to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
This autumn Brighton's streets, parks and open spaces will become one big story book as part of the Amaze Story Trail.
Brighton has long been a hub of creativity, and has inspired numerous authors to visit and write about the city. Here is a round up of literature and authors inspired by beautiful Brighton and it's surrounding areas!
Winnie the Pooh
Everyone's favourite silly old bear turns 100 this year, don’t miss The Big One Hundred, a series of free cultural events at Ashdown Forest and throughout Sussex. So, whether you want to hunt for woozles, hide from Heffalumps or just enjoy a simple round of pooh sticks, Ashdown Park is the spot to recreate your favourite parts of the book.
You & Me, You & Me, You & Me
We loved this Brighton based tale of caution about time travel and being happy with what you currently have. Adam and Jules live in the city and the book gives us beautiful glimpses of the city’s key areas as a backdrop to this thought provoking tale of time travel and why sometimes what you think you want, may not always be for the best.
The Lottie Brooks Series
From her first date at Boho Gelato, to epic fun with her friends on Brighton Palace Pier, Lottie’s character is synonymous with the city, she is fun, quirky and doesn’t take herself too seriously! A great read for tween and teenagers and adults alike.
The Snowman
Raymond Briggs’ classic tale of festive magic is set just outside of Brighton, and we see the Snowman and their creator fly over famous Brighton landmarks including the Royal Pavilion and Pier. Did you know The Snowman was written in Ditchling, near Brighton?
Dame Julia Donaldson
Creator of the Gruffalo, Stick Man and hundreds more beloved children’s books, Julia Donaldson has called Sussex home for a number of years. Living just outside the city, in Steyning, Julia often supports children’s reading events in the region. Follow in her footsteps and head to the South Downs for a nature walk, who knows you may discover Zog there!
Pride & Prejudice
Brighton is referenced in Jane Austen’s 1813 classic, Elizabeth Bennet’s sister Lydia escapes to Brighton to be with her beau Wickham: “In Lydia’s imagination, a visit to Brighton comprised every possibility of earthly happiness. She saw, with the creative eye of fancy, the streets of that gay bathing-place covered with officers.” Transport yourself back to Regency Brighton with a tour of the Royal Pavilion and delight in this 200-year-old seaside pleasure palace, built for King George IV.
Vanity Fair
Brighton is showcased as a honeymoon destination for Amelia Sedley and George Osborne, they stay at the Old Ship Hotel, one of Brighton’s oldest buildings. Thackeray writes: “Brighton, a clean Naples with genteel lazzaroni – for Brighton, that always looks brisk, gay, and gaudy, like a harlequin's jacket."
Rudyard Kipling
Kipling Gardens were once part of The Elms, where Rudyard Kipling lived from 1897 to 1902. Kipling rented the house for 3 guineas a week and it was here that he wrote Stalky & Co, Kim and some of his famous Just So Stories. The gardens were opened in 1986, when they were formally handed over to Brighton & Hove Council for the long-term benefit of residents and visitors, who can relax in quietness and seclusion within the beautiful surroundings.
Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll’s sister lived in Sussex Square, Kemptown 1874 - 1887. Author of Alice in Wonderland, Carroll was a frequent visitor and it's rumoured that the secret tunnel that runs from the gardens in the square to the seafront, inspired the rabbit hole where Alice begins her journey into Alice in Wonderland. In 1887 it is said Carroll visited the Theatre Royal which is now one of the oldest theatres in the country.
Charles Dickens
Dickens was a regular visitor to Brighton, and loved it so much he visited often over a 30-year period. Brighton inspired his work and whilst staying at the Bedford Hotel, now the Holiday Inn Brighton-Seafront, he wrote Dombey & Son. Parts of Bleak House and Barnaby Rudge are also said to have been written whilst he stayed in Brighton. In a letter discovered in 2004 Dickens wrote: “I feel much better for my short stay here, also the characters one meets at these seaside places.”
Brighton Rock
Greene’s 1938 classic murder thriller Brighton Rock takes place in Brighton, with the Brighton Palace Pier and the historic, famous Lanes as the backdrop to this grizzly tale of suspense, murder and unrequited love. The popular Cricketers Pub & Greene Room, one of the oldest pubs in Brighton, is mentioned in the novel and subsequently the upstairs of the pub is named the Greene Room where visitors can find a wealth of Graham Greene memorabilia.
Sweet Tooth
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War in 1970’s England, Sweet Tooth follows Serena Frome as she falls into a role of espionage and romance with Thomas Haley. As he was once a University of Sussex student, McEwan accurately portrays Brighton in the 1970’s and includes the legendary English’s restaurant, a Brighton institution, where Serena and Haley regularly enjoy romantic dates.
DS Roy Grace Series
With over 24 million copies sold worldwide, and a choice of 22 books in the DS Roy Grace series, you’ll be spoilt for choice with these tense tales of crime and suspense. All set around Brighton, these well researched page turners follow the haunted Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, as he works on the most intriguing cases, whilst also trying to find his missing wife, Sandy.
My Policeman
My Policeman is set in Brighton in the 1950’s. This tragic tale of a complex relationship between Tom (The Policeman in the title), Patrick who is a curator at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, and Marion sees Patrick and Tom fall in love at a time when homosexuality was illegal. The dual narrative arrives at a chilling conclusion, this is a beautiful portrayal that brings the Brighton of the 1950’s to life in fantastic detail.
Here We Are
The Booker prize winning Graham Swift’s novel, Here we Are, follows three characters who dream of playing on the end of the Pier in 1950’s Brighton and follows their complex relationship to the present day. A great insight into the end-of-the-pier vaudeville scene in Brighton. “Theirs was a Brighton romance, that they’d met on the end of Pier as it were and plighted their troth to the sound of the waves. But let Brighton believe it.”
We cannot wait to see the Amaze Story Trail bring the city to life with colourful story benches around the city, visit our Story Trail Guide page and plan your trail! Brighton's story is always evolving, come be part of the story.
Caroline
When is the Story Trail on?
Event dates: 12 September until 8 November 2026
Is there a cost to do the trail?
The trail is free to follow; donations to Amaze are welcome.
How can I find all the benches on the Story Trail?
A printed map and trail app will be available to help you find every bench.
Where can I find the benches?
The trail runs across public streets, parks and open spaces throughout Brighton & Hove.
Is this an accessible event?
An accessibility guide will be published ahead of the launch.
When can I see all the benches all together?
Farewell Weekend: 27–29 November, when all the large Book Benches come together in one place before being auctioned to raise funds for Amaze.
Who are Amaze and what do they do?
Amaze is a charity that gives information, advice and support to families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex.
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