ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing is solitary work made possible with the help of others. I thank the following: Imkulunkulu, the great, great one. The ancestors. My siblings Penny, Byron and Jan and their partners Brian, Monique and Keith for opening their homes to my family every summer. To Dr Gerald Lazarus and Dr Audrey Jakubowski-Lazarus, Lynne and Andrew Shear, Laura and Saul Goldstein and Elyse De Jong who allowed us to crash their summer holidays. A generous family is a blessing beyond words.

My husband Mark, a true partner in everything that I do. You make the impossible possible. My children Elijah and Sisana, two bright and beautiful sparks who light up the world and start fires with equal ease.

Darryl Robinson for the beautiful author photographs.

Kerrie McGovan and Burcak Muraben for dressing me in goose down and leather for my winter trip to America.

Hannah and David Shear for making a home for me in New York, complete with snowfall and a cat curled at my feet.

Rose and Eric Campbell for use of their lovely beach cottage for writing retreats. Steve Worland and Georgie Parker for friendship and arranging the keys.

Literary agents Sophie Hamley of the Cameron Creswell Agency and Catherine Drayton of InkWell Management who do an amazing job of getting my work out into the world.

For historical and cultural help special thanks to Terence King, author, police and military researcher and historian. Also, Helenore Labuschagne for her valuable memories and Kevan Mardan and Uschie Bischofberger for a fun but informative tour of Durban. Any errors or omissions are entirely my own.

Deepest thanks to the stellar Pan Macmillan team for making my dreams a reality. Maria Rejt in London. Rod Morrison and James Fraser in Sydney. I am in good hands. Editors Emma Rafferty and Sophie Orme who guided me out of blind alleys and helped me find the best version of my story.

Thank you all.