Ascent to Murder - Lethal Leith Hill.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful and mysterious Surrey Hills, Leith Hill has long whispered secrets through its windswept woods and towering Gothic silhouette.

Leith Hill Tower

It’s here, among the rhododendrons and ancient trails, that I’ve set my latest detective novel, 'Lethal Leith Hill'. I am so enjoying writing this one. Creating this story has been a journey revisiting a time and a hill I had dreaded on my first visit there back in 2013. More about that when The Story Behind My Stories comes out for this book!

The idea for 'Lethal Leith Hill' came when thinking about the next setting for one of Goodwin's 'at home' mysteries and tying it in with my own life and experiences, as the setting, as I always do for each of my novels.

It does hold a place in my heart, the Surrey Hills, as it has been the training ground for many of my cycling, hiking and triathlon adventures. Namely Box Hill, Newlands Corner and Staples Lane but Leith Hill is the most cloaked in vegetation and undergrowth and least exposed so perfect for hiding secrets and bodies. The tower of course is wholly exposed atop the hill, overlooked by nobody and nothing.

So it was during a walk near the Tower with Ben and Rupert, my dog, where the rainy drizzle and clouds hung so low I decided it was the perfect location - remote enough for suspense yet rich with character.

As I write, I’m weaving together threads of folklore, real-life events, and the quiet menace that sometimes lingers in beautiful places. The novel explores themes of legacy, obsession, and the cost of silence, echoing the hill’s own storied past.

Leith Hill is the highest point in Southeast England, crowned by the 18th-century Leith Hill Tower, built in 1765 by Richard Hull. Hull, a Bristol merchant, constructed the tower to raise the hill above 1,000 feet and offer sweeping views of the English countryside.

Nearby, Leith Hill Place, once home to the Wedgwood family and composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, adds another layer of cultural richness. Charles Darwin himself conducted earthworm experiments here, and the gardens were shaped by Caroline Darwin’s botanical vision (NationalTrust.org.uk)

The tower has seen its share of drama: sealed up in 1800 due to vandalism, reopened in 1864 with a new stairwell, and restored again in 1984. It’s a place that’s been loved, abandoned, and reclaimed.......much like some of the characters in my book.

It's out 30th November and available for pre-order now on Kindle.

Have a good week,

Love Helen x