Huge thanks to my family: Doug, Nathaniel, Danika, Josh and Isaac, Louis and Emily – you keep me going and I’m grateful for your continued support, and to my wider family and friends who are lovely enough to buy my books and offer encouragement.

The Open House was great fun to write and I must thank my friend, Tara, for inadvertently giving me the inspiration for it during a coffee at her house. If you’re friends with an author, you can expect this kind of result! It wouldn’t be the book it is today had it not been for my friends J and San, who were happy for me to take my flipchart board over to theirs and set up in the conservatory, where over a bottle of fizz we brainstormed plot points. J – you’re pretty good at it, maybe you should write a book …

Thank you to Jo and Keeley – you’re both finally in one of my books. Hope you enjoy it! While this is a work of fiction, of course some elements are inspired by real life and real friendships. Stay gold, Jo. Thank you to my lifelong best friend, Trace. Without you everything would be that much harder. We’ve shared so many of life’s ups and downs but through everything we’ve always managed to laugh. But please, no more lying about going on “short walks”.

At the time of writing this, the UK is still in lockdown due to the coronavirus – although we have seen some easing of the restrictions. When it was first introduced, I was attempting to do structural edits on The Open House, and I, like many, struggled to focus. In fact, I lost all ability to concentrate on anything bar the daily briefings for a few weeks. Not being able to see my family was unbearable, but most of all I missed seeing my grandson, who up until the lockdown, I’d been looking after a few times a week while my daughter worked. It’s been a terribly challenging time for everyone, and for some, there have been devastating consequences. I’m praying we’re coming out the other side now. The one thing to keep me sane has been books – so, I’d like to thank authors for enabling me to escape for a few hours a day into their fabulous novels. A big thank you to my readers, many of whom have been kind enough to contact me to let me know that one of my books has helped them get through this time, too. I’ve never been so thankful for books!

I’m also thankful for Zoom and the other ways that have enabled me to remain in contact with family and friends. I wonder if there’s anyone who hasn’t taken part in a Zoom quiz during lockdown …