Red Widow

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

For those who know of me through my novels, it may come as a bit of a surprise to learn that before I started writing, I had a long career in intelligence, which I drew on to write Red Widow. I always wanted to write a spy novel because I felt there were things about working in this field that people didn’t understand, especially if what they did know came from popular movies, TV shows, and books. I am grateful for my career: as I’ve told many people, through it, I was able to do many things I would otherwise never have experienced. But it has its dark side, too, and it’s that trade-off and the personal toll it can take that I wanted to capture in Red Widow.

I can’t reveal the names of all the colleagues who helped, befriended, and challenged me over the years but know that I think of you and appreciate your kindnesses. I would like to drop the first names of a few special friends here (you know who you are): Andrea and David; Bev; Charlotte; Jen; Jan; Jay; Kathy; Peter, Simona, Jim, Gary, and everyone at the Center. Also, thank you to the patient folks in the Pre-Publication Review office and a special thanks to Larry P. for letting me base a character on him.

Thanks also to John Nason for his help understanding what happens when a foreign national is arrested by the FBI for spying. Thanks, too, to former colleague and friend Ed Mickolus for the introduction to John.

There would be no Red Widow without my editor at Putnam, Sally Kim. I had pretty much given up on writing a spy novel and I didn’t take it up again until she challenged me to come up with an idea that eventually blossomed into this book. She went through countless revisions to get me to the version you hold in your hands. I am grateful for her vision and patience.

Deep thanks to the entire Putnam team for all their support and enthusiasm: president Ivan Held; director of marketing Ashley McClay; director of publicity Alexis Welby; the tireless Gabriella Mongelli; Katie Grinch, Sydney Cohen, Emily Mlynek, and Nishtha Patel.

Many thanks, as always, to my literary agents Richard Pine and Eliza Rothstein, who make everything better. Thanks, too, to my film agent Angela Cheng Caplan. And last but far from least, thank you to my husband for letting me disappear behind the door of my study to write, after thirty-four years of letting me disappear behind the gates and barbed-wire fences of work.