Acknowledgments

Lots of people were involved in the creation of this novel. I couldn’t have written it without Detective Inspector Jo Tidmarsh from Avon and Somerset Police. Jo was immensely patient and meticulous in explaining to me the finer points of police procedure. Any mistakes made are mine alone or are the result of choosing the dramatic over the strictly authentic. It should be stated here and now that she is nothing like the fictional female police officer in the story.

In common with most of my novels, Cheltenham plays a starring role. Unusually, I used the real Battledown Guesthouse on Hales Road as setting for a couple of key scenes. And yes, Sarah and Simon generously gave me permission to play themselves in the narrative, with a walk-on part from their daughter, Isabella. Look no further if you’re planning a visit to the town; there is nothing fictional about the hospitality displayed in the story. In a similar vein, cafes I frequent are mentioned, as is the excellent independent bookshop in the Suffolks.

I was reliant on Paul Britton’s Picking Up the Pieces for information about multiple personality disorder, so thank you. As ever, I’m indebted to Broo Doherty, my agent, for suggestions, revisions, and her legendary enthusiasm. Ditto big thanks to the entire team at Midnight Ink, including Terri Bischoff, Nicole Nugent, and Katie Mickschl, for their continued and much appreciated support.