A perfect way to relax and research marine mystery country

I took the morning off from the computer and writing to undertake a lovely trip to the Isle of Wight and a long walk, not quite up to my ten mile standard but six miles nevertheless. This time I caught the Wightlink car ferry across to the Island, instead of the Hovercraft, crossing as a foot passenger and disembarking at Fishbourne. 


It was a beautiful clear sunny day with a rippling blue Solent and very warm and springlike at 10 degrees.  What a perfect day to relax and also research because many readers of my marine mystery crime and thriller novels will know that they are set against the backdrop of the Solent, in Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and surrounding area.  The Wightlink ferry also features in my crime novels and I have undertaken a couple of marathon book signings on board while ploughing the Solent between the mainland of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Great fun.  I also got to go on the Bridge with the Captain, a real privilege.


On the Bridge of the St Clare at Fishbourne, Isle of Wight with Captain John Monk (2007)


Signing books for customers, helped by the Hayling Island Bookshop

With Captain Paul Marshall on board the St Clare (2008)

My crime thriller novel featuring Alex Albury In For The Kill is set on the Isle of Wight. Blood on the Sand  the fifth in the Inspector Andy Horton crime series, is also set on the Isle of Wight, as is the DI Andy Horton marine mystery I am currently writing.  But of course my characters get to travel back and forth to the streets of Portsmouth where DI Andy Horton, Sergeant Cantelli, Superintendent Uckfield and the rest of the team are based.

The walk today took me along the coastal path past Quarr Abbey which is featured in Blood On the Sand, as is the shore area around Binstead Hard.


Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight

It was a lovely walk and provided lots of time to relax, think through certain aspects of the plot I'm currently writing, and spark new ideas. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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