Wiltshire


<p>Did you know Wiltshire has more than its fair share of incredible authors? Booker Prize winner and <em>Orbital </em>author Samantha Harvey calls the county home, while literary heavyweights William Golding and Ian Fleming have Wiltshire roots. And now there’s another name to add to the list. Wiltshire-born author Carmella Lowkis recently released her second novel, <em>A Slow and Secret Poison</em> &#8211; a deliciously gothic tale set in 1920s Wiltshire. Her first novel, Spitting Gold, was shortlisted for the Historical Writers&#8217; Association Debut Crown award. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-gothic-novel-by-carmella-lowkis.jpg" alt="A Slow and Secret Poison by Wiltshire author Carmella Lowkis" class="wp-image-41233" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-gothic-novel-by-carmella-lowkis.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-gothic-novel-by-carmella-lowkis-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-gothic-novel-by-carmella-lowkis-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-gothic-novel-by-carmella-lowkis-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><em>A Slow And Secret Poison</em> follows gardener Vee, who takes a job at a crumbling stately home haunted by grief, superstition and whispers of a family curse. As she becomes entangled with Harfold&#8217;s owner, Lady Arabella Lascy, the shadows deepen and it becomes clear that Vee has secrets of her own, too. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-book-by-carmella-lowkis.jpg" alt="Carmella Lowkis author" class="wp-image-41231" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-book-by-carmella-lowkis.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-book-by-carmella-lowkis-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-book-by-carmella-lowkis-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-book-by-carmella-lowkis-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Muddy caught up with Carmella to talk gothic glamour, grand Wiltshire houses and how she was inspired by The Bright Young Things, the flamboyant 1920s party set who lived fast, dressed fabulously and scandalised polite society. One of their most famous figures was photographer Cecil Beaton, who lived at Ashcombe House near Tollard Royal &#8211; now owned by filmmaker Guy Ritchie.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-slow-and-secret-poison-has-a-hint-of-magic-about-it-how-did-growing-up-in-wiltshire-spark-your-creativity">A <em>Slow And Secret Poison</em> has a hint of magic about it. How did growing up in Wiltshire spark your creativity?</h2>



<p>The idea started when I was 18, and my grandparents took me to an exhibition of Cecil Beaton’s photography in Salisbury. They thought I needed a dose of culture, and it was totally eye opening. There were all these wonderful photos of the Bright Young Things, taken at Wiltshire properties. It was so flamboyant and exciting and there were lots of LGBT people like myself. I was like, wow, who are these people? It launched me into an obsession with 1920s Wiltshire and sparked a fascination with figures like war poet Siegfried Sassoon, who also lived here.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-novel-is-set-at-a-fictional-estate-harfold-manor-were-you-inspired-by-wiltshire-s-grand-houses">The novel is set at a fictional estate, Harfold Manor. Were you inspired by Wiltshire&#8217;s grand houses? </h2>



<p>There are so many amazing National Trust properties in Wiltshire, and I often visited Avebury Manor as a child, with my family. We can also see Heywood House in Westbury from my mum’s cottage. At once point her cottage belonged to Heywood, and the estate workers would have lived there. I started to wonder what they might have thought about the people living in the ‘big house.’</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="562" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/09/autumn-in-the-avebury-manor-garden-nt-abby-george.jpg" alt="Avebury Manor Gardens" class="wp-image-31737" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/09/autumn-in-the-avebury-manor-garden-nt-abby-george.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/09/autumn-in-the-avebury-manor-garden-nt-abby-george-800x450.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/09/autumn-in-the-avebury-manor-garden-nt-abby-george-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/09/autumn-in-the-avebury-manor-garden-nt-abby-george-900x506.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-about-your-own-connection-with-wiltshire">Tell us about your own connection with Wiltshire&#8230; </h2>



<p>I was born in Swindon, but I’ve lived in Devizes, Market Lavington and my mum currently lives near Westbury. I&#8217;m based in London now, but I’m often back to visit. I’m very fond of the area around Devizes, and I went to primary school in Rowde. After university, I worked for Wiltshire libraries, in Devizes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-are-your-favourite-haunts-here-in-wilts">Where are your favourite haunts here in Wilts? </h2>



<p>I love a walk up the white horse at Westbury, we often do it as a family on Christmas Day.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/Westbury-white-horse-resized-1000x667.jpg" alt="Westbury white horse in Wiltshire" class="wp-image-33087" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/Westbury-white-horse-resized-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/Westbury-white-horse-resized-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/Westbury-white-horse-resized-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/Westbury-white-horse-resized.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-new-martin-clunes-movie-mother-s-pride-was-filmed-in-westbury">The new Martin Clunes movie, <em>Mother&#8217;s Pride</em>, was filmed in Westbury&#8230; </h2>



<p>Did you know, Westbury features in <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em> too? There’s an episode where Willow gets sent to Britain to learn to be a witch and, randomly, she goes to Westbury. I don’t think it was actually filmed there, but that’s where she’s meant to be.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-inspired-your-characters">Who inspired your characters?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-author-carmella-lowkis.jpg" alt="Author Carmella Lowkis" class="wp-image-41232" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-author-carmella-lowkis.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-author-carmella-lowkis-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-author-carmella-lowkis-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-slow-and-secret-poison-author-carmella-lowkis-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cecil Beaton&#8217;s portrait of Stephen Tennant, at the National Portrait Gallery </figcaption></figure>



<p><br>When I started thinking about the character of Lady Arabella, I had novelist and bluestocking Edith Olivier in my mind. She lived in Wilton and was friends with lots of rambunctious 20-somethings, who she invited to her house for great parties. She was surrounded by vibrancy and life. Arabella&#8217;s character was also inspired by Stephen Tennant, one of the Bright Young Things and a flamboyant aesthete. In later life, he lived as a recluse in his chaotic Wiltshire home, Wilsford Manor, near Salisbury.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-long-did-it-take-you-to-write-a-slow-and-secret-poison">How long did it take you to write <em>A Slow and Secret Poison</em>?  </h2>



<p>It took a year for the first draft, then I made edits, so about two years in total. It felt quick, but I was under contract and had a deadline. My first book, <em>Spitting Gold</em>, took me 10 years to write.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="750" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis-750x1000.jpg" alt="A slow and secret poison by Carmella Lowkis" class="wp-image-41224" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2026/04/A-Slow-and-Secret-Poison-novel-by-Carmella-Lowkis.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-ever-get-writer-s-block">Do you ever get writer&#8217;s block? </h2>



<p>I find there’s always a block around the 30% mark, probably because I’ve done all the setting up, but then realise I’ve got to write the rest of the story. Then it happens again at around 60%, when I need to start tying it all together. I&#8217;m currently writing my third book, and it’s been the same for all three. I just push through though. I tell myself, ‘<em>it doesn’t matter how bad it is, you’ve just got to write something</em>.’ It’s also reassuring to know I have an agent and editor behind me!<br><br><strong><em><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455958/a-slow-and-secret-poison-by-lowkis-carmella/9780857529510" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Slow and Secret Poison </a></em>by Carmella Lowkis, published by Doubleday, is out now.</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more"><strong>IN THE MOOD FOR MORE? </strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/spotlight/guy-ritchie-wiltshire-ashcombe-estate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peek inside Guy Ritchie&#8217;s estate (and yes, you can stay)</a></p>



<p><a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture-things-to-do/wiltshire-festival-guide-opera-music-dance-literature-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Festival fever! What to book now for the summer in Wilts</a></p>



<p><a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/martin-clunes-mothers-pride-filmed-wiltshire-somerset/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pass the popcorn: Martin Clunes movie filmed at Westbury White Horse</a></p>



<p><br><br></p>


Muddy meets: Author Carmella Lowkis

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