I am deeply grateful to the whole team at Union Square & Co. for their support in publishing the Wolf Den trilogy in North America, above all to Barbara Berger, and also huge thanks to Emily Meehan, Melissa Farris, Kevin Ullrich, Kevin Iwano, Micheal Cea, Jenny Lu and Chris Vaccari. Thanks too, to the wonderful team at my UK publisher Head of Zeus: Madeleine O’Shea, Charlotte Greig, Kate Appleton, Jade Gwilliam, Jessie Sullivan, Lottie Chase, Dan Groenewald, Katrina Harvery, Anna Nightingale, Clare Gordon, Clemence Jacquinet and Matt Bray. The cover art for the trilogy is extraordinary—thank you, Holly Ovenden, for bringing my words to readers through your brilliant designs.

The support from booksellers has been an absolute joy. I am beyond grateful to everyone at Waterstones who supported The Wolf Den as book of the month, and to all the independent bookshops on both sides of the pond who have championed the novel. In particular, thank you to Dan Bassett at Cribbs Causeway for your friendship and to Revekka Maria at Piccadilly for your kindness in having me in store, and all your interesting ideas about Amara’s Greek heritage.

I’m indebted to fellow authors who have supported my writing in so many ways—including Buki Papillon, Laura Purcell, Nikita Gill, Caroline Lea and Jennifer Saint. In particular, working with Jenny Saint on joint events and then sharing so many thoughts, hopes and ideas together has been a real highlight of the past year. Thanks also to archaeologist Dr. Sophie Hay for all your support, friendship and advice—especially on Julia Felix, the real woman behind the character in my book. And to Dr. Jane Draycott for sharing your fascinating work on Roman domestic medical practice. I’m also extremely grateful to everyone who has reviewed my work on bookstagram, in the press and beyond. An especially big thanks to Liv Albert, Gen McMenemy, Jenny Williamson and Kate Armstrong for having me on your fabulous podcasts.

Homeschooling loomed large for me during the pandemic, as it has for many other parents. I am grateful to my wonderful son, Jonathon, for putting up with so much, and for being the most cheerful, imaginative little person. Now you get a book with your name on it, and it’s even blue! Thank you to my mother, Suzy Kendall, for enabling me to write, by giving me the precious gift of time, and for being the world’s best grandmother.

I’m lucky to have amazingly supportive friends and family, whose love has meant so much, even during a time when we could not always see one another. Thank you to Andrea Binfor, Lingling Hu, Dan Jones, Samira Ahmed, Kristina Holt, Trilby Fox-Rumley, Bethan Francis, Anna Sahalayeva, Eugenie Harper, Tom Harper, Ruth Grey Harper and Alexander Harper. Thank you also to my work family at ITV News Anglia—especially Chris Warner, Gary Mabee and Neil Barbour, who kept me sane while reporting the pandemic.