ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my agents, Eve White, Jack Ramm, and Rebecca Winfield.

Many thanks to the team at Penguin UK, especially Samantha Humphreys, Maxine Hitchcock, Celine Kelly, Beatrix McIntyre, Joe Yule, Clare Parkinson, and Elizabeth Smith.

Thank you to the team at William Morrow, including my editor, Rachel Kahan, also Kim Lewis, Lorie Young, and Mumtaz Mustafa.

My gratitude to my tutors, including Patricia Ferguson, Chris Waking, Tessa Hadley, Mimi Thebo, and Tricia Wastvedt.

Thanks to my writing group: Tanya Atapattu, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, Victoria Finlay, Emma Geen, Susan Jordan, Sophie McGovern, Peter Reason, Mimi Thebo, and Vanessa Vaughan.

I am grateful to police constable Nick Shaw for the police details and for his help with the manuscript and to my sister, Katie Shemilt, for her photographic skills.

My family made all the difference. Martha’s encouragement was the starting point. Henry and Tommy were generous with their technical skills. Steve, Mary, and Johny were the essential backup team.

To my father and mother, whom I miss every day, thank you.