In fact, there are many people without whom this book wouldn’t exist. Sharon Pelletier, for one, who is my wonderful literary agent and voice of reason. Her confidence gives me confidence, and without her, I would never have connected with my fearless editor, Leslie Gelbman. Not only did Leslie take me on during one of the most unprecedented times in history, she championed this book on the sheer belief that I could write it, and she didn’t run for the hills when, after being left to my own devices, a first draft popped up in her inbox that was simply “too dark and too weird”—a critique I adored so much I had it made into a neon sign.

St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books have been incredibly collaborative and supportive. Thanks especially to Kayla Janas and Joseph Brosnan for connecting me with exciting opportunities, Lisa Bonvissuto for her keen eye and ability to tug on the right threads, and David Baldeosingh Rotstein for absolutely killing it with the cover design for The Widowmaker as well as Hello, Transcriber.

I’d like to thank my fellow authors who shared a quote and who, over the past couple years, have shown me that people who write murder mysteries are some of the nicest, most genuine humans on the planet.

Thank you to Allied Authors of Wisconsin. Not only did we survive a global pandemic, I’d say we thrived with the introduction of virtual hangouts. And to my longtime critique partner, Alissa Stormont: I’m so glad we met in the slush pile all those years ago.

To anyone who has ever come to hang out and ended up musing at my murder board: Erin Nachtigall, Liset Herrera, and Elenna Garrett—you’re the real deal. Thanks, also, to Nikki Sharon-Schultz, who can always help me identify that special something.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Investigator Rob Rasmussen. His insistence on including a detective who wears snakeskin cowboy boots led me to writing one of my favorite scenes.

Thank you to my Barnes & Noble friends. I always tell aspiring writers to work at a bookstore; these booklovers have your back for life. Speaking of booklovers, thank you to all booksellers big and small, bookstagrammers, book lenders, and bibliophiles. Your love of literature keeps us all going.

I want to thank my family for their evergreen encouragement. Words are hard, sometimes, and they let me talk about fictional people like they’re part of the family. Thank you to my husband, Hanns, who answers my morbid questions while he’s getting ready for work, role-plays interviews with me—as long as the Packers aren’t playing—and inspires me every day with his relentless mission to do good in the world. And of course, the daily word count would be an awfully lonely endeavor without my chubby little 5 A.M. warriors, Griswold and Muffins. Banana loves you.