Flaky alumina particles including mullite in a surface layer of the flaky alumina particles. A method for producing flaky alumina particles including forming a mixture by mixing together an aluminum compound that contains elemental aluminum, a molybdenum compound that contains elemental molybdenum, and silicon or a silicon compound that contains elemental silicon, the aluminum compound being in an amount greater than or equal to 50 mass %, calculated as Al2O3, the molybdenum compound being in an amount less than or equal to 40 mass %, calculated as MoO3, the silicon or the silicon compound being in an amount of 0.5 mass % or greater and less than 10 mass %, calculated as SiO2, relative to a total mass of the flaky alumina particles taken as 100 mass %; and firing the mixture.