This novel was written in memory of two very special women. Firstly Lyndsey Shepherd, whose sister Tyler bid for her name to be given to a character in my series in the Authors for Grenfell auction, which raised £150,000 for the victims of the 2017 fire and their families. Lyndsey died from sarcoma in 2012, but in life she was an avid crime-fiction fan and always wanted to publish her own novel. I am thrilled to have named a character after her and I hope Tyler and the rest of their family take great delight in seeing her name in print.
The second woman whose memory powered me through writing this is Ruth Bond. Ruth was one of my earliest and most enthusiastic readers and I was always touched to hear how much she was enjoying the series. Ruth died unexpectedly last year and is missed by everyone associated with George Carey Primary School in Barking, where she was a much-loved member of staff.
As always, I must thank Vicki Mellor and everyone involved at Pan Macmillan for their support and hard work in getting this book to publication, in particular Grace Harrison. Enormous gratitude is also extended to my agent Jane Gregory and the brilliant team at David Higham, and, of course, to Rory and Sophie, my reasons for everything.
But lastly I want to thank you, dear readers, for your enthusiasm and support for the books I write. You have taken DC Maggie Neville to your hearts and to your bookshelves and for that I am endlessly grateful.