Thank you to my lovely editor, Linda Evans, for her wonderful support, encouragement and work on my books.
To all the team at Transworld UK for their dedication and work on this and all my books, and for making it seem so easy, especially Joanne Williamson, Vivien Garrett and Kate Tolley, and my copy-editor, Lucy Pinney. And to Eoin McHugh and Brian Langan in the Transworld Ireland office.
To my agent, Caroline Sheldon, for her constant support and belief.
To Rosemary Buckman for helping to bring my books to far-flung shores.
Thanks to the ever-supportive crew at Gill Hess, Dublin, for all their work and efforts, especially Gill and Simon Hess, Declan Heaney and Helen Gleed O’Connor, Sophie Hess, Fergus Gannon, Eamonn Phelan, Nigel Carre and Ian Davidson.
To all the Irish booksellers for giving such wonderful support to both me and my books over many years.
To my ever-patient husband, James. You are my ‘rock’.
To my wonderful family who make sitting round a table telling stories fun: Mandy, Laura, Fiona and James and Michael Hearty and Michael Fahy.
To my gorgeous grandchildren, Holly and Sam Hearty.
To Ann Frances Doorly, who was so much more than a friend. I’m going to miss you so much.
To my lovely friends. I know I drive you crazy talking about ideas and characters, but I’d be lost without you all.
Thanks to all my writer friends, especially Sarah Webb, Martina Devlin and Larry O’Loughlin.
To Maeve Binchy for all her wonderful stories and her constant encouragement of her fellow writers.
To Sharon Slowey, a bookworm after my own heart! Thanks for sharing so many good books with me.
To my friends in Irish PEN - a great club to be in!
And finally, to all my wonderful readers - a sincere ‘thank you’ from this very grateful author.