'When Marnie Was There' is a novel by Joan G. Robinson, first published in 1967, which follows Anna, a young girl who moves to the fictional village of Little Overton in Norfolk for a short period to live with Mr and Mrs Pegg. Anna comes across the Marsh House, and meets a mysterious girl called Marnie. After Marnie vanishes, Anna befriends the Lindsay family (who move into the Marsh House) and she ultimately learns that Marnie was not all that she seemed...Loneliness, alienation, frienship, and forgiveness, are the underlying themes explored by the novel

The real life coastal village of Burnham Overy Staithe was the inspiration for Little Overton. Joan G. Robinson spent her summer holidays in Burnham Overy Staithe with her family, and she had ties with the village going back to 1950