Welcome to Litsy!

Hallett has cornerened the market in the non traditional expository narrative. In the Twyford Code, the reader becomes interested (and in my experience, rather found) of the protagonist, as he muddles his way through an ‘investigation‘ as we read transcripts from recordings made. A full cast of characters…or, maybe…a very clever puzzle for the reader? Brilliant and beautiful.

I‘m glad this wasn‘t the first Janice Hallett book I read because it‘s really on the strength of her other books that I finished. I had faith that everything would pull together in a compelling way but I didn‘t love that this book comprises solely of audio transcripts… I feel this held it back somewhat even though with Smithy‘s background - it makes sense. So I loved it and hated it at the same time.

I had this on my kindle for ages and as I‘m on holidays in gorgeous Cornwall I thought I‘d give it a go. And it didn‘t disappoint. Very very different and unique. Takes a while to get used to the language and format but worth the effort. I loved the ending.

Not quite sure how I felt about this one. It felt a bit like a mystery that wasn‘t a mystery and more about the conceit (a series of transcribed audio files) rather than the plot. The ending did more telling than showing and so I came away from this a little unsatisfied, which is disappointing given that it supposedly about a mystery with clues buried in a book. Did enjoy the twitting of Enid Blyton.

Hmmm. Not my favorite…

Hallett‘s mysteries are so fun. Thoroughly enjoyed. Can‘t wait for The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels (US pub date Jan 23)!

One of the most creative crime mystery code ridden multi layered mind ducks I have ever read. Join us on episode 58 of the Mind Duck books podcast to hear more: https://bit.ly/3NrFt66

Hey, Hallett fans, The Twyford code is on sale (only $1.99) through select sites. I just got it from Amazon.

Quiet morning under the blankets.

I didn‘t enjoy this book as much as her prior; I struggled to stay engaged and felt like the code was out of my grasp making it a slog to get through and the reveal just wasn‘t enough for the effort in my opinion.

I liked the main character and the idea of telling a book through transcripts of audio recordings, but in the end this was a book that I admired for its construction more than I liked it.
June 2023 #BookSpin

This was a pretty twisty puzzle with a completely unreliable narrator, although I didn‘t realize that until I was pretty far into the book. The story unfolds through a series of audio files, and sometimes that format can get a bit clunky. I‘m glad I walked in the morning because it‘s raining now. #audiowalk

I‘m truly not sure where this is going. #audiowalk

While I‘m enjoying The Twyford Code, I am a little annoyed by the narration. The narrator is fine, but the story has some characters listening to a series of audio files. Whenever there‘s profanity or something is missing, there‘s a beep or two. When I‘m in the car, I think it‘s one of my car‘s sensors at first; when I‘m walking I think it‘s my headphones. Then I remember that it‘s part of the book. Sigh. #audiowalk

I went back to The Twyford Code but also listened to a lot of Gordon Lightfoot — both on my walk and in the car. He was one of my favorite singers, but I never got a chance to see him. #audiowalk

Janice Hallett's epistolary-style mysteries are becoming an auto-buy for me.

This one was more sombre in tone than The Appeal, but developed a surprisingly emotive character portrait in protagonist Steven Smith.

The plotting of the mystery was way too convoluted, but by the end I was not left unmoved.

Add to your list of cosy authors to read everything by, even if this was a diamond in the rough.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

23/23 I am so disappointed by this book. I enjoyed The Appeal so much and felt it was really well executed. But this was a good idea not so well executed. Convoluted doesn‘t even begin to describe it. It left me rolling my eyes. But it did have twists, so I am going to use it for #booked2023 book you‘d describe using the word #twiststrechorbalance … actually it was definitely a stretch of the imagination to go along with this one too!

Another tram read last week picked up on a charity shop. Enjoyable code based story, mix btwn da vinci and magpie murders. When ex con gang member Steve starts leaving voice messages about a mystery contained within the books of an old children's author Edith Twyford, there ensues a dramatic mystery. A quick read, lots of twists and turns which kept me distracted on the hour long busy journey. Not sure, though, if I'll try another by the author

Walked to the beach listening to I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai (really enjoying it so far), had a sea swim 🥶, walked back via the charity shop to drop off some books from a bookshelf cull, and now I‘m in my local cafe and about to carry on with the tagged book for a little while before I pick up the toddler. A very nice morning!

Update- the slump buster worked too well and a very late nights reading ensued! Followed by a very early morning wake up- thanks kids 😴😴

I felt a post awesome book slump coming on after Tales of the City so I‘ve dived straight into this one. If it‘s anything like Hallett‘s previous book The Appeal it will certainly be a slump buster- I like a mixed media style book every now and again.

I enjoyed this wholeheartedly - such a fun puzzle of a book. Steve Smith tells the story of his life as he narrates (literally, via voice notes on his secondhand iPhone) his attempts to figure out the "Twyford Code," secret messages that are rumored to have been put into the WW2 era books of children‘s author Edith Twyford. Secret codes, spies, gangsters and treasure, what‘s not to love?

Hallett's stories are best enjoyed if you can throw away logic and disbelief and just fully enjoy the wild, chaotic, messy ride!

This is a multi-layered mystery/treasure hunt book full of clues and codes. The narrator is a lifetime criminal, recently out of prison, who wants answers to the mysterious disappearance of a teacher from decades before when he was a teen. The whole book is told as a voice to text narrative, which is sometimes phonetic, I.e. Miss Iles is written as missiles. It takes a bit to get used to. Fun, exciting, poignant. I loved it.

Well, let‘s see if I can puzzle this one out.

#MMD 2023 Spring Book Preview

#StoryGraph: fiction crime mystery thriller
368 pages • first pub 2022

DESCRIPTION

It's time to solve the murder of the century...

Forty years ago, Steven Smith found a copy of a famous children's book, its margins full of strange markings and annotations. He took it to his remedial English teacher, Miss Isles, who became convinced it was the key to solving a puzzle.

Hmm. This one was just too convoluted for me to thoroughly enjoy. I was intrigued by the premise but in the end it fell short for me. I preferred The Appeal. I would still read another book by this author though.

I think I may have found a new supense/mystery author I'll pick up automatically. Love the method in which she tells the story. This time it's via "audio transcripts" as several people go about solving a crime. Fast paced with great characters

It‘s really hard to say anything without spoiling this… there were things that really annoyed me, style-wise, that ended up be integral to the story. It did really lag at the end, it‘s the closest I‘ve come to DNFing a book with only 30 pages to go. But in the end, this is a cleverly crafted book that must have taken forever to plan out.

Book 5/5 for #MarvellousMarch

Fun and unexpected all the way through! I guessed the ending but it was a great one of those where explaining everything that was happening just makes it better

This book was a lot of fun. If you stick with it, there are a lot of twists and turns. It's a literary treasure hunt, a heist story, and a book about a father's love for his estranged son. Now I'm off to reread The Appeal by the same author.
** Meant to do this as a Pick rather than a blurb**

A little #bookhaul. Was very excited to find tagged at B&N yesterday (official US pub date isn‘t until Tuesday) since I thoroughly enjoyed Hallett‘s previous, The Appeal. I can‘t wait to try Bad Cree, described as a “gripping, horror-laced debut.” Death of Jezebel is the March selection for #GoldenAgeCrimeClub and sounds excellent.

This book started out good/interesting, after the 50% mark I lost some of the interest sadly, I preferred The Appeal.

3.5/5

Read for reading challenges

Imagine a once-popular, now despised children's author (think Enid Blyton) whose books apparently contain a mysterious code. Attempting to crack the code and the mystery is ex-con Steve Smith, whose dyslexia leads him to record the stages of his investigation on the voice-recorder tool of his son's old iPhone. Lots of twists and turns and red herrings. Great fun.

I was very keen to read this given how much I enjoyed The Appeal. This was a good read but it slightly fell short for me. I think it could have been concluded about 50 pages earlier

Intriguing. Passed on to me by my partner who couldn‘t finish it. I loved it at first and couldn‘t stop reading then got a bit bogged down but kept at it and glad I did. Quite different to anything I‘ve read recently and I have to say in the end I enjoyed it. Clever. You do need to concentrate . Not a book I could read fast.

Recap for #jubilantjuly hosted by @Andrew65
The Twyford Code - 4⭐️ #Booked2022
Magpie - 4⭐️
The Song of Achilles - 5⭐️ perfect! #Readharder2022

The Goshawk - 3 ⭐️ #naturewritingbookclub
The meaning of birds - 4⭐️ #bookspinbingo
Small bodies of water - 4 ⭐️ #naturewritingbookclub
@Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks

I've chosen Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin for my 1956 slot for #192025
Continuing Culture warlords for #shesaid readalong

This one was fun, especially for those who like to break codes. I would recommend reading THE APPEAL first as it as easier “entry” into Janice Hallet‘s MO

This has a back cover quote that reads “Enid Blyton meets Agatha Christie with a cracking twist” and that right there is a SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY moment for me

I enjoyed this book, but did prefer her first book The Appeal. This uses the format of audio files to tell the story. It's still a good mystery, although you have to pay attention to the storyline as I did get a bit confused.

I admit I didn't enjoy it as much as the appeal but it was still an easy and enjoyable read and I look forward to more from Ms Hallett. A newly released prisoner sets about to find out what happens to his old school teacher who went missing during a school trip on the hunt for the legendary Twyford Code contained within a series of Enid Blyton like children's novels...

I thought this book was brilliant, it‘s so very clever. I loved the way it‘s written and narrated in the form of audio files.There are nods to Enid Blyton, Douglas Adams, William Holding and Kit Williams. I never knew quite what was going on and it had my head in a whirl trying to work the code out. It definitely takes you on a wild goose chase and a thrilling adventure. A gripping and exhilarating read. Sit back and enjoy the ride! #Pigeonhole

A Guy Ritchie movie in book form. I liked this more than The Appeal. This one is 90% transcribed voice notes which I thought was crazy but actually really worked. There is an immediacy to it and an intimacy with the character of Steve which is really engaging. But then the ending didn't really work for me. Email, who wants to read emails in our fiction in 2022. I really wish this author would add a bit of prose to the mix. 4 stars.

#Pigeonhole

Two kindles, a book and a phone with me at the hairdressers. Reading tagged book with the pigeonhole, Sense and Sensibility with #pemberlittens buddy read and Checkout 19.

#weekendreading @Andrew65