Acknowledgments

The Black Chair is real, as is the background story told here of poetic achievement during a time of war, loss, and remembrance.

It was inspiring to view the iconic Black Chair that had been awarded posthumously at the 1917 National Eisteddfod to the great Welsh poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (Hedd Wyn) and uplifting to explore Yr Ysgwrn, the beautifully preserved farmhouse where he grew up. Thank you to Sylvia and Peter Jones for making all this possible during an unforgettable day out. My thanks to them, too, for applying their excellent proof reading skills to this work.

My thanks go to Eirlys Owen for her assistance with background material on Bangor University and for her expertise in Welsh language usage and spelling. It should be noted that for plot purposes this book mentions a course in art history that the university does not actually offer.

This book is dedicated to Carol Lloyd, a reader who became a friend, and I thank her for her encouragement over the years.

I am grateful to Matt Martz, publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for giving the Penny Brannigan mystery series its new home, and to Jenny Chen, Ashley Di Dio, and Sarah Poppe for making the book magic happen. The delightful cover illustration is the work of Scott Zelazny and he has my admiration for capturing the elements of the story.

Thank you to my agent, Dominick Abel, for his guidance and literary acumen.

And finally, as always, heartfelt thanks to Lucas Walker and Riley Wallbank for their love and support.