Lots of swallows soaring over the garden. Suspect they're off to warmer climes.

The Venice Noir extras are coming... and here's the first. A cocktail reception with Ian Rankin in the lovely Ca' Pisani boutique hotel next to the Accademia. Just 30 places available, 30 euros for cocktail and cicchetti. davidhewson.com/a-cocktail-e...

The WIP has reached final revision phase.

Yay! US readers, I have an interview in today’s @washingtonpost.com . Honestly, I’m not dissing Pilates though. I’d just rather be writing! @minotaurbooks.bsky.social

I see the Reform mass takeover of Kent County Council is going well. Can't say the potholes are getting any better either... www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/cl...

Just had first advent calendar offer of the year 🙄

I don't have a problem with ID cards. Most Europeans have had them for ages and find it unbelievable we don't. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Arnold Clover is back….joined by Vivaldi AND Casanova! A Venetian maze of intrigue & mystery in the impeccable style of master story teller @davidhewson.com #VeniceBooks #Venice #Vivaldi Bravo David!

A centuries-old score. A city built on secrets. A melody that kills….. @davidhewson.com brings back the reclusive archivist, Arnold Clover, in his thrilling Venetian mystery series. A marvelous, musical mystery! I loved it. Available on @bookshop.org #VeniceBooks #Venice #Vivaldi

Look what the postman brought…

Sally Rooney daren't come to the UK for fear her views on Palestine will get her arrested. Elon Musk who's called for the overthrow of a democratically elected government... is he banned too? Not that I'm aware.

Sorry to talk crap but... have just been offered a free mini sewage unit, a GrafOne2Clean, install as part of a scheme to improve water quality in our bit of Kent by replacing septic tanks. Anyone had experience of this kind of thing? All new to me.

The media really are scared of upsetting Trump. He’s talking bollocks on paracetamol and autism pretty much all the experts say. So who are the many ‘welcoming him putting the issue on the table’?

Reform plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain in the UK retrospectively, forcing those of us already here to apply for a visa to stay. Despite having lived here 35 years dutifully paying my taxes, I don't earn enough to qualify for a visa. Think Reform won't get into power? Look at the polls.

Make no mistake. This is Farage's attempt to co-opt a masked Tommy Robinson thugs army as Britain's ICE, all to solve a problem he caused. www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

I always loved this one. Brilliant!

True despots don't need to issue orders. Their minions know what's expected of them already. That's how they got the job.

Have to wonder if the British public would respond like this if Farage got his way, gave Robinson’s goons masks and uniforms and sent them out on the streets to disappear people. Not at all sure….

Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here. (1935)

Venice. A delight for individual shops. Here's Shanti Daan down a narrow Calle. Hand made Italian designs & clothing (among other things). Stefano & his cat Ravi. (Stefano studied sitar with Ravi Shankar) When in Venice & your wife's birthday looms make sure your credit card is fully loaded.

I remember when people thought we were a serious country. Mistakenly perhaps.

He’s just laughing at us, isn’t he?

@davidhewson.com so pleased to hear Arnold Clover will still be voiced by the brilliant Richard Armitage. Pre-order done countdown beginning. Really can’t wait.

More events being added in the next week or two. Subscribe to be the first to hear because, trust me, you're not going to want to miss out...#VeniceNoir

Now reading. A propos nothing at fucking all

Pleased to be reposted by @indexoncensorship.org; really sorry I had to write this piece for @theobserveruk.bsky.social

Subscribe to the Venice Noir newsletter here to be the first to hear about our forthcoming event add ons www.venicenoir.com/program/

I live close by to Folkestone and trust me, much as I like the place, the answer is no.

Arnold Clover is back! A thrilling story about music, obsession and revenge……a literary labyrinth of mystery & Venetian delicacies. Bravo @davidhewson.com #VeniceBooks #Venice #Vivaldi #Casanova

News of an interesting add on for Venice Noir coming up next week. How about an exclusive cocktail soiree with a favourite author in some of the swankiest spots in town.

Seems a lot of people never learned the lesson about the cost of giving in to bullies.

Does this mean the badger deterrent is working?

Can't leave Venice with a carbonara lunch at Bakaro in Campo Santa Margherita. As good as any in Rome. If you want to discover what true carbonara is (not the creamy muck you see in UK supermarkets) this is the place.

Oscar winning make up artist Howard Berger and writer Marshall Julius join me to talk about their wonderful new book #MakingMonsters #Monsters @marshalljulius.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/w...

Idiot that I am, I’ve only just realized that Writers on Film humbly celebrated its 250th episode with @willsloanesq.bsky.social and his book Ed Wood Jr Made in Hollywood USA. podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/w...

Amazing venue for VENICE NOIR this November! All events free, Sir Ian Rankin as guest of honour - gonna be amazing. www.venicenoir.com

Venice needs a dachshund census. They're taking over.

Bet there's never been a crime book festival in a place like this. The Ateneo Veneto. Home to Venice Noir in November. All events free. #Venice

Why is it you always start to get into a place just when you have leave?

The one thing I don't understand about Rome... When I started the Nic Costa series here 25 years ago I could go all day and night legging it round the place. For some reason I don't understand that seems a tad harder now. 🤔 Only a tad but....

#SpoliaSunday takes us along via del #Gesù in #Rome, where a block of ancient #marble built into the wall of the C16/C17 palazzo #Frangipane shows signs of use and reuse. No doubt many other pieces of #spolia are still hidden under the plaster façades of the city. #AncientBluesky 🏺

Roman sunset

Last meal in Rome before moving on to Venice. Had to go local in Testaccio. Carciofo giudia, deep fried artichoke, and Coda alla vaccinara, oxtail in tomato sauce. Lovely stuff at Ai Cocci. Recommended.

Always amazes me when people struggle to find complex reasons for simple issues where the obvious - it's just racism, isn't it? - is staring everyone in the face.

Less than one percent of seats in Parliament. But featured in a quarter of news bulletins. That's some impartiality right there BBC 👀 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/sep/12/bbc-under-fresh-pressure-over-extent-of-reform-uk-nigel-farage-coverage

This is the extremely complicated roundabout thing at Piramide. In 2019 when I was working on my Appian Way project I drove the wrong way round it in a souped up Abarth 500. Twice. On the tram tracks. They never caught me 😂

Just asking of England

The Ostiense Eataly is quite something, all three floors of it.

Una lunga giornata