First, I’d like to thank Hannah Braaten and the team at St. Martin’s Paperbacks for deciding to add the Apron Shop series to your list. As a lifelong mystery fan, this is a real honor—and a major milestone for me.
Many thanks to my lovely agent Elizabeth Bewley for your support and savvy, and my equally lovely editor Nettie Finn for kind yet incisive editing. Your enthusiasm for the series means more than you know. Kudos to Danielle Christopher for a stunning cover design and to Robert Crawford for the gorgeous art (and the perfect depiction of Quincy and the shop apron!). As for my publicity and marketing team of Holly Rice and Allison Ziegler—you are nothing less than fantastic. Thanks so much for going above and beyond.
I’m also grateful for the friendship and support of the cozy mystery community, authors and readers alike. They’ve been nothing but warmly welcoming, and I especially appreciate those who are helping me promote this debut.
My expressions of gratitude would not be complete without mention of my late father and my mother, who instilled a love of reading and were my first encouragers as a fledgling writer. And a shout-out to Dan, my long-suffering and talented husband, who reads every word, debates plot ideas, and helps me make my work so much better.