The Hallmarked Man

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Huge thanks, as always, to my peerless editor David Shelley. I could imagine nobody better to work on the Strike books with me.

Nithya Rae has once again done a fabulous copyediting job, for which I’m immensely grateful.

More gratitude than can be expressed on the page to Séan and Nadine Harris, who opened certain doors, gave me lunch at the Swan Taphouse and provided food, comfort and hospitality on a level most people have to visit five-star hotels to experience.

As always, endless thanks to my agent, Neil Blair, for his tireless work on my behalf; to the irreplaceable Nicky Stonehill, Rebecca Salt and Mark Hutchinson, who’re the people who keep me clinging to sanity, and to Di Brooks, Simon Brown, Danny Cameron, Angela Milne, Ross Milne, Fiona Shapcott and Kaisa Tiensuu, whose hard work and efficiency keep my real life running smoothly when I’m lost in fictional worlds.

Lastly, to Neil, Dec, David and Kenzie: without you, nothing would matter at all.