Acknowledgements

Firstly, thanks to my beloved parents, Ann and Mac Mackenzie, for instilling the love of books and writing in me from a very early age.

I’d like to thank Handa Barnard and everybody at Netcare 911 in Midrand who spent an entire day patiently teaching me about everything from how to resuscitate a patient to what goes into the back of an ambulance. A big thank you to paramedic Mark Stanton for reading the manuscript and responding like lightning to my innumerable questions, and thanks also to Captain Ben Hanekom from the Detective and Crime Intelligence Training Academy in Hammanskraal for all his help and advice.

The members of the Internet Writing Workshop gave me hundreds of constructive comments when they critted the first few chapters of this book.

A heartfelt thank you to Frances Marks from forzalibro designs, my incomparable editor, and to Annari van der Merwe and Frederik de Jager at Umuzi for their enthusiasm, guidance and professionalism every step of the way. Thank you to Camilla Ferrier, Geraldine Cooke and Hannah Ferguson from the Marsh Agency as well as Debbie Gill from Maia Publishing Services for the incredible work they have done on my behalf.

Finally, with all my love, I would like to thank my wonderful partner Dion. I am grateful beyond words for your encouragement, patience, kindness and support. You are the light of my life.

Two books were particularly helpful to me during the researching of this novel. They are An Unpopular War by JH Thompson, and Executive Outcomes – Against All Odds by Eeben Barlow.