Another winner by Janice Hallett! Hallett has become a must-read author for me. I loved this one as much as her previous books. I particularly enjoyed the humor at the beginning of the book as we got to know the trivia teams and the pub owners who run the trivia games. As a fan of epistolary novels, this contemporary version with text messages and group chats worked very well for me. I flew through it. The mystery part of the book had lots of twists and turns and red herrings. Nothing I predicted took place. I also thought the device of having the story be pitched for a true crime series was a very clever way to tell the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining book and highly recommended it!

I've read a couple of Janice Hallett's other books, and this one lives up to the author's reputation for intricate mysteries with interesting twists. I enjoyed the inside look at the quizzing community and the colorful characters in this novel, and found the ending to be pretty satisfying.

That said, I only gave this book 4 stars because I found the format of the story -- Whatsapp group texts, emails, and audio transcripts -- to be a little confusing at first, then tedious after hours of reading, and kept hoping the format would change partway through the book. There were also a heck of a lot of characters and name abbreviations to keep track of (dozens!), taking away a little of the enjoyment of the mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide honest feedback!

I found this epistolary method using texts was not as effective as it was in previous titles. There were so many characters and so many characters that took on other characters-that found it confusing at times. I don’t think the device worked as cleanly this time. The twist at the end was fascinating. Recommended with caution.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was very entertaining. The frame story is Dominic pitching the mystery of what happened at the Case is Altered pub to a podcaster. He has access to lots of information because his uncle and aunt, Mal and Sue, used to be the landlords there. The story of Mal and Sue's time at the pub focusses mainly on the Monday evening quiz nights and the frankly obsessive (and therefore humorous) lengths certain of the teams would go to to win. Then there are transcripts from a secret operation Mal and Sue were involved in when they were still working for the police.

This begins fairly slowly, but ramps up towards the end and things began to come together for me just before they were spelled out, which I always think is very clever writing. Some of Hallett's recent novels haven't worked so well for me, but I heartily recommend this one.

What I enjoy about Hallett's books is that so much hides behind her characters words and it's fun to wonder what we aren't getting. In fact, more than the twist I enjoyed other small reveals along the way. There are so many different teams in this book who play the weekly quiz at The Case pub but I was able to keep all of them separate. (Same goes for keeping straight all the other pubs in the brewery group.) Of course my favorite team is the young Ami's Manic Carrots team and why they show up each week with all the older patrons. The police operation in the past was probably my least favorite aspect of the book, only because I had momentum with the "present" (which is still in the past I guess) and I liked all the personalities better. Thanks for the chance to read and review!

I always love the format of Hallett's books. The use of media forms to tell the story makes the book go by faster than a traditional descriptive narrative. The storyline with this one was really intriguing, which also led me to binging it. I liked the dual timeline that connected to tell the story. I think looking at both the past kidnapping case and the present pub quiz made the reader think more about what the possible connections could be. I enjoyed the quiz element and how small business owners all work together to build community. I liked the humor and the wide range of characters. The connection ended up being wild and unexpected in my eyes, which led into the ending also coming out of left field and shocking me. I hate when thrillers/mysteries are predictable, so I am glad that I was so shocked.

I’m so happy to say that Janice Hallett stays true to her signature style in The Killer Question, and I absolutely loved it. Once again, she delivers a smart, layered mystery told through transcripts, notes, and indirect clues, making the reader feel like a detective piecing together the truth.
I won’t lie, during the first half, I felt like the story was dragging a bit. It took time to get going, and I wasn’t sure where it was heading. But then, just past the halfway point, something shifted. Clues started lining up, secrets came to light, and suddenly, there was a whole other mystery hiding inside the main one. From that moment, I was completely hooked. What I appreciate most is that Hallett doesn’t try to reinvent herself with every book, she knows exactly what works, and she leans into it brilliantly. There’s a certain comfort in knowing her stories will challenge you, surprise you, and pull you in with their clever structure and slow-burning twists. A slow start, but a fantastic payoff. Clever, fun, and uniquely Hallett. I’d follow her style anywhere.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for the chance to read this book in advance.

Janice Hallett returns with her signature narrative style in The Killer Question, a clever, slow-burning mystery structured like a treasure hunt, where every detail might be a clue. The story unfolds through transcripts, letters, and fragments of conversations, requiring the reader to piece together the truth themselves. I’ll admit, the first half felt a bit underwhelming. The pace is slow, and it takes a while for the plot to gain momentum. But once I hit the 50% mark, things started to click. The mysteries began to unravel, and suddenly, there’s a mystery within the mystery. From that point on, I was hooked. If you enjoy stories that challenge you to pay attention and connect the dots, this book delivers. Hallett plays with the reader’s expectations masterfully, and the payoff is incredibly satisfying. I absolutely love this kind of immersive, clue-driven storytelling. A slow start, but the second half more than makes up for it. Hallett never disappoints.

This book, about a pub owning couple and a weekly trivia night, was a page turner and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have to agree with other reviewers that Janice Hallett has a singular talent for this genre, and I’m a huge fan! Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Janice Hallett is one of my favorite mystery authors, and as a frequent trivia-goer myself, I was so excited to see that her next mystery revolved around a pub quiz!

Hallett excels at writing in epistolary format. It’s a very limiting and divisive format, but somehow she’s mastered it. Even if the plot isn’t my favorite, I’m always in awe of how she manages to create twisty, tense situations through various forms of media.

I had a fun time with The Killer Question, but The Appeal still reigns as my favorite of her mysteries. TKQ is about 450 pages and it felt veryyy long. As always, Hallett graced us with multiple twists at the end, but the last one I felt needed a bit more development, which might have worked better if Sue and Mal’s past police case was told earlier in the book and wasn’t dragged for as long as it was. Things felt a bit tedious at times, but I always finish a Janice Hallett book feeling like I’m reading this generation’s Arthur Conan Doyle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the arc!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read early and review. Another strong story from my favorite mystery author. It has everything I’ve come to love in a mystery from Hallett - unreliable characters, twists and turns, and something to alter everything when you finally think you’ve gotten the truth.

It kills me to say that something felt like it was missing. This one didn’t hit as hard as The Twyford Code, The Examiner, or The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. Those three are my hands down favorites and altered my perception of reality when the truths were revealed at the end. I think much like The Appeal, if I’d have read this one first, then my reaction would be different. It’s still very strong, and very British pub quiz-centric. I had it pre-ordered before I even requested an ARC, and it’ll sit proudly on my shelves with the rest of my Hallett collection when it’s published.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this work.
Janice Hallett continues to write creative and engaging mysteries. Her works never cease to entertain and keep me wanting more. Her newest work I would highly recommend. What starts as a question about relatives and pub quizzes branched out into so much more. I found this to be one of Hallett’s best works and forsee myself rereading this to see what I’ve missed on the first read. I highly recommend for any mystery lover!

Thank you to Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Hallett's books. That's just sort of a given, so take anything I say through that lens. With that in mind, I found the start of this book to be a bit laggy. However, once we hit "the worst guys you'll ever encounter on Nextdoor" energy by the middle of the book, I had bought in hard.

The end of the book was so so solid, the last 25% just WHIPPED by as everything got pulled together. I loved seeing how everything got connected and I loved getting Hallett's classic move of introducing a bit of information that aggressively recontextializes everything, especially when that info came as a one-two punch. All in all, I had so much fun with this and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Janice Hallett does it again! No one twists a tale quite like she does and once again, she delivers a mystery packed with intrigue, biting wit, and unexpected turns. As always, the story is told through her signature storytelling style of emails, texts, and recorded communication.

In The Killer Question, we are invited into the quirky world of English pub quizzes. A small-town pub called The Case is Altered, newly reopened by Sue and Mal Eastwood sets the scene. Mal is obsessed with crafting the perfect trivia night, and he’s part of a hilarious tense group chat with other local owners who treat pub quizzes with great respect. The text thread banter alone is perfection and the story could continue and entertain with just these components.

But when a dead body disrupts the rhythm, a mystery kicks the novel into high gear. Who’s telling the truth? Who's hiding something? And can the ultimate pub quiz bring the answers to light?

A classic Janice Hallett story is layered, witty, and filled with characters who are too real but also never quite what they seem. The Killer Question is a slow burn that rewards close reading. I was still guessing until the very end.

Pub quiz fans, armchair sleuths, and lovers of unconventional storytelling, it's a perfect storm of a novel! #atria #thekillerquestion #janicehallet #epistolary

Wow! I’m nearly a Janice Halley completist, so I was expecting twists and turns from The Killer Question, but I was blown away by this one!

No one’s writing mystery like Hallett, all epistolary and found writings piecing together an overarching mystery. If you haven’t tried her yet, and especially if you enjoy a good pub quiz or trivia night —you’re going to love the Killer Question!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited when I was approved for this arc! I am a huge Janice Hallet fan and this one was so good.

This book is mixed media and follows a couple that run a pub but things are not as they seem.

I loved this book! I adore mixed media and this author does it so well. It is a fast read because I needed to know what happened. The writing is so intriguing because it’s through texts and things like that.

I loved the twists and turns as well. I didn’t know what was coming and it kept me reading. The characters were really interesting to follow. There are some funny moments throughout too.

I don’t want to get into too much detail because I don’t want to give anything away but I would definitely recommend!

A Janice Hallett multimedia novel with pub quizzes prominently featured? YES PLEASE. The squeal that I involuntarily gave when I got approved for the ARC—let’s just say I’m glad only my daughter was home to hear it. 😂

I loved this. Loved the characters, the plot, the twists, and the way it all goes down like a milkshake. It’s too bad this doesn’t come out until September because it’s a perfect beach bag book. My only nit was that I couldn’t figure out how the narrator got all the documents, but frankly I was so invested in the story that I didn’t care.

The only question remaining: how soon can I go to trivia?

If you love piecing together puzzles and deciphering clues, The Killer Question by Janice Hallett is a must-read. I absolutely loved it—Hallett’s clever storytelling and unique format had me hooked from the start. Her signature style shines through again, with layers of mystery and just enough misdirection to keep you guessing until the end. I’d honestly read anything she writes at this point. Perfect for fans of interactive, intelligent mysteries.

Another stunning mystery from Janice Hallett, The Killer Question is as quirky of a setting as her previous novels. Told through communications (text messages, emails primarily), the mystery uses the small stakes of a pub quiz night (or for us Americans, a trivia night) with quirky characters to drive the momentum.

Another enjoyable mystery by Janice Hallett! I absolutely love the unconventional writing style (story told through text, emails, transcripts, etc.) and can always count on her for a great ending! Highly recommend if you enjoy a slow-paced mystery with some crazy twists!

Thank you to Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.