A private island in the Maldon district popular with celebrities is the inspiration for the setting of a new crime thriller novel by a husband and wife writing duo from London.

The Club was written by Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos during the first lockdown and its setting, Island Home, is based on Osea Island - a weekend retreat and party destination in the Blackwater Estuary owned by music producer Nigel Freida, which has hosted Rihanna, The Weeknd and Poppy Delevingne.

The book is a twisty murder mystery and satire of A-listers on the island.

It follows the biggest names in film, fashion, music and art as they come together for a party on the island during a weekend which soon turns deadly.

The story takes inspiration from a trip Collette and Paul took to Osea and the years Collette spent working behind the scenes of the Elle Style Awards and as editorial director of Soho Farmhouse.

Talking about her time working in women's magazines, Collette said: "Some of the stories I heard in that time, some of the behaviour I saw, was breathtaking.

"So a group of entitled A-listers always struck me as the perfect cast for a thriller - and while working at Soho House, it occurred to me that a private members' club would be the most brilliant setting for a locked room murder mystery starring them all.

"So I guess you could say The Club has slowly been brewing in my head for well over a decade."

Paul lectures in creative writing and English literature at the University of Surrey, and has already written two comic novels - Welcome to the Working Week, published in 2007, and Every Day is Like Sunday, in 2008.

The duo write under the pseudonym Ellery Lloyd and published their debut novel People Like Her last year - a Summer 2021 Richard and Judy Book Club pick which takes a look at the dark side of Instagram.

The Club will be published in hardback on 31 March.

The book has also been optioned by a Hollywood production company, with an announcement expected in Spring.

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