Camera crews have been spotted in Kent filming a new series of a murder mystery drama.

The sudden flurry of television industry bods descended on East Kent to film the Whitstable Pearl, based on the novels by local resident, Julie Wassmer.

Last month it was revealed that Kerry Godliman, who has previously starred in Netflix hit After Life, was set to feature in the third series of the show based on the novels written and set in the county.

Author and executive producer of Whitstable Pearl Julie Wassmer, has written nine books to date in the popular Whitstable Pearl Mystery series with the tenth, Murder at the Allotment, set to be released in May.

The six-part series is inspired by “The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries” and explores the dark undercurrents of murder and debauchery swirling beneath the surface of the picturesque 16th-century seaside town.

As Pearl continues to build her private detective business, she finds herself involved in more diverse investigations – including reopening an infamous local cold case.

The drama will be streamed on Acorn TV in the UK, North America, New Zealand and Australia but Julie Wassmer, a former drama writer for EastEnders for more than 20 years, told of how the production has really taken off in recent months after becoming available on Freeview. The series is also available for catch-up on UKTV Play.

“It's very exciting to have the show currently airing on free-to-air TV and getting fantastic reviews just as a new series is filming,” she said, after crews were spotted yesterday.

“There seems to be a real buzz about town about the production, not just from the cast and crew but from everyone involved, including all the local residents and businesses who have kindly offered locations and services.

“As with seasons one and two, it's really great to see so many local people actively involved in the making of Whitstable Pearl.

“On Monday morning that included Steve Jones who has offered his Harbour Street eatery, Whitstable Produce Store as a hospitality "green room" to the production and my neighbour, Mel Green, who has been busy acting as a location steward.”

The author added that when she began writing the books in 2015, she was often asked why she did not fictionalise the setting.

“That never occurred to me as I wanted to pay tribute to the town I first fell in love with when I moved here in 1999,” she said.

“After twenty years of writing TV drama, I was keen to write a crime novel but I never expected that may turn into a series of books or that things would go full circle and the books would become a TV series in which Whitstable itself has a starring role.”

Whitstable Pearl is set to film in town until Friday and will return to film another block of episodes at a later date.

The first series of Whitstable Pearl launched in 2021 with the second series arriving on screens in November the following year.

The second instalment was filmed in locations across the county from Stonepitts pick-your-own farm in Sevenoaks to Margate's Dreamland.

Whitstable’s Yacht Club, Tankerton Beach, the Port of Dover and Rochester High Street also featured.

Julie Wassmer’s newest book, Murder at the Allotment, is out on May 14.