So I’m preparing to talk tomorrow about PUNISHMENTS MEETING THE CRIME: Morality, Society & Justice in crime novels. Obviously am a great expert on this and am spending much time planning what to say to our moderator Steve Mosby and not worrying about what serious crime writers should wear on such serious occasions: twinset and pearls? Two piece suit? Anyway, since my last book NEVER TELL is all about a rather debauched secret society at Oxford University, the kind of society some of our great leaders used to belong too (yep I’m talking about new PM Cameron – & how the hell did that happen, can I just say; + Chancellor Osborne, Boris Johnson et al), I’m completely all over the morality thing. Even though writing some of the more shocking scenes occasionally made me blush. You might think it’s a moot point whether I really write crime; as a lovely (and the only male) member of the New Eltham Library Reading Group said to me last week, having just read my first book LULLABY, “This isn’t really crime, this is just the story of a young mum whose baby is stolen”…the aghast female members quickly turned on him, poor man! “Isn’t it a crime having a stolen baby” one said crossly. I kept quiet in the corner and let them fight it out!

Anyway, if you’re at Crimefest, please do come and say hello; I’ll be the one propping up the bar in the Mariott really sensible and totally sober one (I’m always amazed by how much my fellow Crime Writers drink. Really.)