The Shifting Price of Prey

Acknowledgements

Writing a book is a solitary endeavour but getting it from first draft to publication takes a lot of hard work, encouragement and support from a wonderful and generous group of people. My deepest thanks and appreciation to everyone whose help has made this book a thousand times better, any errors are my own.

As with all my books, the characters in this one are a product of my imagination and bear no relation to any real people, living, dead or otherwise . . . except for where they do!

So grateful thanks to Steve Dean for his generous support in the Genre for Japan auction and for agreeing to be a bad-die and suffering a suitably horrible fate! I hope you like your tuckerisation! And to Jonathan Weir, publicist extraordinaire at Gollancz, for allowing me to take his and David O’Reilly’s names in vain, and for being eminently bribeable, err, kindly arranging for me to meet one of my all-time writerly heros – the fabulous Charlaine Harris.

Thanks to John Jarrold, my agent, for his belief in me; thanks to all the Gollancz crew for their support, commitment and the gorgeous new covers; and especially to Gillian Redfearn, editor magnifique, for her patience, her words of editorial wisdom, and her enthusiasm for Genny & Co.

Thanks to the Thursday Writers, a truly inspiring bunch: Malcolm Angel, Alison Aquilina, Judy Monckton, and Doreen Cory, who have travelled this amazing journey with me from the start.

Thanks to my wonderful intrepid beta readers: Caroline Allard, Hasna Saadani, Reece Notley, Lisa Wynn, Calie Voorhis, Ailsa Floyd, Marc Mullinex, and Jen Neil, you all rock, bigtime!

Thanks to Jaye Wells, my always awesome crit partner (look out for the Giguhl Easter eggs!), and to the amazing Ann Aguirre for their superb writerly back-up and advice.

Special thanks to Che Gilson for her endless encouragement.

To Norman, my love, my best friend, and the light in my life, without you the dreams would not be possible, or mean as much – thank you, now and always.

And last, but not least, a massive thank you to all you readers who have taken my books into your hearts – I truly hope you enjoy this latest adventure of Genny & Co’s!

Suzanne McLeod

Dorset

Also by Suzanne McLeod from Gollancz:

The Sweet Scent of Blood

The Cold Kiss of Death

The Bitter Seed of Magic

The Shifting Price of Prey

The Hidden Rune of Iron