Left You Dead

Acknowledgements

Writing during a pandemic has not been without its challenges, but there have been positives as well: fewer distractions and travel, and being able to spend more time with our ever-expanding menagerie.

As ever I owe thanks to so many people in so many fields, especially Sussex Police, the medical world and, for this book, the world of the car salesman! I always find it heartening that so many people are willing to take the time to share their knowledge, and even industry secrets and tricks of the trade in some cases, to help me get my novels to feel as authentic as possible.

My most heartfelt thanks start with Sussex Police. To Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE, Chief Constable Jo Shiner, and to so many officers and support staff actively serving under them, as well as retirees from Sussex and other forces. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order and beg forgiveness for any omissions.

Inspector James Biggs, PC Matt Colburn, Financial Investigator Emily Denyer, DC Jenny Dunn, PC Philip Edwards, Inspector Mark Evans, CSI James Gartrell, CSI Chris Gee, Aiden Gilbert in Digital Forensics, DCI Rich Haycock, Inspector Dan Hiles, Chief Digital and Information Officer Joseph Langford, Chief Superintendent Nick May, Sergeant Russell Philips, Chief Constable of Kent Alan Pughsley QPM, Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police Robin Smith, James Stather in Forensic Services, PC Richard Trundle, and Police Chaplain Fr Richard Tuset. Also Beth Durham, Suzanne Heard, Jill Pedersen and Katie Perkins of Sussex Police Corporate Communications.

And retired officers: Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, Detective Superintendent Nick Sloan, DC Pauline Sweeney, DS Mark Taylor and Detective Superintendent Jason Tingley.

A big thank you also to Theresa Adams, Julian Blazeby, Mike Canas, Neil Chapman, Jeanie Civil, Sean Didcott, Tim Griffiths, Victoria Grogan, Anna-Lisa Hancock, Phil Homan, Haydn Kelly, Rob Kempson, Dr James Mair, Dr Adrian Noon, Ray Packham, Richard Parsons, Graham Ramsden, Judith Richards, Julia Richardson of Galen Myotherapy, Kit Robinson (role model for Noah Grace!), Alan Setterington, Helen Shenston, Lucy Sibun, Carolyn Smith, Sam Smith, Steve Soper, Orlando Trujillo, Derek Warwick and Mark Willmett.

A very special thank you also to my mentor Geoff Duffield, my amazing editor Wayne Brookes, and the team at Pan Macmillan — to name just a few: Sarah Arratoon, Jonathan Atkins, Lara Borlenghi, Emily Bromfield, Stuart Dwyer, Claire Evans, Samantha Fletcher, Anthony Forbes Watson, Elle Gibbons, Hollie Iglesias, Daniel Jenkins, Rebecca Kellaway, Neil Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sara Lloyd, James Long, James Luscombe, Holly Martin, Rory O’Brien, Guy Raphael, Alex Saunders, Jade Tolley, Jeremy Trevathan, Toby Watson, Charlotte Williams and Leanne Williams. And my brilliant structural editor Susan Opie.

Thanks also to everyone at my fabulous UK literary agency, Blake Friedmann: Lizzy Attree, Isobel Dixon, Sian Ellis-Martin, Julian Friedmann, Hana Murrell, James Pusey, Daisy Way and Conrad Williams. My US agent, Mitch Hoffman, at the Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency. And a big shout-out to my fabulously gifted UK PR team at Riot Communications: Caitlin Allen, Preena Gadher and Emily Souders.

While writing is a lonely job, I have an amazing support team around me. I’m blessed with two incredibly hardworking people — my wife Lara and former Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor — who head up Team James. The other invaluable members of the team are: Sue Ansell, Kate Blazeby, Dani Brown, Erin Brown, Chris Diplock, Jane Diplock, Martin Diplock, Lyn Gaylor, James Hodge, Sarah Middle, Amy Robinson, Mark Tuckwell and Chris Webb.

David Gaylor not only has the patience of a saint, in answering my queries about policing and other aspects of my stories at any time of the day or night; he also has an incredibly creative mind, and contributes so much to every aspect of my novels, and now to the Grace TV series also. I owe him enormous thanks. I’m extremely excited about this series: the scripts by Russell Lewis, based on the novels, are brilliant and the cast, headed by John Simm as Roy Grace and Richie Campbell as Glenn Branson, are more than I could ever have wished for.

And my most special thanks of all are reserved for my beloved wife. I’ve always believed that, while novels are above all stories, they are also so much about how they make you feel. Lara is incredibly in tune with that, and gives me vital help with the emotions of my characters, as well as the storylines and with every aspect of our lives. She has also been of immense help with so many aspects of the Roy Grace TV series.

Something that puts a huge smile on my face is to hear from you, my readers — I owe you so much for your support. Do keep your communications coming, the whole team loves hearing from you by email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube — and of course by traditional snail mail. We learn from your views, and it is always helpful to know if I’ve made an error in my research, so I can correct it. A special thanks to the reader who informed me that brass does not rust, it corrodes. And to the one who sent me an eight-page letter explaining the difference between cement and concrete, complete with diagrams! I think I now know the difference, but I’m sure you’ll correct me if I get it wrong again...

Above all, stay well and stay safe.

Peter James