I am lucky beyond words to have Katherine Tegen as an editor. She has supported me （and Stevie） through all our adventures. Without her, these books would not be possible. My gratefulness has no bounds. Sara Schonfeld has been there every step of the way, for all my late-night emails and questions. So many thanks to everyone at HarperCollins who worked on this book, including: Alexandra Rakaczki, Vanessa Nuttry, Jessica White, David DeWitt, Joel Tippie, Leo Nickolls, Taylan Salvati, and Michael D’Angelo. My publicist, Megan Beatie of Megan Beatie Communications, is always there, helping bring Stevie to the world.
My friends and writing partners fill my life with happiness and my brain with ideas. Cassie Clare provided refuge and a place to write during the pandemic, as well as much support. Many things in the book started to make sense after a long conversation with Holly Black （most things in life start to make sense after talking to Holly Black）。 Robin Wasserman, as usual, provided much insight, because Robin is a bright beacon of pure wisdom. Kelly Link has devious ideas about romance. Additional thanks to Roosevelt Sinker for his comments, and Dan Sinker for keeping me going.
Thanks to Alexandra Padfield Young, for taking me to the gardens of Hidcote, and to Marion and Dom Young for walking me through the plant life of the English forest. Alexander Newman filled me in on the art of sitting exams. （At Oxford, not Cambridge. He’d be furious at me if I didn’t mention this.） Simon Cole provided much-needed assistance on procedure and a lot of enthusiasm for the Manic Street Preachers.
All the thanks and love in the world to my husband, who spent a lot of time mentally walking around his alma mater with me, planning murders. He wants you to know you should not swim in the River Cam. It is full of Weil’s disease and shopping carts.
And to you, of course, for reading. You are the most important part. I hope you enjoyed your time at the manor.
About the Author
Photo credit Angela Altus MAUREEN JOHNSON is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including the Truly Devious trilogy, The Box in the Woods, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, and the Shades of London series. She has also written collaborative works such as Let It Snow with John Green and Lauren Myracle and several Shadowhunters collections with Cassandra Clare. Maureen lives in New York and on Twitter @maureenjohnson, on Instagram @maureenjohnsonbooks, or at www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com.
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