The Gift of the Darkness (46 page)

Acknowledgments

Some of the names of the locations in the story are fictitious because I'd rather not set murder and mayhem in a specific house on a real street. Similarly, the various precincts and jurisdictions of the Seattle Police Department have been slightly adjusted.

This story would not have seen the light of day without the enthusiasm and reckless faith of friends and family: Sue and Bruce Berglund in Seattle, who opened their home and their hearts to me and gave my tale the view from their deck; Kezia Martin, the first reader, with her encouragement and her fortitude to read the manuscript as it was being written; my mother, who taught me that the world is indeed full of possibilities; and, finally, Gerald, who made everything possible.

This book would not exist without my agent, Teresa Chris, whose support, trust, and vital humor has been invaluable, and Jo Dickinson at Quercus, who has been incredibly kind and tactful while making sense of a 142,966-word monster. They have made this a better story in more ways than I can count. My deepest thanks also to Kathryn Taussig and the team at Quercus in London for all their energy and the magic that turned loose pages into a book, and to Nathaniel Marunas and the wonderful team at Quercus in New York who brought Madison home.

About the Author

V. M. Giambanco
was born in Italy. She started in the film industry as an editor's apprentice in a 35-mm cutting room and since then has worked on many award-winning UK and US pictures, from small independent projects to large studio productions. She lives in London.