THE SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER OF THE 2022 CWA JOHN CREASEY NEW BLOOD DAGGER

ONE MURDER. FIFTEEN SUSPECTS. CAN YOU UNCOVER THE TRUTH?

There is a mystery to solve in the sleepy town of Lower Lockwood. It starts with the arrival of two secretive newcomers, and ends with a tragic death. Roderick Tanner QC has assigned law students Charlotte and Femi to the case. Someone has already been sent to prison for murder, but he suspects that they are innocent. And that far darker secrets have yet to be revealed...

Throughout the amateur dramatics society's disastrous staging of All My Sons and the shady charity appeal for a little girl's medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. The evidence is all there, waiting to be found. But will Charlotte and Femi solve the case? Will you?

'Agatha Christie for the 21st century' THE TIMES

'Witty, clever and completely addictive' MAIL ON SUNDAY

'Gripping, ambitious and unusual' SOPHIE HANNAH

THE SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER OF THE 2022 CWA JOHN CREASEY NEW BLOOD DAGGER

ONE MURDER. FIFTEEN SUSPECTS. CAN YOU UNCOVER THE TRUTH?

There is a mystery to solve in the sleepy town of Lower Lockwood. It starts with the arrival of two secretive newcomers, and ends with a tragic death. Roderick Tanner QC has assigned law students Charlotte and Femi to the case. Someone has already been sent to prison for murder, but he suspects that they are innocent. And that far darker secrets have yet to be revealed...

Throughout the amateur dramatics society's disastrous staging of All My Sons and the shady charity appeal for a little girl's medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. The evidence is all there, waiting to be found. But will Charlotte and Femi solve the case? Will you?

'Agatha Christie for the 21st century' THE TIMES

'Witty, clever and completely addictive' MAIL ON SUNDAY

'Gripping, ambitious and unusual' SOPHIE HANNAH

*** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ***
*** WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH ***
*** THE SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH ***

'This dazzlingly clever cosy crime novel completely trumps Richard Osman. A modern Agatha Christie' – SUNDAY TIMES
'This is a case you're about to become obsessed with. A triumph' – ALEX NORTH
'Very different but very satisfying. I thoroughly recommend The Appeal' – ELLY GRIFFITHS
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In a town full of secrets…
Someone was murdered.
Someone went to prison.
And everyone's a suspect.
Can you uncover the truth?

Dear Reader – enclosed are all the documents you need to solve a case. It starts with the arrival of two mysterious newcomers to the small town of Lockwood, and ends with a tragic death.

Someone has already been convicted of this brutal murder and is currently in prison, but we suspect they are innocent. What's more, we believe far darker secrets have yet to be revealed.

Throughout the Fairway Players' staging of All My Sons and the charity appeal for little Poppy Reswick's life-saving medical treatment, the murderer hid in plain sight. Yet we believe they gave themselves away. In writing. The evidence is all here, between the lines, waiting to be discovered.

Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth?

The standout debut thriller of 2021 that delivers multiple brilliant twists, and will change the way you think about the modern crime novel.
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'Gripping. I loved the ambitious and unusual approach' – SOPHIE HANNAH

'A daring debut… Hallett will soon have you laughing out loud' – THE TIMES

'A brilliantly fresh, ingenious and original whodunnit. So, so good' – INDIA KNIGHT

'Extremely addictive, it will reel you in, one piece of evidence at a time' – ALEX PAVESI

'Takes the whodunnit to a whole new level. A rare feat' – ELIZABETH HAYNES

'Fiendishly clever and totally gripping' – CASS GREEN

'A cracking book. Fresh, original and very clever' – MEL SHERRATT