I’m not sure which I believe is harder now, pulling off a heist or pulling off a heist book. Both require an impeccably talented crew. Thank you to my amazing writing group, the Moonscribers—Lee Mandelo, Alix Harrow, Ashley Blooms, Sam Milligan, Elizabeth Kilcoyne, Alex Head, Z Jackson, Christopher Rowe, and Olivia Saylor—for letting me babble about this idea, helping me brainstorm, and telling me, Yes, write it. To the Lexington Writer’s Room, place of my heart, and the writers and board: You inspire me every day. To board member and friend Alison Kerr, thanks for your Frenchpertise. To Mur Lafferty for a retreat at the exact right time, and to Ursula Vernon, Good Kevin, and Andrea Phillips for also being there, and saving a murderbird. Kami Garcia and Sam Humphries, thank you for always being excited. And to the Friday Salon Zoom gang for being a continual highlight every week.
I’m so grateful to my agent, Kate McKean, who both helped shape the direction of this story and sold it to my dream editor and publisher. Anne Lesley Groell, you are just incredible to work with, as is everyone at Del Rey. Thanks to Ayesha Shibli, to Madeline Hopkins for a great copyedit, and Jill De Haan for the gorgeous cover. Any errors are my own. And, last but never least, to you, dear reader, thank you for letting me steal your time and attention.