ANZAC Live: Family History Brought to Life

Now this is something very special: my Great-Great Uncle Arthur's ANZAC diaries retold in real time over on Facebook, alongside nine other people who served in the campaign. Watch it unfold, day by day, with photos and memories and snippets of personal and world history. Amazing. Until the team responsible got in touch about a month ago, I had no idea that Arthur had emigrated to Australia when he was just sixteen or that he'd lived quite the life there until (and after) he enlisted. What a great way to bring this history back to life. The Australians have a unique talent for capturing histories and making them feel relevant and poignant. Wonderful. Do follow the stories as they unfold over the next few days and weeks.

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No Other Darkness (Marnie Rome 2)

It's here! Well, my advance copy is. And very beautiful it is, too. Spot-varnished title and so weighty, making that 'holding it in my hands for the first time' moment really special. Big thanks to the creative team at Headline who designed it so wonderfully. I love it!

Do come to the launch party at Foyles in Bristol on 22 April, if you can.

Published in the UK on 23 April, you can pre-order it here.

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Harrogate Crime Writing Festival 2015

Thrilled to be on my first panel at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which runs 16-19 July 2015. I'm Celebrating Highsmith with Martin Edwards, Peter James, Peter Swanson and Andrew Taylor. It's Tom Ripley's 60th birthday..!

You can book tickets here and the full programme is here.

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My mother was Emperor Hirohito's poster child

For Mother's Day, the story of how my mother and grandmother survived a Japanese PoW camp.

Domei News, then Japan's only news agency, dispatched reporters to the frontline in Asia and the Pacific. They sent home almost daily the Domei Photo News, which was distributed by the thousands to schools, factories, shops and public places. The Domei News photographer's task was simple: show the world how content our prisoners are. The photos were intended to appease organisations such as the Red Cross, and convince ordinary Japanese families that the war was being fought honourably.

Written for The Guardian in March 2014.

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KillerFest15

I had great fun yesterday afternoon doing a live Q&A session with TV and crime writer, Isabelle Grey, over on Twitter. If you missed it, you can find the chat under @sarah_hilary using hashtag #KillerFest14. Do tune in again today for more great conversations and events, both live and virtual. The full programme is here.

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