In my mystery novels, I try to keep readers guessing about ‘who dunnit’ while tripping them up with red herrings and prompting laughs at Jack Beer, my PI’s, antics. Sometimes I wonder – am I succeeding?

Sue finished my latest, The Devil’s Elbow, in one day and she’s already asking ‘how long before book seven is ready?’

Jan of Windsor quoted a favourite passage from Things Left Behind: “ ‘In the near distance, a weak bulb atop a leaning telephone pole coated a century farmhouse in gloom. In the background, the night sky silhouetted a barn’s skeletal remains’” and said “I feel like I know these places.”

A Lucan reader ‘raved’ to Leigh, the town librarian, about my books. (Honest, she really did use the word ‘raved.’) Every time she thought she’d figured out ‘who dunnit’ she soon discovered otherwise. And she loved the dialogue, and my main characters, Jack for recognizing his own flaws and Sheila for giving as good as she got.

Thanks to such kind thoughts, I’ll keep going.