Acknowledgements
Adam Brockbank was involved with Days since its inception, and helped shape a handful of amorphous concepts into a plot, suggested ideas, proposed different (and invariably better) ways of doing things, and throughout the writing of the novel offered accurate, insightful comments and criticisms.
On the technical side of things, Lieutenant Hugh Holton of the Chicago Police Department initiated me into the mysteries of handgun use and arranged a memorable and eye-opening tour of his precinct station. Ian Hillier, meanwhile, was kind enough to give me a few pointers on how to go about constructing a homemade deflagrating device. Viva the Kew Liberation Front!
Peter Crowther has been a constant source of support and reassurance, always ready to give me a metaphorical clip round the ear whenever I’ve started whingeing but also always ready to cheer me up whenever I’ve really needed it.
Simon Spanton found the book a good home at Orion, and his incisive editing, far from inflicting a death of a thousand cuts, proved to be fat-reducing surgery of the highest order.
John Kunzler and Lesley Plant I have to thank for countless Sunday suppers and Sega sessions. I am equally grateful to the boys at Flying Pig Systems Ltd. for many things, the least of which is calling their company Flying Pig Systems Ltd.
Finally, Susan Gleason took on the unenviable role of being the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, or, as it’s technically known, “literary agent”. It is a task she has performed with grace, dedication and a necessary measure of good humour.
These are the people without whom, etc. etc.
James Lovegrove