The Accident Man

Acknowledgements

My sincere and heartfelt thanks go out to the many people without whom this book could never have been written or published.

Charlie Brocket, whose fascination with the events of August 31, 1997, and wonderful skill as a raconteur, first sparked my interest and set me on the path to writing this novel.

The team at my literary agency in London, Lucas Alexander Whitley, notably Julian Alexander, without whose faith, perseverance, and creativity over more than two years nothing would ever have happened; Mark Lucas, whose response to my first feeble attempts epitomized the phrase “creative destruction” (brutal, but dramatically effective!); and Peta Nightingale, whose line-by-line analysis of the early drafts made such a massive difference.

At Transworld Publishers in London, Sally Gaminara and Simon Thorogood had the faith to plunge into this project with incredible speed and absolute commitment, as did Clare Ferraro and Joshua Kendall at Viking in New York. They gave me the kind of encouragement that authors can only dream of.

Nigel Parker provided his usual wise counsel, and Mitchell Symons was not only a patient and long-suffering sounding board, he also supplied one all-important suggestion at a crucial moment.

The management and pilots of Elite Helicopters, Goodwood, West Sussex, gave invaluable advice on the construction of helicopters; Dr. Michael Perring of Optimal Health devised Magnus Leclerc’s medication; Gisela Gruber at Gold Air International drew up the flight plan and likely bill for a journey by private jet from Biggin Hill to Sion and then on by chopper to Gstaad; Trevor Clifton worked out how to sail a Rustler 36 across the Channel and avoid a container ship along the way; and John Smythe took me out on the water in his own 36-footer.

Finally, but most important, I owe everything, as always, to my family: to Fred, without whom I might be tempted to take things easy; to Holly and Lucy, whose criticism of their father was (this time!) both asked for and much appreciated; and, of course, to Clare. You are, as always, the beginning and the end of everything I do.