ABOUT ME

I’m Paula Hillman – a writer of mystery and romance novels with a literary flavour.

About me

I’m a writer of novels with a literary flavour, characters to fall for and twists you won’t see coming.
There must be a landscape to lose yourself in, too. If you’re a fan of Susan Fletcher or Delia Owens or even Andrew Taylor, my stories might be for you. As for genre, there is a literary mystery, Seaview House, which came out in February 2023 and a dark romance, The Cottage, which came out in mid June 2023. Blackthorn Wood arrived into the world in November 2023. Chapel Field, my fourth novel, came out on March 28th, 2024, and my fifth novel, Halfmoon Lane was published in June 2024.

Novel number seven, On Silver Hill, has just been released, with my first romance novel, The Silver Road, out in February 2026!

I’m always happy to chat about books or anything literary, and spend much of my downtime pounding the pavements of my hometown in search of new ideas. You’ve probably seen me!

I’ve written a memoir, too, about my thirty-two years in the teaching profession: I’ve added a sample chapter as a blog – read it here. The memoir is in a very ‘draft’ state, but I hope, one day, I’ll have the time to shape it into something that might be publishable.

My dream is to write a historical novel that will chart the life of William Gradwell, a man of great influence in the story of our town. To help me with that, I have gained a history diploma with Lancaster University. How I ever had time to be a teacher and deputy-head is beyond me!

On Silver Hill

Before she dies, Ruth Stevens tells her sister, Toni, to go to Silver Hill. Toni has no idea where the place is, until she meets the mysterious Gerard Holmes at Ruth’s funeral.

Holmes, a solicitor, claims acquaintance with Ruth and knowledge of Silver Hill. He leaves a business card and asks Toni to get in touch. She travels hundreds of miles to meet him, but finds herself left to investigate Silver Hill on her own.

As Toni tries to unpick the truth, she makes a shocking discovery that overturns her life. She is drawn into a past she didn’t know existed, and has to navigate it with people she hardly knows. But they know her. A web of deceit forms, with Toni at its centre, and she’s not sure who to trust. Silver Hill is pulling her into its story, and she’s not sure if she wants to leave…

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Cemetery Lodge

Archaeologist Cherie Hope makes a gruesome discovery in the grounds of a local cemetery. She’s desperate to know more, and wonders why caretaker Ash Black is being so guarded.

Delving deeper, and liaising with the police, Cherie is drawn into a story that spans back fifty years. Entangled in a web of deceit, she soon uncovers a missing person, an inherited heirloom and hidden cemetery logbooks.

Cemetery Lodge is a suspenseful novel about families, and how far they’ll go to protect each other.

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