This, the sixth book in the Dales Detective Series, was written during a strange time. A time of pandemic; a time of lockdown; a time of global uncertainty. So an even greater debt of gratitude than normal is owed to the following, for keeping me focused when my attention was running wild. And for keeping me balanced when real life threatened to swamp my imaginary one. While a bag of plum-and-almond slices from Peaks Patisserie won’t repay the full cost, here’s hoping it holds the same sweet attraction as for Sergeant Clayton!
First up for a round of applause, three friends who helped in their own ways . . . Catherine Speakman for not only being my go-to veterinary expert but also for wielding a camera and taking some cracking publicity photos that even incorporated my bike! Harry Carpenter, who never fails to answer my off the cuff questions about modern day policing in a rural environment – and who is patient with my bending of those truths. And to Jo Robinson, who twice rescued me from the depths of writing despair with homemade cakes left on the doorstep.
When it came to researching gamekeepers and shoots in general, I’m grateful to my friend Isabel, who gave me the benefit of her ninety-plus years of knowledge. I also had some timely input from my dad with his brilliant tales of working on shoots in Ireland. As for the lovely teller in a certain bank who took it all in her stride when her customer suddenly started asking questions about life behind the counter – thanks for not having me thrown out!
As always, family plays a part in keeping me on track, even when I wasn’t allowed to visit them because of lockdown restrictions. A particular mention for Claire for dropping everything to read the draft version, and to my mum, for sending me photos of flowers every day for four weeks while I wrestled with a rewrite!
In terms of the publishing world, the team that gets this series to the shelves just keeps getting better and better. In the UK, a huge thanks goes to Gillian and Vicki for expert editing; to Matt for fielding my odd enquiries during lockdown; to Ellis for handling PR in what had to have been the strangest publicity period ever!; to the amazing editing crew of Charlotte, Fraser and Natalie, who pushed me to be even better; and to the rest of the Pan Mac stars who continue to show passion and support for the Dales Detective series.
In France, it’s merci et au revoir to the wonderful Camille – a Frenchwoman with her heart in the Dales – and bonjour to Nathalie who has joined Glen and the fabulous équipe at La Bête Noire. A special mention also to Dominique and Stéphanie, a formidable translation team who worked under tough conditions to get this book ready on time. You are amazing! And finally, to the festival organisers who had invited me before coronavirus took hold of the world and cancelled everything, and to all the French readers who were hoping to see me at those events, here’s to the future and meeting up in better times: à la prochaine!
A name that always appears in these final notes is that of my agent, but this time the thanks are needed more than ever – you really pulled out the stops for this one, Oli! Thank you so much for the encouragement and the belief. Likewise, to Mark, who got to see the writing process up close and personal, thanks to lockdown – I genuinely couldn’t have finished this book without you. Hopefully you’ll stick around for the next one, too . . .!
Finally, a personal thank you to the many (and there were many!) readers who contacted me during lockdown while I was doing my best to write despite the turmoil. Some of you were already fans; some were discovering the series while self-isolating. You wrote to tell me how much the books mean to you. You wrote to tell me the joy they were bringing. But you had no idea that every single one of you who took the time to contact me brought sunshine into dark times, and helped create the work you have just read. A massive thank you to each and every one of you!