Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall

If you’re a fan of the TV show Broadchurch you’ll be delighted to know its creator Chris Chibnall has turned his hand to crime fiction. His transition to novelist is as smooth as you’d expect from someone with his television pedigree. 

The Death at the White Hart opens with a grisly murder when Jim, the local publican, is found dead, tied to a chair in the middle of a country road, crowned with deer antlers. The set-up is a pure murder mystery with a picturesque village, a dark history and a detective with something to prove.

The story follows Detective Sergeant Nicola Bridge, who, in a moment of desperation, abandons her high-profile role in Liverpool and returns to Fleetcombe, the fictional Dorset village where she grew up. Nicola had planned to ease into a quieter phase of her career, joining a small Police team. But her first case proves to be anything but the low-key policing she’d envisioned.

As the investigation unfolds, there are classic red herrings and local superstitions, but the truth is messy and human, not supernatural. The ending ties things up neatly, though there’s a sense that Nicola and her family’s troubles are only just beginning, providing a clear hook for what I hope is a future series.

Chris checks all the boxes for a British village whodunnit with crisp dialogue and characters who are familiar in all the right ones. It’s also not hard to imagine the events playing out on screen with its mix of investigative work and an eerie atmosphere.

As one of the key characters, Nicola was my favourite. She’s capable, unflinching, but far from bulletproof, with her personal issues woven cleverly throughout the case. The subplot about her marriage also adds a layer of realism, grounding the ritualistic murder in more everyday experiences.

Death at the White Hart is reliably satisfying and offers everything I need in a murder mystery. I’m certainly looking forward to reading more from Chris Chibnall.

Chris Chibnall is an award-winning screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the internationally acclaimed Broadchurch and was also the showrunner of the BBC’s Doctor Who. He lives in England.

Reviewer: Andrea Molloy

Michael Joseph