This book wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Jennifer Weber, my soul sister and beloved travel buddy, who lives in Australia now but has nothing else in common with Kristen, let the record show. Jen, who’d have thought our wine-fueled running gag in Pisco Elqui would lead to this? Thanks to Stephen Clarke, too, a backpacking stranger so kind and respectful and awesome that we could joke about murder within hours of meeting. Ha.
I hit the sibling jackpot with my sister, Jules, who is thoughtful and kind and creative AF. I’m so grateful to have you by my side. Thanks to Leah Konen, an excellent friend, brilliant thriller author, and world-class beta reader. I can’t imagine my writing life without you. Thanks to Megan Brown, comrade on more world travels than I can count, not to mention supportive and loyal friend and thorough, lucid early reader. Megan, I can’t wait to be exploring downtowns and charming strangers in faraway places with you again soon. Thank you to Danielle Rollins for the careful beta reads that didn’t just make this book stronger—they made me a better writer. And thanks to Jennifer Keishin Armstrong for the thorough early read and for all the work dates, phone calls, and helpful texts; everyone needs someone like Jennifer to keep them centered in this wacky industry.
Erin DeYoung helped me get this book written in so many dang ways: Thank you, Sedi, for your careful notes, for troubleshooting phone calls, and for being an incredible friend. You have such a gift and I’m so grateful to have you in my corner. I’m in awe of you! Speaking of the DeYoungs, thanks to Ben for making me cocktails and patiently explaining concepts like extradition and duress （that said, all errors and wild stretches are, of course, my own）。 Thank you, Owain, for all the hugs and hilarious comments and epic sword fights. And huge thanks to all three for letting me escape to your beautiful home when I needed some space, metaphorically and literally. You’re the best COVID pod anyone could ask for.
Everyone needs a healthy and varied support system （just ask Adrienne Oderdonk!）， and I’m perpetually dazzled by and thankful for my crew, including Lianna Bishop, Megan Collins, Alanna Greco, Leigh Kunkel, Abbi Libers, Anna Maltby, Erin Pastrana, Julia Phillips, Melissa Rivero, Peter Rugg, Katie Scott, and many others. Love and thanks to Julia Dills, who cracked me up, listened to me gripe, and cheered me on as this book finally came together. You’re the damn best （not to mention so smart, it scares even me）。
Huge thanks to my rock-star agent, Alexandra Machinist, for fiercely and deftly championing my work and career. Three books in three years! Is this real life?! I’m so grateful to Lindsey Sanderson, too, for all the effort and help behind the scenes. And I’m the luckiest to have Josie Freedman helping my stories make the magical leap from page to screen—gosh, do I love working with all of you.
I can’t fully express my gratitude for my editor, Hilary Rubin Teeman, a legit genius who honed this idea until it lived up to its potential. You’re the most incredible collaborator and sage and cheerleader, yes, but I’m most in awe of your ability to whittle an idea to its sparking, zapping core. Caroline Weishuhn, I’m beyond grateful for your masterful notes and all the work you do to transform a Word document into a bona fide book. There aren’t words for how much I love working with publicity dream team Sarah Breivogel and Justine Magowan as well as marketing maven Colleen Nuccio. Please just picture animations of rainbows and sparkles and happy dancing hearts to accurately convey my feelings toward everyone at Random House.
When I pitched this idea, I had no idea that foreign travel would feel so, well, foreign by the time I wrote these words. Major thanks to the essential healthcare workers who tirelessly gave their all during a scary and stifling period. And thank you to everyone who stayed home and stopped the spread and trusted science. I’m praying that by the time you read this, travel won’t still feel like a faraway dream.
Last but certainly not least, thanks so much to my loving family, especially Nagypapa and Nagymama, Uncle Tom and Cathy, and of course, my mom and dad. Love you.