Death at the White Hart / Chris Chibnall.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"Layered, human, suspenseful and surprising - this guy knows how to tell a story, that's for sure." --Lee Child, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

"Fans of Broadchurch are going to LOVE Death at the White Hart ! With its compelling pair of detectives and tense, creepy atmosphere, once you start reading, I defy you to stop." --Shari Lapena

From the internationally award-winning creator of Broadchurch comes a brilliant new detective story following one man's death and the secrets that unravel in a coastal English village

Nothing keeps a village together like secrets.

The villagers of Fleetcombe like to think of it as one of the most picturesque spots on England's coast.

But now, it's a disturbingly macabre crime scene.

A man is found dead, tied to a chair in the middle of the road, a stag's antlers on his head. The gruesome scene stuns the town, especially when the victim is identified: Jim Tiernan, who ran the White Hart pub. Tiernan's pub is at the center of village life and he knew everyone's secrets.

Detective Nicola Bridge grew up in Fleetcombe and has now returned, for the good of her family, from a life away in Liverpool. DC Harry Ward is ten years younger and, despite his newcomer status, determined to earn Nicola's trust. Because they don't have long to crack the storybook façade and find out just what the people of Fleetcombe have to hide.

And now, in the place she thought she knew so well, Detective Nicola Bridge is asking questions. Is she ready for what she's about to find?

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

DEBUT Chibnall, who crafted a compelling whodunit as the creator of TV's Broadchurch series, brilliantly continues in that vein with his first novel. Detective Sergeant Nicola Bridges has moved with her husband and son from Liverpool to the village of Fleetcombe in a last-ditch effort to preserve her marriage. While she was consumed by her big-city job, her husband was cheating and growing emotionally distant; she hopes that sleepy Fleetcombe will bring a slower pace of work so that she can focus on her family. This proves to be wishful thinking when Bridges receives a call about a dead body on a nearby motorway. It's Jim Tiernan, owner of the White Hart pub, who knew most of the villagers' secrets. Initially, Bridges is frustrated. Homicides are rare in Fleetcombe, her resources are few, and her subordinate, Detective Constable Harry Ward, is inexperienced. Witnesses prevaricate, and a motive seems elusive. However, Bridges and Ward are persistent in investigating this case, no matter where it leads. VERDICT Chibnall's spectacular novel offers intriguing suspense and drama, plus an outstanding cast of characters and a mystery that will keep readers riveted until the fulfilling climax. Fans of Knives Out and Murder on the Orient Express should thoroughly enjoy.--Philip Zozzaro

Publishers Weekly Review

Broadchurch creator Chibnall flexes his talents for characterization and complex plotting in his engrossing first novel. Det. Sgt. Nicola Bridge, 38, has recently transferred from the Liverpool CID to her childhood home of Fleetcombe, a small West Dorset village. She hopes the transfer will bring her a quieter work life that doesn't put additional strain on her fraying marriage. Almost as soon as she arrives, however, Nicola is assigned to investigate a murder: the bloody body of Jim Tiernan, landlord of the White Hart pub, has been discovered tied to a chair in the middle of the road, a huge crown of deer antlers attached to his head. As Nicola and her rookie DC, Harry Ward, examine the theatrical murder, they discover an undercurrent of crime, lies, and cruelty flowing just beneath Fleetcombe's placid surface. Nicola is an exceptionally well-rounded sleuth whose personal challenges--including her philandering husband--help explain her aptitudes as a sensitive and skilled observer. As in his TV work, Chibnall gives equal depth to his supporting cast, making the potentially familiar premise feel lived-in and consequential. This deserves a sequel. Agent: Eugenie Furniss, 42MP. (June)

Kirkus Book Review

A detective settling into new digs faces a sensational murder in small-town England. When local publican Jim Tiernan's body is found in the middle of the road trussed up in a sack, tied to a chair, and sporting a pair of antlers, it's clear that murder most foul has been committed in picturesque coastal Fleetcombe. DS Nicola Bridge, who recently moved to the area from Liverpool to try to save her marriage, has to deal with sparse resources and transitional spaces for her team; nonetheless, she quickly falls back into her previous workaholic tendencies, sacrificing sleep (and date night) to the investigation. Though she's initially skeptical of DC Harry Ward's local background and boy-band good looks, she finds him a ready pupil, and the two of them, along with scene-of-crime officer Reeta Patel and Mel, the "king of cataloging," find some joy in the work and gratification in their appreciation for each other's contributions to the investigation. There's no shortage of possible suspects in the village, from the guy with the delivery van to the scorned wife to the suspicious-acting hairdresser to the grumpy old farmer with a deep sense of connection to the family land; Nicola and her team have their work cut out for them. Despite the contemporary setting, there's a classic feel to this police procedural. The mystery is rooted in human emotions, like classic whodunits of a century ago. The cast of suspects is varied and interesting, much more than stereotype or even archetype, but the true delight is the introduction of Nicola and her team, a group of misfits who complement each other with dry humor and absolute commitment to their jobs. Hopefully, this is the start of a beautiful series. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.