Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil(117)

Later that night, Violette chats with Bee and then Gigi and then checks Charlie’s Facebook page. He’s not much of a social networker except when @princec2 is rubbishing something on Twitter. Today he has a new update. He’s finished his A levels. Without cheating. But it’s Charlie’s new profile photo that Violette can’t help staring at. A brand-new traveling backpack with the dumbest-looking kangaroo sticker on it. The kangaroo’s saying “G’day.”

And Violette laughs so much she cries and thinks that maybe there is a God.





Acknowledgments




Special thanks to my agent, Jill Grinberg, who reads my first drafts and always responds with a profound encouragement that makes me believe in the possibilities. And to everyone else at Jill Grinberg Literary: Cheryl Pientka, Katelyn Detweiler, Kirsten Wolf, Denise St. Pierre, and Sophia Seidner.

And to my editor, Asya Muchnick, especially for the kinship I sensed on the pages of the edit. Thank you also to the rest of the Little, Brown / Mulholland Books team.

Thanks to Ben Ball, Meredith Rose, and everyone at Penguin Random House Australia, present and past, who have played such an important part in my writing career.

Much appreciation to travel research companions, or readers of early drafts, or helpers with Arabic translations, French translations, and UK terminology: Barbara Barclay, Marisa Donovan, Maria Boyd, Elizabeth Butterfield, Anthony Catanzariti, Paulette Catanzariti, Patrick Devery, Julia Garcia-Dubray, Laura Harris, Anthony Horowitz, Cécile Lederman, Daniela Marchetta, Adelina Marchetta, Jennifer Naughton, Norma Sarraf, Hannah Sheppard, Louise Smith, Brenda Souter, Joanna Werner, Jo Williams, and Markus Zusak.

Big hugs and love to Bianca, Luca, Daniel, and Harrison for the delight they bring into our lives.

And to my dog, Jasper, a true companion during the writing of eight novels. Rest in peace, beautiful boy.





About the Author

Melina Marchetta lives in Sydney, Australia. She is the author of eight novels, which have been published in twenty countries. She has also written for film and television.