Acknowledgments

Thanks as always to my wife, Helen. Every time I say there wouldn’t be a book without her, and every time it’s true.

Catriona’s friends like to photograph my dedications to her and post them for maximum embarrassment factor. I’m afraid I’ve added fuel to that fire with this book.

Megan likewise has put up very well with a father who writes, as she approaches her senior school years. She was six when I started The Pericles Commission. If I am lucky I will talk her into drawing the map for this book.

Janet Reid is a literary agent who took a chance on a classical Greek crime novel back in 2008, and here we are with book number seven. That success is largely due to her. As super agents go, it’s a tough choice between Janet and Nico.

My superb editor at Soho Press announced her impending nuptials to Soho’s Director of Marketing while I was writing this book. By the time you read this they will be thoroughly married.

Congratulations to Juliet and Paul!