As a special thank you, join my readers’ group and I will make sure you are the first to hear about the next novel in the series, and will also send you a free, confidential, report into DS Neil Wilkinson’s most troublesome team member... www.subscribepage.com/Novak-Fans-Group

Warm regards

Neil

Acknowledgements

Writing a first draft of a book is a long and lonely process involving many hours of procrastination, frustration, brain racking and head-scratching. Getting a book ready to publish, however is very much a team effort. My eternal gratitude goes to all those who have encouraged me in my quest to write a book and get it published into the world, where strangers will hopefully read and enjoy it.

To the friends and family who read the earliest drafts of the book: Angela Rowbottom, Gail Wilson-Kenny, Matt O’Neill and Andy Scripture, your encouragement gave me the impetus I needed to keep plugging away. To my good friend Simon Hammock for keeping me straight on all things relating to search-and-rescue helicopters.

A number of very talented authors kindly read the manuscript and gave vital critique, observations and the belief that I could do this. Huge thanks, therefore are due to Margaret Kirk, Alex Walters, Ian Patrick and Michael Jenkins. Your support and friendship has been of such value and without your help I wouldn’t be writing these words right now.

A special thanks goes to the wonderful editor, Emma Mitchell, who turned 103,000 words of gibberish into 95,000 words that a publisher wouldn’t delete at first sight. You taught me that less is more, a lesson every author needs to listen to.

Thanks also to my beta readers for their invaluable feedback: Andreas Rausch, Ami Agner, Kirsti Wenn, Alison Belding, and David and Joyce Oxley. And to our amazing proof reader, Paula Beaton.

To Si and Pete at Burning Chair for believing in the book and taking the chance on a washed-up ex-cop with an urge to tell a story. I hope this is the beginning of something brilliant.

Of course, thanks to my lovely wife, Clare and my kids, Alec, Richard and Ollie for all your love and support. You all make it all worthwhile.

Finally, thanks to you, the reader, for taking a chance with your cold, hard cash on a debut author. Stay tuned; there’s more where this came from.

Neil

About the Author

Neil Lancaster served over thirty years in law enforcement in the both military and Metropolitan Police, working in a number of detective roles investigating serious and organised crime.  During his career he chased murderers, human traffickers, fraudsters and drug dealers.

Neil now lives in the Scottish Highlands where he spends his time writing crime fiction, influenced by his experiences.