The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

Hallett’s (The Appeal) latest follows true-crime author Amanda Bailey, who is determined to revive her career by telling the real story of the Alperton Angels, a cult that brainwashed a teenager into believing her baby was the Antichrist. When the girl realized what was happening, she reported the group to the police. Soon after, she and her baby disappeared, and the cult members all died by suicide. Amanda hopes to track down the baby, who would now be 18 years old, but her plans are complicated by rival author Oliver Menzies, who is also on the trail. The two are forced to collaborate, and what they uncover about the Angels is much darker than either could have imagined. A full cast of narrators, including Annie Aldington, Nneka Okoye, Gareth Armstrong, Sid Sagar, and Kristin Atherton, read the letters, WhatsApp messages, and newspaper articles that make up the novel and aid (and sometimes impede) the investigation. The many narrators allow listeners to distinguish between the characters and know when the source has changed, adding an almost palpable sense of urgency.