Suspense is rising with intrigue set to take centre stage in a coastal town once more this summer.

The ever-popular Slaughter in Southwold crime writing festival will make a welcome return in June after being cancelled the past couple of years amid the continuing coronavirus crisis.

The eighth instalment of the Slaughter in Southwold crime writing festival will take place at Southwold Arts Centre on June 18/19.

A weekend of talking with best-selling crime novelists has been organised once more by Southwold Library with support from the Friends of Southwold Library and the Crime Writers' Association.

With several renowned crime authors giving live interviews about their writing, tickets are now on sale across the author talks.

This year's packed programme features best selling spy thriller and historical mystery writer Rory Clements, crime writer Cara Hunter, detective novelist James Henry, crime writer William Shaw, murder-mystery writer Lin Le Versha, crime writer Lesley Thomson and thriller writer Fiona Cummins.

Internationally bestselling thriller novelist Louise Candlish will also give a special author talk as part of the festival.

She will talk about her latest novel The Heights and the success of 'Our House', which won the Crime and Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards before becoming a major ITV drama starring Martin Compston and Rupert Penry-Jones earlier this year.

Southwold Library has been running its popular Slaughter in Southwold crime-writing book festival since 2012.

And super sleuths will also get the chance to solve whodunnit as a special murder mystery dinner event takes place on Friday, June 17 from 7pm.

From the pen of the best-selling author Kate Ellis, join in with Murder in the Lemon Grove - as a special murder-mystery dinner features as part of the festival, with a delicious meal provided from Café 51.

A spokesman for Southwold Library said: "Book an all-day ticket for Saturday or Sunday, or book a weekend ticket to see all the authors."

Full details of the programme and ticketing can be found online via the Suffolk Libraries website.