It never ceases to amaze me how generously people give of their time, knowledge, and expertise. I’d like to thank my advance readers for their kindness and their invaluable assistance: Eddie Clark, Dr. Anand Patel, Michele Howe, D. C. Williams, Rebecca Jansen, and Susie. You lot made all the difference and I appreciate it more than I can say.
I relied heavily on the work of Dr. Pat Morris in learning about Victorian taxidermy. His A History of Taxidermy is a fascinating and wonderfully illustrated read. I based Rowley’s dragon on Dr. Morris’s reconstruction of Charles Waterton’s technique in the magnificently titled Charles Waterton and His Eccentric Taxidermy.
Asians in Britain: 400 Years of History by Rozina Vizram is an excellent resource on the history of Indian people in the UK, and I found it invaluable in writing this book.
All errors and infelicities are, of course, mine alone.
Darla Sharp in my Facebook group, KJ Charles Chat, came up with the name of the Jack and Knave. Darla, you’re a star. Without Elisabeth Paice, coach extraordinaire, I’d probably still be stuck on the first draft. And special thanks to Jim Martin, for playing the villain with aplomb and hardly minding being set on fire at all.