My agent, Jessica Woollard, for believing in what I write and for telling me so at precisely the right moment, even when on a different continent.
My editor, Helen Garnons-Williams, for her superlative insights and her uncanny ability to see what needs to be done.
The whole team at Bloomsbury, including Erica Jarnes, Laura Brooke, Audrey Cotterell, Anya Rosenberg and Cormac Kinsella – friends as well as colleagues. Also Lea Beresford and Kathy Belden at Bloomsbury USA.
Three books I found extremely helpful for background research: Juliet Nicolson’s The Great Silence: 1918–1920 Living in the Shadow of the Great War, Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain and Paul Fussell’s The Great War and Modern Memory.
My early – and most trusted – readers: my mother, Christine Day, Olivia Laing, Rebecca Spero, Edie Reilly, Melissa Boyes and Elaine Sturman.
Simon Oldfield and Tim Julian, kind and generous friends who allowed me to hole up in St Ives when I was struggling with the second draft.
Emma Reed Turrell and Kirrily de Polnay Jacobs for seeing me through.
My father, Tom, sister, Catherine, and niece, Tabitha.
Special thanks to Sean Rayment who helped me with key military details. Any faults are, of course, my own.
Finally, to Kamal Ahmed, who reads everything I write with honesty, love and unshakeable faith. I trust your judgement – even if you’ll always be wrong about Star Wars.