Welcome to In the Margins for February 2026

Hi there.

I know this says February at the top and we’re actually in March but I’ve been longer away from my desk than I anticipated. More of that later.

Book News!

The biggest piece of news is that Late in the Day has got a cover and I’m delighted with it. Creating a cover that says what you need it to is super-hard and my publishers have tried a number of directions for my books over the years. This is the first one that I’ve had a hand in myself. I love that it has a feeling of something being not quite right – the broken window pane and the knocked over cup, as well as that shadow which gives a the sense of someone being there but not seen. And then the flower in bud and the sunlight all suggest the positivity that I hope are trademarks of my book.

Unfortunately, the delay in getting to this point has meant that the publication day has been pushed back to 7th July but you can still pre-order HERE.

What am I writing.

I have just put the final full stop on the next Izzy Bromley book which will be called The House Sitter. I’ve very much enjoyed writing this one and I have a great collection of characters for you to get to know. I’m not sure when it will be out yet but as soon as I know, you will be the first to hear.

On Monday, I start the edit for the Imogen book for 2027. This is the one that’s set near Antibes in the South of France and is currently titled Seven Days although I don’t know if that title will stick.

As you know, I’m not a fan of the edit process although obviously I understand how important it is. I much prefer writing the first draft and the challenge of creating something from nothing. However, my current editor has twenty-five years experience in the industry so I really value her input. Plus, she is a joy to work with so I’m almost looking forward to it. Ask me again when I get the notes!

After that, I will start writing the next Imogen book. I have the bare bones of the story. It will have a timeline from the 1980s to the present day and will be set in the UK and Africa (I think.) At the moment, it’s not much more than a concept in my head but I trust my process and all being well, by the time I start to write in May I will have a clearer idea of what I want to say.

Where have I been?

This month I had a real adventure. I’ve been to Cambodia and Vietnam, including a wonderful eight days on the Mekong River. I haven’t been to mainland Asia before so there was a lot to take in. As well as enjoying several of the temple sites around Angkor Wat, we visited local farms and villages and saw various cottage industries including silk production, brass and copperware and rice paper making, all by hand.

I also visited the ‘Killing Fields’ and the prison where many of the Cambodian people were tortured by the Pol Pot regime. As you would expect, that was extraordinarily moving and we met one of only two remaining survivors from the prison. His life was spared by the Khmer Rouge because he knew how to fix the typewriter when it broke.

After that we sailed on into Vietnam. Post-war economic recovery has been stronger in Vietnam and the contrast between the two countries was apparent as soon as we crossed the border. We saw lots of floating fish farms along the edges of the river and we visited a bustling market with all manner of foodstuffs on display ( not all of it entirely palatable.) Again, we saw temples and enjoyed a couple of days in Saigon. We went to the Cu Chi Tunnels where we learned how the Viet Cong lived underground to escape and confuse the US troops.

Getting home was a bit of a challenge given the situation in the Middle East and so our trip was unintentionally extended by a couple of days and we eventually got home via Shanghai rather than Dubai but we did make it back.

It was a fascinating trip and whilst I have no immediate plans to incorporate it into a story, you never know how these things will re emerge via my imagination.

If you’re interested in more photos, head over to my Instagram page.

What have I read?

First up this month is Love Iris by Elizabeth Noble Two very different families run into each other at the care home where their elderly relations are staying. Tess has a secret and is wanting to confide in her grandmother who no longer always recognises her and Gigi wants to turn her life upside down but doesn’t know who to talk to about it. It’s a gentle story that doesn’t go anywhere remarkable but is no less lovely for that.

This Book Made me Think of You by Libby Page is another gentle read. Tilly Nightingale’s husband dies but before he does he leaves instructions for the local bookseller to send Tilly a book a month for a year. Each book is chosen to help her recover from his death. Again, it does what it says on the tin and there are no surprises but it is a lovely read.

The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery is a cosy crime set in a stately home in 1910 just as Halley’s Comet is passing over the earth and all manner of destruction is predicted as a result. Whilst the family and staff are shut into the house to stay safe, a murder is committed and it falls to junior butler Stephen and Miss Decima, the foul-mouthed octogenarian sister of the Viscount to work out what is going on. It’s sharp and funny and very enjoyable.

Finally, The Eights by Joanna Miller is about the first women to attend Oxford University in 1920. The four very different women meet when they are allocated rooms on corridor eight and the novel follows them as they navigate their bumpy path through the university with all the difficulties you might anticipate. The women are beautifully drawn but the historical detail about the university and the rules applied to its female students will make your hair curl.

That’s everything for this month. Thank you for being here and reading to the end! And if you signed up to be in my team of early readers you should have had an email from me yesterday. If it didn’t hit your inbox please check your junk folders.

Until next month, keep reading.

Imogen.