I've just finished a busy promotional weekend Thailand for the launch of the new book in Thai from my publisher here Nanmee. It's been a real blast -- meeting lots of readers, writers and media. And one question has been asked more than other: is Nic Costa coming to Bangkok in some future book?

Series writers get this one all the time. Wherever your books are set fans always think it would be nice if your protagonist stopped by their neighbourhood just once. I have had this in Australia, South Africa, other parts of Europe and Hong Kong. But never quite as frequently as here which is a compliment to the hard work Nanmee have put in building my books in Thailand. So let me give you an answer...

<!--more-->No. Not maybe. Not 'who knows'? No. Categorically not. What Nic Costa does in his spare time is his business but when he's in the books he's mine - and I'm not buying the ticket. Why?

To me book locations matter. I didn't choose Rome by accident. I was attracted to it on any number of fronts. I like what I perceived to be the Roman character: forthright and honest. I liked the culture and the art, and the connection the city has with the concept of justice and  a sound society, ideas which run through the books. I also liked the fact that Rome is a place that resonates with readers round the world. In a way we've all been there in our heads, even if we've never set foot in Italy.

Locations don't just happen. Very deliberately I will switch from Rome every third or fourth book or so. I did this in <em>The Lizard's Bite, </em>the book that's just appeared in Italy, when the crew were shipped to Venice. I did it in the seventh book, <em>Dante's Numbers</em>, part of which is set in San Francisco. These were not accidental excursions. I wanted Venice as a location because I planned to bring in characters from my earlier book, <em>Lucifer's Shadow/The Cemetery of Secrets. </em>San Francisco was essential for the <em>Vertigo </em>plotline in <em>Dante's Numbers. </em>

Switching location lets me paint the characters in a different light, since they are no longer at home, masters of their<em> </em>little universe as they are in Rome. They're uncomfortable, strangers in a strange land, which changes the nature of the book. That's something I think is essential to keep a series fresh over the years (though I did get the odd howl of protest from people who think the team should never, ever leave Rome).

Why would Nic and crew possibly find themselves in Thailand? There are no historical or cultural ties between Italy and Bangkok. Nothing real I can work with, as I did with Venice and San Francisco. True, I could concoct a story that led them there. But I can't think of a natural route into the place, as I could with the earlier books. It would be artificial, a device to get them from A to B because I wanted, not because there was some compelling reason inside the story itself.

I don't work that way. So the answer's no I'm afraid. The next two books are written and set in Rome. The one after that may travel the short journey north to Florence.  That's as far ahead as I can see but Thailand isn't on the horizon.

The follow-up question in Bangkok after I said this was always, 'Well, why don't you write a standalone Bangkok story then?'

I gave all the usual answers: time, principally, and my ridiculously obsessive nature which means I'd probably have to move here for a while and learn a bit of Thai to get the thing together, neither of which makes sense.

So no, I won't be writing a Thai story. Not even the one that keeps running through my head right now, over and over again. No, really. <em>No....</em>