I may be older and a lot less lithe than Lina (I'd like to see me cart-wheeling at my age!) but I love ballroom and Latin dancing. Sometimes we dress up, too - inset is a photo of me with my husband, Edward Marston, and a disreputable parrot who went for everyone's G&T. Perhaps it was winning this particular competition (in the Caribbean, before you ask) that inspired me to take Lina and Griff away from home to start their latest adventure at a dance weekend in Devon.
More inspiration lay in robberies at two local churches in the Cotswolds. One lost its brass lectern, which eventually appeared in a marketplace in Eastern Europe. Another, more seriously, had a priceless, irreplaceable stone Anglo-Saxon panel hacked from its wall. Presumably this was stolen to order: it would be far to unwieldy to lug around the countryside in the hope of finding a buyer.
Lina manages to interrupt one such theft, though not before the fabric of an ancient church is damaged irreparably. If you know Lina, you'll understand she can't just leave well alone. If you don't, I hope you'll enjoy meeting one of my favourite characters who is continuing to try to right wrongs.
Severn House Publishers Ltd
First World Publication edition
28 August 2015
Fans of Jonathan Gash's Lovejoy will especially enjoy Lina's adventures.
Publishers Weekly