It’s always a weird feeling to complete the first draft of a new book. On the one hand it was a relief to finish novel no.9 and send the manuscript off to my editor a couple of weeks ago, but on the other I always feel a bit lost, slightly bereft, without the characters I’ve spent every day with for the past five months.

Luckily I had some spectacular scenery to take my mind off it this time. The day after I pressed send we flew out to the Canadian Rockies, taking in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and the Icefields Parkway, with some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. I’ve put in a few photos below but you can see more on my Instagram. There was even a bear (although I learned later that it’s not wise to get as close as I did, even if there is a fence in the way…)

I’m back in the UK now and looking forward to the imminent publication of The Dream Home in paperback on July 18th. Keep an eye out on social media for the hashtag #mywhodunnit to hear from readers, bloggers and authors (me included!) about the real-life mysteries they’ve solved in their own lives.

I’d love to hear your stories as well – search for the #mywhodunnit hashtag and tell us how you got to the bottom of a mystery in your family, your neighbourhood, at home or elsewhere. Perhaps someone will even have a story to tell about a secret hidden room they found in their house . . .

Hopefully someone will solve "The Mystery of the Disappearing British Summer" before July 18th, as that’s also when the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival kicks off in Harrogate. I’m very excited to be appearing on the ‘Psycho Thrillers’ panel on the Saturday alongside fellow authors AA Chaudhuri, Abigail Dean and CM Ewan, chaired by Luca Veste.

The Harrogate festival is such a great event every year and I can’t wait to be at the Old Swan again, chatting to readers and loading up my tote bag with a huge pile of brilliant crime books to bring home…

If you’re looking for a Kindle bargain in the meantime, my thriller The Curfew is at the special price of 99p for the whole of July!

Mountains and manuscripts...

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