There’s a trope in cosy mysteries whereby the hero(ine)’s special skills and experience – crossword puzzle setter, antique Chinese furniture restorer, exotic animal vet, what have you – while seemingly unrelated to crime-solving, come into play in surprising ways, enabling her to solve the mystery.

Stories come to me from a multitude of sources. While I don’t “rip” my stories from the headlines, often an idea grows after I read several articles and play the “what if” game.