Acknowledgments

There is never a situation where an author doesn’t have a list of people as long as their arm to thank for getting a book out into the world. (Well, maybe not never, but rarely!) This one owes two particular epic debts: one to my husband, Ted, who thought a series about a limo driver who kept driving in and out of murder mysteries would be a lot of fun. He was right. :)

The other is to Mary-Theresa Hussey, my editor for about fifteen novels written under my other byline, C. E. Murphy, who asked one day if I had any ideas for cozy murder mysteries. I said, “Boy howdy do I!” and she got me pointed in the right direction to get this series out to the world. I’m completely indebted to both of them, and equally delighted to have those conversations pay off in these books.

I’d also like to tip my hat to my editor, Tara Gavin, who thought the idea was fun enough to let me dip my toe into writing a genre I’ve loved reading my whole life. Also, OMG, all the props to the Kensington art department, art director, Lou Mal-cangi and cover illustrator, Anne Wertheim, for the most wonderful, charming cover a writer could want for her first cozy mystery.

I literally could not have gotten this book written without my dad helping out by keeping an eye on my son while I worked. (Said child kept kicking me out the door to get work done. “I’m only thinking of you, Mommy!” Uh-huh. Right. It’s definitely not that you’re waiting to get screen time from Grandpa, kiddo . . . :))

I’d like to thank the War Room—my online writing group whose sole purpose is to get words on the page—for always being there to make me write. A thousand blessings are to be heaped upon Ruth Long, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Susan Connolly for helping me get the idioms right in this book. You’re all stars.