I’D LIKE TO THANK the many people who helped me research this book. They include Buddy Scotto, Sonny Balzano, Adam Cohen, Kevin O’Leary, Chino Suarez, Ivor Hansen, NYPD Detective Sergeant Christopher Jackson, former NYPD Detectives James J. Conaboy and Bill Clark, and several kind detectives from the 76th Precinct. (Any factual errors are mine.) Several fine readers gave me invaluable advice: Miriam Cohen, Tim Cross, Chris Erikson, and Elana Frankel. Important support or encouragement came from Michael Epstein, Naomi Ayala, Roxanne Aubrey, Todd Colby, Thom Garvey, Lee Sherratt, Phyllis Rose, James Wilcox, Jared Cooper, Mary Beth Lewis, Edward Scrivani, Dr. Ian Canino, and Paul Griffin (a.k.a. The King).
Thanks to Michael Ackerman and Eric Wolf for the photos. Very special thanks to Jen Bervin. I’m deeply grateful to my agent, Paul Chung, and to Ruth Cavin, Pete Wolverton, and Julie Sullivan at Thomas Dunne Books.