small pond’ types are instantly recognisable and true to life; not so the broad caricatures that make up the students in this book). I love Hallett’s approach in general, and I’ll definitely still be reading whatever she writes next. For me, this was probably better than The Twyford Code but didn’t reach the heights of The Appeal or Alperton Angels.
I received an advance review copy of The Examiner from the publisher through Edelweiss.
The idea is that three examiners are assessing the coursework and other documents from a ‘Multimedia Art’ master’s degree. One of them believes ‘something disturbing’ happened on the course and was covered up by the students, so they ask the others to read all the documents (i.e. the text of this book) and make up their own minds. This on its own is convoluted enough – just the degree, a combination of art-making and marketing skills, is convoluted enough – before we even get into the plethora of links between the characters, dramatic backstories, and bizarre solutions to problems. And the plot hinges on not one but two incredibly stupid MacGuffins that make very little sense. I mean, I know all Hallett’s books have silly elements, I’m not expecting Crime and Punishment here, but this really does take it a bit far.
I wish I hadn’t read this so early now – I’d love to get some different perspectives on the story. And thinking about this makes me wonder if what I’m really looking for is someone to convince me it’s better than I suspect it actually is. I had fun, but I’d like to feel the story is at least a little more plausible than this (The Appeal, for example, works so well partly because its English village eccentrics and ‘big fish in a small pond’ types are instantly recognisable and true to life; not so the broad caricatures that make up the students in this book). I love Hallett’s approach in general, and I’ll definitely still be reading whatever she writes next. For me, this was probably better than The Twyford Code but didn’t reach the heights of The Appeal or Alperton Angels.
I received an advance review copy of The Examiner from the publisher through Edelweiss.
September 25, 2024
This went absolutely off the rails bonkers at the end and not really in a fun way.
September 22, 2024
3.5 Stars. When I discovered Janice Hallett's latest book, I was immediately drawn in. Her innovative narrative style, a modern twist on the epistolary format, is a unique and intriguing approach. The use of transcripts from emails, text messages, chat group conversations, essays, and personal journals presents a series of puzzles, inviting the reader to step into the role of a detective and unravel the twists and surprising reveals.
'The Examiner' is a clever, highly entertaining, multi-layered, and complicated journey. It demands attention and concentration, but the effort is rewarding. The characters, while not particularly likeable, are complex and well-defined, adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. The shifting timelines provide further information or more misdirection, keeping the reader engaged. The story, while increasingly convoluted, remains a fun and entertaining read.
Gela is the head of a university multi-media Arts course. She plans to establish a new master's program and must follow guidelines, or her funding will be cut. She must recruit six diverse people and enrol them as students.
The youngest, Jem (age 21), considers herself very talented as a sculptor and in sound. She feels entitled to achieve the highest distinction in the course. She is irritating, spies on her fellow classmates, and will report them for any infraction, real or imagined, to Gela or higher authorities. Vital information about her is not disclosed until late in the story.
Patrick (age 58) runs an art supply store. He has difficulty with simple technical devices and must learn to design software.
Jonathan helps to run a family galley. He needs to gain experience in producing art.
Cameron, an exhausted businessman, frequently misses class projects, and Gela compensates for his lack of attendance. He considers art a hobby to relieve stress from the workplace.
Ludya is a single mother and preoccupied with her two children at home. She feels guilty and hopes the degree will result in a higher salary.
Alysen is already a successful artist and seems overqualified for the class. She is Gela's favourite, frequently absent from the workplace, and said to work on an independent project elsewhere. People claim to have seen her around the building when not in attendance. We learn of her unbelievable, horrific childhood.
Please forget about the initial student summaries. The story features false backgrounds, qualifications, identities, secret agendas, and motivations. There is considerable conflict among the six students. There is cheating, the payment by one student to another to do a project for them, a suspected affair where one student is married, lies, tattletales, supplies being stolen., and an art project destroyed by a classmate. They need to branch out into different art forms and learn from other students proficient in the field; things do not go smoothly due to a general lack of cooperation. They are assigned essays on their insights into the program and how they have improved.
An outside, independent Examiner reviews the documents and evaluates the program's success and assigns the student's final grades. He becomes alarmed, believing a student is in danger or may already be dead.
Their final project is a group effort. They must work together to construct an art installation for a business that has developed a cloud-based payment system and present it to a telecom corporation. As part of the project, some team members travel to a site where they will be provided with discarded material to display in the project. The Examiner feels that something went horribly wrong during this excursion. We know that a device resembling an antique radio was stolen. Was a student killed at this time, and their future absence covered up? Speculation is raised about industrial espionage and environmental activism. Wild issues like weapons to destroy life on earth and communication with the dead are discussed. Do we learn if anyone was killed and the reason? Will Gela obtain approval and funding for her new course? Will the students receive passing grades?
If you still need to be introduced to Janice Hallett's innovative thrillers, I urge you to try them. She has another book in progress, and I look forward to reading it.
'The Examiner' is a clever, highly entertaining, multi-layered, and complicated journey. It demands attention and concentration, but the effort is rewarding. The characters, while not particularly likeable, are complex and well-defined, adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. The shifting timelines provide further information or more misdirection, keeping the reader engaged. The story, while increasingly convoluted, remains a fun and entertaining read.
Gela is the head of a university multi-media Arts course. She plans to establish a new master's program and must follow guidelines, or her funding will be cut. She must recruit six diverse people and enrol them as students.
The youngest, Jem (age 21), considers herself very talented as a sculptor and in sound. She feels entitled to achieve the highest distinction in the course. She is irritating, spies on her fellow classmates, and will report them for any infraction, real or imagined, to Gela or higher authorities. Vital information about her is not disclosed until late in the story.
Patrick (age 58) runs an art supply store. He has difficulty with simple technical devices and must learn to design software.
Jonathan helps to run a family galley. He needs to gain experience in producing art.
Cameron, an exhausted businessman, frequently misses class projects, and Gela compensates for his lack of attendance. He considers art a hobby to relieve stress from the workplace.
Ludya is a single mother and preoccupied with her two children at home. She feels guilty and hopes the degree will result in a higher salary.
Alysen is already a successful artist and seems overqualified for the class. She is Gela's favourite, frequently absent from the workplace, and said to work on an independent project elsewhere. People claim to have seen her around the building when not in attendance. We learn of her unbelievable, horrific childhood.
Please forget about the initial student summaries. The story features false backgrounds, qualifications, identities, secret agendas, and motivations. There is considerable conflict among the six students. There is cheating, the payment by one student to another to do a project for them, a suspected affair where one student is married, lies, tattletales, supplies being stolen., and an art project destroyed by a classmate. They need to branch out into different art forms and learn from other students proficient in the field; things do not go smoothly due to a general lack of cooperation. They are assigned essays on their insights into the program and how they have improved.
An outside, independent Examiner reviews the documents and evaluates the program's success and assigns the student's final grades. He becomes alarmed, believing a student is in danger or may already be dead.
Their final project is a group effort. They must work together to construct an art installation for a business that has developed a cloud-based payment system and present it to a telecom corporation. As part of the project, some team members travel to a site where they will be provided with discarded material to display in the project. The Examiner feels that something went horribly wrong during this excursion. We know that a device resembling an antique radio was stolen. Was a student killed at this time, and their future absence covered up? Speculation is raised about industrial espionage and environmental activism. Wild issues like weapons to destroy life on earth and communication with the dead are discussed. Do we learn if anyone was killed and the reason? Will Gela obtain approval and funding for her new course? Will the students receive passing grades?
If you still need to be introduced to Janice Hallett's innovative thrillers, I urge you to try them. She has another book in progress, and I look forward to reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2024
This may end up being a bit of an Outlier Island review - I certainly hope so - but I gradually lost both patience with and interest in this drawn-out tale that - like an unsuccessful art show - failed to inspire my engagement or investment.
Now, I normally love this author, who is on auto-buy status with me. I thought The Appeal was incredibly clever and delightful; I enjoyed The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels; and The Twyford Code is one of my favorite recent books: I think it’s so very original, way more profound than it immediately appears on the surface, and I had a weirdly emotional reaction to it. So, given my interest in art world and academia settings: well, I snapped up this new book immediately upon its release!
Unfortunately, and against all odds, I never really connected to it - never really fully grasped it, quite honestly - and found it overly long, all over the place and hard to follow, with unappealing characters (and not in a good way). It didn’t seem like the pieces added up to the reveal, and the big, late-breaking twists were sort of out of nowhere. Without giving too much away, it also turns out to be about something very different than what it seems like going in: the art world aspect is rather incidental, and sort of mere set-up. There is also a certain level of subtle humor in her books (and not-so-subtle in The Appeal) that I find, well, appealing, and that seemed to be lacking here. For all these reasons, it took me for-effing-ever to read, whereas I normally power through this author’s novels in an all-nighter session.
It really seems like this book should be able to work in a manner similar to Alperton Angels - the concept looks good on paper! - but it didn’t work for me. The overall impression of this book relative to the preceding novels was that it read like a promising earlier draft that could still use some tightening and tweaking. I also think this may have been better if it stuck to a framework or model more similar to The Appeal: a portrait of eccentric, striving personalities with self-promoting motives all clashing within a small, dysfunctional, community bubble. This book starts out like that, but then went way off the rails for me in a way that became difficult to track or care about. I will not give up on the author, though, and will plan to retain her on auto-buy status!
Now, I normally love this author, who is on auto-buy status with me. I thought The Appeal was incredibly clever and delightful; I enjoyed The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels; and The Twyford Code is one of my favorite recent books: I think it’s so very original, way more profound than it immediately appears on the surface, and I had a weirdly emotional reaction to it. So, given my interest in art world and academia settings: well, I snapped up this new book immediately upon its release!
Unfortunately, and against all odds, I never really connected to it - never really fully grasped it, quite honestly - and found it overly long, all over the place and hard to follow, with unappealing characters (and not in a good way). It didn’t seem like the pieces added up to the reveal, and the big, late-breaking twists were sort of out of nowhere. Without giving too much away, it also turns out to be about something very different than what it seems like going in: the art world aspect is rather incidental, and sort of mere set-up. There is also a certain level of subtle humor in her books (and not-so-subtle in The Appeal) that I find, well, appealing, and that seemed to be lacking here. For all these reasons, it took me for-effing-ever to read, whereas I normally power through this author’s novels in an all-nighter session.
It really seems like this book should be able to work in a manner similar to Alperton Angels - the concept looks good on paper! - but it didn’t work for me. The overall impression of this book relative to the preceding novels was that it read like a promising earlier draft that could still use some tightening and tweaking. I also think this may have been better if it stuck to a framework or model more similar to The Appeal: a portrait of eccentric, striving personalities with self-promoting motives all clashing within a small, dysfunctional, community bubble. This book starts out like that, but then went way off the rails for me in a way that became difficult to track or care about. I will not give up on the author, though, and will plan to retain her on auto-buy status!
January 3, 2026
Wow—this book was so good at building suspense and then completely flipping the script just when I thought I had things figured out! It’s a fun, twisty mystery that made me feel like I was playing detective right alongside the characters, watching everything slowly unravel in ways I didn’t see coming. I was totally engaged and had a hard time putting this one down.
I really enjoyed the mixed media/epistolary style—it added an extra layer of intrigue and kept the pacing sharp. I also loved how unreliable every narrator is; allegiances constantly shift, and no one feels entirely trustworthy, which kept me guessing the whole time.
Some parts of the story were a little convoluted, but honestly? I was here for it. The chaos worked, the twists landed, and I had a great time with this one!
I really enjoyed the mixed media/epistolary style—it added an extra layer of intrigue and kept the pacing sharp. I also loved how unreliable every narrator is; allegiances constantly shift, and no one feels entirely trustworthy, which kept me guessing the whole time.
Some parts of the story were a little convoluted, but honestly? I was here for it. The chaos worked, the twists landed, and I had a great time with this one!
June 20, 2025
When I begin a new Janice Hallett novel, I can’t help but get excited to see how she will play with my mind…she gets me GOOD every time!
Janice doesn’t write mysteries…she writes puzzles! 🧩 …and this one was no exception - an entertaining and highly engaging story from start to finish.
I have read all of Janice’s books to date, and despite being very unique, they all follow a similar theme. The commitment, and concentration to the narrative always pays off in the end. Furthermore, I can officially say that this one is in my top two favourites of her books 📚
On the surface, this book is about six students, in a Master of Arts program, who have nothing in common except their clashing personalities and personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?
The answer is: MURDER🩸
There are many intricate pieces to this puzzle…all seemingly unrelated, only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth…until the end when a masterpiece is revealed 🙌🏼 The last 100 pages is where it always seems to really heat up and pick up the pace…and BAM 💥 before you can take your eyes off the book, it’s over!
I LOVE Janice’s style of writing….I know it isn’t for everyone, but I think she makes it work so well. This story was written in emails, text messages, and essays, most of which are related to their university course. There are many red herrings and unreliable narrators, but that is half the fun. And, that is exactly what Janice’s books are: FUN 🤩 I always enjoy myself reading her novels.
A unique and highly captivating read that I would happily recommend!
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Janice doesn’t write mysteries…she writes puzzles! 🧩 …and this one was no exception - an entertaining and highly engaging story from start to finish.
I have read all of Janice’s books to date, and despite being very unique, they all follow a similar theme. The commitment, and concentration to the narrative always pays off in the end. Furthermore, I can officially say that this one is in my top two favourites of her books 📚
On the surface, this book is about six students, in a Master of Arts program, who have nothing in common except their clashing personalities and personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?
The answer is: MURDER🩸
There are many intricate pieces to this puzzle…all seemingly unrelated, only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth…until the end when a masterpiece is revealed 🙌🏼 The last 100 pages is where it always seems to really heat up and pick up the pace…and BAM 💥 before you can take your eyes off the book, it’s over!
I LOVE Janice’s style of writing….I know it isn’t for everyone, but I think she makes it work so well. This story was written in emails, text messages, and essays, most of which are related to their university course. There are many red herrings and unreliable narrators, but that is half the fun. And, that is exactly what Janice’s books are: FUN 🤩 I always enjoy myself reading her novels.
A unique and highly captivating read that I would happily recommend!
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
April 22, 2025
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/3WhhKULP4yM
sadly not janice's best for me :( I just never felt super invested in the mystery and didn't feel like the twists really twisted haha - i felt like I was all stuff we'd already figured out! choosing to erase this from the janice hallet discography in my mind as i love her other stuff
sadly not janice's best for me :( I just never felt super invested in the mystery and didn't feel like the twists really twisted haha - i felt like I was all stuff we'd already figured out! choosing to erase this from the janice hallet discography in my mind as i love her other stuff
December 3, 2024
This was riveting and unpredictable, as expected! Janice Hallett became my favorite mystery author after The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, and nothing will top that book for me. That was the perfect mystery-thriller, with an insidious atmosphere and sinister developments. This one is the perfect inquisitive mystery, and is voyeuristic schadenfreude in a neat little package. Not to say that insidious or sinister things won't make an appearance. I don't want to say anything about the characters or the plot so I don't give anything away, I just know that this book has some of the best reveals I've read, is unputdownable, and fun to read.
An absolute triumph of a book. Thanks to Janice Hallett for writing true 21st century mystery in her masterful and unconventional way - truly this generation's Agatha Christie.
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
An absolute triumph of a book. Thanks to Janice Hallett for writing true 21st century mystery in her masterful and unconventional way - truly this generation's Agatha Christie.
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 20, 2024
I love the writing style of Janice Hallett. She has changed the epistolary genre and brought it to a exciting, modern format which works wonders for this story. I won't go into details, as you have to go in blind to fully appreciate this story. However, I can say that it starts with the chats of a very divers group of art students who have enrolled in a new MA. The ambition is to bridge the world of arts and creativity with that of corporate image.
And if I have one criticism, it is that the first quarter of the book reads like the internal notes of a project team - which it is of course - but for me personally it was too close to home. It made me feel like I was involved in yet another project at work in which I needed to be invested, which is also a compliment for the author for succeeding in making me feel this way.
But don't be fooled, because the story takes a few very sharp turns and becomes something else completely! People are everything but who they say they are, and almost everyone is fooled - including the reader.
I will never tire of Mrs. Hallett writing, and I will happily devour every book she writes. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the next one.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
And if I have one criticism, it is that the first quarter of the book reads like the internal notes of a project team - which it is of course - but for me personally it was too close to home. It made me feel like I was involved in yet another project at work in which I needed to be invested, which is also a compliment for the author for succeeding in making me feel this way.
But don't be fooled, because the story takes a few very sharp turns and becomes something else completely! People are everything but who they say they are, and almost everyone is fooled - including the reader.
I will never tire of Mrs. Hallett writing, and I will happily devour every book she writes. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the next one.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
September 17, 2024
3.5⭐
Not my favorite by the author, but I did enjoy the twists. A tad convoluted and long drawn out, but overall, an enjoyable read!
RTC
Not my favorite by the author, but I did enjoy the twists. A tad convoluted and long drawn out, but overall, an enjoyable read!
RTC
May 12, 2024
Look, I would say I am a superfan of Janice Hallett's. I will read anything she writes. I love playing detective alongside her characters. So it really, really pains me to give this a 2 star review, but this was a miss for me.
I was sooo excited about the premise of this novel: a chaotic art graduate course set at a school in London culminating in a murder, but you spend the book trying to figure out - who is dead (if anyone actually is)? How? Why? Anyone who knows me knows that I love a campus novel, so I was pumped for this. However, it fell short of my expectations.
My main gripe is the overly detailed focus on art. While I appreciate depth, the meticulous descriptions of multimedia art projects overshadowed the core mystery. This imbalance made the pacing sluggish. Hallett’s previous works masterfully balanced detail with action, but "The Examiner" spends too much time in the minutae and not enough on the unraveling of the mystery.
Another disappointment, while avoiding spoilers, is that this is the first of Hallett's novels where I felt like the readers couldn't play along. That's the fun of Hallett's work for me, and that element was really diminished here.
Overall, I am still a huge fan of Hallett, and will absolutely continue to read anything she writes. I remain hopeful her next book will recapture what I love so much about her work.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Janice Hallett for the review copy in exchange for my honest review.
***
Please respect my privacy at this time 😔 review to come
I was sooo excited about the premise of this novel: a chaotic art graduate course set at a school in London culminating in a murder, but you spend the book trying to figure out - who is dead (if anyone actually is)? How? Why? Anyone who knows me knows that I love a campus novel, so I was pumped for this. However, it fell short of my expectations.
My main gripe is the overly detailed focus on art. While I appreciate depth, the meticulous descriptions of multimedia art projects overshadowed the core mystery. This imbalance made the pacing sluggish. Hallett’s previous works masterfully balanced detail with action, but "The Examiner" spends too much time in the minutae and not enough on the unraveling of the mystery.
Another disappointment, while avoiding spoilers, is that this is the first of Hallett's novels where I felt like the readers couldn't play along. That's the fun of Hallett's work for me, and that element was really diminished here.
Overall, I am still a huge fan of Hallett, and will absolutely continue to read anything she writes. I remain hopeful her next book will recapture what I love so much about her work.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Janice Hallett for the review copy in exchange for my honest review.
***
Please respect my privacy at this time 😔 review to come
July 15, 2024
I certainly enjoy Janice Hallett's style of writing. It is always entertaining. If you've read any of her previous books you'll know not to expect a linear timeline with simple prose. The Examiner takes this style to its farthest degree with texts, messaging and group messaging alongside reports made by members of the art group, tutors, support staff and examiners all coming into play.
We are introduced to the story by the examiner explaining that the course work for a small group mixed media Masters degree is enclosed along with the fears that some harm has to come to one of the students. What follows is a generally linear story about the group, their origins, their coursework and the interaction between all of them.
It sounds complicated but I'm very easily distracted and I had no problem working out what was going on. My advice - just go with it and it'll all become completely clear very quickly.
The story is based on fact but that's all I can say or it'll give the game away. Authors constantly amaze me with their inspiration for stories like this. The characters are real characters - certainly Jem stands out as being particularly nosey and irritating, Patrick is a typical people pleaser, Ludya is constantly distracted by her home life and poor Gela (short for Angela) seems like she's trying to knit fog in her attempt to get her small group to work cohesively.
All I will say apart from having enjoyed it immensely and only getting a little list near the end, is that the plot and characters aren't at all what they seem - this becomes apparent very quickly. It is fast paced, clever, funny and thought provoking.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the advance review copy.
We are introduced to the story by the examiner explaining that the course work for a small group mixed media Masters degree is enclosed along with the fears that some harm has to come to one of the students. What follows is a generally linear story about the group, their origins, their coursework and the interaction between all of them.
It sounds complicated but I'm very easily distracted and I had no problem working out what was going on. My advice - just go with it and it'll all become completely clear very quickly.
The story is based on fact but that's all I can say or it'll give the game away. Authors constantly amaze me with their inspiration for stories like this. The characters are real characters - certainly Jem stands out as being particularly nosey and irritating, Patrick is a typical people pleaser, Ludya is constantly distracted by her home life and poor Gela (short for Angela) seems like she's trying to knit fog in her attempt to get her small group to work cohesively.
All I will say apart from having enjoyed it immensely and only getting a little list near the end, is that the plot and characters aren't at all what they seem - this becomes apparent very quickly. It is fast paced, clever, funny and thought provoking.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the advance review copy.
September 4, 2024
Won via goodreads giveaways, all my opinions are my own.
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3.5 stars 🌟
This was good fun 😁 Guessed some of the twists and and had suspicions about others but mostly just enjoyed the ride and didn't try to figure things out.
One twist and the fallout from it made me glad I wasn't eating. My brain kept wanting to paint me a picture and I slammed the mental door 🚪 more than once.
Definitely want to check her other works 👍🏼
Wouldn't read again most likely but would still recommend. Passed it on to someone else who will also hopefully enjoy it. 🤞
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3.5 stars 🌟
This was good fun 😁 Guessed some of the twists and and had suspicions about others but mostly just enjoyed the ride and didn't try to figure things out.
One twist and the fallout from it made me glad I wasn't eating. My brain kept wanting to paint me a picture and I slammed the mental door 🚪 more than once.
Definitely want to check her other works 👍🏼
Wouldn't read again most likely but would still recommend. Passed it on to someone else who will also hopefully enjoy it. 🤞
April 15, 2025
Cudowne puzzle, bawiłam się wspaniale. Potem napiszę więcej.
August 14, 2024
2.5* --> 3
I have a sneaking suspicion this will be a wildly unpopular opinion, but I’m afraid “ The Examiner” didn’t at all work for me. Multiple times I considered throwing in the towel, but this is Janice Hallett and I couldn’t not give her the benefit of the doubt.
For the first time, I felt the original concept of merely using messages and transcripts just wasn’t working. The assignments the students were working on brought little to nothing to the story and I found it all slightly tedious. Few of these characters are particularly likeable and there was one who annoyed me so fiercely from the very first sentence they uttered that I was about ready to throw my kindle out the window.
It’s obvious there’s something going on that a few of the characters, and the reader, are unaware of. But if there were clues along the way that I should have picked up on to figure out what that was, I missed all of them. Heck, I couldn’t even understand why any of the students were there in the first place as I’m pretty sure I would have left after a day or two. The toxic environment was really getting to me.
Normally I would race through these chapters but somehow the pace seemed entirely off. It didn’t really seem like much at all was happening, but in hindsight I’m wondering if it wasn’t some kind of distraction. That said, it wasn’t until the 70% mark where something finally got me buzzing. That last quarter, where the pieces of the puzzle start to come together is why I read this author’s books. However, by then I had nearly lost all interest in the storyline, which went from slow and lacking excitement to being rather convoluted. Still, somehow ‘The Examiner’ did redeem itself in the end as Hallett was once again able to take me entirely by surprise.
I’m extremely surprised that I ended up feeling somewhat underwhelmed about it all. I normally really enjoy Janice Hallett’s books. This time around though, the concept just didn’t click with me. As I said at the beginning, I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority so don’t let my opinion put you off. And I will undoubtedly be reading Hallett’s next offering when it arrives.
I have a sneaking suspicion this will be a wildly unpopular opinion, but I’m afraid “ The Examiner” didn’t at all work for me. Multiple times I considered throwing in the towel, but this is Janice Hallett and I couldn’t not give her the benefit of the doubt.
For the first time, I felt the original concept of merely using messages and transcripts just wasn’t working. The assignments the students were working on brought little to nothing to the story and I found it all slightly tedious. Few of these characters are particularly likeable and there was one who annoyed me so fiercely from the very first sentence they uttered that I was about ready to throw my kindle out the window.
It’s obvious there’s something going on that a few of the characters, and the reader, are unaware of. But if there were clues along the way that I should have picked up on to figure out what that was, I missed all of them. Heck, I couldn’t even understand why any of the students were there in the first place as I’m pretty sure I would have left after a day or two. The toxic environment was really getting to me.
Normally I would race through these chapters but somehow the pace seemed entirely off. It didn’t really seem like much at all was happening, but in hindsight I’m wondering if it wasn’t some kind of distraction. That said, it wasn’t until the 70% mark where something finally got me buzzing. That last quarter, where the pieces of the puzzle start to come together is why I read this author’s books. However, by then I had nearly lost all interest in the storyline, which went from slow and lacking excitement to being rather convoluted. Still, somehow ‘The Examiner’ did redeem itself in the end as Hallett was once again able to take me entirely by surprise.
I’m extremely surprised that I ended up feeling somewhat underwhelmed about it all. I normally really enjoy Janice Hallett’s books. This time around though, the concept just didn’t click with me. As I said at the beginning, I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority so don’t let my opinion put you off. And I will undoubtedly be reading Hallett’s next offering when it arrives.
August 4, 2024
I would truly give this book 1000 stars if I could!!
Hallett has convinced me (YET AGAIN) that she is incapable of writing anything less than 5 stars
I LOVE a good mystery - and with it all in a epistolary form - this book truly puts YOU in the detective seat. We get to see how this course played out in the eyes of not one but ALL of the characters.
Every single time I thought I had something figured out, I was thrown for a loop later on. I truly like to consider myself a queen of being able to solve a book mystery before the reveal but she surprises me EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I absolutely love that I can go back and see the context clues I missed and just how much thought she puts into these books. They are fun, sometimes a little silly, and captivating.
Every single character was so well developed and I couldn’t set this book down. There’s always a character that’s too nosy for their own good and this time it was Jem. She didn’t let anything slide and I loved that for her. Patrick was another one I loved and he just kept surprising me until the end.
I will once again shout from any rooftop that I can for you to read this book (and all of her other ones). I’m not being paid for this I swear I just genuinely love these books and the talent Hallett pours into every single one of them.
Immediately preorder this one - you won’t be sorry!
HUGE thanks to Janice Hallett, Atria Books and NetGalley for a chance to read this book before it’s published!!
Hallett has convinced me (YET AGAIN) that she is incapable of writing anything less than 5 stars
I LOVE a good mystery - and with it all in a epistolary form - this book truly puts YOU in the detective seat. We get to see how this course played out in the eyes of not one but ALL of the characters.
Every single time I thought I had something figured out, I was thrown for a loop later on. I truly like to consider myself a queen of being able to solve a book mystery before the reveal but she surprises me EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I absolutely love that I can go back and see the context clues I missed and just how much thought she puts into these books. They are fun, sometimes a little silly, and captivating.
Every single character was so well developed and I couldn’t set this book down. There’s always a character that’s too nosy for their own good and this time it was Jem. She didn’t let anything slide and I loved that for her. Patrick was another one I loved and he just kept surprising me until the end.
I will once again shout from any rooftop that I can for you to read this book (and all of her other ones). I’m not being paid for this I swear I just genuinely love these books and the talent Hallett pours into every single one of them.
Immediately preorder this one - you won’t be sorry!
HUGE thanks to Janice Hallett, Atria Books and NetGalley for a chance to read this book before it’s published!!
March 29, 2025
"There are only four ways: money, ideology, coercion and ego. MICE. Four reasons people get caught in a trap." (p.100)Janice Hallett is the queen of the modern epistolary novel, and The Examiner continues with that style.
At the commencement of the academic year, six students launch into a new Master of Arts: Multimedia Art at the (fictional) Royal Hastings campus of the (real) University of London. They are: established artist Alyson Lang, recent BA (Fine Arts) graduate Jemisha "Jem" Badhuri, art shop proprietor Patrick Bright, gallery co-owner Jonathan Danners, freelance graphic designer Ludya Parak and financial marketing executive Cameron Wesley. All but Jem are mature aged students, and ranging in age from late 20s to 50s and either returning to study after a long break, or undertaking their first attempt at formal tertiary education.
The course is run by experienced tutor Gela Nathanial, who's a "stalwart" at Royal Hastings, but is dealing with a significant curtailment of fine arts courses, due to economic and vocational influences to which the college is subject. She's assisted by administrator Hannah O'Donnell, and a team of technicians who provide practical assistance and maintain the studios.
The experience of the six students over the course of the year unfolds via a series of chronological course notes, emails, WhatsApp messages, assessments and messaging on Royal Hastings' intranet platform, Doodle. Interspersed throughout are excerpts from message groups between the Examiners for the course, one of whom is beginning to suspect that something serious has happened on the Multimedia Art MA course, but has been covered up.
As the reader moves through the material, a picture begins to emerge, first of the personal foibles and animosities between the MA candidates, then of a series of strange events after several of the group travel to Somerset to view a museum related to their final project.
Janice Hallett uses the epistolary format to cleverly manipulate how much information the reader has access to and when, building suspense throughout the novel and making surprising reveals at pivotal moments. We can't be sure who is the victim and who is the villain (if there is one) until the final pages. The Examiner also a masterful exploration of human nature within the context of academia, and the interplay between the various characters will have readers nodding their heads in recognition and laughing out loud at some of the students' antics.
I'd enthusiastically recommend The Examiner to readers who have enjoyed Janice Hallett's past work, and also to those who have yet to experience her style, as an opportunity to experience crime fiction constructed in an unusual but effective form.
November 13, 2024
5 stars for the writing, concept and timeline structure, but 3 stars for the development of the storyline.
In my opinion this one, during the process, became confusing. You do have to pay attention to the stampede date and time. And I did not care for a single character.
If you like books in epistolary style then there is a chance that you will enjoy this book.
I loved this author’s debut novel, “The Appeal”, which was a 5 stars read for me, so I had huge expectations.
This one was not so entertaining or gripping as “The Appeal”, even though there were lots of bickering, anger, envy, jealousy…
It’s a group of unlikeable and unreliable characters, but the atmosphere of competition and the interaction between them were well executed.
The story started very well and held nicely during the first half but after that things started to change and I easily lost interest. The “action” was very slow and the crime was revealed late in the game (and it was so disappointing!).
Regardless, were some very clever moments and dialogues, especially the details and explanation of each assignment given to the group. It was really very creative.
ebook (Kobo): 319 pages (default), 99k words
July 23, 2024
What a wild ride. Normally I enjoy the mixed media layout of a book, but this one took me for a loop. I am still trying to wrap my head around what actually happened. I found myself in a major slump while reading this because it took so much energy and willpower to keep going. I hated Jem she was absolutely insufferable, the exact type of person I would avoid at all costs. I found myself wishing someone would trip her down some stairs, sad but true. Other times I found this “course” to be such a joke I can’t imagine anyone would have passed it given the leniencies awarded to these students. All in all much like the students of the MA, I’m glad it’s over.
Let it be known if I’m on my deathbed and I haven’t time to finish a book I genuinely am enjoying before I see the other side, I will wholly blame that on the fact I didn’t DNF this book. And I will haunt this author in the afterlife for it.
2 ⭐️
Let it be known if I’m on my deathbed and I haven’t time to finish a book I genuinely am enjoying before I see the other side, I will wholly blame that on the fact I didn’t DNF this book. And I will haunt this author in the afterlife for it.
2 ⭐️
October 22, 2024
Another solid entry from puzzle fiction writer, Janice Hallett.
I flew through this book, waiting to see what was underneath all the backstabbing and bickering in this art course. It's like Russian dolls, you open one then another is inside, then another, etc. Janice is an expert at weaving a tale that leaves the reader captivated to find out the real mystery and see if they can spot the clues behind what's going on.
Recommended.
I flew through this book, waiting to see what was underneath all the backstabbing and bickering in this art course. It's like Russian dolls, you open one then another is inside, then another, etc. Janice is an expert at weaving a tale that leaves the reader captivated to find out the real mystery and see if they can spot the clues behind what's going on.
Recommended.
December 12, 2024
This one was so boring until 85% of the way when the action started happening.. but by then it was way too late I couldn’t wait for the book to be over. I should have DNF waaaaay sooner
October 2, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. Mixed media books are so much fun and such quick, easy, engaging reads.
This book was fantastic at building suspense and flipping everything on its head when you think you know what's going on. I absolutely love how unreliable and unlikeable all of the narrators are. One minute you see person A send an email to person B being perfectly nice, but then you see person A email person C slagging off person B one minute later. SO.MUCH.FUN and so much good gossip, it had me leaning in wanting to hear all the tea.
I highly recommend reading this if you love quirky mystery books.
This book was fantastic at building suspense and flipping everything on its head when you think you know what's going on. I absolutely love how unreliable and unlikeable all of the narrators are. One minute you see person A send an email to person B being perfectly nice, but then you see person A email person C slagging off person B one minute later. SO.MUCH.FUN and so much good gossip, it had me leaning in wanting to hear all the tea.
I highly recommend reading this if you love quirky mystery books.
August 24, 2024
Let me start by saying I really appreciate authors and the work they do and I’m sure writing a book is super hard but….
I HATED this book. It’s not the format that bothered me. It was the storyline. Really annoying characters. A super convoluted art program. A potential murder? Mistaken identity? Half the time I had no idea what they were talking about with paper mache and a tunnel and a giant head. The small twist made me like Jem a little even though she was insufferable. The big twist or reveal felt silly and I still don’t really understand what the radio was. And without giving Too much away, how does Cameron’s phone work when he is sleeping?
Ugh I thought about giving this two stars for effort but then o thought about what was in the resin and where they left it and the phone thing and I’m sorry but I just hated it. Why is it called The Examiner anyway?
I HATED this book. It’s not the format that bothered me. It was the storyline. Really annoying characters. A super convoluted art program. A potential murder? Mistaken identity? Half the time I had no idea what they were talking about with paper mache and a tunnel and a giant head. The small twist made me like Jem a little even though she was insufferable. The big twist or reveal felt silly and I still don’t really understand what the radio was. And without giving Too much away, how does Cameron’s phone work when he is sleeping?
Ugh I thought about giving this two stars for effort but then o thought about what was in the resin and where they left it and the phone thing and I’m sorry but I just hated it. Why is it called The Examiner anyway?
September 19, 2024
The examiner
* Epistolary format which I loved.
* The six main characters are all different, quirky, funny and annoying all in their own way.
* There are some characters who you just don’t like and you would love to tell them off
* They are all different age ranges in this Multimedia Art Masters program
* There’s a mystery element but you really have no idea what they are trying to figure out until the last quarter of the book - it’s drawn out way too long with literally no hints or clues to keep you hooked. The story just doesn’t seem to make sense to me, even at the end.
* There were twists in the story that just seemed like they were made up on the spot since there was no foreshadowing or anything.
* Epistolary format which I loved.
* The six main characters are all different, quirky, funny and annoying all in their own way.
* There are some characters who you just don’t like and you would love to tell them off
* They are all different age ranges in this Multimedia Art Masters program
* There’s a mystery element but you really have no idea what they are trying to figure out until the last quarter of the book - it’s drawn out way too long with literally no hints or clues to keep you hooked. The story just doesn’t seem to make sense to me, even at the end.
* There were twists in the story that just seemed like they were made up on the spot since there was no foreshadowing or anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2024
Examining the Examiners
Review of the NetGalley eBook ARC downloaded July 27, 2024 of the Atria hardcover / eBook / audiobook to be released September 10, 2024.
I have read several of Janice Hallett's contemporary epistolary novels now, so I am quite accustomed to the style which uses emails, text messages, chat groups, transcribed recordings and such, instead of the old-style format of handwritten or typed letters to tell a story. That also comes with the knowledge that there will be unreliable writers and surprise twists. Even with those expectations and my attempts at close reading, I was still surprised by some of the later revelations in this book.
Discussing almost any details here would be a spoiler so it is best to stick to the setup only. An Arts Tutor at the fictional Royal Hastings University has set up a Master of Arts program in Multimedia. The tutor is rather desperate for it to succeed in order to ensure their future employment and they have handpicked the initial 6 candidates which include emerging and professional artists but also business professionals. The program is meant to reinforce the connection of creative arts to the business community and the final team project is an installation / presentation at a telecommunications corporation. The "Examiner" element is that the university has a panel which is doing a post-mortem analysis of the course. For that purpose they have access to all the chat group texts which are recorded in the University's own custom chat board called Doodle.
It soon becomes evident that this is not going to be a harmonious group exercise as the candidates start batting heads almost from the get-go. One seems to be set on accusing or informing on the others. Two of them (who are otherwise apparently married) seem to be having an affair. The tutor themself seems to have some sort of personal relationship with one of the candidates as their private correspondence (even the so-called "private" chat texts are accessible to the examiners) is constantly signed off with by apparently amorous "kiss-kiss" messages. One and then later perhaps another of the candidates simply disappear, although the others insist on denying it. In short, no one is exactly who they seem to be at first. The game for the reader is to try to deduce at least parts of the truth before the author's reveals. I'll admit that I was fooled in almost every instance.
I especially enjoyed the book due to a personal bias as it includes a sub-plot of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). One of the artists involved wants to introduce a binaural sculpture to the final installation project such as the binaural microphone heads used in many ASMR videos on YouTube. As I've mentioned in several past reviews*, I am an actual ASMR experiencer as I have had the sensation since childhood. It is comparatively rare though, but many non-experiencers still enjoy the videos or recordings for their calming and relaxing effects.
So 4-stars for another twisty puzzler by Janice Hallett, and for ASMR fans perhaps even a 5-star as this is one of the relatively few examples of #ASMRinFiction to enjoy. Janice Hallett now joins the ranks of Virginia Woolf and Doris Lessing in incorporating the "weird sensation" into their fiction. ⚡😌⚡Of course, those earlier authors described it before there was a name for it.
My thanks to author Janice Hallett, Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
Trivia and Links
The author's Acknowledgements explains that the ASMR element in this book was inspired by their seeing the Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR exhibit at The Design Museum in London, UK during its 2022-23 presentation. There was a trailer for the exhibition which you can see on YouTube here.
Footnote
* See for example my #ASMRinFiction review of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway at Are You Experienced (with ASMR)?.
Review of the NetGalley eBook ARC downloaded July 27, 2024 of the Atria hardcover / eBook / audiobook to be released September 10, 2024.
I have read several of Janice Hallett's contemporary epistolary novels now, so I am quite accustomed to the style which uses emails, text messages, chat groups, transcribed recordings and such, instead of the old-style format of handwritten or typed letters to tell a story. That also comes with the knowledge that there will be unreliable writers and surprise twists. Even with those expectations and my attempts at close reading, I was still surprised by some of the later revelations in this book.
Discussing almost any details here would be a spoiler so it is best to stick to the setup only. An Arts Tutor at the fictional Royal Hastings University has set up a Master of Arts program in Multimedia. The tutor is rather desperate for it to succeed in order to ensure their future employment and they have handpicked the initial 6 candidates which include emerging and professional artists but also business professionals. The program is meant to reinforce the connection of creative arts to the business community and the final team project is an installation / presentation at a telecommunications corporation. The "Examiner" element is that the university has a panel which is doing a post-mortem analysis of the course. For that purpose they have access to all the chat group texts which are recorded in the University's own custom chat board called Doodle.
It soon becomes evident that this is not going to be a harmonious group exercise as the candidates start batting heads almost from the get-go. One seems to be set on accusing or informing on the others. Two of them (who are otherwise apparently married) seem to be having an affair. The tutor themself seems to have some sort of personal relationship with one of the candidates as their private correspondence (even the so-called "private" chat texts are accessible to the examiners) is constantly signed off with by apparently amorous "kiss-kiss" messages. One and then later perhaps another of the candidates simply disappear, although the others insist on denying it. In short, no one is exactly who they seem to be at first. The game for the reader is to try to deduce at least parts of the truth before the author's reveals. I'll admit that I was fooled in almost every instance.
I especially enjoyed the book due to a personal bias as it includes a sub-plot of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). One of the artists involved wants to introduce a binaural sculpture to the final installation project such as the binaural microphone heads used in many ASMR videos on YouTube. As I've mentioned in several past reviews*, I am an actual ASMR experiencer as I have had the sensation since childhood. It is comparatively rare though, but many non-experiencers still enjoy the videos or recordings for their calming and relaxing effects.
So 4-stars for another twisty puzzler by Janice Hallett, and for ASMR fans perhaps even a 5-star as this is one of the relatively few examples of #ASMRinFiction to enjoy. Janice Hallett now joins the ranks of Virginia Woolf and Doris Lessing in incorporating the "weird sensation" into their fiction. ⚡😌⚡Of course, those earlier authors described it before there was a name for it.
My thanks to author Janice Hallett, Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.
Trivia and Links
The author's Acknowledgements explains that the ASMR element in this book was inspired by their seeing the Weird Sensation Feels Good: The World of ASMR exhibit at The Design Museum in London, UK during its 2022-23 presentation. There was a trailer for the exhibition which you can see on YouTube here.
Footnote
* See for example my #ASMRinFiction review of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway at Are You Experienced (with ASMR)?.
September 17, 2024
Funny, observant and spot on when it comes to teamwork. Maybe not very realistic, but I could live with that.
One of the main characters is a bit annoying, but then again, when all is revealed, who can blame her.
I like that the personal gallery is very diverse (all colours, all ages, all shapes) my main complaint would be that some of the leading figures are not sufficiently developed, but maybe that comes with the format (whatsapp messages, online group discussions, diary entries, essays). And some of the written assignment which are supposedly academic level read more like personal statements, I can’t imagine anyone handing in their personal story about their upbringing etc for an academic project…..
One of the main characters is a bit annoying, but then again, when all is revealed, who can blame her.
I like that the personal gallery is very diverse (all colours, all ages, all shapes) my main complaint would be that some of the leading figures are not sufficiently developed, but maybe that comes with the format (whatsapp messages, online group discussions, diary entries, essays). And some of the written assignment which are supposedly academic level read more like personal statements, I can’t imagine anyone handing in their personal story about their upbringing etc for an academic project…..
did-not-finish
December 5, 2024I really tried to like this book, but the epistolary format is possibly my least favorite. I need actual characters interacting and a story happening vs people just taking turns writing to each other. And yup (don't hate me please), I also really disliked The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for this same reason. It's probably also why I hated that John Cho movie Searching - it was all told through social media. I don't find the format to be effective, and it's an immediate turnoff. DNF'g at 15 pages.
February 26, 2025
As with all the other books I've read by this author, this was addictive, compulsive and a very engaging read. I like the way we get to know the characters and the mystery really took me for a ride (even if it maybe went a little over the top), so I had a lot of fun reading this.
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