A number of people have helped me in the writing of this book. Particular thanks are due to my editor, Jane Wood, and to Katie Gordon at Quercus; to my agent, Sarah Lutyens, and the team at Lutyens and Rubinstein; to Dave Niccol and Tracy Alexander, both so generous with their time and tireless in answering my many questions; to Ollie Moore of the Black Rat in Winchester, for giving me an insight into the world of a successful chef; to Henry Worsley once again, this time for his input on the firing of semi-automatic pistols; and to Lisanne Radice – as always, the voice of reason. Lastly, I couldn’t have written this book without the support of my friends and family, in particular my husband George and children Clio and Louis.