I’m hugely grateful to the talented and generous Bruce Aiken, who designed the beautiful new picture for the front of the website.

The photo that was there before – brooding skies over Hadrian’s Wall – wasn’t really right for the impending launch of a book set in Rome. I hope you’ll agree that the new design is a delight. And in case you’ve reached here by some other route and haven’t yet seen it in all its glory, here it is: