More than one hundred book fans turned out for the launch of the polar thriller. The highlight was questions from the audience – as always – and we covered issues such as the boundary between fiction and fact, comparisons between Captain Scott’s 1910 expedition and the Apollo moonshot of 1969, and the doomed earlier adventures of Franklyn aboard the Erebus and the Terror, and his bid to find the North West Passage. On a wider stage the book began to garner reviews and coverage – all of which has been wonderfully positive. I was particularly pleased with the two-page spread in the Cambridgeshire Independent – based on Alex Spencer’s excellent interview. If you want to read it all – and there’s plenty in there for armchair explorers and booklovers – go to www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk. Also it was a joy to see the Geographical breaking its usual rule not to review fiction. Jules Stewart’s review was stylish and a real boost. (It was also great to see my old university – Sheffield – advertising on the following page to lure youngsters into geography.) To see full review go to www.geographical.co.uk. If – no, when – you read The White Lie do share your thoughts with me via twitter. @thewaterclock