Carshalton journalist T. R. Richmond caught a flash of literary inspiration while browsing Twitter, of all places. It lead to What She Left, to be published on April 23, with an audiobook voiced by stars from Game of Thrones
It's thought that around 6,000 tweets are posted on Twitter every second.
That's not difficult to imagine - each tweet is only 140 characters, and you can send them from anywhere, about anything. But it's still a staggering amount of information. How much could you learn about a person just from their Twitter timeline? From their Facebook page? Their blog?
These were the thoughts that struck Surrey journalist Tim Relf - penname T. R. Richmond - when he stumbled on a tweet musing about what song the tweeter would like played at their funeral.
It's the idea that forms the core of his new book, What She Left, which will be published on April 23 by Michael Joseph, a Penguin imprint. They've sold the book to 16 countries already, in deals thought to have earned the publisher and author £800,000.
The audiobook will be released on the same date, with the two lead characters voiced by stars from the hit fantasy TV series Game of Thrones.
Charles Dance (pictured right) is Professor Jeremy Cooke, who tasks himself with learning more about a deceased student through the digital footprint she left behind.
Emilia Clarke will voice Alice Salmon, the student in question, whose gives us posthumous glimpses of her life through everything from tweets to Facebook posts to half-remembered conversations with friends.
What She Left is already being called the new Gone Girl - we're itching to pick up our copy!
Appropriately enough, you can follow Tim Relf on Twitter at @timrelf, or read his blog on Farmer's Weekly. His characters also have their own social media - Professor Cooke has a tumblr and Twitter, while Alice Salmon has a Facebook page
