Half the World Away

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you, xiè xie, to everyone who helped me research this book. In England: my partner Tim, Joe, Lynda, Lan and Xi Lei, fellow author Peter May, Detective Superintendent Kevin Duffy (Retd) and Matt Searle at Missing Abroad. In Ireland: my sister Sarah. And in China: my son Dan, Cookie, Stephanie, Cynthia, Jarriane, Mrs Zhou, Joanna from the Bookworm Chengdu, Dawn, Elizabeth and Ricky from Chinese Corner, and Professor He Jiahong – also a crime writer. And I promise – none of you appear in the book, though things you said may well do!

Dreaming In Chinese, by Deborah Fallows, was a great introduction to Chinese language and culture.

Many thanks to my agent Sara, editor Krystyna and all her team at Constable & Robinson, and to my writing group: Mary Sharratt, Sue Stern and Melanie Amri, for invaluable feedback and encouragement.

I have invented the charity Missing Overseas, inspired by the work of Missing Abroad, but I have altered procedures at times to suit my story. I have also taken some liberties with the geography of Chengdu.