The bestselling author, whose love of the ocean has inspired her atmospheric psychological thrillers, will discuss her new novel Wish You Were Here at Southampton’s waterfront crime fiction festival on Saturday 6th March 2027.
From the beaches of Dorset to the volcanic islands of the Azores, the sea has long been a source of inspiration for bestselling thriller writer Lucy Clarke.
Now the author, whose novels have sold more than two million copies worldwide and inspired major television adaptations, is heading to Southampton as one of the headline names at Coastal Crime Festival on Saturday 6th March 2027.
Lucy will be in conversation with Stu Cummins at 5 pm at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour, discussing her lifelong fascination with the coast, her writing career, television adaptations and highly anticipated new novel, Wish You Were Here. For Lucy, the connection between the sea and storytelling began in childhood.
Growing up on the Dorset coast, she spent weekends at her family’s beach hut, surrounded by the sounds of the waves and the changing moods of the ocean. It was there that she later found the inspiration and solitude to pursue her ambition of becoming a novelist.
The beach hut became her writing retreat as she worked towards publication, and the sea has remained a recurring presence in her fiction.
Her novels transport readers to some of the world’s most beautiful destinations, from remote islands and dramatic coastlines to sun-drenched beaches, where idyllic surroundings conceal dangerous secrets.
The contrast between the beauty of the natural world and the darkness of human behaviour has become a hallmark of her psychological thrillers.
The new novel
Her latest novel, Wish You Were Here, published by HarperCollins on 11th February 2027, takes readers to the spectacular volcanic landscapes of the Azores.
Inspired by Lucy’s own family travels to the Atlantic archipelago, the novel follows five friends who reunite on a remote island following the death of someone they all loved.
But as old loyalties fracture and buried secrets emerge, their idyllic surroundings become the backdrop to an increasingly dangerous mystery.
From page to screen
An enthusiastic traveller who keeps diaries of her adventures, Lucy frequently draws on the places she visits to create the atmospheric settings of her fiction. Her success has also attracted major interest from television producers.
Her previous novel, The Surf House, is in development with Netflix US, with director/writer Ed Lilly (Industry, Tell Me Lies) attached. Two of her other novels, The Castaways and No Escape, have already been adapted into television series for Paramount+, with further screen projects in development.
Her latest thriller has attracted early praise from fellow bestselling authors, with Gillian McAllister describing it as “Sultry, disturbing, unforgettable”, while Beth O’Leary promises readers a gripping journey to the beautiful Azores.
About the Festival
Alex Stone, Festival Director of Coastal Crime, said:
"We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Lucy Clarke to Coastal Crime. There couldn’t be a more fitting author for a festival celebrating crime fiction on the coast. Lucy has an extraordinary ability to turn beautiful beaches, remote islands and spectacular coastal landscapes into settings for dark, gripping psychological thrillers.
"What makes her story especially fascinating is that her love of the sea isn’t simply a literary device. It’s something that has shaped her life since childhood, from growing up around a Dorset beach hut to travelling the world in search of inspiration.
"With more than a million books sold and her stories reaching television audiences, Lucy is one of the most exciting voices in contemporary thriller writing. We’re looking forward to hearing how the ocean inspires her imagination, why paradise makes such a compelling setting for crime fiction, and the real-life travels behind her latest novel, Wish You Were Here."
At Coastal Crime, Lucy will discuss how real landscapes inspire fictional mysteries, the creative process behind her bestselling books and the journey from page to screen.
Her appearance forms part of a programme bringing leading crime and thriller writers together with readers for a celebration of storytelling, suspense and the enduring appeal of crime fiction.
Event details
Lucy Clarke in conversation with Stu Cummins
Saturday 6th March 2027, 5 pm, Leonardo Royal Hotel, Southampton Grand Harbour, Southampton
Tickets and further information: Coastal Crime website
