Writing novels is a particular form of communication and with it goes the fun of playing inside other people’s heads. However, no writer does it alone. Many thanks go to Jenny Brown, my brilliant agent and to the team at Constable who love Mirabelle Bevan as much as I do. The Society of Authors Trust helped me financially when I was writing this book – I don’t know what I would have done without them. Encouragement was received from Marianna Abbots and Sarah Brown in the form of suggestions and the high jinx of using Marianna’s name for a Baddy. The joys! To my many patient friends and my ever-patient family, thank you for putting up with me talking about murder over breakfast, lunch and dinner. And to all of those who have contributed in the office at Sheridan Towers – interns, publishing students, clever people passing through – thank you, thank you, thank you.