My wife has a wonderful mix of friends. Many of them have read my books. A few—I’ll never say which ones—have unwittingly shaped a line of dialogue from time to time or, perhaps, loaned a quirky trait or habit to a female character. For Grave Danger, it was one of Tiffany’s special friends who shared her personal insights into Iranian life and culture, which were invaluable to me as a writer. I am deeply indebted to Sima for the fruits and nuts from the Tehran Grand Bazaar, for the tea served in porcelain cups that have been in her family for generations, and for all the stories that didn’t necessarily make it into the novel but informed the character development in critical ways.
I’m also grateful to the Honorable Judy Harris Kluger and Charlotte A. Watson, cochairs of the Practicing Law Institute’s presentation “Addressing Domestic Violence: The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction and Its Intersection with Child Custody Law.” I’m sure the expert presenters—including federal judge Denny Chin, who is mentioned in the novel—were completely unaware that the most appreciative member of their audience was quietly thinking about his next novel. Of course, any mistakes as to the legal nuances of a very complicated area of law are mine.
Writing can be an isolating process, but a book is really a team effort. As always, big thank-yous go to my longtime agent, Richard Pine; to my editor, Sarah Stein; and to my volunteer Beta Reader, Ann Carlson.
Finally, I want to thank the readers who take the time to connect through email and, even more special, the occasional handwritten letter. I do answer each one myself and appreciate your patience.
—JG, March 2024