I am grateful to Kay Dunbar and Stephen Bristow, originators of the Ways With Words festivals, who first encouraged me to teach creative writing on their wonderful courses in Devon and Italy, where I made a number of good friends (none of whom bear any relation whatsoever to the characters in this book). Also to Danuta Kean, who suggested I teach Guardian masterclasses in memoir and so meet many other fascinating people with stories to tell. Thanks also to the kind friends who read an early draft of this manuscript and offered encouragement and useful suggestions: Katrin Macgibbon, Stephanie Cross, Lin Hughes, Jackie Nelson and Ben Craib. Nadia Bonini corrected my inadequate Italian and picked me up on other inaccuracies (who would have known that Italian ambulances are routinely manned by volunteers?). Nick Farrell, Italian correspondent of the Spectator and biographer of Mussolini, made other useful suggestions. Alessandro Buscaglia was extremely helpful on the details of Italian police, judicial and medical procedure and both patient and scrupulous in his replies to my repeated questions. Further reassurances were kindly provided by Michele and Susan Delicato. My agent Jamie Maclean was his usual speedy and supportive self. Thanks to publisher Kate Lyall Grant for continuing to believe in Francis, to editor Sara Porter for a beady eye and sharp questions and copyeditor Anna Harrisson for fine-tuning. Finally, of course, to my wife Jo, for looking after me and being always, as a reader, impressively impartial.