AS ALWAYS, MY GRATITUDE GOES, first and foremost, to God for continuing to allow me to write and publish, and to have readers who enjoy my books. I’d like to express my appreciation to research historian and author Kevin Duffus for being my go-to consultant on Blackbeard history and everything to do with eighteenth century sailing, Victor T. Jones, Jr., Department Head of the Kellenberger Room at the New Bern Public Library for always being willing to answer my endless questions about colonial New Bern (or Newbern, as it was then called), and Alan D. Watson, Professor of North Carolina History at UNC-Wilmington, for providing me with information on the Harlowe Creek Canal project. A huge thank you also goes to MGySgt (Retired) Phil Molloy for reading an early manuscript of Murder in the Marsh and offering his invaluable input. In addition, I’m grateful to Marcus Trower for continuing to be such a fabulous copy editor. Finally, I want to thank all of you, my readers, for loving these stories and characters as much as I do. I hope you enjoy this novel, and that I will continue to be able to write many new Adam Fletcher Adventures to keep you turning those pages.
—S.D.G.—