Broken Country

By: Clare Leslie Hall

Narrated by: Hattie Morahan

“Stirring and mysterious…fires directly at the human heart and hits the mark.” —Delia Owens, New York Times bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing

A love triangle unearths dangerous, deadly secrets from the past in this thrilling tale perfect for fans of The Paper Palace and Where the Crawdads Sing.

“The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

©2025 Clare Leslie Hall (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Great Listen - recommend!

Really beautiful story about love, loss, forgiveness, and sacrifice. I appreciated the character development and how the author wove all the story lines together without leaving any open at the end. Plot twists throughout the book that continued to take me by surprise - couldn't wait to continue to listen. I also enjoyed listening to the narrator – she did a lovely job. I did have to restart the book early on as it is not in chronological order, so readers/listeners must pay attention to the title of each chapter. Totally recommend!

Beautifully Written Story

I loved it! It is beautifully written and read. I’m so glad I found it! I had never heard of it before I stumbled upon it on Audible. The writer captivated me immediately with this touching and engaging story. It’s one I will remember always

Stunning!!!

The most beautiful love story! Best book I’ve ever read in my life!!! Can’t stop crying!!!

What a Wonderful Surprise

I discovered this book accidentally. it was very well written and the narrator was engaging. I'll definitely be looking for this author in the future.

Beautifully written

I loved the story- perfectly written, each character so well developed- experienced every emotion. Wonderful!

Wonderful story

A captivating story of love and loss. Beautifully written, I could not put it down. Excellent narration.

This book is FANTASTIC!

This book has to be one of the best books ever written. The characters were very well-defined as well as their connections to each other as well as their disconnections. The situations involving the characters were constructed throughout with always leaving the reader/ listener guessing as to what is going to happen next. I imagined several different endings, none of which were accurate. I really liked all the characters and I think everyone will be very satisfied with the ending. I like this book so much that I’m going to buy a hard copy to read. Get the book. You won’t regret it.

Beautiful

This was such a beautiful story. Told with so much feeling and heartfelt love. Even in the worst parts it’s beautiful. Perfection in a book is rare but this one truly is perfection.

Brilliant

I enjoyed that the author revealed the pieces of Beth's story slowly, a little at a time. I had figured out some of the mystery in the book, there were still small twists I did not see coming. Read it!

Amazingly Heartbreaking Read

That ending, was such a surprise I didn’t see that coming. It was suspenseful from beginning to end. Primarily dual timelines, but very easy to keep up with. The Johnson family experienced so much tragedy and loss. What do you do when your first love / love of your life returns? This book is definitely one of my best reads of 2025!