To Helen Huthwaite and the whole team at Avon, for making this real, and for making the process so mind-blowingly wonderful (I’ve almost stopped crying now). And to my brilliant agent, Caroline Hardman who soothed a ragged ego, answered endless emails, never gave up on me, read and reread – you have the patience of a saint.

To my first readers (those who had to correct terrible typos and battle with my stupid mistakes), I cannot thank you enough. Jessica Corbett, you listened to me rabbiting on about this book and never once fell asleep. (You also provided cake in times of dire need, which may be the most valuable contribution anyone could make.) Allison Spyer, you read, enthused, believed, raved, cajoled and brought enough loyalty to the table to scare away an army of doubters. Andrea Gibson, you lived every blow and victory of this process with me as if it were your own. I am grateful every day that you know vastly more about chemistry than me. Ever positive, ever sure, you got me through. I must also thank Mark Thomas for talking teeth with me (any mistakes are my own). Ruth Chambers, my holiday buddy, who spent more hours trying to comprehend various plots and characters than I can bear to recall (a thousand apologies).

To my mother Christine for teaching me that you can be a mother, a wife and whatever the hell else you want to be, all at the same time. To the glorious, stunning, evocative and wondrous city of Edinburgh (with a special place in my heart for your drinking establishments and eateries), I am humbled by you more with every visit. To friends too numerous to list who kept me going.

And to David, who gave me the time, the space, the facilities and the courage to put my keyboard where my mouth had been. Thank you.