Death at the Museum

A Box Full of Murders #2

by Janice Hallett, Marta Kissi (Illustrator)

The second children’s murder mystery from number-one-bestselling author of The Appeal, Janice Hallett, perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Rhian Tracey.

Imagine an old museum with more secrets than anyone could ever guess. A school trip that ends in murder. A crime unsolved for decades. . . But who did it?

Now, Ava and Luke are on the case, following the clues left in a new box of murders. Using School workbooks, museum records, secret recordings and letters the siblings start to unravel the mystery of a body in the basement. But can they discover what really happened . . . before the killer strikes again?

YOU know the facts. YOU have all the clues. Can YOU solve the mystery before they do?

Praise for A Box Full of
'Pure catnip for budding young sleuths' The Telegraph

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Mystery Thriller, London

480 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2026

About the author

Janice Hallett is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist, and government communications writer. She wrote articles and speeches for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office, and Department for International Development. Her enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the world several times, from Madagascar to the Galapagos, Guatemala to Zimbabwe, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. A playwright and screenwriter, she penned the feminist Shakespearean stage comedy NetherBard and cowrote the feature film Retreat. The Appeal is her first novel.

Reviews

[Sian]

Yet another absolute corker by Janice Hallett, in her classic epistolary style. I’m so glad I read this straight after ‘A Box Full of Murders’, because it made me even more excited to dive back into Ava and Luke’s world! In their second detective adventure, this time with the support of their parents, Ava and Luke open a brand new box of murders. This time, there’s some shady business going down at the Natural History Museum, and the 1983 Brewford Middle school trip turns out to be far more than just eventful. Exhibits moving around, people going missing, even some historical figures that seem to be alive and well! Each of the children on the school trip have part of the story to tell (and we even get to hear from some familiar characters from book one!) but only Ava and Luke have the full picture. It’s up to them to solve the case!

As with the first book, Hallett has also left us with some unanswered questions too, which of course has made me very excited for the next instalment!

[Thank you to Janice Hallett, Puffin, and Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC!]

[Anastasia]

Death at the Museuem by Janice Hallett is the 2nd book in A Box Full of Murders series. Ava and Luke are given their second box of clues to a murder mystery and this time it involves a school trip to the Natural History Museum where a body is found in the basement. This follows the same pattern as the first book where Ava and Luke read through reports and notebook entries, photos and clippings from the various characters, including a few from the first book. A wonderful mystery. Lots of fun as we meet several strange historical characters and creatures amongst the exhibits. A great children's book which I enjoyed very much.

[DaNae]

Ava and Luke are on summer vacation, so what else is there to do but open up a box of murder and get to work. This time in the British Natural History Museum. They go back to 1983 and follow a class field trip gone awry. In which, a kid manages to get on top of a taxidermied whale, lunches are stolen, long dead explorers turn up, snakes are loose, and oh yeah, the dead body in the basement,

I had a great time with this. It did get very silly from time to time, but it was a blast putting all the puzzle pieces together.

[Mehsi]

Review to come, what a fantastic book!

[Archie Page]

This is the best book I’ve ever read even though it’s a kids book I highly recommend it to anyone who loves murder mystery’s love reading and loves funny and interesting stories. The end this very shocking so if you want to read it be warned. Janice Hallet is such a good author i highly recommend reading this book.

[Louisa with an A]

This was a fun easy read. From my critiques from the first book I felt like this wasn’t as pandering about spelling everything out. This is still obviously a middle grade book but there seemed to be a bit more trust in the readers that they would understand some more of the text without having their hand held.

The content was funny and would definitely keep a child entertained. I liked the small nods to the first book/mystery box with some of the characters appearing though there was one point when three characters that were all at the summer camp in the first book were in very close proximity but didn’t recognise each other or mention that they knew each other which I thought was odd because the summer camp wasn’t that big so surely these three characters would know of each other.

I think the inclusion of Ava and Luke’s mum and dad going through a divorce and ailing grandparents, it reminds me of Jaquline Wilson books which I always appreciated because it never sugar-coated life. I’m keen to find out more about why these boxes are in the kids attic and I hope in the next book there will be more clues about that.

[Richard Kennedy]

I don’t care if these books are meant for children, they’re bloody awesome. They make me feel like a big kid again and have such fun, interesting storylines and lovable characters. The second book in this series is set in the natural history museum, which as someone who grew up in London, knows very well. This felt like time travel, travelling back to a school trip in the 1980s. With kids getting up to all sorts of shenanigans. I really love how fun and educational these books are. Janice Hallett is not only my favourite adult book author, but she’s also my favourite children’s author. The first in this series being my favourite. I can’t wait to read these books to my kids when they’re older and I hope they love the mysteries, stories, adventures and characters as much as I have. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun sleuth book set in a museum or school trip. Happy sleuthing! Enjoy the adventure!

[Cassius]

So this book is a bit of an odd type of murder mystery. The characters always solve mysteries that just happened to be there at the right time in their attic. They solve them in weird ways. Honestly, I'd lend this to Grandma.

[Abby Millott]

3.5 stars rounded up. A fun, cosy time. I just adore mixed media.

[Jennifer]

3.5 - Cute middle school age mystery. You have to suspend some belief, but it’s a fun read.

[Melissa]

These books are so fun, but the implication that Ava and Luke's dad is aware of multiple murders and letting the killers go free for decades until his plucky kids come along is goofy.

[Pulp_Fiction_Books]

I gave the first book in this series five stars and this one deserves every bit of that rating too.
Everything in here from the formatting, layout, location and characters to the story itself is so fun. The mystery aspect is intriguing and multilayered too, although I did have nearly everything worked out pretty handily, I do think children or those less well-versed with mysteries could absolutely be working this out right up to the end. It's also quite eduational but in a way where it fits naturally in the story so it doesn't feel jarring or something that kids would pick up on and drag them out of the story or cause them to lose interest.

[Priya]

I can't wait for more books from this series !!
I'll have to read her adult books until they're finally released 😔🙏🏻

[Louise Richards]

OMG. I don't know how Janice Hallett manages to always write such an incredible novel that hooks you in from the very beginning. Once again she does not disappoint with this second novel for children A Box Full of Murders Death at the Museum. This book was incredibly written as always and you are rooting for Ava and Luke to solve the case as well as working alongside them to help them solve it to the bitter end. This was most definitely a 5 star read for me and I would thoroughly recommend to friends and fans of cosy crime.

[Cookie]

Oh, that was so much fun again! I just love mixed media, and these stories are somehow so cozy. Ava and Luke are investigating a new box of murders, which takes them to a school trip to a museum in 1983. They are trying to unravel mysterious events using school workbooks, letters, receipts, museum records... I just love this, what can I say? I actually find it quite complex for a book aimed at younger readers. Just like with the first book, I really had to pay close attention to what was happening where!

[Harriet Woods]

Genuinely a great mystery, it almost has you believing in ghosts before tying every character and plot point together. Still a bit dumb that the siblings don’t live together and who the hell sets up the material for children to solve the murder and not just give it to the police??

[Sifa Poulton]

4.5 stars

DEATH AT THE MUSEUM is a great second mystery told through documents.

This has to be the most chaotic school trip ever. As well as the crimes going on, there are exhibition-swapping "pranks", a kid climbing atop an exhibit, and a well-meaning door being locked and causing havoc. It's a disaster of a day (particularly for the adults trying to deal with it all!) but so funny to read about. Also none of the kids are using their booklets as they're supposed to. A few start off that way but then end up using it to scribble down thoughts - which is very much how these things end up going.

The chaos also masks some of what's going on (certainly from the utterly clueless lead teacher!) As with A BOX FULL OF MURDERS, this is a very complex mystery, with so many moving parts I was glad of the the summaries/reports scattered throughout to be reminded of what was going on across the various story lines. It is an engaging mystery - I kept turning the pages to find out what happened next.

As well as the mystery in the documents, Ava and Luke are trying to deal with the family situation. In the start of the previous books, their parents split up and they're still coming to terms with their new living situations (different kids with different parents) but now their grandparents are ill. It's a nice way to show kid readers that they're not alone when tough things happen in their lives.

As well as Ava and Luke returning as the sleuths, there are a few familiar characters at the museum. One of the kids, Monique, is a student at the main school the mystery is focused around but a few other students are also there on a school trip, which were fun cameos. There's also the mystery of how these boxes have ended up in the loft for Ava and Luke to find, with a clue coming at the end.

The next full length novel has yet to be announced, but there has to be one given the mystery of the boxes hasn't been solved! I hope there's another at any rate. (There is a puzzle book coming, though.)

[Caroline | dogtailsandcrimetales]

★★★★★

“If you could ensure there are no dead bodies when we visit, I’d be very grateful.”

Monique is back, this time not as an overly eager camp attendee and collector of badges, but as a student visiting the museum with her school class and as a museum shop and paper goods enthusiast. (I am a little concerned about how much I identify with both of those things.)

It’s still 1983, only a few weeks after camp, and this is an excerpt from a letter she sent to one of the curators at the Natural History Museum in London.

It’s probably not a spoiler to point out that despite the curator’s promise, Monique and her friends do find a dead body. There is good news too:

“Ugh, not again. At least that one has a name badge, unlike the last dead body I found.”

Ava and Luke are back at it with their second case! Their parents are still separated, and their mom has taken Ava to stay with her at her grandparents, who are struggling with their health. So while the kids are separated more than usual, they still come together to uncover another mystery, which also serves as a great distraction.

The central mystery remains, though it seems Ava and Luke are on the right track, and I expect we will find out more very soon. That said, I don’t mind remaining in the dark for now because I am having so much fun with these two!

[Tosin (tosmeabook)]

I can't come down too harshly on this story because, realistically, I am not the target audience here. I'm just a guest. That being said, I didn't love this second instalment as much as the first.

While I loved the reappearance of some of the characters from book one, not all of these cameos really made sense, nor did they really move the narrative forward in a meaningful way. It felt like: I'm going to give you all of the characters, all the time, whether you like it or not (see what I did there 👀). The wide range of POV's worked in book one, but it was a bit too clunky and overwhelming in book two.

I also felt like something was lost/ missing from this book. At times, I felt very detached from the story, perhaps it's because of how much I had to suspend my disbelief for this narrative to work or if the overall mystery was just not that exciting for me.

One thing that's not missing is Janice Hallett's incredible wit and humor. I adored the laugh-out-loud moments that came so unexpectedly. She really captures the brutal honesty of young children so well.

I'm excited about what the next box will bring Ava and Luke.

[Book Crescent]

A Box Full of Murders: Death at the Museum is an absolute delight and an easy five star read.
Packed with intriguing clues, clever twists and plenty of surprises, this mystery had me hooked from the start. The museum setting adds a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop, bringing the investigation to life and making every discovery feel that little bit more exciting.
The story is expertly paced, with enough red herrings to keep me guessing while still playing fair with the reader. I loved trying to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters, only to find myself repeatedly changing my mind about who was responsible.
What really stood out was the balance between an engaging mystery and a cast of memorable characters. Each felt distinct and believable, adding depth and personality to the story.
This is a smart, entertaining and thoroughly satisfying whodunnit that kept me turning the pages late into the night. If you enjoy mysteries that challenge you to solve the case yourself, A Box Full of Murders: Death at the Museum is not to be missed. Highly recommended and a well deserved five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Nicola Michelle]

I was highly anticipating this read after really enjoying the first one. I went all out, bought a standard edition and a sprayed edge edition and got stuck in!

I read this as a buddy read whilst on holiday, and you bet we went to our nearest museum (Cardiff - I recommend, it’s great!) in between reading chapters of the book. I absolutely love the format of these books and it was what really drew me to this author.

I’ve read her adult fiction read and her middle grade YA and they have always been exciting. I look forward to every page and given the mixed media within the books, I find I can fly through the pages so much faster and they’re really addicting.

I couldn’t wait to rejoin Ava and Luke on a new adventure and I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever get bored of! I could read 50 books in this series and still keep wanting more (I’m so glad there’s another book to look forward to next summer. It’s a must read again for me and my buddy reader) and I can’t wait to open up a new book full of murders with our pair of plucky detectives.

[Susannah]

I am obviously not the target audience for this book, however I love Janice Hallett’s books and enjoyed the first in this series. I did not like this one as much. The premise is that two siblings find boxes of documents in their parents’ attics and each one has clues to a murder which they need to solve. This one is set in the natural history museum where a curator is murdered during a school trip. The boxes are also somehow connected to the children’s parents.

Janice Hallett is great at mixed media and this is hard to do well, here we have workbooks and notes books that the children were using and incident reports etc. However, I did find it a bit dull in general and slow which is not like other books I have read by this author. She also did that thing where one of the characters is not real which she has done in a few of her adult books and this gets old fast so bit annoying to see it here too, it just seems lazy.

[Skyfire]

I didn't like this book. I didn't like the first one either, but I thought I'd give it a go.
It's really frustrating how the whole book is Ava and Luke just texting each other. Why can't they call, or meet each other EVEN ONCE????? They are supposed to be SIBLINGS?????
We knew the murder almost the whole time. The kids at the museum were unfathomably dumb ( of COURSE Charles Darwin was not alive in 1983!!!) and all the kids just happen to have impeccable journalism skills to write down whole conversations for no reason for no one's benefit. And it's like there was no way for us to guess the bad guys. Like at least Murder Most Unladylike made you feel a bit dumb for not realising it sooner. This book is just dumb. Also their dads job is supposed to be top secret cliffhanger material but seriously who cares also why is there just a random mummy in a box and why are they evil overlord gods leaving murder boxes in peoples attics plz make it stop

[Alice magical library]

I loved this book! I was lucky enough to get a proof copy, and I am so glad that I did!

Luke and Ava are back; and this time, they’re reading about a murder in the Natural History Museum! With some strange visitors, some friendly faces and twists and turns at every page, Luke and Ava get closer and closer to solving the mystery. However, the further they get along, the more mysteries that unfold. Will they solve it before the evidence runs out?

I loved this book! It was an incredible sequel, and it definitely lived up to the first book’s incredible expectations. I really enjoyed seeing Luke and Ava again, and I loved how it was set in the Natural History Museum - a place I have visited many times and even slept overnight there! I really love the mrurder box concept, as I think it is really unique and interesting. I really can’t wait for the third one to come!!

[Maggie Timlin]

The Worst Run School Trip in History.

Another book another box of clues. Ava and Luke are delving into what must surely must have been the most chaotic school visit of the 1980s. There are people moving the exhibits around, kids hiding on the coach, and of course a dead body.
This is such a good book. It is so readable. You can really imagine all the carnage that took place in the Natural History Museum.
Janice Hallett knows exactly what some kids looks forward to on school trips namely lunch, the shop and the coach ride. I found myself just enjoying the story of this bunch of unsupervised children running around the museum. The murder mystery is vry puzzling. I didn’t actually twig to what was going on until I was told at the end. This is such a treat with a kids book.

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book.

[Ambica Gulati]

Hallett’s book made me long to go back to school and rediscover the Natural History Museum in Delhi, which lies practically empty. I don’t think we were ever given workbooks after museum trips, or even examined the exhibits with the precision that Hallett describes.

Very smartly, she introduces us to the natural world without making it feel like a boring textbook. She brings alive the explorers, wanderers, ancient worlds, fossils and rocks. We learn a little geology and history, discover fascinating explorations and meet some rather eccentric explorers along the way.

And then there are the caretakers, curators, teachers and smugglers. The seemingly staid museum turns out to be a treasure house of ancient artefacts, diamonds and precious stones.

Everything is on record, and yet the puzzle remains unsolved for decades until two curious minds solve it. That’s the beauty of the book.

[Claire Cobb]

This was a really fun and entertaining read. I loved the characters from back in 1983 on their trip to the museum and how there was some familiar faces from book 1 in this series. I really am wondering how Ava and Lukes dad fits in with this and why he has these boxes in his attic. I'm still loving Ava and Luke and their detective skills, theyre really clever st solving the puzzles considering theyre only 11 and 10. This story was twisty and you didnt know who to trust or believe at first but I did guess who it was behind the masks. Even still it didnt take away from the plot and I was genuinely happy with the ending. Can't wait for the puzzle book coming out in August 2026 and for the next book in this series which is out next year!

[Beth Anne]

My 12yo daughter and I love this series, and we both agreed that Death at the Museum was even better than the first book!

The mixed media formatting that Hallett is famous for really shines in middle grade with a whole cast of characters writing and drawing things, plus photographs and maps and more along the way. Plus, this series features a story within a story structure. The shell story has a brother sister mystery-solving team working in present day to solve cold cases from the 80s using a box found in their attic. Fun to see a few families faces in this book as well.

So excited for both the puzzle book where the reader gets to help solve the case (coming this fall) and book three in the series (coming next summer)!

[Claire]

Another brilliant read from Janice Hallett. This author is an instant buy for me. I don't even have to know what a book by her is about I just preorder it now questions asked.

Her children's books are just as gripping as her adult books. Have to say I can put the clue together a lot quicker in her children's booka though haha.

This was another fun and mysterious adventure with Ava and Luke. Love all the clues told through the children's workbooks, the log books, phone calls etc and all the text messages between Ava and Luke.
Still haven't worked out how their dad is connected to these cases 🤔

Excited for the next one!

[Nic]

I haven't read the first book in this series but I thought this was really well done for children. It encourages reasoning, patterns spotting and logical thinking in a fun context. Janice Hallett employs some clever devices like the "Progress Reports" three times in the book to help children keep track of what is going on.

Having undertaken work experience in the Natural History Museum about 25 years ago, I had to smirk at the curator's assertion there would be no dead bodies. Don't tell the kids but there actually are plenty of skeletons in the NHM basement ;)