ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to my friend and consultant, Special Agent Dawn Diedrich, and to everyone at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for your awe-inspiring dedication and compassion for the victims of crime and their families. Thanks to Brent Turvey, MS Forensic Science, for answering all those emails and to Forensic Solutions, pathologist Lisa Lyons, and Special Agent Steve Watson.

Kari Bolin, Deb Calabria, Greg Luetscher, Michal Ashton, Pam Wright, Scott Williams, Adair Connor, Jayne Rauser, Susan Culpepper, Betsy Kidd, Kim Paille, Meredith Anton, Elizabeth Jensen, Fred Kyle and Betty Williams, Diane Paulaskas, Graham Street, Chuck Bosserman, Heather Rouse, and Susan Balasco: Each one of you lent me something for this book. Special thanks to Mary Silverstein for the laptop that set me free. Roy, Jani Faye, Tricia Watson, I hope you’re watching.

Victoria Sanders, you might as well be wearing a red cape. You are my superhero. Benee Knauer, I owe you a great debt. Thank you, Chandler Crawford, Kelly Chian, and Deb Dwyer. A huge thank-you to the amazing team at Random House for your faith and hard work: Susan Corcoran, Sharon Propson, Theresa Zoro, Kim Hovey, Katie O’Callaghan, and Denise Cronin. Thank you, Libby McGuire.

To my stunningly brilliant editor Kate Miciak, what you did is too big for this space. Thank you.