David Stone, a long-time resident of Dunbridge, has published his debut crime novel, Fox among the Chickens, set in the fictional Mid Test Valley.
David said: “Since retiring from my role at Mottisfont, I have begun to realise my long-held ambition to write detective/crime fiction.
“The character of DI Fox began to take shape in my mind during the many hours spent tending Mottisfont’s famous garden.
“The process of gardening provides many opportunities for thinking outside of the box.”
David Stone has published his debut crime novel. (Image: Supplied)
The novel introduces Detective Inspector Thomas Fox, who investigates a series of murders in the late 1950s, drawing on moral and religious themes.
His first case begins with the gruesome discovery of a headless chicken nailed to a door, which leads to a wider investigation in the New Forest and beyond.
Mr Stone, a practising Christian and former head gardener at Mottisfont Abbey, was awarded the British Empire Medal upon his retirement.
The paperback is available on Amazon for £9.99, with £1 from each sale donated to the St Andrew’s Church Restoration Fund.
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