The King’s Head is an 18th Century pub in the coastal town of Cromer in North Norfolk.

Strike visits the pub, where he orders a pint of Doom Bar and a burger and chips, after interviewing the Heatons in their Garden Street House and taking stock of the site of Daiyu Wace’s disappearance.  He feels reluctant to return to London that day and contemplates checking in to the adjacent Hotel de Paris (Chapter 63).

“The temptation of checking in was increased by the sight of the King’s Head pub, which had a paved beer garden, tucked up the High Street to his left” (Chapter 63).

“The rear entrance to the redbrick Hotel de Paris (why Paris?) lay directly opposite the beer garden, beckoning invitingly” (Chapter 63).

Strike sits in the “damp beer garden” and does some research using his mobile phone whilst vaping, drinking and eating.

The King’s Head pub sign features King Henry 1st, younger son of William the Conqueror. His connection to Norfolk is that his reign saw the completion of Norwich castle in 1121, which he visited at Christmas that year.

You can find the King’s Head, Cromer here: