ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All the Tears in China, Book 9 of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries, was no less raised by a village than Book 1. To the following people I am immensely grateful.

My husband, Michael, who is the wall upon which I bounce ideas, notions, and screwed-up pages of manuscript;

My sons, Edmund and Atticus, who have, most of their lives, shared their mother’s attention with imaginary people. I am sorry boys—it’s probably quite a strange way to grow up, but it will make your memoirs more interesting;

My old friend, Leith Henry, whose word and instincts I trust absolutely;

My dear friend and colleague, Angela Savage, who gave me the benefit of her experience and insight for this manuscript;

My dad, who spent his holiday in Shanghai doing my research. My sister, Devini, who gave me refuge when I needed to get away to write, meet informants and just be in the city;

My brilliant editor, Deonie Fiford, whose sharp literary eye has watched over most of the Rowland Sinclair books;

Lucy Bell who line edits and proofs my manuscripts into shape, and Graeme Jones who lays out the result;

Sofya Karmazina, the gifted artist who designs my covers, whose pictures are worth much more than a mere thousand words;

All my warm, witty, irreverent and downright dangerous cohorts among the Sisters in Crime;

Fellow novelist Robert Gott, whose wit and honesty is a wonderful and occasionally necessary tonic;

My stablemate and colleague Lynette Noni, who inspires me with her dedication to and unflagging passion for the work we do;

Alastair Blanshard, whose name, along with the character bearing it, has finally made a triumphant return to the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries;

Sarah Kynaston who listens me complain about the pressure of deadlines and commitments, and then suggests we pause to make street art. Lesley Bocquet who often gets caught up in the consequent street art festival, and does so without complaint;

My extraordinary agent and dear friend, Jo Butler—who makes sure I don’t exchange my manuscripts for a bag of magic beans—and her colleagues at the Cameron Creswell Agency;

The unbelievably brilliant and dynamic team at Pantera Press, who turn the strange workings of my mind into books; who make sure I get to where I’m meant to be and have somewhere to sleep while I’m there, who are true collaborators in the production of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries. Thank you;

The greater community of reviewers, bloggers and readers whose support of my work is a constant reminder of why I have chosen this crazy life. Thank you all for your time, your attention and your enthusiasm.