5 audiobooks full of mystery & magic for your South Coast holiday

Think of the seaside and your mind may conjure images of bright white lighthouses, sand in your toes, seagulls swooping on pasties, and fluffy warm scones with jam and fresh clotted cream (or is it cream and jam?) But southwest England has a darker side. Its peninsula overflows with ancient magic and a vibrant folklore telling of giants, sirens, spectral beasts and even a sea serpent. What better setting for a novel than the rugged clifftops, dense rhododendron forests, salt washed beaches, quaint fishing ports, and grand houses of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall? Inspiration abounds here and countless writers and artists would tell you why. So if you’re heading to the coast this summer, take Libby with you. These five titles have atmosphere and intrigue in spades!

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Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
🎧 Audiobook

This is the disturbing tale of Mary, a young woman who, by an unlucky twist of fate, goes to live with her unruly uncle and frightened aunt on the misty, windswept moortop of Jamaica Inn in rural Cornwall. Mysterious late-night happenings at the inn start to play on Mary’s mind, and she becomes the reluctant participant in an underground operation involving murder, deception, and betrayal. Unbelievably, amidst all this Mary finds herself drawn into a romance, but most interesting is the examination of religion and morality towards the end of the story. The person whom Mary thought was her saviour is in fact a wolf in sheep’s clothing…

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
🎧 Audiobook

A classic whodunit from the Queen of crime, set in a glamorous mansion on an island off the coast of Devon. A motley crew of guests (each with a terrible secret) are invited to stay, where a strange nursery rhyme hanging in a frame on the wall seems to predict each individual’s grisly demise. One of the finest plots in its genre, you will probably change your mind about who the orchestrator is at least once. The narrative flows well once the many characters have been introduced, and at 250 pages you can whizz through it on holiday and be finished before you travel home. Don’t be tempted to glance at the last page before you get there, because it’s a signed confession by the perpetrator!

Moonfleet by J. Meade Faulkner

When thinking about this novel, “epic” is the first word to surface. From his home in Moonfleet, young orphan John unwittingly becomes entwined in a revenge plot with local pub landlord and smuggler Elzevir Block. After drinking too much wine in a crypt under the local churchyard (yes, really!), John makes an accidental discovery that will lead to he and Elzevir risking life and limb together in search of a precious diamond. Their brave exploits take them from their home in Dorset all the way to Holland and back again on the high seas. Loved by children and fondly remembered by adults, this is a swashbuckling tale about the pursuit of fortune and friendship against all odds.

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
🎧 Audiobook

Think of The Famous Five crossed with an Arthurian legend, and you will have a good idea of what to expect from this jolly good children’s tale. Published in 1965, it’s a classic adventure story about three brothers and sisters holidaying in the fictional seaside town of Trewissick (inspired by Mevagissey in Cornwall), with its magnificent clifftop standing stones, deep echoing caves, and the traditional fishing harbour with bobbing painted boats. In the dusty attic of the holiday house, the kids happen upon an ancient treasure map. They spend the rest of the novel searching for a chalice while dodging various bad guys who show up to foil their plans. Admittedly it’s full of clichés, but who cares when it’s this well written?

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
🎧 Audiobook

Walk into any library or bookshop and you will never be far from this legendary work of Cornish fiction. Du Maurier is no stranger to female protagonists and this story has two, one of whom – the book’s namesake – is no longer living. The other (the narrator, or Mrs. de Winter) eagerly marries into the Manderley estate only to find that its grand walls, tangled grounds and inhabitants are still under the enchantment of the former lady of the house, whose untimely death remains unexplained until the climax of the novel. As Mrs. de Winter struggles to adapt to the sublime surroundings of Manderley and its unsettling housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, the reader is held in suspense just long enough to question the true character of her new husband Maxim and her phantom rival, Rebecca.

*Title availability may vary.