Coastal Crime is a brand-new crime fiction festival celebrating the very best in crime, thriller and mystery writing on the South Coast.

Bringing together bestselling authors, rising stars, readers, writers and publishing professionals, the festival offers a full day of inspiring conversations, live panels, networking opportunities and unforgettable bookish experiences in a stunning waterfront setting.

Alongside the Main Hall programme for readers, the Industry Hub offers practical sessions, workshops and networking designed to support writers at every stage of their journey — across crime fiction and beyond.

2026 marks the inaugural Coastal Crime festival, with a vision to grow into a flagship annual event for crime fiction lovers, storytellers and the wider writing community.