Scala Radio Book Club: The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
It's time to solve the murder of the century...
Last updated 17th Aug 2022
In the Scala Radio Book Club this week, Mark Forrest chatted to Sunday Times Bestselling author Janice Hallett, with her brand-new mystery novel The Twyford Code.
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. That a message in secret code ran through all Edith Twyford's novels. Then Miss Isles disappeared on a class field trip, and Steven's memory won't allow him to remember what happened.
Now, out of prison after a long stretch, Steven decides to investigate the mystery that has haunted him for decades. Was Miss Isles murdered? Was she deluded? Or was she right about the code? And is it still in use today? Desperate to recover his memories and find out what really happened to Miss Isles, Steven revisits the people and places of his childhood. But it soon becomes clear that Edith Twyford wasn't just a writer of forgotten children's stories. The Twyford Code has great power, and he isn't the only one trying to solve it…
From the bestselling author of The Appeal, The Twyford Code is a unique and addictive mystery, that will keep you puzzled late into the night.
Mark was interested to know more about Janice’s unique style of writing. ‘The main character Steven narrates the book, but it’s quite unconventional. Could you explain it to us?’
‘Steven has spent most of his life completely illiterate,’ said Janice. ‘He's only just learned how to read and can't write very well. He's had to dictate this investigation. So what we're reading is automatic transcriptions of his audio files. It's quite quirky as the software can come up with some quite colourful alternatives when it doesn't hear properly.’
Mark wanted to know more about Steven. ‘Steven is an interesting character. He’s a low-level gangster who has done some awful things. But then he didn't have the best start in life. I sense a bit of sympathy here for Steven. How much sympathy do you have for him?’
‘Oh, I have loads of sympathy for him!’ said Janice. ‘Steven didn't have much of a family, so he allies himself to another family which happen to be low-level gangsters. He does things for the family and they accept him and take him in. Over the years, things happen to push him out and he struggles with that as he struggled with his own family. So yeah, I have enormous sympathy for poor Steven. He is a lovely character.’
‘The book owes a great debt to Enid Blyton,’ said Mark. ‘How did you discover her books and what is it about her writing that hooked you in?’
Janice replied, ‘I mean, my parents didn't really read or have any books. I’d find my books down at the third Northolt Scouts jumble sales. I picked up all the Enid Blyton books and took them home. The Famous Fives were my favourite. It's strange with Enid Blyton. There's something about the way she tells a story. Not all of her stories are brilliant in themselves, but it’s the way she tells them that’s fabulous. Her rhythm and she pulls you in with how she says things. It’s like the X factor of a writer and it's hard to explain.’
Mark then turned his attention to Janice’s other career highlights. ‘One of the most interesting parts of your CV, is that you were involved in writing government press releases. How did that come about?’
‘I’d just finished working for beauty trade magazines and I needed to earn some money. So I answered an advert in The Guardian newspaper for an agency that dealt with civil service communication. What I'd write would be along with civil service guidelines, but it wasn't party political. I have to say, it was the most difficult thing I've ever done. Particularly because I knew nothing about what I was writing about. You have to wing it when that happens. But that again, it was fascinating. Sometimes writing about something you know absolutely nothing about at all, can teach you a lot about writing.’
Mark finished the interview asking, ‘Because your books have been so well received, I’m sure you’ve had discussions about turning them into big or small screen adaptations. How far down the line are you with those?’
‘The Appeal has been optioned by ABC Signature in America for a TV series, and I've been working on the pilot for that. So hopefully, fingers crossed. Twyford Code… Watch this space!’ Janice teased.
Find out about more Scala Radio Book Club guests here >>
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The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
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 then disappeared on a class field trip, and Steven's memory won't allow him to remember what happened. It's time to solve the murder of the century...