To my wonderful agent, Laura Williams. Words can’t express how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me.
To Clare Hey at Orion and Tara Singh Carlson at Putnam. I am so lucky to be working with two such brilliant editors and publishers. Thanks for everything.
Thank you to everyone at Orion, especially Virginia Woolstencroft, Katie Moss, Harriet Bourton, Sarah Benton, Oliva Barber, Katie Espiner, Lynsey Sutherland, Anna Bowen, Tom Noble and Fran Pathak. And to all at Putnam, especially Helen Richard, Alexis Welby, Katie McKee and Sandra Chiu.
To the awesome Alexandra Cliff—I shall remember that phone call for a very long time. Also, to the brilliant Marilia Savvides, Rebecca Wearmouth, Laura Otal, Jonathan Sissons and everyone else at PFD.
To Kate Rizzo and all at Greene & Heaton.
Special thanks to Ben Willis for reading this at an early stage and giving me invaluable advice in a Camberwell Wetherspoons, and for being there for me from the beginning. So too has been Holly Harris (official). Thank you for everything, especially stopping me from going insane in Wahaca when I found out I was getting published. I am very lucky to call two such excellent people my friends.
To my good pals Emily “Half Pint” Griffin and Lucy Dauman. You’re the absolute best.
Thank you to Sarah Emsley and Jonathan Taylor—I couldn’t wish for two more kind, wise and good-natured people as mentors and as friends.
To the rest of the gang at Headline for being wonderful to work with, and whose celebratory messages to me the moment the news came out gave me so much joy. Special thanks to Imogen Taylor, Sherise Hobbs, Auriol Bishop and Frances Doyle.
To the following, for their encouragement, support and advice: Elizabeth Masters, Beau Merchant, Emily Kitchin, Sophie Wilson, Ella Bowman, Frankie Gray, Chrissy Heleine, Maddy Price, Richard Glynn, Charlotte Mendelson, JJ Moore, Gill Hornby, Robert Harris.
To Katy and Libby—wonderful, supportive sisters. Love you guys.
Finally, to my mum, Alison, and dad, Jeremy, to whom this book is dedicated—this is all down to you.