One of Us Is Dead

Acknowledgements

‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ is the one question I get asked more than any other. And, more often than not, the truth is that many of the best ones just seem to find me. Which is how this novel came about.

It was an old friend who approached me, a couple of years back, saying, ‘I have a story you are going to want to write.’ I told him politely that someone actually says this to me about once a fortnight — usually it is a nice story, but not one that would make a compelling novel. He just shook his head and said firmly, ‘You are going to want to write this.’ And he was right.

The moment he told me the story, I was hooked. I knew then and there that it had the makings of a compelling Roy Grace novel, with all the ingredients I love, starting with a great mystery. The story he told me is pretty much Chapter 1 of this novel — and from there I was on my own. Writing this book has been quite a ride. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading it as I had researching and writing it.

There are so many people to thank, as always, for the research help they have so generously given me, starting with: Sussex Police; Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team; Surrey and Sussex Police Forensic Investigations Department; and the Metropolitan Police Central Imaging Investigation Unit.

A very big thank you to Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, OBE, and to Chief Constable Jo Shiner and so many officers and support staff, as well as retirees, from Sussex and other forces. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order and beg forgiveness for any omissions, but first I’m singling out Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme for the immense help he has given me, lending me hours of his private time.

Inspector Jo Atkinson; PC Katie Baldwin; retired Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett; PC Jon Bennion-Jones; Inspector James Biggs; Chief Inspector Steve Biglands; PC Olli Brooks; Rob Cooke; Dr Peter Dean; Emily Denyer, Financial Investigator; APS Andy Eyles; CSI James Gartrell; CSI Chris Gee; Aiden Gilbert, Digital Forensics; DC Julian Harrison-Jones; Chief Inspector Johnny Hartley; PC JJ Jackson; DC Vicky Jones; Charlotte Mckee, Digital Forensics; Chief Inspector Michelle Palmer-Harris; Sgt Russell Philips; Jason Quigley, Digital Forensics; DC Simon Rideout, Forensic Collision Investigation Unit; Meagan Robinson; Detective Superintendent Nick Sloan; Robin Smith, Chief of Police, States of Jersey; James Stather, Forensic Investigations; Pauline Sweeney MCT; DS Mark Taylor; Julian Taylor, Senior Collision Investigator for Sussex; Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley; PC Richard Trundle; Gabriella Weston, Digital Forensics; Chief Inspector Andrew Westwood; and finally Beth Durham, Suzanne Heard, Jill Pedersen and Katie Perkins, all of Sussex Police Corporate Communications.

Heartfelt thanks also to: Martin Allen, John Baker, Brighton City airport, Professor Alison Bruce, Charlie Cahill, Mike Canas, Rob Cooke, Sean Didcott, Sam Down, Geoff Duffield, Lorna Fairbairn, Dominic Fortnam, Darren Fry, Gemma Hawkes, Debra Humphris, Haydn Kelly, Rob Kempson, Joseph Langford, Richard Le Quesne, Rupert Maddox, Dr James Mair, David Martin, Chris Meredith, Marnie Middlemiss, Alan Moss, Dr Adrian Noon, Ray Packham, Thomas Paul, Richard Pedley, Alex Petrovic, Richard Price, Dr Graham Ramsden, Carl Read, Jack Roberts, Danny Robinson, Kit Robinson, Molly Robinson, Karina Rodriguez Echavarria, Bob Ruffle, Alan Setterington, Bridget Short, Anthony Skeete, Reverend Ish Smale, Adam Stevens, John Stewart, Helen Touray, Dr Orlando Trujillo, Matt Wainwright, Emma Weir, Steven Willis, Dr David Wright, Joni Wood.

A massive thank you to my brilliant new publisher, Francesca Pathak, and the team at Pan Macmillan — to name just a few: Jonathan Atkins, Melissa Bond, Lara Borlenghi, Emily Bromfield, Sian Chilvers, Tom Clancy, Alex Coward, Stuart Dwyer, Claire Evans, Elle Gibbons, Lucy Hale, Hollie Iglesias, Daniel Jenkins, Christine Jones, Rebecca Kellaway, Neil Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sara Lloyd, James Long, Ellah Mwale, Rory O’Brien, Joanna Prior, Guy Raphael, Grace Rhodes, Laura Sherlock, Jade Tolley, superstar and recently retired Jeremy Trevathan, Charlotte Williams, Leanne Williams. And my brilliant freelancers Susan Opie and Fraser Crichton.

A huge thank you to my amazing literary agent, Isobel Dixon, and to everyone at my UK literary agency, Blake Friedmann: Sian Ellis-Martin, Nicole Etherington, Julian Friedmann, James Pusey, Daisy Way, Conrad Williams. And a big shoutout to my fabulously gifted UK PR team at Riot Communications: Caitlin Allen, Jules Barretto, Niamh Houston, Hedvig Lindstrom, Emily Souders.

I’m blessed with two incredibly talented and hardworking people in my life: my wife, Lara, and former Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor, both of whom head up Team James. David contributes so much to every aspect of my novels, both creatively and editorially, as well as, very crucially, to the authenticity of the police characters and scenes. He does the same with the stage plays and is a retained police adviser for the Grace TV series, also.

The other members of the team, each invaluable in their own way, are Chris Diplock, Jane Diplock, Martin Diplock, Dani Brown, Emma Gallichan, Lyn Gaylor, Sarah Middle, Amy Robinson, Mark Tuckwell and Chris Webb.

My most special thanks of all are reserved for Lara, who has the patience of a saint and so much wisdom. Lara is incredibly in tune with the beats and mood of our times and gives me invaluable help with the inner lives of my characters, as well as the storylines. She is equally invaluable when helping with the scripts and casting of the television series, Grace, and the stage plays.

A final shoutout to all the creatures in our ever-expanding menagerie, who enrich our lives in so many ways, as well as the sheer, non-judgemental love of so many of them helping to keep me grounded and sane! No matter how dark the morning’s news might be, hand-feeding our pygmy goats popcorn and crackers, our guinea pigs carrots and dandelions, and our dogs their morning sausage treats never fails to put a smile on my face. Even the cats, who regard us as their servants, always make us laugh with their antics. Although we know that really they are judging us...

Something else 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 messages coming through any of the channels below.

Above all, stay safe and well.

Peter James