No Mark upon Her

Acknowledgments

Books are a little like children—it takes a village to make one, and my village spans the Atlantic.

Many thanks to all who have provided help, support, and encouragement on both sides of the Pond, but especially to:

The staff, crew, and members of Leander Club, Henley-on-Thames, particularly Kerry Smith, Mariam Lewis, Nick Aitchinson, Paul Budd, and Graham Hall, all of whom were unfailingly generous with their time, hospitality, and advice.

A very special thanks to Steve Williams, OBE, two-time Olympic gold medalist and former captain of Leander, who not only gave me insight into the life and mind of an elite rower but risked life and limb by taking me out on the Thames in a rowing shell. It was an experience I will never forget, and the book is much the better for it.

Ian Richardson is responsible for introducing me to Leander; Rosalie Stevens, for touring me around Barnes—a huge thanks to you both.

For assistance with K9 Search and Rescue, I owe much to Susannah Charleson for her patience in answering my questions in the early stages of the book. Daryl and Niki Toogood of Berkshire Search and Rescue (with treats and wags to Guinness and Scrumpy) gave invaluable help and advice—as well as letting me practice being a victim and handling a search dog. Hugs to you both.

And then there are the first-line readers and brainstorming crew, all deserving of medals: Kate Charles, Marcia Talley, Julie Gerber, Diane Hale, Tracy Ricketts, Barb Jungr, Steve Ullathorne, and especially Gigi Norwood, who should get a gold medal for her patience, support, and encouragement. You all made the book possible.

Laura Maestro’s map has brought Henley charmingly to life and added a special dimension to the book.

And I am, as always, grateful for the support and encouragement of my agent, Nancy Yost; my editor, Carrie Feron; and all the team at HarperCollins who continue to do such a wonderful job on the books.

And last but not least, love and thanks to my husband, Rick, and my daughter, Kayti, for being there.

All the characters and events portrayed in this book are entirely fictional, and any mistakes are entirely my own.