When I published Dangerous Knowledge, it was the first time I had finished a book and did not have the main idea for the next one. This is a little frightening for an author. You wonder if you have run out of ideas. The harder you try to think about it, the worse the situation becomes. Then, quite suddenly, the bare bones of an idea came into my mind. I often get people asking how this part of the process works. They often call it "inspiration" and ask where it comes from. For me, it is a matter of thinking of the subject. If you have read the other books in the series, you will know that my victim is usually an interesting person with a particular background. Then I think about locations I can use. Often, the two things are linked. This is particularly true about the first volume, which uses Singapore in some ways that I will not explain here as spoilers. Suffice it to say, the story I tell could only be realised in Singapore.
So, what is the latest book about? It has a provisional name of Blindsight. You will have to read the book for the explanation. As with all my books, except Without Trace, this is set in Chester and provides employment to the same range of detectives. The story will take Drake to a special place. I will not give it away here. The subject concerns the way the world is changing with modern technology. It deals with those who design the things we use every day, watches, phones, and air fryers. They are industrial designers, sometimes known as product designers. These people have always fascinated me, and I spent some years teaching their students in London and overseas.