Acknowledgments

I am one lucky soul to have had Millicent Bennett, editor and friend, guide me through this novel with her deft hand and generous heart. My fearless agent, Victoria Skurnick, has been an unfailing friend forever, and I would follow her anywhere.

Thank you, Ben Sevier, Karen Kosztolnyik, Brian McLendon, Matthew Ballast, Albert Tang, Jordan Rubinstein, Tiffany Porcelli, Kristen Lemire, and Carmel Shaka at Grand Central Publishing for making this such a painless pleasure. Seema Mahanian, with grace and passion, took this book through its final steps. I am so grateful for her care and dedication.

Stacey Reid and Lori Paximadis scoured the copy for errant punctuation and peculiar logic. Any mistakes in those areas are mine.

I’m grateful to Josh Deutsch, extraordinary musician, teacher, and friend, for the music.

My book group constantly reminds me why we write and how we read. Thank you: Meakin Armstrong, Catherine Chung, Alexandra Horowitz, Elizabeth Kadetsky, Sally Koslow, Aryn Kyle, and Jennifer Vanderbes.

The New York Society Library gave me refuge during the writing of this book. Thank you, Carolyn Waters and your gracious staff.

My dear friend Lisa Grunwald spent almost as much time with these pages and characters as I have. They and I have all benefited from her brilliant insights and fine editing.

And always, Gary Hoenig. None of this would have happened without you.