When you're writing a thriller set in Gibraltar, every location becomes a potential scene. During my six months living aboard at Queensway Quay, I explored the Rock with the eye of a thriller writer, constantly asking: "Could Spencer have a dramatic confrontation here? Could this be where [spoiler] is hiding? Could this cave conceal a secret?"

Most places didn't make it into Dark Rock's final pages – not because they weren't spectacular, but because a thriller demands pace and focus. As much as I wanted to include every beautiful view or fascinating historical detail, I had to remind myself I wasn’t writing for a travel magazine.

Here are five of my favourite Gibraltar locations that didn't make it into Spencer Bly's mission, and why they enchanted me during those months of research and exploration.

Europa Point: The Edge of Everything

The Basics:

Europa Point Lighthouse sits at Gibraltar's southernmost tip. Built in 1841, it is 20 meters tall, and its beacon can be seen from 18 nautical miles away.

Why I Loved It:

Standing at Europa Point felt like standing at the edge of the world, which in a sense is true. Gibraltar is one of the Pillars of Hercules, which once marked the edge of the known world. The walk from Queensway Quay took us past the waterfall, through spooky tunnels, and out by the mosque. The lighthouse with its bold red stripe reminded me of Portland Bill and fond memories from our sail across Lyme Bay. It was nice to stand here and reminisce about past voyages while gazing out at the Mediterranean and thinking of future ones. From a sailor’s perspective, Europa Point allowed us to see the different conditions on either side of the Rock. While the wind howled and kicked up white caps on one side, the other might be calm, the water sparkling under the sun.

Why It Didn't Make Dark Rock:

Europa Point was too peaceful for Spencer's mission. The openness that I found therapeutic would have been a nightmare for covert operations. No cover, too many witnesses.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FFMLG711

Everywhere else: https://books2read.com/u/bO0ZnE

St. Michael's Cave: Nature's Cathedral

The Basics:  

St. Michael's Cave plunges 62 meters below the Upper Rock, carved by millennia of rainwater dissolving limestone. The main chamber, called the Cathedral, has been used for concerts since the 1960s – its natural acoustics are extraordinary. During World War II, it was prepared as an emergency hospital and could have sheltered 16,000 people.

Why I Loved It:

The cave felt like stepping into another world. I literally came to a stop, my mouth agape, in awe of its beauty. The heat of Gibraltar immediately dissolved in cool, dark dampness. The stalactites and stalagmites were both eerie and mesmerising under the coloured lights that moved to atmospheric music. As you walk through, your brain starts to make shapes out of the structures, seeing creatures and even an angel in the limestone structures.

Why It Didn't Make Dark Rock: 

St. Michael's Cave was almost too perfect for a thriller setting. A cave that rumour has it extends all the way to Africa? As caves and smuggling routes are often used in mysteries and thrillers, I felt I should avoid the obvious choice.

BookGem: My Literary Haven

The Basics: 

BookGem is an independent bookstore in a pretty courtyard at the southern end of Main Street.

Why I Loved It:

It’s dog-friendly. When so many places in Gibraltar are off limits to dogs, BookGem became a refuge to me and my little terrier. When the conditions became wobbly in the marina, I’d grab the dog lead and my laptop and walk the short distance up Ragged Staff, grab a hot chocolate from the machine and enjoy the quiet writing space surrounded by the smell of new books.

Why It Didn't Make Dark Rock:

Some places are too civilised for thrillers, and Spencer was far too busy to take time out for some quiet reading! Yes, I could have set a dramatic fight scene in there, had pages torn from spines or set the paper ablaze, but as an author, I just couldn’t do it. Sacrilege!

Trafalgar Cemetery: A Green Corner of History

The Basics:

Trafalgar Cemetery contains the graves of sailors who died from wounds sustained at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, plus other naval personnel who died in Gibraltar through the 19th century. The cemetery is small, just 0.2 hectares, but historically significant as the only Trafalgar burial ground still maintaining original graves.

Why I Loved It:

Memento Mori - Remember you will die. I’ve always found cemeteries relaxing and a reminder that life is for living, and this one, with towering palms and aged stones, felt a world away from Preston Cemetery, where I would walk my dog back home in North Shields. The cemetery offered unexpected tranquillity in busy Gibraltar. Surrounded by thick walls, it felt shaded, cool and removed from the tourist bustle of nearby Main Street.

Why It Didn't Make Dark Rock: 

It nearly did. I wanted to use Trafalgar Cemetery as a meeting point or dead drop location, but the plot just didn’t call for it. Maybe next time.

Rosia Bay: The Locals' Secret

The Basics:

Rosia Bay sits on Gibraltar's western coast and is off the usual tourist trail. It is Gibraltar’s only natural harbour and is where HMS Victory was towed to after Nelson’s death.

Why I Loved It:

Rosia Bay feels like one of Gibraltar’s best-kept secrets. It’s not exactly a beach, though there’s a tiny corner of sand at the northern end, and the bay is surrounded by cracked concrete, but still, it has its charms. This is one of the few spots where dogs can roam freely, families come for picnics, and dads fish with their sons. I would walk Yewy here, sit with my feet hanging off the concrete, looking across the Strait to Morocco and rest before walking back.

Why It Didn't Make Dark Rock:

Again, it almost did. There is a row of pretty white cottages at the top of the ramp leading to Rosia Bay, which I was going to use as Spencer’s safe house. I think Spencer would have loved the sea view, and the cottage would be a haven away from the action, but in the end, I decided to put her in the thick of it at Queensway.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FFMLG711

Everywhere else: https://books2read.com/u/bO0ZnE

Beyond Dark Rock

Now that Spencer's first Gibraltar mission is complete, I find myself missing these quiet discoveries. The next Spencer Bly thriller will take her to a different Mediterranean location, which means new months of exploration and research.

But Gibraltar will always be special. It launched Spencer's narrative, and taught me that even locations that don't make it into the final novel are often as important to me as those that do.

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About Dark Rock:

When a British agent is killed off the coast of Spain, MI6 turn to Spencer Bly to infiltrate a luxury yacht in Gibraltar and stop an arms deal that threatens global warfare. Available October 1st 2025, in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.