Janice Hallett has created her own crime fiction niche, beginning with The Appeal. She continues in that slot with her latest book, The Killer Question. If you’re unfamiliar with her books, she uses letters, texts, emails, phone calls, pub reviews, and in this one, quizzes, as conversations between her characters.
From December 2017 to October 2019, Sue and Mal Eastwood run a pub called The Case is Altered, in a quiet little county northwest of London. The landlords are part of a circle of landlords who run local pubs. Each pub has trivia nights at the pub, and Mal is the quizmaster at The Case is Altered. The couple texts with the other landlords to discuss their trivia questions.Everything goes smoothly until a scruffy group shows up one night, and Mal kicks them out. A month later, a body is found in the water at the end of the lane. All the trivia teams continue to show up weekly. But, it’s the appearance of a new trivia team that upsets the regular teams because they win the games, every week.
Can one trivia question close a pub? Mal and Sue’s nephew, Dominic Eastwood, thinks the story of his aunt and uncle, their secrets, and the account of that final trivia game would make a perfect documentary. As he reveals the truth behind that night, there are threads to follow and unexpected twists. It’s a story of corruption, murder, and undercover police work.
The Killer Question is the second of Hallett’s books that I’ve read, and I think it’s enough for me. There were too many twists. And, as a reader for character, I don’t feel as if there’s much room for character development with the use of all the conversational devices. And, there are so many characters that I had a hard time remembering which trivia teams were involved, and who was who. I’m sure Hallett’s many fans who make her books bestsellers will anticipate this new book. It’s just not for me.
The Killer Question by Janice Hallett. Atria Books, 2025. 448p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley from the publisher through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.
I read an ARC of this not long ago and didn’t really care for it. All the texts and emails made me feel I was too far away from what was happening.
Perfect definition, Glen, about how I felt when I read it. Thank you.
Yeah, I felt that way about Hallett’s first book. I read a bunch of raves and decided to try THE APPEAL, but (to coin an obvious phrase) it didn’t appeal to me.
Too many books I do want to read to slog through one I don’t like.
Check, please!
Ha! Good one, Jeff. You’re right. I won’t fall for it again. I thought a book about pub quiz trivia would be fun.
I didn’t care for her first book, The Twyford Code, so I haven’t read any of the others. Too bad, because they always sound appealing to me.
They do, don’t they, Margie? I’ve read two now. That’s enough.
Saw this on NetGalley and knew nothing about the author or any of the previous books. Thought about it…and did nothing. I feel way better about that decision. Sounds like a chaotic mess.
Good decision, Kevin! I’m not picking her books up in the future, either.
Interesting how we all agree. I read THE APPEAL and didn’t find the plot or the characters interesting. All very contrived. That’s when I decided not to read another, despite the excellent reviews.
You’re smarter than I was, Kim. I really liked the premise of The Killer Question, but I’m done now.