by Kate Simants
Because it took such a long time to pupate into a published author, there have been many, many patient friends who have given feedback and encouragement. A comprehensive list would just be silly but Louise King, Nic Gunning, John Moyes, Tanya Cowan, Jo Fielding, Rob Stevens, and Helen Williams all deserve special mentions. Mum, Dad, and Faye: thank you for your love and support.
Writing is a very isolating job, and I wouldn’t have got this far without an army of writers standing in as ersatz colleagues. We’re talking legions of nerds and oddballs here, but special appreciation goes to Jess Mitchell, Harriet Tyce, Trevor Wood, Garry Abson, and Anne Corlett for help with this book, and also to Emma Shevah, Jen Faulkner, Kerry McKeagney and Harriet Kline for general writerly support. Thanks to Celia Brayfield, Fay Weldon, Maggie Gee, Henry Sutton, Tom Benn and Laura Joyce for showing me how it should be done. Late-night graduate-bar glasses should also be raised to fellow UEA alumni Marie Ogee, Stephen Collier, Merle Nygate, Suzanne Mustacich, Jenny Stone, Caroline Jennett, Geoff Smith, and Shane Horsell.
Massive thanks to my boundlessly enthusiastic agent Veronique Baxter, and to Stephanie and Jane at Gregory and Company for early support. Kathryn Cheshire and the team at HarperCollins have been a dream to work with.
Much of the police procedure in this book was learned by osmosis during my work on Crimewatch UK and other police shows, but specific advice came from DCI Steve May of Merseyside Police, the best-read copper I’ve ever met and whose surname I shamelessly appropriated for Mae; DCI Matt Markham of West Midlands Police (whose demonstrations of J-turns still give me nightmares); and DI Gary Stephens of Avon and Somerset Police. Thanks also to Albinko Hasic of bosnianhistory.com.
But above all else, thanks to my gang. Prize-winning author Mo Kennedy isn’t allowed to read this book yet (because of Very Bad Words that no ten-year-old should know) but has championed my career since she could say, ‘my Mum writes stories about people murdering each other.’ Expert right-arm spinner and ship-builder Sid Kennedy has waited patiently (ish) for attention when my head has been in my laptop (though he would probably rather this book had a higher body-count). And then there’s Tom. Thank you, Hound, for the absolute and unwavering belief in me, especially when I’d had enough and decided it was all a waste of time. I bloody love you bunch of weirdos.
About the Author
Kate Simants was born in Devon. After studying English at university, she worked in TV production in London for ten years, specialising in undercover investigations (which was much less glamorous than it sounds), then moved from her little boat on the Thames to a bigger boat on the Avon to start a family and concentrate on writing. She holds two MAs in creative writing from Brunel University and the University of East Anglia, and has been shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger and the Bath Novel Award, and won the UEA Literary Festival Prize. Kate is now a land-lubber and lives between Bristol and Bath with her family and demented cat. She is a committed faddist, and her current interests include roller-skating, macrame, and Persian cookery. To get in touch, tweet her at @katesboat or visit her website at www.katesimants.co.uk.
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com