Thanks to what has become a treasured team of editors principally led by Hope Dellon of St. Martin’s Press in the U.S. (oh, your patience and wisdom!), and including Helen Smith of Penguin Random House (Canada) and Bill Massey of Orion UK. I’m also grateful to India Cooper, the brilliant copy editor who occasionally “discorrects” Brigid Quinn’s speech.
Helen Heller, my agent. One hour’s conversation with her is worth an MFA program.
The following experts were always there, to answer any questions and make valuable suggestions. If you want to know more, I urge you to look up these names, as they’ve all written excellent books on their specialty:
Dr. Jan Leestma and Dr. Scott Wagner, forensic pathologists.
Peter Stephenson, digital forensics.
William Bodziak, impression evidence expert, actually, but we talked about wrongful convictions.
William Bell, correctional facilities.
Barry Fisher, forensic science.
Ted Vosk, law.
Diane France, forensic anthropology.
Sue Stejskal and the real Chili Dawg, human remains searching.
Thank you to:
Julie King, for helping me see Vero Beach, Florida.
Dr. William Martin and Nadine Martin, for help with medications.
Readers and authors William Bell, Victoria Bergesen, Ruth Davey, Mickey Getty, and Pat McCord. You were all right. About everything.
My friend Aimee Graves, recipient of the 2016 Paladin Award for the fight against sex trafficking, and people like her. I have respect and admiration for all the heroes of our justice system, for law enforcement, for the Innocence Project, for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and for the Academy of Forensic Science. My story explores the limitations of science, legal systems, and the individuals within them. This is not to further any cause, but only to discover how complicated is the pursuit of justice.
And always finally and forever, Frederick Masterman, with whom I look forward to many more years of sharing stories real and fictional. I’m making spaghetti tonight.