First the good news: the short story which I titled ‘Lost Child!’ came out on August 16th. I send a copy out to a short list of people who can’t get it in the usual way and have had emails back saying how much they enjoyed it. Someone said it was both touching and funny. (Hurray!)

If anyone else is unable to get a copy and would like to read it, let me know, and I’ll email you a copy for free. This is the story in which Bruce hates the very thought of having to help man the HQ tent at the local big event in the park and ends up having to do some detective work to find the parents of a lost child who can’t, or won’t speak. A story for high summer about taking part in a community event where things do occasionally go wrong.

The 20th Ellie Quicke book came out at the end of August. It’s called MURDER FOR GOOD and on the cover there’s a steaming hot meat pie which has been cut into and a large knife. And no bloodstains. I suppose you might call it a domestic or ‘in house’ drama since it’s about Ellie’s husband receiving not one or two, but six bequests from people he hardly knew. This upsets him a lot. Oh, and Ellie is trying unsuccessfully to rid of a guest who wants to be her housekeeper and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. It’s also about Diana’s latest problem. Of course. Whatever will she do next? (No, don’t answer that; I have no difficulty working that out!)

Also out at the end of August were the paperback and large print versions of the Bea Abbot tale, titled FALSE PRIDE. This is the one in which Magda Summerleys, who is acting as housekeeper to a reclusive art critic, discovers he’s disappeared just as he’s about to be painted by Bea’s ex-husband, leaving Piers suffering from concussion and Magda holding a fortune in family jewels and with no idea what to do – except to ask for Bea’s help.

Two more bits of good news; Soundings, the Audiobook people want to take on another Ellie Quicke – this one is to be Murder by Suggestion, and the Harlequin Book Club are taking another in the Bea Abbot series – this time it’s False Impression.

I’m well on the way now with the next Bea Abbot, which is the one about different forms of friendship. I’ve had some lovely emails from you saying what it means to you. I do appreciate hearing from you when you like something I’ve written. Recently there’s been a couple of people who’ve come across the book of short stories titled UNSUNG HEROES (e-book) and said how much you’ve enjoyed them. Such emails do perk me up nicely! And so, back to work . . .

May we have time to enjoy and thank God for all the good things of summer before the nights start to draw in and we look out our winter clothes.

Veronica Heley