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The Examiner
Six Students. One Murder. Your Time Starts Now...
The students of Royal Hastings University's new Multimedia Art course have been trouble from day one. Acclaimed artist Alyson wants the department to revolve around her. Ludya struggles to balance her family and the workload. Jonathan has management experience but zero talent for art. Lovely Patrick can barely operate his mobile phone, let alone professional design software. Meanwhile blustering Cameron tries to juggle the course with his job in the City and does neither very well. Then there's Jem. A gifted young sculptor, she's a promising student... but cross her at your peril.
The year-long course is blighted by accusations of theft, students setting fire to one another's artwork, a rumoured extra-marital affair and a disastrous road trip. But finally they are given their last assignment: to build an interactive art installation for a local manufacturer. With six students who have nothing in common except their clashing personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?
The answer is: murder. When the external examiner arrives to assess the students' essays and coursework, he becomes convinced that a student was killed on the course and that the others covered it up. But is he right? And if so, who is dead, why were they killed, and who is the murderer? Only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth. Your time starts now...
The students of Royal Hastings University's new Multimedia Art course have been trouble from day one. Acclaimed artist Alyson wants the department to revolve around her. Ludya struggles to balance her family and the workload. Jonathan has management experience but zero talent for art. Lovely Patrick can barely operate his mobile phone, let alone professional design software. Meanwhile blustering Cameron tries to juggle the course with his job in the City and does neither very well. Then there's Jem. A gifted young sculptor, she's a promising student... but cross her at your peril.
The year-long course is blighted by accusations of theft, students setting fire to one another's artwork, a rumoured extra-marital affair and a disastrous road trip. But finally they are given their last assignment: to build an interactive art installation for a local manufacturer. With six students who have nothing in common except their clashing personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?
The answer is: murder. When the external examiner arrives to assess the students' essays and coursework, he becomes convinced that a student was killed on the course and that the others covered it up. But is he right? And if so, who is dead, why were they killed, and who is the murderer? Only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth. Your time starts now...
416 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2024
About the author
Janice Hallett
8 books1,668 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 355 reviews
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.
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.
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.
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!!
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)?.
August 25, 2024
"the installation will be credited to the six of us equally. And if we're all responsible, who is guilty?"
Janice Hallett writes some of the funnest mysteries. The story is told through alternative ways - group messages, private messages, text messages - all kinds of perspectives. But, despite the complexities for the author, the story is layered and compelling. Each perspective is unique and easy to remember who is who.
From the first chapter, learning of the program and their project, their individual contribution along with a group, I was hooked. The fact that we are examiners, there to see at the end - adds an extra element of urgency - we need to know what happened before it's too late.
I've read all of this author's works and every story is a great place to start and won't disappoint. I love the mystery, scratching my head and never guessing any twists and always loving the end! I highly recommend!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Janice Hallett writes some of the funnest mysteries. The story is told through alternative ways - group messages, private messages, text messages - all kinds of perspectives. But, despite the complexities for the author, the story is layered and compelling. Each perspective is unique and easy to remember who is who.
From the first chapter, learning of the program and their project, their individual contribution along with a group, I was hooked. The fact that we are examiners, there to see at the end - adds an extra element of urgency - we need to know what happened before it's too late.
I've read all of this author's works and every story is a great place to start and won't disappoint. I love the mystery, scratching my head and never guessing any twists and always loving the end! I highly recommend!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
July 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!
May 18, 2024
I cannot say enough good things about this book. It was the hardest book to put down, you constantly are trying to figure out what will happen next? Can't wait till this is out to own a physical copy!!!
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
May 9, 2024
ARC for review. To be published September 10, 2024.
The Multimedia Art master’s degree course at Royal Hastings University may be losing its funding. In order to save it head Gela Nathaniel must find the perfect mix of students for the year.
Lucy’s is a single mother and a graphic designer. She needs to make more money quickly. Jonathan’s only experience is running the gallery his family owns; he’s never been an artist himself. Cameron is a marketing executive looking for a change. Jem is a sculptor who will stop at nothing to get ahead. Patrick runs an art supply store and doesn’t know a thing about running design software. Alyson is already a successful artist and seems overqualified for the program.
Then there’s the examiner who is an outsider, hired to judge to students’ performance in the big group project, an art installation for a cloud based company. But everyone has secrets.
I love that the story is told through texts, e-mails and essays. So appropriate for a book about a multimedia art course, although can I just say that I’m no artist, but their end project sounds TERRIBLE. I hope it looks better than it sounds, otherwise they should all fail.
There is one very clever twist which I loved, and most of the book is quite enjoyable, albeit a little long, and I didn’t feel the overall mystery held up so much. But getting there was fun!
The Multimedia Art master’s degree course at Royal Hastings University may be losing its funding. In order to save it head Gela Nathaniel must find the perfect mix of students for the year.
Lucy’s is a single mother and a graphic designer. She needs to make more money quickly. Jonathan’s only experience is running the gallery his family owns; he’s never been an artist himself. Cameron is a marketing executive looking for a change. Jem is a sculptor who will stop at nothing to get ahead. Patrick runs an art supply store and doesn’t know a thing about running design software. Alyson is already a successful artist and seems overqualified for the program.
Then there’s the examiner who is an outsider, hired to judge to students’ performance in the big group project, an art installation for a cloud based company. But everyone has secrets.
I love that the story is told through texts, e-mails and essays. So appropriate for a book about a multimedia art course, although can I just say that I’m no artist, but their end project sounds TERRIBLE. I hope it looks better than it sounds, otherwise they should all fail.
There is one very clever twist which I loved, and most of the book is quite enjoyable, albeit a little long, and I didn’t feel the overall mystery held up so much. But getting there was fun!
Want to read
February 6, 2024Pre-ordering ASAP
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.
Want to read
February 13, 2024i love the consistency of hallet's covers!
March 28, 2024
Despite my trying, desperately, I’ve still never predicted a Janice Hallett twist.
August 28, 2024
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 5*
Characters : 4*
Plot: 3*
Format: 2*
Uniquness: 4*
Its taken me some time (sleeping on it) to articulate my thoughts on this book. Right off the bat the writing is absolutely stellar. I invisioned thats art lab with such clarity. Im now desperate to read her back catalogue if this books anything to go by.
The characters were fab, loved Jem right off the bat, Pat too, and without any spoilers, I knew there was something fishy about Alyson.
The format blew my mind at times, I dont think the ebook I recieved from Netgalley will be anything like the finished article, as I really struggled to work out what was going on quite a lot of the time; whether it was emails, or whatsapp messages or diary entries, they all kind of looked the same.
The plot was great however and as said before the writing took me right there, and back to UNI.
really really liked this one, but would perhaps recommend waiting for the finished version, and picking it up physically.
As ever, thanks to Viper for this ARC.
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 5*
Characters : 4*
Plot: 3*
Format: 2*
Uniquness: 4*
Its taken me some time (sleeping on it) to articulate my thoughts on this book. Right off the bat the writing is absolutely stellar. I invisioned thats art lab with such clarity. Im now desperate to read her back catalogue if this books anything to go by.
The characters were fab, loved Jem right off the bat, Pat too, and without any spoilers, I knew there was something fishy about Alyson.
The format blew my mind at times, I dont think the ebook I recieved from Netgalley will be anything like the finished article, as I really struggled to work out what was going on quite a lot of the time; whether it was emails, or whatsapp messages or diary entries, they all kind of looked the same.
The plot was great however and as said before the writing took me right there, and back to UNI.
really really liked this one, but would perhaps recommend waiting for the finished version, and picking it up physically.
As ever, thanks to Viper for this ARC.
August 21, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary copy of this novel! This is the fourth book I’ve had the pleasure of reading written by Janice Hallett! I always look forward to reading them and this one was especially interesting! It was definitely a wild ride! This novel follows the same unique pattern of a Janice Hallett’s storytelling. The story Is built through what’s app messages; emails; text messages; a private college app called Doodle; and papers/essays submitted by the students. Gels, who is in charge of six students picked from across the UK, is the head of the Multimedia Art course at Hastings University. The class consists of Jem, Jonathan, Ludya, Patrick, Alyson, and Cameron. As they each work to complete their assignments, things begin to run amuck! They then escalate from bad to worse as the course progresses. There is also a final character, The Examiner, who is hired to grade the student’s final project. And he has a message of his own…someone is about to be dead or may already be dead!!!
Look for this exciting new novel from Janice Hallett AVAILABLE September 10, 2024
Look for this exciting new novel from Janice Hallett AVAILABLE September 10, 2024
June 3, 2024
This was such an interesting read! I haven’t read any mystery books quite like this one. The story was so engaging and it was told completely through chat messages, emails, reports, journal entries, etc. It was really hard to put this book down, especially once I was invested in the mystery and trying to find out what would happen next.
While reading this one I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and there were a few good twists in the plot that kept me guessing. I definitely didn’t see that ending coming.
Read this if you like:
🔍 Mixed media format
🔍 Mystery stories
🔍 Cast of interesting characters
🔍 Academic setting
Overall this was a fun read and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along side the characters in the story.
Thank you Atria Books for sending me a gifted copy to review.
While reading this one I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and there were a few good twists in the plot that kept me guessing. I definitely didn’t see that ending coming.
Read this if you like:
🔍 Mixed media format
🔍 Mystery stories
🔍 Cast of interesting characters
🔍 Academic setting
Overall this was a fun read and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along side the characters in the story.
Thank you Atria Books for sending me a gifted copy to review.
August 13, 2024
the plot twisted and i was wrung out like an old dishcloth
miss hallett, you are a wonder
miss hallett, you are a wonder
August 24, 2024
INCREDIBLE. My head was spinning and was jaw was on the floor throughout this entire book. The concept of plot being told exclusively through internet communications (chat and emails), was unique and accomplished far better than I expected. You were able to really get a grasp of the characters and the events that unfolded outside the messages. A book with so many characters could easily get muddy, but I found them all to be different enough to keep it straight.
This book had so many twists, and was genuinely interesting throughout. It was a mix of mystery and sci-fi which I appreciated as a mood reader. The timelines worked well, and were generally easy to keep together.
All together really fun and interesting read. Highly recommend.
Read if you like:
🔍 dark academia mysteries
📱 light sci-fi
🧬 multiple twists/quick
If you liked this you might like:
📚The Silent Patient (Alex Michaelides)
📚 The Maidens (Alex Michaelides)
📚 The Maid (Nita Prose)
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.
This book had so many twists, and was genuinely interesting throughout. It was a mix of mystery and sci-fi which I appreciated as a mood reader. The timelines worked well, and were generally easy to keep together.
All together really fun and interesting read. Highly recommend.
Read if you like:
🔍 dark academia mysteries
📱 light sci-fi
🧬 multiple twists/quick
If you liked this you might like:
📚The Silent Patient (Alex Michaelides)
📚 The Maidens (Alex Michaelides)
📚 The Maid (Nita Prose)
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.
May 13, 2024
A humongous thank you to @Atria for the ARC! Janice Hallett is my favorite mystery author, and I wholeheartedly agree with the endorsement of her as this generation’s Agatha Christie.
The epistolary style of her novels allow her to brilliantly weave a masterful tale that enthralls the reader and paints vivid characters, settings and timelines. The reader infers a bit here, and that is by design. With The Examiner, I picked my jaw up off the floor when the twists occurred - they were both spellbinding and somehow right in front of me all along. This is truly a feat, in my option. It’s rare that twists in a book are so satisfying as to be both unpredictable and perfectly in line with the story beats/plot. I really can’t say much more because this isn’t just a great read: it’s an experience. The blurb sets the stage, but you’ll never guess what’s to come in the best way possible.
If you haven’t figured it out, I absolutely loved this book. This is by far one of the best books I’ve read all year and maybe ever. Certainly my new favorite by Janice Hallett (although it’s hard to pick a favorite among such gems). For my romance readers, Janice Hallett is the Emily Henry of mystery! Janice Hallett’s books are remarkable and should be added to your TBRs if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.
The epistolary style of her novels allow her to brilliantly weave a masterful tale that enthralls the reader and paints vivid characters, settings and timelines. The reader infers a bit here, and that is by design. With The Examiner, I picked my jaw up off the floor when the twists occurred - they were both spellbinding and somehow right in front of me all along. This is truly a feat, in my option. It’s rare that twists in a book are so satisfying as to be both unpredictable and perfectly in line with the story beats/plot. I really can’t say much more because this isn’t just a great read: it’s an experience. The blurb sets the stage, but you’ll never guess what’s to come in the best way possible.
If you haven’t figured it out, I absolutely loved this book. This is by far one of the best books I’ve read all year and maybe ever. Certainly my new favorite by Janice Hallett (although it’s hard to pick a favorite among such gems). For my romance readers, Janice Hallett is the Emily Henry of mystery! Janice Hallett’s books are remarkable and should be added to your TBRs if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.
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 ⭐️
May 13, 2024
This was a very interesting book! I’m a huge fan of Janice Halley’s writing style. I find it super easy to read and totally addicting. The Examiner completely shocked me in the direction the story took. I want to keep this spoiler free so I will only say that I did not see any of the ending coming. As the reveals were unfolding, I felt it was a little bit much of a stretch and found it a bit hard to grasp.
September 2, 2024
Hallett did it again! Janice Hallett immediately became one of my favorite authors after reading The Appeal for many reasons:
- Hallett has a true talent for developing characters, such as making them irritatingly annoying or snooty, without ever having a single line of dialogue or narration. The characters here were no less interesting and by the end of the book, especially with some of the twists, I felt as if I'd lost some of the friends I thought I knew.
- The twists here were, as usual, largely unpredictable - and those I figured out, I only figured out part-way.
- Every book is like a giant puzzle to solve that's crafted from mixed media (video transcripts, text messages, etc.) They're entirely different from a classic mystery and while they are very engaging, they aren't thrillers either. Like Hallett's other books, this book can be read without any contemplation purely for enjoyment or you can try to figure out what happened along the way.
I will read absolutely everything Hallett publishes until the end of time.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
- Hallett has a true talent for developing characters, such as making them irritatingly annoying or snooty, without ever having a single line of dialogue or narration. The characters here were no less interesting and by the end of the book, especially with some of the twists, I felt as if I'd lost some of the friends I thought I knew.
- The twists here were, as usual, largely unpredictable - and those I figured out, I only figured out part-way.
- Every book is like a giant puzzle to solve that's crafted from mixed media (video transcripts, text messages, etc.) They're entirely different from a classic mystery and while they are very engaging, they aren't thrillers either. Like Hallett's other books, this book can be read without any contemplation purely for enjoyment or you can try to figure out what happened along the way.
I will read absolutely everything Hallett publishes until the end of time.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
July 14, 2024
Janice Hallett has definitely solidified herself as a top thriller author for me! I love her style of writing and how she uses mixed media to tell her stories. While they are often a little too far fetched to be believable in real life, I know that going in and still find them super entertaining despite that.
The Examiner lived up to that expectation, and it was a fast-paced, fun read! I love trying to determine what happened as we went, and there were a few twists that I didn't see coming at all. I enjoyed how flawed the characters were and how my initial impressions of them wildly changed as the story went.
It was quite heavy on the art aspect, which was interesting, but it did take me out of the story a bit at times trying to decipher the lingo. I still really enjoyed the book, though, and would definitely recommend it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
The Examiner lived up to that expectation, and it was a fast-paced, fun read! I love trying to determine what happened as we went, and there were a few twists that I didn't see coming at all. I enjoyed how flawed the characters were and how my initial impressions of them wildly changed as the story went.
It was quite heavy on the art aspect, which was interesting, but it did take me out of the story a bit at times trying to decipher the lingo. I still really enjoyed the book, though, and would definitely recommend it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
August 21, 2024
I love a Janice Hallett crime mystery!! The Examiner most definitely does not disappoint!
This is one chunky book (or at least the proof was very heavy!!) so I was a little nervous to pick it up, but as soon as I got started, I could not put it down! I was continuously so desperate to know what was going on and to find out who was really who that I put off sleep and responsibilities to get to the answers!
And yet again, Hallett's intelligence and creativity blew me away. I love the multimedia format which ensures that you speed through the narrative and developments. It also gives each character a very distinctive personality, although I definitely couldn't predict which of them was deceiving me and which of them deserved some sympathy!
Another brilliantly complex and entertaining mystery, The Examiner is a must-read for readers who like to be kept on the edge of their seat!
This is one chunky book (or at least the proof was very heavy!!) so I was a little nervous to pick it up, but as soon as I got started, I could not put it down! I was continuously so desperate to know what was going on and to find out who was really who that I put off sleep and responsibilities to get to the answers!
And yet again, Hallett's intelligence and creativity blew me away. I love the multimedia format which ensures that you speed through the narrative and developments. It also gives each character a very distinctive personality, although I definitely couldn't predict which of them was deceiving me and which of them deserved some sympathy!
Another brilliantly complex and entertaining mystery, The Examiner is a must-read for readers who like to be kept on the edge of their seat!
August 26, 2024
Janice Hallett is an absolute genius! I loved the Appeal and the Christmas Appeal and The Examiner is as every bit as witty and clever.
Although the writing style of broadcast messages, emails and texts takes a bit of getting used to, it just works.
A brilliantly concocted group environment of art students and their background stories lead you into a web of mystery and misconceptions.
The storyline is great, the plot and twists are fantastic and the author’s ability to draw you in and lead you down the garden path is just insane.
What I also love about this author’s books is her extraordinary observations of human behaviour and her skill to create those characters with certain traits that we all recognise in someone.
I can't wait for the next one.
Although the writing style of broadcast messages, emails and texts takes a bit of getting used to, it just works.
A brilliantly concocted group environment of art students and their background stories lead you into a web of mystery and misconceptions.
The storyline is great, the plot and twists are fantastic and the author’s ability to draw you in and lead you down the garden path is just insane.
What I also love about this author’s books is her extraordinary observations of human behaviour and her skill to create those characters with certain traits that we all recognise in someone.
I can't wait for the next one.
August 7, 2024
The queen of mixed media thrillers is back! The examiner follows a group of students in an art master’s program and that’s the last I am going to say without accidentally giving away any spoilers!
I have read all of this authors books and this one did not disappoint! The mixed media format made this so easy to devour.
I did find it a little repetitive in places and a little confusing at times. However, I loved the characters, in particular Jem and they’ll be hard to forget for a long time!
Another absolutely banger from the author!
I have read all of this authors books and this one did not disappoint! The mixed media format made this so easy to devour.
I did find it a little repetitive in places and a little confusing at times. However, I loved the characters, in particular Jem and they’ll be hard to forget for a long time!
Another absolutely banger from the author!
July 2, 2024
By far my favorite Janice Hallett book. She just gets better and better.
August 31, 2024
3.75⭐️
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