6 Novels set in West Sussex locations you’ll know or love

White & Brooks is thrilled that Heygates Bookshop in Bognor Regis has been named as a finalist in this year’s UK Small Business Awards. Owner Jason Passingham has created a wonderful environment for book lovers young and old, with pre-loved books as well as freshly pressed editions.

Jason’s nomination got the estate agents at White& Brooks thinking about books that have been set in West Sussex or mention local areas, specifically around Bognor Regis and Chichester.

Our list comes just in time for the summer holidays. If you’re looking for a book with local providence to read around the pool, on the beach or just lazing in your garden, here’s our recommendations. Heygates Bookshop would be pleased to order these in for you if it doesn’t stock them already.

Code Name Bananas

Jason himself made a social media post after spotting a mention of Bognor Regis in David Walliams’ book Code Name Bananas – one for the younger readers out there. The coastal town is the setting for the second half of the book, chosen by the main character as a place to escape to from wartime London. While it’s not clear if David has strong connections to the area, he was spotted in The Anchor Bleu in Bosham in 2022.

Chichester Crime Mysteries

Chichester has long inspired novelists, especially those fascinated by crime drama. The Chichester Crime Mysteries is a series of five books set in and around the city. Author Matthew J. Evans lives in Fishbourne village, about three miles west of Chichester, and uses his local knowledge to give his books atmosphere. Buy one of Matthew’s books and tick off the locations.

Rook

Also a local with literary prowess is Jane Rusbridge. Her award-winning novel Rook is set in Bosham on Chichester Harbour and is peppered with beautiful descriptions of the West Sussex coast. Jane lives close by and is a graduate of the Creative Writing MA at the University of Chichester. She also went on to work at the university as an Associate Lecturer in English.

The Night Lagoon

If there were ever two juxtaposed book settings, they are West Wittering and the Belize jungle. But these are the main locations featured in The Night Lagoon by Jo Morey – a tale of secrets and lies, with a hefty dose of danger and a more mild mannered English beach. Jo confesses to huddling in the West wittering beach hut she owns, dreaming up storylines and editing ideas.

Cat Among the Herrings

West Wittering is the central setting for the Cat Among the Herrings by L. C. Tyler, who has spent time living in West Sussex. The story centres on village life, specifically the sailing community, although everything is not as it seems. A surprising death is at the heart of the storyline and is it a coincidence that one of the main protagonist’s surname is Pagham?

The Faithful

If you’ve ever walked the beaches along the West Sussex coast, you’ll have seen the same stretches of sand and shoreline as author Juliet West. Her novel The Faithful opens in the village of Aldwick in 1935. The narrative takes us on a local coastal journey as her pre-war love story unfolds, with hefty mentions of Bognor Regis and Chichester.

If these books encourage you to start a new chapter in West Sussex, get in touch with estate agents White & Brooks. We can sell your current home and find you a property in any of the above literary locations.