The solutions to my fictional cases are different from what I believe happened in the actual cases that inspired them, but the emotional realities are true. In creating the characters of some of my fictional victims, I used theories and rumors that circulated during the early phases of the investigations. Many of those I no longer believe to be founded in reality. The primary example is Frank Morris, the shoe repairman, who I believe was guilty of nothing more than serving both white and black patrons and refusing to mend a corrupt white deputy’s boots for free. Morris was a fine man, and not involved in bootlegging or prostitution, as was suggested by rumor and by evidence likely planted at the site of his burned-out shop. The same holds true for the terrible plane crash at Concordia Airport in 1970. That was almost surely an accident, though had justice been done in an earlier murder case, one pilot would have been incarcerated, and the subsequent collision could not have happened. Life is often more prosaic (and tragic) than the stuff of good fiction.

If you would like to learn more about the actual crimes that form the backdrop of Natchez Burning, please visit the Web page of the Concordia Sentinel and read Stanley Nelson’s articles. You will also find a link on my website. Stanley expects to have his own book published soon, so watch for that as well.

I cannot possibly thank everyone who assisted me with this novel. However, I must include the following:

Dr. Jerry Iles, gone but never forgotten.

Betty Iles, for everything.

Uncle Joe Iles, for standing in for his big brother when it mattered most.

Madeline Iles, Mark Iles, Geoff Iles, and Colin Kemp.

Caroline Hungerford, for too many reasons to count.

Dan Conaway and Simon Lipskar, for vision.

David Highfill, Liate Stehlik, and the whole team at William Morrow/HarperCollins, for putting their full faith into this epic endeavor.

Courtney Aldridge and Rod Givens, M.D.: wise friends; Jim Easterling and James Schuchs, southern philosophers; Billy Ray Farmer, who’s got the instincts.

Stanley Nelson, the journalist/detective; Rusty Fortenberry, for great stories about law in Mississippi; Mimi Miller, the memory of Natchez (and still young!).

Ed Stackler, for riding shotgun ever since I put Rudolf Hess back into the cockpit of his Messerschmitt.

Jerry Mitchell of the Clarion-Ledger; John M. Barry, author of Rising Tide; Kevin Cooper and Ben Hillyer of the Natchez Democrat.

Tony Byrne; Charles Evers; Sheriff Chuck Mayfield; Darryl Grennell; D. P. Lyle, M.D.; Nancy Hungerford; Kevin Colbert; Keith Benoist; John White, M.D.; Brent Bourland; Mark Brockway; Mark Coffey; Grayson Lewis; and Brooke Moore.

Judge George Ward (John, Win, Stan, and Ann, too!).

Jane Hargrove, who worked faithfully beside me through many novels.

Bruce Kuehnle and Alan J. Kaufman, lawyers who helped when it counted.