Why Poeshwick will feel strangely familiar (especially if you're from Surrey)
The real-life inspiration behind Murder Most Mystic.
If you like your murder mysteries with a touch of magic, ghostly guidance from dead relatives, and more emotional baggage than a Mercury Retrograde, Murder Most Mystic might be your cup of tea… or chai latte.
Either way, you’re invited to take a peek inside the enchanting town of Poeshwick.
Poeshwick is real… almost!
Poeshwick might sound like a made-up little slice of paradise (or chaos), but I promise you, it’s inspired by a very real place near where I grew up: Weybridge.
Weybridge is one of the most affluent towns in the South of England, known for its tree-lined streets, the gated mansions of St. George’s Hill and a good handful of celebs. The Beatles had a Weybridge phase. John Lennon and Ringo Starr both lived here, and so did Elton John. Nowadays, you’re more likely to see Sir Cliff Richard, Ruth Langsford or Peter Crouch whilst doing your food shop in Waitrose.
Often dubbed the Beverly Hills of Surrey, homes in Weybridge average around £741,000, with luxury estates like St George’s Hill valued up to £25 million.
- The Sun
According to Wikipedia, Weybridge is a commuter’s dream, only about 30 minutes to London Waterloo by train. Top-tier education is everywhere. St George’s College is number 77 in The Sunday Times Top 400 Independent Secondary Schools. This historical town straddles both the River Wey and the River Thames, with scenic riverside walks that were once graced by Henry VIII’s Oatlands Palace, where he wed Catherine Howard in 1540.
Welcome to Poeshwick
A shiny little suburb of stylish-old and flashy-new money. A place where the past rubs shoulders with Botox, and status is served with a glass of bubbles and a sprinkle of passive aggression.
It’s where you’ll find children who look like they were polished by a team of Instagram filters. It’s the kind of town where everyone knows your business before you do.
The folk of Poeshwick are… well, let’s say quirky. They’re full of sharp opinions, polite smiles that don’t always reach their eyes, and a love of keeping up appearances that drives our school counsellor protagonist, Dolly Sunflower absolutely bonkers. Dolly’s fed up with the fake, the polished, and the lies that swirl around Poeshwick. She wants real, raw, messy truth, and maybe a little magic to cut through the nonsense. Dolly says:
“Try being a School Counsellor in a town riddled with denial and emotional repression. Nobody makes eye contact and everyone’s face is frozen mid-surprise. Half the time, I can’t tell if someone is distressed or just overfilled. I used to rely on non-verbal cues. In Poeshwick, I tend to rely on intuitive hunches!”
If you know Weybridge, and you’re reading the book, you might spot some familiar hangouts tucked into the story. Like The Green Room, our little sacred spot for tea and Tarot. Then there’s Cleeqs, the wine bar where secrets get spilled faster than the Prosecco. And don’t forget Flawless, the hair and beauty salon where the bouncy blow drys and frozen expressions go hand in hand.
If you’re from around these parts, keep your eyes peeled. It will likely feel familiar. And if you’re not, well, consider this your virtual trip to Poeshwick, where the drama is (stinking) rich and the tea is always piping hot.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the places you might recognise.
📸 All images publicly available and taken from the internet
Twin Oaks Academy
Twin Oaks Academy was inspired by St. George’s College. Unlike St. George’s, which sits on a 100-acre campus, featuring extensive facilities like 13 science labs, a Design & Technology suite, and an Activity Centre, Twin Oaks Academy is stuffy and oppressive. It values perfection over personality. This is obviously a hammed up over exaggerated depiction of a private school! 😉
Picture the children bound in cardboard blazers, too scared to speak or make a mistake, neatly filing from classroom to classroom under the watchful eye, of icy headmistress, Jocasta Bovington-Brown.
Fun fact: St. George’s College has a unique heritage in that it was founded in 1869 by a Belgian Catholic order of priests, called the Josephites. It's the only Josephite school in the UK, and its ethos is built on Josephite traditions of mutual respect and compassion.
The Green Room
Based on what was once the Boho Tea Room & Coffee Shop in the Queen’s Road, The Green Room is Poeshwick’s vegan coffee shop where ‘Tarot Twins’ Dolly and her bestie, Luna regularly meet to cause mischief over a cuppa and a card sling.
The Green Room has been featured in the Poeshwick Post with five star reviews:
The Green Room – A Charming Café with Yummy Delights
★★★★★The Green Room is a must-visit when you’re next in Poeshwick. I instantly fell in love with this place. There seems to be a touch of magic in the air. It has a cozy and welcoming vibe that makes you want to stay all afternoon. The owner, Magda Vandervert, is a true artist when it comes to baking. Her award-winning vegan “Poeshwick Shortbread” is incredible, with a crunchy cashew base, smooth caramel, and rich chocolate topping. Perfect with their chai latte. Highly recommend.
Cleeq’s Winebar
Local Weybridge peeps, do you remember Sullivan’s Wine Bar? Sadly it closed back in 2016, but many a good night had in there. Well, the ones I can remember! Allegedly, it was frequented by the Chelsea footballers after a day out at Kempton Park races. I think there is a grain of truth in that. Here’s an old photo of me and my little sister with John Terry.
By Poeshwick comparison, Cleeq’s is owned by Grace Meadows a high-functioning alcoholic with a sharp tongue and reputation for sacking staff. In an attempt to blackmail Grace for some more juicy evidence, Dolly and her bestie Luna find themselves in Cleeqs on a girls’ night out where they have fun drinking mocktails and scouting for more evidence.
Flawless Hair & Beauty
You might know this one better as Collections’ Hair Club in the Queen’s Road where the Pricey, and I (but not together) used to go for glossy, fresh highlights.
Back in Poeshwick, meet Tabitha Limone. Queen of Botox. She was a Twin Oaks dropout, originally expelled for selling ketamine to the sixth form boys and Luscious Lips lipgloss to the girls. And now? She runs Flawless, owns three cars, and has more influence than the PTA. If that doesn’t capture the spirit of Poeshwick, I don’t know what does.
Poeshwick Hills
Poeshwick Hills is the crown jewel of this strange little town. It is, of course inspired by St. George’s Hill. All manicured hedges, gold gates, and homes the size of the family secrets nobody wants to talk about. This ultra-exclusive and polished world, is the perfect place for a murder.
Enter Hugo Hart, philanthropist, narcissist, and questionable father figure.
Found dead in his swimming pool.
The press called it tragic. The police called it natural causes. The suicide note suggested otherwise, but don’t worry Dolly is on the case.
Written with love
Murder Most Mystic is my cheeky love letter to life in Weybridge. Full of delicious contradictions. It’s spiritual and superficial. Filthy rich, but emotionally bankrupt. A world of shiny celebrities and sacred circles… all with secrets lurking just beneath the glitz.
Even though Dolly swears she wants a break from the madness, she can’t resist. Somehow, she keeps getting dragged back in. And you just might be next!
⬇️ DOWNLOAD ⬇️ your FREE first chapter of Murder Most Mystic.
Share your experience with me!
Before you go, I’d love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments below if you know Weybridge, or have ever visited? And if you’ve read the book, it would be interesting to hear how your visit to Poeshwick turned out, even if it was a little bit familiar.
Thanks for your continued support with the book. If you know somebody who would enjoy it, please share this post with them. Or point them in the direction of Amazon where you can get both paperback and Kindle versions.
See you next time,
Love
PS. If you enjoyed this post, please click on the heart at the bottom or the top of this email. It helps others discover The Intuitive Writer and makes me happy!
PPS Some of my posts are for paid subscribers. Every six months, I archive them behind the paywall. To become a member sign up here https://lisaparkes.substack.com/subscribe