It has been a while since I devoured a book in a single day but The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels went everywhere with me until I turned the final page. The recent fashion for True Crime is explored here in a very unique way. The reader opens a safe deposit box and inside is all the research for a True Crime book about the notorious case of the Alperton Angels. You must read all of the documents and then make a decision about whether to take the new information to the police or destroy the information forever.
The story of the Alperton Angels is fairly well known. Nearly eighteen years ago a cult-like group believed that the child of one of their members was the Anti-Christ and it was their duty to destroy it before the child destroyed the world. Holly, the child’s mother, called the police at the last moment and rather than go to prison the Angels committed suicide and Holly and the child disappeared into the care system.
Amanda Bailey is convinced that if she can find the now adult “child” and interview them, her new book on the cult will be the true crime scoop of the year. Unfortunately she is in a race with another author – Oliver Menzies – who has also been commissioned by a rival publisher. Oliver has better connections than Amanda and is just as canny so she has a real fight on her hands. Oliver has been able to get an interview with the only surviving angel – Gabriel – who is serving a life sentence in prison. As they are forced to collaborate they realise that everything that is believed about the Angels is wrong. The truth is much darker, much more sinister.
It is quite a complex read as you sift through the timeline of texts, WhatsApp messages, emails and transcripts of interviews and conversations but it just made the book completely compulsive reading. The ending still knocked me for six and I had been paying attention all the way through. It might even warrant a re-read just to see if I pick up on the clues that I missed first time round! The Alperton Angels story is just so cleverly written that although you are essentially sifting through Amanda’s research notes there is real heart and emotional depth in this book. A story that will stay with me for a long time.
Supplied by Net Galley and Viper in exchange for an honest review.
UK Publication Date: Jan 19 2023. 528 pages.
Categories: 5 Stars Book Review
angelnet69
Prolific reader, enthusiastic theatre and movie-goer and ex-Olivier Awards judge who spent twenty years working in the music industry in London. Sharing my house with a gorgeous cockapoo called Harry who has taken over completely.
I love sharing my favourite books with friends - nearly always spoiler-free as I hate reading a synopsis of the whole book in other reviews.
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