First, my deepest gratitude and love to Lisa Sawyer, my wife, muse, partner and best friend. Her presence in my life is my greatest blessing.
My publisher Carole Baron has overseen my career nearly from its outset. Her guidance, insight, and sense of humor have greatly enriched the whole publishing experience, and I'm greatly indebted to her for her continued encouragement and enthusiasm for my work. I'd also like to tip my hat to my editor Mitch Hoffman, whose keen eye and sense of story are second to none. His suggestions, pithy and on the mark, have contributed greatly to this finished work. A group of highly talented folks at Dutton continually push the envelope on what defines state of the art in publishing. Among this incredible team, I'd especially like to thank Lisa Johnson, Kathleen Matthews-Schmidt and Betsy DeJesu, who have sent me, often kicking and screaming, all around the country, but admittedly to great effect; Robert Kempe for riding the web so expertly; and Richard Hasselberger for his wonderful book jackets.
My pal and true collaborator in this and all the Dismas Hardy/Abe Glitsky books is Al Giannini who, after a distinguished thirty-year career in the San Francisco District Attorney's office, currently works as a Deputy District Attorney in the San Mateo County DA's office. When young would-be writers ask me for advice about becoming an author, I always tell them to befriend someone at fourteen who will someday become a kick-ass DA and correct every mistake in the law that you will ever put in your first drafts. Al does that for me- he's a monster.
I'd also like to acknowledge several people who offered their insights into elements of law, protocol, kids and/or the juvenile justice system: thanks to Kenneth A. Breslin, Ph.D.; Chris, Janet and Jennifer Nedeau; Mary-Patricia Whelan-Miille, President of the Board of Directors of the Yolo County Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA); Andy Clark; Bill Fazio (whom I sincerely hope is by the time of this book's publication now San Francisco's District Attorney); Lieutenant Colleen Turay and Officer Paul Narr of the Davis, CA, police department; and Mark Hicks, Campus Supervisor of Davis High School. I'd particularly like to thank San Francisco Deputy Chief of Inspectors Dave Robinson for giving me so much of his time while sharing his schedule, duties and worldview.
For their continued support, I would also like to extend thanks to Barbara Peters, Ed Kaufman, Shelly MacArthur, Otto Penzler, Michael Koller, Michael Bufano, Pat Hernandez, Martha Farrington, Eric Lamboley and Debbie Stowell, Susan Honn, Jennifer Held, Ruthie Wittenberg, John Carney, Rachel Ray, Megan Cannon, Bill Lloyd, Pat Boyers, Darby Greek, Cynthia Nye, Antoinette Kuritz, Connie Martinson; and Kat Kinzer.
Several characters in this book owe their names (although no physical or personality traits, which are all fictional) to individuals whose contributions to various charities have been especially generous. These people and their respective charities include Judge W. Arvid Johnson (CASA), Lou and Pat Belou (Davis Rotary), Lanny Ropke (Woodland Christian School) and Dr. and Mrs. James Longoria (Sutter Health Foundation). Additionally, I'd like to thank Chris Stephani's brother Allan Boscacci both for the use of his name and for his great AB & I Foundry cast-iron frying pan.
For important personal reasons, I'd like to thank Scott, Brenda and Mary Lou at the Cincinnatian Hotel for a memorable celebratory meal; Don Matheson, who belongs in every book on general principle but somehow didn't get in the last one; David Nieves for some key Spanish words; Max Byrd; Peter S. (for Sapphire) Dietrich, MD, MPH; Bill Wood; Richard Herman; Tom Hedtke; Tom Steinstra; my fantastic daughter Justine Rose; Richard Montgomery; Antonio Castillo de la Gala; and Mark and Kathryn Lescroart Detzer.
My assistant Anita Boone is simply an outstanding human being, and the work she does makes my own workdays more a pleasure than they have any right to be. My agent and friend Barney Karpfinger is an unending source of brains, humor and goodwill- he is the absolute best at what he does, bar none, and I remain extremely grateful for our relationship.