Masterful Crime Writer Hindle Debuts in U.S.

A FATAL CROSSING
by Tom Hindle
U.S. debut, Crime Fiction
(Dutton TR; On sale: 7/2026)

Internationally bestselling crime writer Tom Hindle’s highly anticipated U.S. debut A FATAL CROSSING is a gripping and stylish whodunit set aboard a luxurious 1924 ocean liner—and it’s now a national bestseller! Already adored in the UK, A FATAL CROSSING was the Waterstones Thriller of the Month and went on to become their bestselling Crime & Thriller pick ever.

Don’t miss our virtual chat with Tom in early October to learn more his writing process and secrets of success in the United Kingdom. We’ll ask him how it feels to have his work published in the United States for the first time, and gain insights into his writing journey. Check back here after October 7.

Creating a web of deceit among aristocrats and gangsters

In a fresh take on the classic closed-circle murder mystery, Tom Hindle invites readers into a world of glittering ballrooms, high society, and hidden secrets. When an elderly gentleman is discovered dead at the foot of a staircase on the luxury ship The Endeavour, the first officer and a detective bound for New York must work together to uncover the sinister cause of the man’s demise.

First Officer Timothy Birch, a pragmatic man wracked with guilt over his daughter’s disappearance, is skeptical of Inspector James Temple’s insistence that there’s more to the man’s death than meets the eye. Sharp and determined, Temple begins an investigation that will cut to the very heart of the Endeavour’s dark underbelly.

With only a few days before the ship hits land in the United States, the stakes grow ever higher when the case takes an unexpected turn: the death may be tied to the theft of a priceless painting—one whose existence was known only to its owner and the victim himself. Inspector Temple must unravel a web of deception, contending with stolen art, scheming aristocrats, and vicious gangsters, all while his own presence aboard the Endeavour raises unsettling questions.

A masterful plot where none seem innocent

Times bestsellers, and one of which is in development for a Disney+ adaptation. An homage to the Golden Age of mystery novels, Agatha Christie fans will be delighted, as will lovers of contemporary mystery writers like Kate Atkinson, Lucy Foley, Anthony Horowitz, and Kristen Perrin.

Fodder for another Disney film?

A FATAL CROSSING delivers a masterfully plotted standalone mystery where no one is above suspicion. It is the perfect book to introduce U.S. audiences to this beloved British author, whose mysteries have been translated across ten territories, have twice been Top Ten Sunday Times bestsellers, and one of which is in development for a Disney+ adaptation. An homage to the Golden Age of mystery novels, Agatha Christie fans will be delighted, as will lovers of contemporary mystery writers like Kate Atkinson, Lucy Foley, Anthony Horowitz, and Kristen Perrin.

“So richly atmospheric you feel like you’re on board – I was utterly transported to the 1920s and loved every minute spent trying to untangle this intricately plotted mystery. Complex characters abound, historical details lock you in, and the twists and turns just keep coming. I haven’t felt my jaw drop like that at an ending in a long time – you absolutely won’t see this one coming!”—Kristen Perrin, New York Times bestselling author of How to Solve Your Own Murder

“Tom Hindle is one of our most exciting voices in crime fiction, with work that’s consistently punchy, intriguing, original and delightful.”—Janice Hallett, International bestselling author of The Appeal

“That perfect recipe for a mystery: half the time you’ll marvel at Hindle’s cleverness, the other half you’ll kick yourself because he’s tricked you.”—Benjamin Stevenson, bestselling author of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally hailing from Leeds, Tom Hindle lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and daughter. He is the author of A Fatal Crossing, The Murder Game, Murder on Lake Garda, Death in the Arctic, and A Killer in Paradise—all of which were inspired by masters of the crime genre such as Agatha Christie and Anthony Horowitz. Tom is hard at work on his next murder mystery.

ABOUT DUTTON: A focused imprint with a huge audience, Dutton is part of the largest English-language publisher in the world. Dutton’s deeply discussable titles have become bestsellers, been national book club picks, and won the National Book Award. Publicity—and marketing—driven, its list of sixty books per year is half nonfiction and half fiction. Dutton’s imprints include Plume and Tiny Reparations Books.