Janice Hallett makes her triumphant return to Lockwood in this much anticipated sequel to her record-breaking bestselling debut The Appeal

* AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER * * THE HUGELY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE SMASH-HIT BESTSELLER, THE APPEAL * 'A sequel even better than the original' - THE TIMES 'The pinnacle of modern crime writing' - IAN MOORE A New Play. Another Murder. A Town Full of Secrets... It's a new theatrical season in Lower Lockwood, and the amateur thespians of the Fairway Players are starting rehearsals for their production of Agatha Christie's The Hollow. Despite troublesome new arrivals, countless petty squabbles and a gruesome accident with the lighting rig, surely this will be their greatest show to date? But someone is hiding a devastating secret... and they won't make it to opening night. Could it be Sarah-Jane's sister, back in Lockwood after twenty years abroad? New member Lucas, whose shady business dealings may be his downfall? Or is it Issy, out of prison but still up to her old tricks? Lawyers Charlotte and Femi must sift through the evidence to identify the victim and find out why the convicted murderer refuses to speak in their own defence... Will they uncover the truth in time? Will you? 'An absolute joy from cover to cover' - CHRIS BROOKMYRE 'Be prepared to put life on hold' - J.M. HALL 'An absolute triumph' - ROSS MONTGOMERY

"The Silent Appeal is that rare thing: a sequel even better than the original" - The Times

"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

"A sequel every bit as brilliant and beguiling as her bestselling debut" - Daily Express

"Takes Hallett's usual method of a novel by emails, texts, and police reports to a new height in a laugh-out-loud story... This very different format and context gives a zing of pure pleasure" - Critic

"Those readers who love puzzling out riddles in Golden Age crime fiction will enjoy the challenge of spotting the clues and discrepancies buried in these documents... A clever novel" - Literary Review

"Hallett's greatest strength is her ability to combine the mechanics of modern communication with the machinery of a traditional mystery... The Silent Appeal is a novel about performance, perception and the dangerous gap between what people say and what they mean" - Crime Fiction Lover

"Hallett again ingeniously constructs the mystery from correspondence and case files, leaving lawyers Charlotte and Femi (and the reader) to work out what happened" - i Paper

"I've waited years for this! An excellent, fantastic read" - Belfast Telegraph

"Terrifically twisty... Packed with playful misdirection and carefully concealed clues, The Silent Appeal is fun and engaging" - Irish News

"Hallett has a particular talent for painting well-developed characters simply via the medium of messages. Her deft plot-twists and assured use of misdirection mean that the new story is great fun, and just as addictive as the first" - Church Times

"A triumphant headscratcher" - Crime Monthly

"A new Janice Hallett is one of the events of the year for lovers of crime fiction" - Sunderland Echo

"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" - Booklist