First, I’d like to thank my publisher, Jack Fogg, whose advice was always spot on and occasionally hilarious, and whose initial brilliant ideas got the ball rolling in the early days of the writing process. Also, the team at HarperCollins for all their hard work. In particular Sarah Hammond, project editor, who has had to put up with enough military acronyms to last two lifetimes. Big thanks as well to Josie Turner, my publicist, marketing guru Jasmine Gordon, art director Claire Ward, audio editorial director Fionnuala Barrett and to Tom Hughes for the illustrations. Also the sales team, Anna Derkacz, Tom Dunstan and Alice Gomer. I’d also like to thank Mark Bolland, Richard Waters and Holly Kyte for their invaluable assistance and James Jinks for his ideas and for checking all things technical. Thanks to my partners in crime at Waterstones, in particular Clement Knox, Bea Carvalho and Peter Saxton.
A big-up to all members, past and present, of the Royal Navy Submarine Service and to submariners of all nations, both new and old, whose self-sacrifice never ceases to amaze me.
Extra-special thanks and big love to my family who have to put up with a bearded, grouchy and, at times, exhausted, ghostly figure over the last 15 months or so. To my children: Isabella, Richard, Betsy and Henry. And a big thank-you to my mum Sheila and brother Chris.
But most of all, thanks to my wife Claire for showing patience and understanding, and dealing with my absurdities on a daily basis.