Author RJ Bailey on how to build a bodyguard

It all began with an ad on Gumtree. Up until then, I had been writing reasonably successful historical novels but I had reached a point where I fancied a change. Something where the good guys could send a text for help, rather than a carrier pigeon. I mentioned this to my wife and the next day she came in with a printout of an ad she had found online. "I think there might be something here," she said.

I read the first line: "We are looking for an experienced female CPO/PPO/Driver with a knowledge of security for our clients in Westminster." I knew CPO/PPO meant Close Protection Officer/Personal Protection Officer. In other words, a bodyguard. I read on.

"You will be driving a young family with three children who are all schooled in London. During the summer, 2-3 months may be spent in Monte Carlo, with possible short trips in the winter months to St Moritz." Sounds great, eh?

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"You will be driving the new Rolls-Royce Ghost and MUST have previous experience driving luxury cars."

There was more, but that was enough to get our imaginations running. Who would apply for such a job? And why a female? Are there even any women bodyguards out there? We both were aware that Kate Middleton had a female PPO, but she would be employed by the state, not answering ads on Gumtree.

The answer is: yes, there are lots of women bodyguards (JK Rowling, Beyonce and Rihanna have all used them), for reasons that became clear after we had found Lisa Baldwin and flown to Dublin to interview her.

Lisa Baldwin doesn't look like anybody's idea of a bodyguard. The former professional swimmer is the complete antithesis of the brick-outhouse-with-earphone model – petite, in her early thirties, fit and gym-toned but certainly no heavyweight. She has been a PPO for the best part of a decade. She gave us a list of why the wealthy might want female protection. Firstly, the principal client (almost always male) might have seen The Bodyguard and not want their (possibly much younger) wife hanging around with a handsome man. Or, for cultural/religious reasons they might not want their wives and daughters hanging round with any men.

Plus there would be situations where a woman would blend in more than a man – taking the kids to a playground, for example (black-suited heavies tend to draw attention to themselves and the client), shopping for underwear (again, men always look awkward and obvious among racks of lingerie) or, crucially, visiting the lavatory. The main perceived risk to the family members she guarded was kidnap and ransom. Lisa's job was to make sure that didn't happen.

But what about her lack of bulk? What if she had to fight off would-be kidnappers? "If it ever gets to that stage," she said, "then I haven't been doing my job properly. It's all about assessing the situation and getting your clients out safely if something isn't right."

Armed with her advice and on-the-job stories, we returned to London and worked up our PPO character, creating a whole "legend" for why she was on "the circuit", as it is known (she is ex-army, like many of them), and imagining the strains of being both a bodyguard and a single mother. After three weeks of "woodshedding", Sam Wylde, PPO to the rich and not-always famous, was ready to keep her clients safe from harm. All we had to do then was write it.

RJ BAILEY is the pseudonym of a married writing duo. Their first collaborative effort, Safe From Harm, (Simon & Schuster, £7.99), featuring Sam Wylde, is out on 12 January. RJ Bailey is currently working on the sequel.