An Isle of Wight children’s writer-illustrator has announced her latest novel, which is loosely based on the Isle of Wight and its historical links to smuggling.
Elizabeth Morley draws inspiration for her fourth book, The Smugglers of Hog’s Head Bay, from the smuggling history of the Isle of Wight, where she resides part-time.
The book, which would be suitable for readers aged 7-11, The Smugglers of Hog’s Head Bay is published by Feed A Read (2021) and is available now.
As with his previous books, Morley’s latest adventure is set in a parallel world populated by hedgehogs, but inspired by the world around us, and filled with his own charming color illustrations.
Once again, she went deep in her research – weaving a biting tale of intrigue and danger that draws on real historical events from the 1770s, and basing many of her illustrations on original 18th-century prints and paintings by Isle of Wight.
The story takes the reader from Brambling Harbor (Brading Harbour) to Hog’s Head Bay (Freshwater Bay). The action here centers on the Hog’s Head Inn, based on an actual smugglers pub, the Mermaid, which once stood on the site of the Albion Hotel. The climax of the story involves an exciting sea hunt off the Agulhas.
Elizabeth Morley researched and wrote much of her book while based in Brightstone, where she lives when on the Isle of Wight. The village appears in history as Bristlestone. She has already published 3 other children’s books in the same series. Further information is available on her website – www.elizabethmorley.net.
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