The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett

480 pages

Mystery and Thrillers

Pub date: 01 September 2026

Four plus stars ****

My thoughts:

I have read every book that Hallett has written starting with the novel that is a kind of prequel to The Silent Appeal (that book was The Appeal). Both of these books feature The Fairway Players and many characters from the first book are here again. That said, it is possible to read The Silent Appeal on its own.

Hallett has devised her own style in writing her books. I once heard her speak about this which was a terrific experience. In any event, this book consists not of a straightforward narrative, but rather of a series of documents of varying types that are being reviewed by two young lawyers. They have their work cut out for them.

I can honestly say that trouble seems to find the Players, as is true here. Who will be killed? Who will be responsible? What other subplots will readers follow before all becomes clear?

This is a rather long novel but Hallett’s fans won’t mind that at all. They will happily follow the characters as they try to decipher the plot.

In my opinion, Hallett has succeeded with her new novel. I do note that there are many, many characters but there is a helpful list included for readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

From “modern Agatha Christie” (The Sunday Times, London) Janice Hallett, a follow-up to her blockbuster novel The Appeal, featuring the Fairway Players as they find themselves embroiled in murder, blackmail, and betrayal as they mount their latest theatrical production.

Welcome back to Lower Lockwood. The Fairway Players return with Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald as committee cochairs. This year, they have chosen to stage Agatha Christie’s The Hollow. But auditions aren’t their only problem: Sarah-Jane’s sister, Nicky-Rose, is suddenly back in town under mysterious circumstances, having sold her home in Barbados, left her business providing entertainment on cruise ships, and moved back into their mother Carol’s house.

As always, they’re short on men, and new Player Fran Elroy-Jones enlists a young married couple and the husband’s cousin to join. But no one wants to play the part of the hated Gerda, leaving Kevin and Sarah-Jane with no option but to reach out to an old member they know would be happy to perform in any role.

As with any production, tensions run high, and our intrepid lawyers Femi and Charlotte are tasked with uncovering exactly what happened on the opening night of The Hollow—and whether the correct person has taken the blame.

Editorial Reviews:

“[A} mystery as clever as any Dame Agatha ever devised. This will delight the author’s fans.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The whole thing is enhanced by Hallett’s sly observational humor and sense of the absurd—and how it applies to the deluded, self-regarding and back-stabbing characters she brings so amusingly to life.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Fans familiar with Hallett’s quirky epistolary style—the entire story is told via texts, WhatsApp messages, and emails—will know to expect guffaws, surprises, cringe-worthy moments, high drama, and catastrophe… Readers will be just as puzzled as the two lawyers charged with figuring out the truth and bringing the baddies to justice—until all the clues fall into place and the curtain falls on another successful Fairway production.”
—Booklist

“Hallett writes another tightly wound whodunit told via emails and text messages as in The Appeal and deftly adapts her storyline to mimic the style of Christie’s play, making this a clever and very entertaining read.”
—Library Journal

Note:

My reviews of other titles by this author may be found on my blog.