Surprise: I’ve been writing the new Charlie Davies book!

Yep! I’m working on Not A Clue!

More than that, I’m 70% of the way through!

[Cue celebratory music and champagne corks popping and piglets snorting with joy.]

Now all I have left to write is the whole wrap-up-the-mystery part. It always feels kind of unfair when I get to this part of a book. I mean, I wrote all the set-up – you’re telling me I have to solve it for you as well? Can’t someone else do that? Maybe I should release the book without an ending and everyone can finish it how they like.

(Then I say all that to Alexi and he tells me to just write the book. And usually once I’ve written it I hand it over to him and he tells me to add another ten thousand words to the ending. Sigh. Maybe it’s not the most efficient process, but it’s mine. No one can take it away from me. Not that anyone else would want it.)

Whatever! I’m so close to the end that I can taste it. The wait is nearly over. Life is going to be glorious.

Until some of you finish reading it in an hour and a half just to spite me. (I’m looking at you, Caity.)

Here’s a little Charlie-Adam sneak peek to hold you over (and this is obvious, but just in case, DON’T READ THE SNEAK PEEK UNLESS YOU’VE READ THE FIRST ELEVEN BOOKS IN THE SERIES. CONTAINS SPOILERS. ALSO TRACES OF GLUTEN):

“Would you like me to leave?”

“No. I want you to stay, but I’m pretty sure that’s just me being selfish. What if John saw you come in here and he narcs on us? He totally would.”

“He doesn’t know I’m in here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

I frowned. “How?”

“Because I locked him on the balcony.”

“I knew it!”

He just smiled in response.

“So when you say you can help me relax, exactly what method are we talking?”

“You’re covered in bruises, Charlotte Regina. I was talking about a goodnight kiss.”

I nodded slowly. That sounded innocent enough, but in my experience there weren’t many things involving Adam’s mouth that weren’t at least a little devious. “Just one kiss?”

“It’ll be perfectly wholesome.”

“Now I know you’re lying.”

xx Clare