A Killer Of A Quiz
I have read other books by this author and admire her original take on the crime novel. She uses a series of text messages as a means of unfolding the storyline.
The story covers two time zones and begins with a man pitching a TV documentary based on the life story of two of his relatives. The reader is drawn in, step by step, as each new slant to the story is revealed. A series of quizzes, set in a pub, takes centre stage and they are the reader’s introduction to the pubs, quiz masters and teams in the area. The cast of characters reveals itself almost exclusively through online interaction. The first recorded crime, the death of a homeless man, seems almost incidental to proceedings. The arrival of quiz cheats and the appearance of an intriguing new quiz team throw the pub quiz regulars into a far greater state of perturbation than the actual murder.
The main action takes place in an out-of-the-way pub, called ‘The Case Is Altered’. This is a clever ploy as the title refers to a legal term meaning a change in situation that leads to an altered perspective. The case is, in fact, altered several times in the course of the book.
There is an inspired twist at the end, when it transpires that the solution of a number of earlier criminal enterprises actually led to far more heinous crimes.
There is a great deal to recommended this book - original format, fluent writing and impressive character depiction. Just two small quibbles, which are closely related. The extensive cast of characters, some of them on the fringes of the action, can serve to slow down the momentum and lead to confusion. At the same time, there are almost too many events being recorded in the course of the book, some of them involving these minor characters. It seems as if the author is trying to tie up loose ends that did not necessarily need to be untied up in the first place.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and Viper Books for the opportunity to offer this review.

I really admired the way in which Janice Hallett had modernised the epistolary format in The Appeal. A whole cast of characters sprang to life from their emails and WhatsApps. Gradually, the reader began to notice that they were a bunch of stinking rotters. It was subtle, it was clever, it was compelling. Since then however, The Alperton Angels was underwhelming and now the Killer Question. I did not find the characters in the Killer Question to be detailed or indeed interesting. The mystery did not unfold itself gradually to the reader, it was instead rather unceremoniously plonked down. There was no breadcrumb trail of clues but instead information was telegraphed as being withheld. I think that this concept has run dry for me and that I will not be requesting Hallett's books in future. I will not share this review publicly.

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Janet Hallett strikes again with ‘The Killer Question”; with an interesting setting of a country pub aptly named ‘The Case is Altered’, and centres primarily around the weekly quiz evenings with flashbacks to Sue and Malcom’s past career. Are the Eastwoods everything they seem?

I continued to enjoy her use of an epistolary format (letters, texts, documents) which made a triumphant return in this book. I didn’t see the exact major twist coming and that was an enjoyable aspect (as sometimes you guess where it is going) and there are twists aplenty. However, I felt in parts the book dragged on, especially some of the ‘texts’ between the various different pub landlords over quiz questions.

Do I recommend this book? Yes
Who would I recommend this book to? Someone who enjoys mysteries, slow-burns and someone who wants to try something new (a unique format).

Thank you to viper and netgalley for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! I devoured the whole thing on a long haul flight. I’ve read all of Janice Hallett’s books and every single one has been 5 stars.
Another unique concept, with twists and turns you won’t see coming.

Intriguing, Witty, Compelling..
Local village public house The Case (is Altered) appears to have shut down. Once famed for its weekly pub quiz and friendly landlords- now, windows are boarded, doors locked up and the building stands empty. What could have happened? We may be about to discover the truth. This latest contemporary epistolary format novel from Hallett does not disappoint. Populated with red herrings, clues and information galore the narrative is at once intriguing, witty and compelling and will keep the reader wholly immersed until the very end.

Sue and Mal, the new landlords of The Case Is Altered country pub are concerned that a team that joins their regular quiz night is cheating. It's a delicate situation to handle as they don't want to upset their regular clientele but feel that a new infusion of blood is just what the quiz night needs. The discovery of a dead body near the pub puts everyone in the spotlight.

As with every other fan of Janice Hallett I have been eagerly awaiting The Killer Question. Part of the appeal of Janice Hallett's books is reading them and trying (usually unsuccessfully) to spot hints, clues and red herrings. The style is similar to that of the author's previous books with the story being told through a variety of media such as emails, text messages and WhatsApp messages.

I loved the opening of the book. The events in the book took place in 2019, five years later Sue and Mal's nephew pitches the story to Netflix as an idea for a true crime series. While I don't watch true crime I am well aware of its popularity, along with the interest it sparks online as viewers discuss what they've watched. This genre also seems to have ignited a rise in amateur detectives.

To entice a production company, the nephew sends them evidence in the form of emails and messages that have never been seen by the public before. I adore this style of narrative, it's easy to read, you quickly become engrossed and it feels very voyeuristic. The story had me completely absorbed, to the extent that I felt as if I was one of the regular quizzers. The introduction of a quiz team who are obviously cheating is a stroke of genius as it brings out the true characters of some of the regulars. I honestly didn't realise that pub quizzes were so cut-throat. The way in which the usual winners react when they lose is hilarious, they become sticklers for the rules unless it's something that benefits them. The message threads and emails around this are pure gold, I was laughing out loud. Far too frequently something is mentioned that is so true to life or resembles someone you may know. Not all of the teams take things quite as seriously as others; for some, it's a laugh, for others, it's a social event. For the serious quizzers, there's nothing fun about the quiz, so when they feel an injustice has been done they try to get everyone on their side.

There is more to the story than a Monday night quiz, prepare yourself for murder and blackmail as, just like any true life crime series, the story takes unexpected twists and turns. Having read the author's previous books I tried to spot clues and red herrings but failed miserably, which made the reading and the big reveal even more pleasurable. This is one of those books where as soon as you know "whodunnit" you want to go straight back to the beginning to look for the subtle hints. I can't wait to see what Janice Hallett comes up with next but it going to have to be something special to beat The Killer Question.

This was another fantastic read from Janice Hallett using her usual mix of emails, text messages, police reports and more to tell the story of what happened to publicans Mal and Sue. These always draw me in as I try to figure out what has happened based on the information as it’s revealed and new layers are added which add further confusion until gradually one twist is revealed but that’s only a fraction of the story ad further twists are added u til you finally get the full picture. The setting of this was great with the country pub and the many characters and cliques within not to mention the uproar of a team of outsiders coming in and regularly winning the weekly quiz. There’s some great humour peppered throughout this and it really keeps you on your toes but if you like this style of writing it’s a fantastic read with brilliant twists and turns.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

Sue and Mal owners of The Case Is Altered hold a weekly quiz night which is a roaring success with the locals until a body is found in the village. Flash forward 5 years and the pub is now abandoned and Sue and Mal's nephew is in talks to make a documentary about the events that led up to it's closure. So what happened and more importantly who done it?

This book is a really fun read with lots of twists-I'll be recommending this one!

Once again, Janice Hallett has created a novel full of suspense, humour and drama - and one where the twists just keep on coming!
I love quizzes - both in person and on tv so when I heard about " The Killer Question", I had to read it. I had no doubt that this would be a twisty, entertaining read.
The setting in a pub called The Case is Altered, a rural pub, formerly the home of a popular quiz night and now best known for the murder for its doorstep.
As usual, the storyline is told via the texts/whatsapp
between our protoganists over the preceeding months.
And we soon discover the individual cliques, and personalities of the group of landlords and quizzers - and with how serious some individuals take the quiz and the lengths they will go to in order to win - some of the conversations are genuinely hilarious.
Along with the smaller mysteries that are occurring and the backstory involving certain characters.
And the reader is soon drawn into the darker puzzle of the storyline as we endeavour to determine what has really been happening during the final quiz night!
Just brilliant!

Yet another highly addictive mystery from a truly dangerous author!
This one, despite the immediacy of delivery (texts, emails, opening pages whetting our appetites) was possibly a little slow to get underway, but Hallett is so good at building characters that one is content to follow along. She really makes the best of the epistolary style, which in other hands could be very limiting, and uses it to give us "behind the scenes" info - which, of course, as in real life, is completely false.
Any Hallett fan will just want to know about the ending - yes, it was the usual kick in the gut. I won't say I didn't have a small bit of an inkling, but nowhere near the full picture so, as usual, I was both gobsmacked and thrilled.
The best thing about a Hallett book is that you can speed-read for the gory dénouement, then go back and wallow in the clues/red herrings she has scattered everywhere.
I suppose the only negative thing is that she can quite viciously highlight the petty and not-so-petty sides of even the most innocuous past-times, but as long as you keep away from amateur dramatics and quiz teams, you should be okay.
My heart-felt gratitude to Netgalley for the DRC, as usual, lost a whole day...

Janice Hallett is now undoubtedly the new British Queen of "unique" crime stories.

Weaving phone messages, emails, quiz posters, score results and varied forms of written communication, The Killer Question is another great conundrum-filled read..

This time the world of quizzing sets the scene for a series of events that twist and turn more than Birmingham's Spaghetti Junction. Each week in the pub," The Case is Altered", Mal and Sue Eastwood play host to a group of teams who enjoy their weekly challenge of a quiz and a simple money prize but the equilibrium is knocked with the arrival of a new team who are getting incredible scores- something is not right.... then a body is found in. the nearby canal.

A good cast of characters - especially the different landlords /owners of the pubs and the word play and banter in messages is brilliant.

This is a great read- yes, it is fun in many ways - but the meticulous plotting through the use of various types of print once again displays an ingenuity that keeps the reader on their toes up until the very end... is anybody what they appear to be? The past comes back to haunt. To say anymore would be to spoil the surprises ahead.

Another winner which will be enjoyed by many through the autumn evenings of 2025

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback

This book!! This book is amazing!! When I think Janice can't get better she just improves with every single book I read of hers. This one has so many twist and turns. Every time I thought I had it all figured out I realised I was completely wrong. Amazing. Mind blown. Don't miss it.

I’ve been a fan of Janice Hallett from the very start so I was thrilled to get the early chance to read her newest book. The premise is excellent – a young man is pitching a true crime story to a Netflix producer, the story of a now deserted country pub once well known for its quizzes. A body was found close by the pub, shocking the regulars, but not quite as much as the appearance of a new team with the uncanny ability to win each week with near perfect scores. The story of the landlords, Mal and Sue, unfolds over a series of Whatapps and various other media and kept me guessing to the end.

The author was one of the first to write books in this style and it works so well here. It’s a great way for the story to unfold in chronological order, seen from a variety of viewpoints, and the idea of using a pitch to a TV producer is excellent, leaving plenty of cliffhangers. And, as usual, it’s very funny as well as clever – one of her best.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

The Killer Question is the latest novel from Janice Hallett in her now very signature epistolary style. I had been so excited to read this, having enjoyed the Appeal and the Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels but really liked the Examiner and her first children's book A Box Full of Murders. I think Hallett is getting better each time. A solid five stars

There's very little I can say without giving things away other than if you like the style and the challenge of trying to work it out as you read you'll enjoy this. If you dislike the story told through artifacts like emails and text messages you'll hate it. The story is gripping, unexpected and well paced. This kept me reading well past bedtime and I was very pleased that I spotted a clue and I was right that it was important, but obviously I can't tell you what that was. I didn't guess the end.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the chance to read in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this novel - and it is a continuation of form for Janice. The characterisation of both pub quizzers and pub owners was so good (and occasionally very funny!) alongside a foxing mystery.

I will read whatever Janice Hallett writes and she hasn't disappointed me to date. This is a small town mystery with plenty of questions and some really engaging characters. The format of her books is something I find really engaging, although it's not for everyone, but it gives her the ability to pull off some fantastic twists. It's also given me a hankering to go to a pub quiz..

Thank you to NetGalley and Viper for this ARC.

In October 2024, Dominic Eastwood approaches TV production companies about making a true crime documentary about the case of his aunt and uncle Sue and Mal Eastwood, formerly the landlords of the pub "The Case is Altered" in Hertfordshire. When one company bites, he sends them various documents including emails, letters, texts, one star restaurant reviews, WhatsApp messages, quiz sheets, interview transcripts and police statements. The case starts in September 2019, when, after the popular weekly pub quiz, one man is killed and his body found in the water behind the pub a month later.

An isolated pub, a body in the river, a mysterious new quiz team that wins every time - the story starts interesting but then we get a separate timeline from 2014 when Sue and Mal, who used to be police officers, are part of Operation Honeyguide, investigating the kidnapping case of two young women, one with rich parents they are sent to comfort. For the longest time we have no idea how those storylines are connected, as we always go back to the quiz nights, and frankly, boring quiz teams texts, plus talks with other landlords belonging to the Ye Olde Goat Brewery emporium.

I found the story dragged plus the multi media writing style was irritating because it contained so much useless material that was just filler. I'm not a quizzer and I found that some of those team members take the quizzing way too seriously. I actually liked the small-town community and if that had been the book I'd have lapped it up, but as part of a complicated crime plot it just didn't fit.

Towards the end it speeds up and we get a lot of good twists and turns but by then I had pretty much lost interest in this convoluted story. The twists turned the whole story on its head, just when I'd warmed to Sue and Mal. A lot of people will love this but it wasn't for me. I had to read this on the NetGalley shelf app as it didn't download to my Kindle, and what was only two days felt like a hundred years.

I love Janice Hallett books. Something I have learned to do is to not try and work out who did what, because most of the time the what that happened isn’t the what you think it is! Basically once the twists are revealed, going back to reread sections always shows that they clues were there but oh so finely laid that now, with the whole picture, it makes sense. This is no different. I don’t know where the author gets her ideas from but I sure hope she continues to have them! Some authors are pretty formulaic in their plot or characters, Hallett seems to manage to follow a similar formula of ‘lay out the clues that will only be obvious at the end’ but in very different ways in each of her stories. The plots and characters and twists are oh so different in each of her books. I loved this book (like I do all her work) and don’t want to give away a single spoiler, because everyone deserves to go into The Killer Question without seeing the quiz questions in advance 😉

If you have read any of Janice Hallett’s previous books then you have an inkling of the format to expect. I was ready for text messages, emails and short bursts of information pooling together to form a mystery. In truth, this is much more than concocting a mystery, it is piecing together characters, lives and connections in a variety of ways.

This book centres around the idea of a pub quiz and a county with several linked pubs hosting on various nights. The owners keep in contact and there is banter between them. There are a dedicated set of quiz teams at The Case is Altered, where Mal and Sue play host every Monday. As the weeks go on, a new quiz team enters the race and is quickly declared the winners, week in and week out. It is causing issues with the regulars.

When a body is discovered in the water nearby, more information becomes available and as the reader, we are party to it all. Admittedly, I didn’t see the plot twists until they were right in front of me but that is a testament to the cleverness of the author. She leads the reader on a merry path believing one thing and then shocks in the next page.

I find the format enjoyable and easy to follow- and it plays out just as a show might. I am always keen to dive into a Janice Hallett book and think this might be the best one yet. It will certainly keep readers guessing and surprised as everything is revealed!

This feels like a nice return to the small town community and crimes of The Appeal. As always I read it in today and had a delightful, satisfying time. Sort of wanted to try Mal's quiz questions!