Dying on the Vine

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, it took a number of people to help me over the rough spots and keep me out of trouble in Dying on the Vine, and it’s a pleasure to express my appreciation to them.

Capitano Roccangelo Tritto and Luogotenente Roberto Conforti treated me most cordially at Carabinieri headquarters in Florence and took time to answer my questions there. For many months afterward, Luogotenente Conforti patiently continued to answer them by e-mail.

Also demonstrating commendable patience were my Italian friends Vincenzo Panza, Alberto Venanzetti, and University of Ottawa Professor Cristina Perissinotto, who uncomplainingly answered every one of the many questions I posted to them on Italian culture, language, and mores. I apologize to them for bending a few things in the interest of storytelling.

As usual, J. Stanley Rhine, professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico, was my go-to person on matters anthropological.

Dr. David L. Black, clinical assistant professor in pathology, microbiology, and immunology at Vanderbilt University and president of Aegis Sciences, was extremely helpful in the area of forensic toxicology, even going so far as to plan a murder with me (and solve it as well).

And my thanks to Martin and Ryan Johnson, proprietors of the Ruby Magdalena Vineyards in Zillah, Washington, for their hospitality and friendship during an early research trip to the Yakima Valley wine country. I learned a lot from Marty and had fun doing it.