A MESSAGE FROM FAITH MARTIN

Personal message

I'm really excited that Murder Under the Sun is about to be published, and I really hope you all enjoy it. It's an ideal read for a hot summer's day — unless, like myself and Hillary, you're not a big fan of big heat! With that in mind, here are Hillary's tips for keeping your cool when things heat up!

What is Hillary’s heatwave survival kit?

Hillary's survival kit for heatwaves: 

1.   If you can, rise as early as possible and open your windows to let the cooler air in, then close all windows and curtains, only opening them after sunset.  

2.   Drink plenty and keep bottles of water/juice with you. 

3.   Dress in the coolest (literally and figuratively) outfits you have. 

4.   Act like a cat and conserve energy when you can (bosses permitting) and channel your inner Victorian heroine by investing in a parasol (go on — you can nail the look), and if you have to go outside, keep to the shady side of the street. 

5.   Always try to keep your cool (villains permitting) and walk on the grass, not the concrete, whenever you can. 

6.   And if all else fails, swear at the sun. It won't help you feel cool, but it might make you feel better . . .

Tell us about Hillary’s most difficult case

I always felt that Hillary's most difficult case was tackled in Murder at Work, as it involved so many elements — not only did she have her usual hard murder case to crack, but then there were also the tensions surrounding her team dynamic. And added to that, the final devastating consequences of her investigation. But I think the most difficult villain she had to deal with arose in Hillary's Final Case, her last case as a DI, before she retired and began working cold cases.  She was dealing with so much, and was not at her best — and a certain madam really put the wind up her. In fact, I don't think I ever knew Hillary to be so scared of a witness before!