The Silent Sister(114)

I’m also grateful to my agent in the United Kingdom, Angharad Kowal, as well as to all the folks at Pan Macmillan in the UK, especially publishing director Wayne Brookes (whose e-mail always makes me smile), Louise Buckley, and Becky Plunkett.

I’m in awe of the entire energetic and talented team at St. Martin’s Press, including but definitely not limited to president Sally Richardson; my publicist, Katie Bassel; and the extraordinarily creative Olga Grlic, who I thank for this evocative cover. I’m so happy to be working with all of you.

Thank you to the two violinists who helped me bring Lisa and her music to life. Both Christina Wohlford and Fiona Warren Hirsh graciously answered my endless questions.

Thank you to my brother, mystery writer Robert Lopresti, who unwittingly inspired this story with one of his own.

For their various contributions, thank you Kathy Williamson, Frank and Janine Palombo, Reggie McAllister, Donna Cohen, Patty and Ed Toth, and Tania and Philip Little.

As always, thank you John Pagliuca, for listening to me fret about people who exist only in my head. I don’t know what I’d do without your patience and your out-of-the box brainstorming skills.

For the sort of support only other authors can provide, I thank the six other members of the Weymouth Seven: Mary Kay Andrews, Brynn Bonner, Margaret Maron, Katy Munger, Sarah Shaber, and Alexandra Sokoloff. I’m especially grateful to Brynn and Katy for reading a very early draft and not chortling with derision. Your comments were invaluable!

I’m indebted to my readers who join me on my Facebook page every day. I’ve turned to them for the names of characters and places, and they never fail to respond with enthusiasm and inventiveness. I owe Slick Alley, the Spoon and Stars Café, Verniece (my favorite!), and various and sundry other names to those creative readers. I’m grateful to them for getting into the writing spirit with me.

And to those of you who read and reread my books, thank you. Your e-mail and comments warm my heart and you are always on my mind as I write. I have the coolest job, getting to share my made-up worlds with people who care as deeply about them as I do. I look forward to sharing them with you for a long time to come.