Because I always do what other people tell me to do, I am obeying Dr Ian Hocking‘s command to write a new twistery a day, every day up to and including Christmas day, and to call the exercise “The Twelve Days of Twistmas”. I must be insane. Either that, or he is using some strange evil remote mind control on me. Must be that. Damn his evil remote mind control.

Anyhow, the First Day of Twistmas is today. Don’t know if that corresponds with the First Day of Christmas. Don’t care, actually. They are two totally unconnected events. Here then is the twistery puzzle for the First Day of Twistmas (Twistery #24 in old money):

She swam in the marina while he tinkered with the boat. She was a strong swimmer, so why did she drown just as she was about to climb out?

Answers in the comments, please. The full solution will be posted later today.

[Added:]

So what about the “other news” in the heading? I’ll be honest, I completely forgot about that. I was going to mention another festive treat over on It’s A Crime (Or a Mystery)… Writers (including me) are suggesting present ideas for crime fiction loving Auntie Marjorie.

This is the time when people make lists of their favourite things from the year just gone. I’ve already been lucky enough to be included in Barry Forshaw’s pick of 2011 crime and thriller fiction in the Independent, but I wasn’t expecting to get mentioned by Kirkus Reviews. It’s an American publication, and The Cleansing Flames has not been published in the USA. However, J. Kingston Pierce has included it in an online column about UK-published books which he thinks are “worth crossing the Atlantic to buy”. Though he does helpfully point out that you can also purchase them online.

There are only five books in his list, so I feel really honoured and fortunate to be included.