Cowes Week, Hidden Tunnels, a Missing Sailor: The Real Inspiration Behind The Cowes Week Murders

As Cowes Week returns to the Solent this August, hundreds of yachts will once again fill the waters between the Isle of Wight and the Hampshire coast. It's one of Britain's greatest sailing events, attracting competitors and visitors from around the world.

Watching the colourful spectacle unfold each summer, it's hard to imagine a more idyllic setting.

But for a crime writer...

Well, mysteries have a habit of appearing in the most beautiful places.

It was Cowes Week that inspired one of DI Andy Horton's most personal investigations.

A Missing Sailor

The Cowes Week Murders opens with Detective Inspector Andy Horton enjoying a rare Saturday sailing trip on the Solent when his peaceful afternoon is interrupted by a phone call from his colleague, Sergeant Cantelli.

Cantelli's nephew, Johnnie, should be racing during Cowes Week aboard the yacht of a wealthy Greek owner.

He's vanished.

The police believe he has simply disappeared of his own accord.

Cantelli doesn't.

Neither does Horton.

As Horton begins asking questions, the investigation takes a darker turn, leading him from the excitement of Cowes Week to some of the Solent's most unusual and little-known locations.

Discovering Portsmouth's Hidden History

Research has always been one of my favourite parts of writing crime fiction, and while planning this novel I stumbled across two remarkable places that immediately sparked my imagination.

The first was Hilsea Lines, on Portsmouth's northern edge.

Many people drive past without realising that beneath the trees lie centuries of military history.

Originally built in the sixteenth century to defend Portsmouth from attack and later expanded during fears of French invasion, the Hilsea Lines contain hidden tunnels, old ammunition stores and earthwork fortifications. Today they are a peaceful conservation area filled with wildlife, but they retain an unmistakable atmosphere.

It became the perfect setting for one of the novel's most chilling discoveries.

 Fort Gilkicker

The second location was Fort Gilkicker, overlooking the Solent from Gosport.

Built in 1871 to protect Portsmouth Harbour, the Victorian fort stood abandoned for many years behind security fencing, its empty barracks and stores slowly falling into decay.

Standing on the shoreline looking up at its imposing walls, I knew I had found another unforgettable setting.

Without revealing too much, the fort becomes the dramatic backdrop to the climax of The Cowes Week Murders.

The Solent as a Character

Readers often tell me they enjoy the settings in the DI Andy Horton novels as much as the mysteries themselves.

That is perhaps because the Solent isn't simply a backdrop.

Its harbours, forts, marshes, creeks and coastline become characters in their own right, shaping every investigation Horton undertakes.

From the excitement of Cowes Week to forgotten military tunnels and Victorian sea defences, the landscape itself helps tell the story.

Explore the Locations Yourself

One of the joys of writing the DI Andy Horton mysteries is using real places that readers can visit.

If you're exploring the Solent this summer, why not discover some of the locations that inspired The Cowes Week Murders?

Here on my website you'll also find my interactive DI Andy Horton Locations Map, where you can explore many of the real places featured throughout the series.

Who knows?

You might even discover the inspiration for the next mystery...

� Explore the DI Andy Horton Locations Map

Discover the real harbours, forts, marshes and coastal locations featured throughout the series.

�š Read more about The Cowes Week Murders

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