Acknowledgments

This book has been many years in the making—almost half my life, really, given that my near obsession with the Borgias began in my teenage years and has culminated in the book you are now holding in your hands. As such, bear with me, as I have a lot of people to thank.

First, as always, I must thank Lindsay Fowler, who was the first person I told when the idea for this novel finally, finally crystallized. I sent her a long series of texts outlining the idea, and the last one said, This feels important. She agreed, and in talking it all out with me helped start me on the long and difficult journey that was this novel. She also read the hot mess of a first draft, gave me her notes, and didn’t think too badly of me afterward! Thank you, Lindsay, for everything. For all of it.

All of the thanks to my wonderful agent, Brianne Johnson, for getting as enthusiastic about this project as me, and for agreeing that it was the right project at the right time. Thanks as well for all the spot-on feedback on this one—you can always see the things that elude me.

So much gratitude to my stalwart editor, Vicki Lame, since I’m sure that editing this beast was akin to dragging an army’s worth of cannon over the Italian hills! Thanks for zeroing in on exactly what this book needed, for responding immediately to all my way-too-excited emails with revision ideas, and for brainstorming titles (omg, so many titles).

Thanks to Lauren Humphries-Brooks, copy editor extraordinaire, for saving me from embarrassing mistakes. Copy editors are publishing’s true heroes.

Many thanks to the marketing, sales, publicity, and art teams at St. Martin’s Press for spreading the word about my books and getting them into the hands of readers all over the world.

My eternal gratitude to fellow authors Crystal King, Meghan Masterson, Kris Waldherr, and Heather Webb for reading an early copy of this novel and providing such kind words. I am honored to have the support of each one of you!

Thanks to friend and fellow writer Caitie McAneney-Klimchuk, who also read that notoriously messy first draft of this book and provided excellent feedback. Many thanks to Mike Slish, for answering all my research question texts, no matter how random! See you at the next Most Solemn Feast.

My everlasting gratitude to Dr. Mick Cochrane at Canisius College, who didn’t bat an eye (not that I know of, anyway) when I turned in a dark and murder-y short story about a maid who becomes involved with Cesare Borgia. And for helping to make me the writer I am today.

Thanks to Talking Leaves Books in Buffalo for their continued support of me and of the Buffalo literary community at large.

Thanks for everything, always, to my writing group: Dee, Kate, Jenn, Sandi, Adrienne, and Claudia. I love seeing all the places this writing journey is taking all of us!

Thank you to the wonderful staff of the lovely Hearth Hotel in Rome for an amazing stay and lots of tips as I was researching this book.

Special shout-out to Jen Hark-Hameister for letting me drag her into my Borgias obsession, and for listening to me rant about historical inaccuracies throughout multiple seasons of the TV show.

All my gratitude and love, as always, to my dear friends and family for your continued support throughout this bananas writing career of mine: Amanda Beck, Bob and Marcia Britton, Alex Dockstader, Sandy Hark, Andrea Heuer Bieniek, Mike and Kathy Zimmerman, and Tom and Mary Zimmerman. It truly means the world to me.

As always, I must acknowledge all the amazing bands and musicians whose music inspired and fueled me while writing this novel: Kamelot, Halsey, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, Epica, Chevelle, The Murder of My Sweet, Mayan, Stream of Passion, The Dark Element, Letters from the Fire, Timo Tolkki, Meg Myers, Within Temptation, and Delain. Special shout-out to Kamelot for helping me get inside Cesare’s head.

Huge thanks and many espresso shots to my brother, Matt Palombo, for letting me drag him around Rome and babble at him about Renaissance history while I researched this book, and for not complaining when I made him hang out in the Borgia apartments with me for, like, an hour. You’re a good sport, dude. And hey! This book has a whole war and also murder! They’re getting more exciting as I go!

Thanks and lots of cookies to Fenway the silky terrier, the most ferocious and sleepy of writing buddies.

Eternal gratitude and so much love to my parents, Tony and Debbie Palombo, for all their love and unyielding support, no matter what corner of the world or of human nature my books take me to. Dad, thanks for all the long conversations about Renaissance history and politics, and Mom, thanks for promoting my books to everyone you meet and always being up for watching a good costume drama.

Last but never least, thanks to all my readers near and far. Thank you for reaching out to me via email and social media to let me know what my books have meant to you. Your words have kept me going on many occasions. Thank you so much for making it possible for me to continue doing what I love.