Explore the real-world places that appear in The House of Killers by Samantha Lee Howe. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include The House of Killers - Clarendon Square Safe House, King's Cross Station, Thames Embankment, British Library, Camden Town and 9 more.
Clarendon Square, Islington — The central operation hub
This is the titular safe house where Ava and other trained assassins are held and controlled by their handlers. Ava returns here throughout the novel, struggling against her captors and the programming that makes her a killer. The house represents both prison and training ground, where victims are kept and assassins receive their orders. Ava's childhood trauma and forced servitude culminate in her desperate attempts to escape this facility and the network that controls her.
Clarendon Square in Islington was developed in the early 19th century as a residential area for middle-class Victorians. The square has housed various institutions and private residences throughout its history, often used as backdrop for spy narratives set in London.
Clarendon Square remains a quiet, tree-lined residential area in North London's Islington neighborhood. The Victorian terraces are now private residences and small offices, with the square maintaining its Victorian charm and period architecture.
Euston Road — Arrival and escape attempts
King's Cross is a point of surveillance and potential escape. Ava attempts to use the station as a means to flee London and her captors. The station represents the possibility of freedom, with its crowds providing cover, but also danger as handlers monitor major transport hubs. Several tense sequences involve Ava navigating the station while evading pursuit.
King's Cross Station opened in 1852 and has been one of London's major railway terminals for over 170 years. It served as a crucial transportation hub during both World Wars and remains an iconic Victorian structure and major London landmark.
King's Cross Station continues as one of London's busiest railway stations, serving the East Coast Main Line. The adjacent area has undergone significant redevelopment, with King's Cross becoming a major cultural and residential hub in North London.
Visit: King's Cross Station (landmark)
Along the Thames — Surveillance and confrontations
The Thames Embankment becomes a setting for dangerous encounters and surveillance operations. Characters meet here to exchange information or conduct assassinations under cover of the busy riverbank. The public nature of the location makes it both safe and threatening, with Ava using the crowded embankment to observe her handlers while remaining hidden.
The Thames Embankment was constructed between 1862-1874 as part of a major Victorian engineering project. It transformed the riverfront, creating a public promenade that became one of London's most famous walkways and a symbol of Victorian progress.
The Thames Embankment remains one of London's most popular public spaces, lined with museums, galleries, and riverside attractions. The Victoria Embankment provides views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the River Thames, serving thousands of tourists and commuters daily.
Visit: Thames Embankment (landmark)
96 Euston Road — Research and identity
Ava uses the British Library to research her past and attempt to reclaim her stolen identity. The library becomes a sanctuary where she can access records and documents that might help her understand who she was before becoming a killer. Her time here represents her desperate attempt to recover her humanity and past life.
The British Library's current home at Euston Road opened in 1997, though the institution itself dates back centuries as the library of the British Museum. It is one of the world's largest libraries and holds millions of books, manuscripts, and historical documents.
The British Library remains one of the world's most important research institutions, open to the public with free general access. The modern building contains reading rooms, exhibition spaces, and the iconic 'King's Library' glass tower visible from the street.
Visit: British Library (library)
Camden High Street area — Street-level survival
Ava navigates Camden's busy streets while evading her handlers, using the crowd and chaos of the market area to escape surveillance. She finds temporary refuge among the transient population and uses the area's anonymity to her advantage. Camden represents the working-class London where she attempts to live a normal, hidden life.
Camden Town developed in the 19th century as a working-class industrial area. By the 1970s, it became famous for its vibrant alternative culture, punk scene, and market. The Camden Market opened in 1972 and has since become one of London's major tourist attractions.
Camden Town remains a bustling creative hub with Camden Market as its centerpiece. The area is known for its alternative culture, independent shops, vintage markets, music venues, and diverse international restaurants, attracting millions of visitors annually.
Visit: Camden Market (landmark)
Over the Thames — Critical confrontation
A pivotal confrontation occurs on Waterloo Bridge where Ava faces one of her handlers in a tense scene that determines her path forward. The exposed, public nature of the bridge—with pedestrians and traffic all around—creates tension as violence threatens to erupt. This moment marks a turning point in Ava's struggle for freedom.
Waterloo Bridge was built in 1817 and is one of London's most iconic bridges. Designed by engineer John Rennie, it was rebuilt between 1936-1945 and has become a beloved London landmark offering views of the Thames and surrounding cityscape.
Waterloo Bridge remains a major traffic route crossing the Thames and a popular pedestrian walkway. The bridge offers spectacular views of London, particularly at sunset, and is a favorite spot for photographers and tourists. Recent pedestrian improvements have made it more accessible.
Visit: Waterloo Bridge (landmark)
Vauxhall, South London — Intelligence operations
References to British intelligence operations and the broader espionage network that controls Ava's fate. While Ava's handlers operate independently, the novel references the murky world of government agencies and black ops where assassins like her are created and deployed. The intelligence apparatus represents the systemic forces arrayed against her escape.
The MI6 Building at Vauxhall Cross was constructed in 1994 and is the official headquarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service. Its distinctive stepped pyramid design makes it one of London's most recognizable buildings, though the service itself operates with complete secrecy.
The MI6 Building remains the operational headquarters of Britain's foreign intelligence agency. While the building's exterior is iconic and visible from the street, its interior operations remain classified. The area around Vauxhall has developed as a major business district.
Bethnal Green, East London — Underground networks
Ava uses the London Underground system, particularly less-monitored East End stations, as routes to move through the city unseen. Bethnal Green and the surrounding network of tunnels and platforms provide cover for her movements. The Underground becomes part of her geography of escape and survival.
Bethnal Green Underground Station opened in 1901 as part of the Central Line expansion. It became historically significant on March 3, 1943, when a crush during an air raid shelter rush killed 173 people, one of London's worst civilian disasters during World War II.
Bethnal Green remains a functioning station on the Central Line, serving East London's diverse communities. The station has been upgraded with modern safety features, and a memorial at the entrance commemorates the 1943 tragedy. The surrounding area has undergone significant gentrification in recent years.
Visit: Bethnal Green Underground Station (landmark)
Bloomsbury, Central London — Safe houses and meetings
Bloomsbury becomes a location where Ava conducts surveillance or meets contacts. The intellectual and literary history of the area provides ironic contrast to her world of violence and espionage. Ava observes potential targets or handlers from cafes and public spaces in the square.
Bloomsbury Square was developed in the 1660s and became home to the University of London and the British Museum. The area was famous as the home of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of influential writers and intellectuals including Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, and John Maynard Keynes.
Bloomsbury remains a vibrant academic and cultural area centered around the British Museum and University of London. The square retains its Georgian architecture and continues as a residential area for students and professionals, with numerous bookshops, cafes, and cultural institutions.
Tower Hill, East London — History and captivity
While not directly featured, the Tower of London's long history as a place of imprisonment and execution resonates thematically with Ava's captivity. The tower represents institutional power and the long history of those held against their will. Ava moves through East London aware of its history of control and confinement.
The Tower of London was founded in 1066 by William the Conqueror and has served as a royal palace, military stronghold, and most infamously, a prison and execution site. It imprisoned Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, and countless other political prisoners and common criminals.
The Tower of London is now one of the United Kingdom's most visited historical sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It houses the Crown Jewels and is maintained by Historic Royal Palaces. Thousands of visitors daily explore its medieval fortress and learn its turbulent history.
Visit: Tower of London (historic site)
Regent's Park, North London — Open surveillance
Ava uses the open spaces of Regent's Park for surveillance and to detect whether she's being followed. The park's visibility makes it ideal for counter-surveillance—she can observe her watchers and plan her movements. Multiple scenes involve her walking through the park, carefully assessing threats.
Regent's Park was designed by John Nash in the early 19th century as part of a grand urban plan. It originally contained the menagerie that became the London Zoo. The park has been a popular recreational space for Londoners for nearly 200 years.
Regent's Park remains one of London's most beautiful and popular parks, featuring open lawns, tree-lined walks, and the ZSL Zoo. It hosts open-air theater performances in summer and remains a peaceful refuge from the surrounding urban landscape of North London.
Visit: Regent's Park (park)
Euston Road — Transport and escape routes
Like King's Cross nearby, St. Pancras represents another major escape route that Ava considers. The station's international connections (Eurostar to Europe) make it particularly significant for her potential escape from England and her captors. She monitors the station and its travelers as part of planning her freedom.
St. Pancras Station was completed in 1868 and features the stunning Gothic Revival architecture of the St. Pancras Hotel. It became London's gateway to Europe after the Channel Tunnel opened in 1994, gaining new importance as a transport hub.
St. Pancras is now a major international station serving the Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels. The restored Victorian Gothic architecture of the station and hotel has made it one of London's most stunning transport gateways, recently renovated and expanded.
Visit: St. Pancras Station (landmark)
Central London — Government district observation
Ava moves through St. James's Park, which borders Whitehall and government buildings. The park represents proximity to power structures that control her fate. She observes intelligence operatives and government officials, trying to understand the bureaucratic machinery that enslaves her.
St. James's Park dates back to the 16th century when it was a royal hunting ground. Henry VIII enclosed it as a park, and it was later redesigned during the reign of Charles II. The park has been open to the public since the reign of George III.
St. James's Park remains one of London's most beautiful parks, adjacent to Buckingham Palace and overlooking the Houses of Parliament. It features iconic ornamental lake with resident pelicans (a gift from the King of Siam in 1664), tree-lined avenues, and views of major government buildings.
Visit: St. James's Park (park)
Liverpool Street, East London — Interstate connections
Liverpool Street Station represents another crucial escape point in London's transport network. Ava considers routes through this station to reach other parts of England or Scotland. The station's role as a major hub for eastern connections makes it strategically important in her planning.
Liverpool Street Station opened in 1875 and became one of London's most important railway terminals. It served crucial roles during both World Wars and the Blitz, providing evacuation routes during Nazi bombing campaigns.
Liverpool Street remains a major London railway station serving East Anglia and the East of England. The station has undergone modern redevelopment while retaining its Victorian architecture, and the surrounding area has become a major business and residential district.
Visit: Liverpool Street Station (landmark)
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