Author’s Comments

THIS BOOK IS the culmination of my stories about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. My earlier books were stepping-stones whereby I learned valuable lessons in style and structure. But more than anything, writing those books taught me the importance of incorporating as many interviews as possible to create a compelling narrative.

In July 2005, I was researching In the Line of Duty, VolumeII, a compendium of all the members of the RCMP who have been killed in the performance of their duties and whose names are inscribed on their Honour Roll.

At that time, I was afforded the opportunity to interview the family members of the four Mounties murdered at Mayerthorpe, as well as other principals integrally involved in the story. Those interviews — and over fifty others since then — allowed me unprecedented access to sources whose intimate knowledge of the case was invaluable. Although the murders occurred in 2005, it is only now that the complete story can be told.

For over three years, its plot remained unfinished because the two men who were accused of being complicit in the Mayerthorpe murders had not been brought to justice. Then, in January 2009, both of these men, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to prison for their crimes.

These men still hold out hope that their guilty pleas will be overturned and they then can proceed to a trial. Nevertheless, at this time I feel this complex tragedy is sufficiently resolved so that the story can be properly told.

Furthermore, this incident, as tragic as it may be, has left an indelible mark on the fabric of Canadian history and, as such, it deserves to be recorded for posterity.

I believe it is a story that belongs on the shelves of every library and school in our country — and beyond.

I hope those who read this book will find the story as fascinating as I did.