The Lost

Acknowledgements

When I was starting out as a writer, I laboriously wrote everything on an old-fashioned typewriter, promising myself I would buy a computer once I was published. ‘If you buy one now you might get published sooner,’ was my Mom’s comment. Annoyingly, she was right. She and my late Dad were an unfailing a source of encouragement, never losing faith even when the prospect of my becoming a writer seemed an unrealistic fantasy. She died in August 2021, so neither of them got to see The Lost in print. But, even though it’s my twelfth novel, I know how pleased they’d be.

I was helped in its writing by people who generously gave up their time to answer questions. Thanks to Tony Cook, Head of Operations at the National Crime Agency’s CEOP, whose Senior Investigating Officer’s Handbook as ever provided a valuable resource; Mark Williams, Chief Executive Officer of the Police Firearms Officers Association; and the Press Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Service. Any errors are mine, not theirs.

Thanks also to my agents Gordon Wise and Sarah Harvey at Curtis Brown, editors Sam Eades and Rachel Neely and the team for welcoming Jonah Colley and myself to Orion; Ulrike Beck, Friederike Ney and all at my German publishing house Rowohlt; and to Ben Steiner and SCF for reading and commenting on the manuscript.

As ever, the biggest thank you goes to my wife Hilary for her support, ideas and patience, and for sharing the highs and lows.

Simon Beckett, April 2021