I would like to thank the following:
The whole team at Picador for making me feel immediately at home. My wonderful editor, Francesca Main, for her careful thoughts, and for motivating me to make this book the very best it can be. Jennifer Weis and Mollie Traver at St Martin’s Press for their comments and insights.
All at Toby Eady Associates for teaching me about the industry, and then for taking me on. Jamie Coleman for his humour, patience and brilliance. Zaria Rich for her helpfulness and advice. Nicole for her warmth, efficiency and endless cups of green tea. Toby Eady for his astute wisdom. Samar Hamman for her directness, honesty and kindness. Jennifer Joel and Clay Ezell at ICM; Marco Vigevani and Jan Michael for their hard work on my behalf.
Dr Simone Hughes at Creative Focus and Dr Diana Lalor at Cottesloe Counselling Centre for their insights into the realities of post-traumatic shock syndrome. Many books and journal articles have been important in researching this book, but I would like to mention Trauma and Recovery by Dr Judith Hermann, especially her work on the effects of captivity.
Professor Andrew Motion and Susanna Jones for their encouragement on the Royal Holloway MA in Creative Writing. The two-syllable group: Kat Gordon, Tom Feltham, Carolina Gonzalez-Carvajal, Rebecca Lloyd James, Lucy Hounsom, Liz Gifford, and Liza Klaussmann. Ellie Gut-tridge in the press office for spreading the word.
The teachers at Withington Girls’ School, in particular Jen Baylis, Sarah Haslam, Diane Whitehead, and Janet Pickering. Laura Firth for all her hard work.
Team Chapman. My parents, to whom I will always be grateful. Rosie, an insightful early reader and great friend. Nick for providing my first rave review (‘I wouldn’t have read this if my sister hadn’t written it.’)
My friends. In particular, Kate Yateman-Smith for promising we would run away together. Nemira Gasiunas for softminting and support. Kate Antrobus for endless congratulations cards. Liz Thomas and Ellie Johnston at Wild Lily Empire. Claire Weir for her brilliant photography. Tomek Mossakowski for being my Scandinavian expert.
Ben Mosey, for being himself, and for reminding me that I am not a tap.