The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels: A Novel

“I hear you have an ‘in’ with social services in the area and can trace where the baby was sent. You’ll understand we have a teeny tiny budget that doesn’t stretch to private detectives, so any short cuts you can make…We know how doggedly determined you are when there’s a story to be had and trust you implicitly to seize the heart of this case, rip it out and throw it at the page.”

Here, editor Pippa Deacon explains the parameters of Amanda’s contract to write a book on the Alperton Angels. Hallett emphasizes the ruthless nature of the true-crime publishing industry, as Pippa hints that Amanda has been chosen for the job due to her determination and exploitation of contacts in social services. The image of “seiz[ing] the heart of this case, rip[ping] it out and throw[ing] it at the page” conveys the concept that Amanda’s task is comparable to a violent crime.

“The faster we bag that baby, the better.”

Pippa’s emphasis on the importance of locating the Alperton Angels’ baby again underlines the ethics of true crime. In her description of “bagging” the baby, Pippa dehumanizes it, likening it to a prize. Her vocabulary shows that she does not perceive the baby as a human being who was once at the center of a highly traumatic experience.

“It’s a sobering tale about faith and trust in one’s fellow humans. Not to mention the things people will do and say to survive.”

Here, Reverend Barden Hyde explains the moral of the Siege of Samaria, depicted in the church’s stained-glass window. The story in which a woman betrays the king, refusing to keep her side of a pact and sacrifice her son, becomes an example of Hallett’s exploration of trust and betrayal throughout the novel. The woman’s refusal to sacrifice her child echoes Holly’s decision to save the baby.

“On the next pinkish twelfth of rainbow shimmer, Scott will be my boyfriend and Daisy will be my girlfriend.”

Hallett recreates various literary genres by providing fictional excerpts throughout the narrative. My Angel Diary is a pastiche of the young adult novel. The author’s creation of a whimsical tone in “the next pinkish twelfth of rainbow shimmer” starkly contrasts with the dark atmosphere of the main narrative.

“See, anyone can be a victim. All it takes is for someone to pick up on what you lack, need or simply what you want to hear, and give it to you. They create dependence and ultimately shame in having believed a lie. No one wants to admit they’ve been tricked. The most vulnerable people are those who think it can’t happen to them. That’s the key message we’re aiming to deliver with this book.”

In Amanda’s explanation of how cults acquire followers, Hallett explores The Exploitation of Vulnerability. The passage foreshadows Amanda’s later manipulation of Oliver when she poses as spiritual counselor Paul Cole, tricking him into believing in supernatural phenomena. Oliver ultimately proves the assertion that those who think they are too smart to be duped are most at risk.

“A cult is a relationship of coercive control on a grand scale. But it can be a unit of two people: leader and follower. Some mainstream organised religions operate in ways we associate with cults.”

The novel explores how the psychological manipulation that characterizes cults can also be found in broader society. Jonah’s decision to become a monk illustrates how religion can offer a similar set of rules to live by and an overarching narrative that provides a higher purpose. Meanwhile, Amanda’s manipulation of Oliver’s perception of reality illustrates the concept of coercive control between two people.

“You’re not responsible for them. They’re on a journey and events have to play out. Your journey collides with theirs. Like planets aligning in the sky for a short time, then they move away, each in their own predestined orbit. Nothing you can do but accept it.”

Gabriel’s speech to Oliver highlights the novel’s alignment motif. The planetary image alludes to the great conjunction or alignment—a natural phenomenon that Gabriel exploited in his claim that the antichrist had to be destroyed at the optimum moment. The motif also conveys how Amanda’s and Oliver’s lives “collide” in a way that proves fatal for them both. Gabriel’s reference to a “predestined orbit” implies that this fate is inexorable.

“She is the last person I want to see on this entire earth. But I need something and there’s no faster way to get it.”

Hallett illustrates the extent of the protagonist’s ruthlessness and ambition as she arranges to meet her aunt Pat as a means of getting Gray Graham’s shorthand notebooks translated. The meeting is traumatic for Amanda, as Pat accuses her of lying about the abuse she experienced as a child. The encounter demonstrates how Amanda ultimately prioritizes work over her well-being.

“First rule of journalism: don’t become the story. It never ends well.”

Oliver’s remark underlines the challenge of writing about true crime while maintaining a healthy distance from the subject matter. His observation foreshadows how both he and Amanda become consumed by the Alperton Angels case and literally “become” the story when Ellie writes a book about their experiences.

“That’s a charming, highly intelligent, narcissistic psychopath with well-developed people-reading skills […] His influence over others is akin to hypnosis, a gift, a sixth sense.”

Amanda highlights how Gabriel’s compelling presence embodies the key characteristics of a cult leader. The novel explores how the finely tuned people-reading skills of cult leaders contribute to the impression that they have supernatural powers. Gabriel’s “sixth sense” is his ability to detect others’ vulnerabilities and exploit them.

“It’s logic versus instinct. Head and heart. Some people see it as a coincidence and that’s all it is to them. Others see it as evidence of supernatural forces at work.”

Here, Amanda encapsulates the ambiguities of the Alperton Angels case. Throughout the novel, the characters’ perceptions depend on their interpretations of events. This quote emphasizes The Elusive Nature of the Truth, as one person’s identification of coincidence is evidence of the supernatural to another.

“They both saw angel symbols. But weeks later, when Khan was shown a photograph that disproved what he’d seen, he ‘knew’ he had to have been mistaken. He believed the hard evidence he was presented with. Rose, on the other hand, didn’t—because for him, there are forces that defy understanding. In the face of coincidence and unexplained phenomena we are all at the mercy of our own thought processes.”

The differing testimonies of police officers Rose and Khan illustrate the elusive nature of the truth. While Rose remained convinced that he had seen a painted symbol on the warehouse’s second floor, Khan was persuaded that he was mistaken after seeing contradictory photographic “evidence.” Khan’s change of mind demonstrates the power of constructed narratives, as he was manipulated into believing a lie that conflicted with his firsthand experience.

“I know I’m smart. I’m not easily fooled. So there must be something in it.”

Oliver’s response to meeting Gabriel demonstrates that those who believe they are immune to being conned are in the greatest danger of being exploited by cults. Shaken by Gabriel’s effect on him, Oliver reasons that he is too intelligent to be fooled, so the angel narrative must be true. Oliver’s fatal flaw is his arrogance; he would rather revise his entire belief system than admit to vulnerability.

“I had what you might call feelings for someone, but then he did something that meant I could never trust him again. As time went on, I realised it had destroyed my trust in everyone else, too. I still can’t forgive him. Not until he loses as much as I did.”

In a rare moment of frankness, Amanda admits to a friend that a painful experience in the past has left her unable to trust and closed her off to emotional intimacy. While Amanda does not name the perpetrator, one can implicitly understand that she is referring to Oliver. The revelation that Amanda “had feelings” for Oliver provides further insight into the long-term psychological impact of the incident and the protagonist’s desire for revenge.

“They appeared like two lovers whose romantic evening has been interrupted but not even a catastrophic explosion at the embassy could blight their love. No one who saw them could guess they were behind the blast, nor that their job was still only half done.”

In this excerpt from Mark Dunning’s spy thriller White Wings, Hallett demonstrates her versatile literary style. In her pastiche, the author emulates the drama and tension of the genre through overblown vocabulary such as “catastrophic explosion” and “blight their love.” In two lines, Hallett also successfully conveys the fictional novel’s premise, communicating that Celine and Gabriel are lovers and secret agents.

“Should you be recording him without his knowledge?”

Ellie’s comments, inserted in the transcripts she produces, serve as a Greek chorus throughout the novel. In addition to providing commentary on events, Ellie’s interjections provide the moral compass that Amanda lacks. Here, Ellie points out the underhand nature of recording Oliver without his knowledge. Ellie’s unease at Amanda’s unscrupulous tactics contributes to the theme of the exploitation of vulnerability.

“Someone once told me about a yellow Mini Clubman. They said everyone should have one. A story that plays out in ways you can’t explain.”

Don Makepeace’s anecdote about the yellow Mini Clubman becomes a motif that develops the theme of the elusive nature of the truth. The mysterious nature of Don’s story echoes the tone of the novel. While logical explanations for most elements of the Alperton Angels case are eventually provided, inexplicable details remain.

“This young colleague wasn’t as fortunate or privileged as Menzies or the other trainees. She’d barely read a book in her life, never been to university or lived in anything like a functioning family. She didn’t realise then how vulnerable she was, but something in Oliver did. She was just learning what trust was—and with one thoughtless practical joke, he destroyed it in her. For ever.”

This passage recontextualizes Amanda’s exploitation of Oliver by emphasizing her disadvantaged background and vulnerability as an 18-year-old. Oliver’s “practical joke” on Amanda is therefore aligned with Gabriel’s exploitative tactics as a cult leader.

“You don’t need to be a charismatic individual to influence others. You just need to use the right words, at the right time, to show them certain things and hide others. They’ll do the rest all by themselves.”

Amanda explains how she fools Oliver into supernatural beliefs by shaping the narrative he consumes. For example, she withholds facts from him while constructing false narrative threads, such as the emails from “spiritual counselor” Paul. Amanda’s selective storytelling draws attention to Hallett’s role as an author, as she manipulates the reader’s understanding of events.

“He’s an insidious, predatory man, a spider. The only thing he can do is spin a web.”

Ashleigh’s description of Gabriel offers a clue to her identity as social worker Sonia Brown, who also describes him as a “spider.” The metaphor of “spin[ning] a web” to entrap others again emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a manipulative tool in the narrative.

“I sent you in the wrong direction and left you there.”

Amanda finally admits to Oliver that she has manipulated his understanding of the Alperton Angels case, presenting her actions as the metaphorical equivalent of Oliver’s behavior 20 years earlier. While Oliver gave Amanda the incorrect location for a work social event, she deliberately misdirected the trajectory of his investigation and beliefs. The harm caused by Oliver’s prank foreshadows the disastrous impact of Amanda’s revenge plan.

“Gabriel had a traumatic near-death experience and a concussion that seems to have genuinely wiped his memory. He’s the same narcissistic psychopath. Still a dangerous, controlling con man. The one thing he isn’t is a murderer.”

This passage highlights the moral conundrum created by uncovering the truth of the Alperton Angels case. While Gabriel was wrongly convicted of Harpinder Singh’s murder, his character traits make him a perpetual threat to others. The dilemma emphasizes the distinction between legal and moral justice.

“I may hint that supernatural elements were at play. Or at least fate, coincidence, destiny and other factors beyond understanding. People love that sort of thing. My book will introduce the case to new readers but give those familiar with it a fresh new angle. Should be a great beach read!”

Ellie’s description of her book on the Alperton Angels introduces a metafictional element to the narrative. Her account of the book’s focus on “fate, coincidence, destiny” and hints of the “supernatural” echo the tone and themes of Hallett’s novel. Ellie’s assertion that it will “be a great beach read” injects humor. The paradoxical representation of the dark subject matter as light, entertaining reading material underscores the theme of the ethics of true crime.