The Last Mrs. Parrish(109)

Long before a book is born, there is a group comprised of friends, family, and professionals that make its eventual existence possible. We are deeply grateful to them for their indispensable roles in that process.

To our wonderful agent, Bernadette Baker-Baughman of Victoria Sanders & Associates, thank you for being our biggest champion and advocate and for making the journey so enjoyable with your graciousness, wit, and dedication. You are an answer to a prayer, and it is a joy to work with you.

To our fabulous editor, Emily Griffin, your infectious excitement and dedication to excellence took the story to the next level and made it so much better than we ever could have done without you.

To the stellar team at Harper, thank you for your excitement about the book and all you did to make it happen. Jonathan Burnham, thank you for your electrifying enthusiasm and most inspiring note, making us certain we’d found the right publishing home. Jimmy Iacobelli, who designed our brilliant cover, and the creative team who designed the interior pages – we fell in love with your vision the minute we laid eyes on it. Thanks to Nikki Baldauf for her expert steering through copyediting and production. Heather Drucker and the PR team, thank you for your incredible passion and talent. Katie O’Callaghan and the marketing team, we know we are in the very best of hands. Huge thanks to Virginia Stanley and the amazing Library Sales team for a fantastic job getting the early word out. Deepest appreciation to Carolyn Bodkin, who worked so diligently in managing the foreign rights. To Amber Oliver (aka the Other Amber), and to all the incredibly hard working people at HarperCollins, our deepest gratitude for all you do.

Appreciation and love to our sisters-in-law and sisters in heart, Honey Constantine and Lynn Constantine for reading, rereading, reading again, and cheering and encouraging us every step of the way.

To Christopher Ackers, wonderful son and nephew, for listening in and offering advice on our numerous plot conversations and always infusing them with your customary humor.

Thank you to our beta readers: Amy Bike, Dee Campbell, Carmen Marcano-Davis, Tricia Farnworth, Lia Gordon, and Teresa Loverde, your enthusiasm was a great motivator.

To the wonderful authors and friends who make up the Thrillerfest community, an incredible well of camaraderie, understanding, and mutual support, many thanks.

To David Morrell for your thoughtful advice. Thank you for always being available to talk.

To Jaime Levine for your continual support and encouragement and being there from the beginning.

To Gretchen Stelter, our first editor. You brought clarity and insights that ratcheted up the tension and made the manuscript more compelling.

Thanks to Carmen Marcano-Davis for your psychological expertise that helped us to shape Jackson, and to Chris Munger for authenticating the FBI scenes in the book.

To Patrick McCord and Tish Fried of Write Yourself Free for sharing your talent and skill. Your workshops made us better writers.

Lynne thanks her husband, Rick, and her children, Nick and Theo, for their unwavering support and forbearance while she spent hours locked in her office skyping with Valerie on plot lines or working late into the night to meet deadlines. And to Tucker, for always being by her side while she works. All my love to all of you always.

Valerie thanks her husband, Colin, for his constant encouragement and support, and her children, her greatest cheerleaders. I love you all.