Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall

Detective Sergeant Nicola Bridge grew up in Fleetcombe, a small village on the English coast, and has moved back there with her family for a new start. When a man is murdered and left on a road in the middle of the night, tied to a chair with a stag’s antlers affixed to his head, even experienced Nicola is puzzled. 

Her new staff is limited: serious Mel who prefers research to field work, and Detective Constable Harry Ward, young, good looking, and inexperienced – also tongue-tied around his new boss:

“I can’t babysit you,” Nicola said to Harry by way of greeting.

Ouch. Hello to you, too, thought Harry.

“I don’t have time, and I don’t have the headspace, not with a murder like this.”

“Understood,” said Harry.

She said “murder,” thought Harry. His first murder. He nodded respectfully to Nicola, trying not to show any enthusiasm. Trying to prove he was a serious human being, as his heart raced with a burst of excitement. Was it callous to be excited? Was it inhumane to feel motivated by the prospect of being able to do what he’d joined the service for?

He wasn’t sure. He hoped not.

The victim was Jim, the landlord of the White Hart pub (hence the title), and many of its regulars seem to be extremely agitated about his death. Chibnal, the creator of the Broadchurch (I guess I only saw season 1 but I liked it) does a good job providing just enough suspicious characters with sufficient detail so we get to know them. The reader also learns more about Nicola’s personal issues, which she needs to deal with, plus figure out how to work effectively with Harry in order to solve the case. Their relationship improves as the case proceeds and Harry is able to demonstrate that he does possess detective instincts; it’s the beginning of what I hope will be a series. Chibnall clearly has an affinity for smart but damaged female detectives!

After seeing this reviewed in Publishers Weekly, I immediately put it on reserve at the library and both my sister and I enjoyed it. This is my eighteenth book for the Cloak and Dagger Challenge.  Recommended!

Title: Death at the White Hart
Author: Chris Chibnall
Publication: Viking, hardcover, 2025
Genre: Mystery
Source: Library