My thanks go to all the team at Lightning Books: to Dan Hiscocks for his continued support and belief in my abilities, to Scott Pack for his incredible editing skills and guidance, to Hugh Brune for his enthusiastic sales campaign, to Simon Edge for his marketing expertise, to Shona Andrew for the fabulous cover design, to Clio Mitchell for copyediting and typesetting, and to Kat Stephen for proofreading.
I must, of course, also acknowledge the enormous contribution of my parents, Jacqie and the late Sidney Fineberg, both inspirational teachers, who encouraged me and my sisters to spend all our waking hours reading.
Particular thanks for their specific input into The Aladdin Trial, at various stages of its journey towards the final draft, and for answering my endless medical and forensic questions fully and comprehensively, must go to each of: Dr Liam Brennan, consultant anaesthetist, Dr Suzy Lishman, past president, Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Stuart J Hamilton, Home Office registered forensic pathologist, Professor Naomi A Fineberg, psychiatrist, and Dr Carmel Bergbaum. Thanks for an invaluable contribution on Syrian food, locations, names and language must go to Dr Abduljabbar Murad, and to Louise Lemoine for relevant background to the refugee crisis.
Finally, a huge thank you goes to everyone who has reviewed The Aladdin Trial and my first novel, The Pinocchio Brief, for taking the time to read my books and share their views in a variety of ways; including in radio broadcasts, space in some of our most prestigious national publications, for hosting me on their blogs and websites and for taking the time to post online reviews. Their support has provided me with the confidence to continue writing and, without their backing, I would not have been able to reach such a wide audience; I am forever indebted.