- The Blood of the Innocents, the title of your new novel, makes reference to murders committed throughout history because of religious fanaticism. The plots for The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud and The Mud Bible were inspired by current affairs. Where did the original idea come from in this case?

The idea for The Blood of the Innocents came from the pages of newspapers. Unquestionably, current affairs at the moment are marked by Islamic fundamentalism and the clash between East and West, although it is also true to say that there is nothing new in religious fanaticism; it has existed for as long as mankind. The fact that humans, almost by their very nature, feel the need to impose their own God on others and kill in the name of their religious beliefs that genuinely horrifies me. It affects me deeply. However, at the same time I couldn’t resist using it as the central theme of my new novel.

- Which genre would you say your novel belongs to?

It is above all an adventure novel, a mystery novel and a journey through the past to the present day.

- The novel takes place in the Languedoc of the Late Middle Ages as well as modern day Brussels, Rome, Granada, Istanbul and Jerusalem, via Nazi Berlin. How did you create such a real atmosphere for each of these locations?

Being a journalist definitely helps a great deal. I know all these cities well and therefore I don’t find it difficult to make my characters move around them. And, as always, I undertake exhaustive documentary research for my journeys “into the past”.

- You have chosen three epochs in history: the persecution of the Cathars by the Inquisition, the Nazi genocide of the Jews and lastly the current clash between East and West, now reaching its peak in Islamic terrorism. What does each one contribute to the final structure of the novel?

In the first place, I went back to the thirteenth century because I wanted to convey the idea that fanaticism is very ancient indeed, as old as the world itself. Secondly, I also wanted to highlight the fact that religious fanaticism goes hand in hand with political fanaticism, and the clearest evidence of this is what took place during the Second World War, which was without doubt the greatest madness that humankind has experienced in the course of history.Thirdly, I simply attempted to shed some light on the present day. Some Islamic groups have declared war on the West, and this is something we should be concerned about. Freedom, human dignity and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are values that absolutely cannot be waived. As a woman, I cannot ignore the situation of women in Muslim countries. What would happen if they win the war they have declared? I don’t want to have to walk three steps behind my husband, or eat after he has finished, or consider that a person’s honour is measured by how many metres of cloth he / she wears.

- Throughout the novel, you attempt to demystify the history of the Cathars and call into question the esoteric nature of this religious movement and the search for the Holy Grail. Is this a way to distance yourself from the current trend that some historical novels follow?

It is certainly true that the subject is in fashion. However, it was also in fashion during the interwar period in Europe, as the novel states... I think that esotericism and superstition are trends that come to the fore in times of cultural and spiritual uncertainty. Yes, of course my novel calls into question claims brought on by a certain kind of pseudo literature that the subject is mysterious and esoteric. I believe that the Cathars would be horrified to see what they have been turned into. In this novel I speak of the triumph of reason against intransigence, fanaticism and esotericism. We do need to be careful, though: one shouldn’t idealise the Cathars because they were fanatics too.

- The Second World War and the Nazi persecution provide the backdrop to the second part of the novel, which culminates in the creation of the State of Israel. In what sense do you consider that this event marked the rest of the twentieth century and the current clash between East and West?

I have visited Israel on various occasions and have seen how Holocaust survivors and their descendents who emigrated to that country behave according to a well-learned lesson: they need a State because they believe they can only trust themselves. I think that the creation of the State of Israel was necessary, in the same way that the Palestinian State is necessary. Until it exists, there will be no peace in the region.

- The third part of the novel is about preparations for a major terrorist attack and an organisation called “the circle”, which is a manifestation of al Qaida nowadays. However, this killing is financed by invisible and powerful subjects seeking confrontation with the Arab world and in fact a Third World War. Do you believe that you are telling a fictional story or could this really happen?

The world is driven by interests that normal citizens wouldn’t begin to suspect. For example, the energy and water problem devastating the planet has become big business that is making specific people and companies immensely rich. War is also a massive business: without looking any further, the war in Iraq has been, just as I tried to detail in my second novel.And without doubt, certain groups could profit from a confrontation between East and West.

- You describe society in Europe as being paralysed in the face of fanatical Islamic opinions penetrating into the heart of its own countries...

I consider Europe to be scared at the moment, and our politicians do not know how to deal with what is taking place. They are fearful and worried about what people might say and political marketing. I feel that this loss of values we are experiencing translates into a loss of identity, an identity that is something hugely valuable to us, built as it is on the basis of democratic values and the principles of the French Revolution. These things cannot be relinquished. And the saddest thing is that it is being lost and for nothing.

- The Blood of the Innocents is a daring novel, and will no doubt cause readers to think deeply about the times we live in and the nature of religious fanaticism. Was that your intention?

The truth is that I always write about things that I am concerned about. Each of my novels is like a dialogue with myself: I choose characters in order to confront them in terms of what I think and do not think. However, I would certainly feel satisfied if my novels were not only entertaining but able to reveal something more, to glimpse into the background of modern day society’s problems. I always try to treat religion and different creeds with the utmost respect. Every human being has the right to give his/her life a spiritual meaning, to believe in a superior being and to pray as he/she pleases... But the idea of God and the idea of killing in his name are antithetical.

- Is this your most ambitious novel?

It is indeed. I have tried to put the best of me into the novel. It took a great deal of hard work to write it. I have thought and rethought about it and pondered long and hard over each character and chapter...I am always going to have special feelings for The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud... it was so enthusiastically received by readers that I will always be grateful to it. However, I think the The Blood of the Innocents is my best novel. It is my best writing since now.