This is a work of fiction. Any references to real people, living or dead, real events, businesses, organizations and localities are intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and their resemblance, if any, to real-life counterparts is entirely coincidental. The only exception to this are the characters Julie Bultitude, Graeme Danby, Susanna Frayn, Dave Goulding, Allan Guthrie, Ian Haffenden and Fiona Martin, who have given their express permission to be fictionalised in this volume. All behaviour, history, and character traits assigned to their fictional representations have been designed to serve the needs of the narrative and do not necessarily bear any resemblance to the real person.

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Source ISBN: 9780007362547

Ebook Edition © MAY 2010 ISBN: 9780007352289

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Dedication

For Sarah

Without Whom …

One of the best parts of writing a book is doing the research, getting out into the real world and speaking to the people who live and work in it. Anything I’ve got wrong in this book is my fault, anything I’ve got right is due to the generosity of some very clever people. So I want to thank: Dr Lorna Dawson, Professor Dave Barclay and Dr James Grieve; David Miller, Jane Lund, Margaret McKeen, Barrie Thornton, Gareth Newman, Steve Hillier, Jasmine Ross, and all the forensic gurus at the Macaulay Institute; Mark McHardy, Del Henderson, David Francis, John Angus, and everybody at Aberdeen’s Trading Standards Service; DS Alan Findlay, Sergeant Midge Mackay and everyone at Grampian Police who gave generously of their time and experience; my agent Phil Patterson, my terrific editor Sarah Hodgson, Damon Greeney, Fiona McIntosh, Joy Chamberlain, Marie Goldie, Karen-Maree Griffiths, Lucy Vanderbilt, Tara Hiatt, Lucy Upton, the entire Sales team, and everyone at HarperCollins.

I’ve been out and about a lot this year, and I have to thank Tony Fisk, Michael Moynahan, Frederika van Traa, Al and Donna Buchan, Adrian Hyland, and Michael Robotham for their hospitality; Russell Kirkpatrick for tour guide excellence; Jordan Weaver, Lise Taylor, Sylvia May, Christine Farmer, Amy Neilson, Chris Kooi, and Elsemiek Ariëns for looking after me on my travels; and Jennifer Howard and the crew at Talking Issues for putting up with all the strange noises.

More thanks go to: Aleksander Bogunia, Anna Maria Bojes, Tomasz Zygula, Piotr Kufel; Alex Clark, Erica Morris, Zoë Sharp, Laura Wilson, Malcolm Mackay, Spenser Tait, James Oswald and my brother Christopher; Graeme Danby, Julie Bultitude, Dave Goulding, Fiona Martin, and Susanna Frayn; and to Allan Guthrie for all the feedback.

And saving the best for last – as always – Fiona and Grendel.