First, foremost, and forever, thanks to the readers who’ve given my books a chance.
This book was inspired by the true story of the 1907 disappearance of Sister Mary Janina in Isadore, Michigan. I became fascinated with her story after reading about it first in anthologies by the late northern Michigan writer Larry Wakefield, then later in Isadore’s Secret, the splendid nonfiction book by Mardi Link. Full disclosure: In describing Nilus’s search for Sister Cordelia, I borrowed a line from a newspaper story quoted by Link.
Thanks to my endlessly engaging agent, Erin Malone, and her boss, my old friend Suzanne Gluck, of William Morris Endeavor. I’m indebted to my patient, helpful editors at Touchstone, Lauren Spiegel and Stacy Creamer, and my publicist Jessica Roth, whose enthusiasm never flagged no matter how many times her Philly teams disappointed her. Thanks, too, to Marcia Burch, David Falk, Meredith Vilarello, and Marie Florio. In Chicago, I’ve been lucky to have gifted Web designers in Sunya Hintz, Justin Muggleton, and Quinn Stephens, and a new friend and way-too-young mentor in publicist Dana Kaye. Copy editor Amy Ryan has made all three of my journeys to Starvation Lake better. Thanks always to Trish Grader and Shana Kelly, who got this accidental trilogy started.
My wife, Pam, had a big influence on this book; as she has many times in life, she steered me back on track when I had veered off. My former Wall Street Journal colleague Scott Kilman advised me on how one can get sick in a chicken plant, among other things. Coach Michael Brown proposed the “one punch” theory. My sister, Kimi Crova, helped with cop stuff, as did my hockey pal and Chicago police detective John “Spin-O-Rama” Campbell. My future daughter-in-law, Kristy Stanley, offered geological advice. The eminent New York pathologist Michael Baden talked to me about bones, and if I screwed anything up, it’s my fault. I first heard Whistler’s observation about journalism careers from Barry Meier of the New York Times, and Whistler’s other favorite incantation from Phil Kuntz of Bloomberg News. I’m grateful for the counsel of early readers Joe Barrett, Julie Jargon, Andy Stoutenburgh, and especially Jonathan Eig, whose books on Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and Al Capone are models of honest journalism and evocative writing. His best advice to me: “Put this sentence on a diet.”
Last but never least, thanks to the Shamrocks, the Flames, the YANKS, and all the boys of Thursday hockey.