Regrettably, it wasn’t body parts. Rather, it was tens of thousands of dollars, wrapped in plastic bands. Not as good as a human heart, but on balance, not completely uninteresting. Inside the hospital I accosted Gwen’s wheelie-bed as she cruised towards her X-ray scans.

‘What’s going on, Gwen?’ I demanded. ‘Have you robbed a bank? Stolen money from an ex-lover? Become a granny drug-dealer?’

The explanation was considerably less interesting. A pension payment and a healthy distrust of banks. By that point though, a book idea had started to form in my mind. It became The Younger Wife.

And this brings me to the thank yous.

I’ll start with my publisher. You’ll have to bear with me here, because it’s going to get weird.

St. Martin’s Press published my first book, The Secrets of Midwives, and they’ve published every book since. On our first phone call, Jen Enderlin told me that she was excited not just about that book, but about all my future books. A nice thing to say, but in a world where we’re constantly told that editors don’t take chances on new authors, or that they don’t give authors the time they need to find their stride, I didn’t know if I could trust it. Fast forward six books – and let’s be real, some of my books have been what we might generously call ‘a disappointment’ – Jen has remained excited about my future books, and backed it up by continuing to offer me contracts. Is she the exception to the rule? I don’t know. But Jen Enderlin is the reason I’ll never be cynical about publishing. As for the rest of the gang – Lisa Senz, Brant Janeway, Erica Martirano, Katie Bassel, Jessica Zimmerman – what an amazing, talented bunch of humans. I am obsessed with you all.

This brings me to my beloved Pan Macmillan Australia team, who have also continued to hang around since book one. There must have been times you wanted to jump ship. Thanks for staying aboard. I’d like to extend particular thanks to Alex Lloyd who, despite his youthful looks (and, it must be said, excellent hair) has two of the best editorial eyes in the business. Also to Cate Paterson for her continued (unfounded) belief in me, to Sammy Manson, the most innovative of marketing people, to Ali Lavau for her exceptional copyediting and to Christa Moffitt for the gorgeous covers. I am a lucky lady.

To Rob Weisbach, who has to wear so many hats in his role as my literary agent. Next I’m going to make you wear a beret. You will look fabulous in a beret. (Read: I can’t find the words for how great you are, so I’m talking about hats instead. You get that, right?)

To Andrew Bailey and Patrick Lyttleton, for always giving me legal advice for my characters. The fact that you never bat an eye when I ask how one would divorce someone with dementia or get away with murder speaks volumes about all of us.