Rating: ★★★★☆ Tags: Mystery Detective, General, Fiction

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’ve got to start with Stephanie Kip Rostan, whose smart
advice, sound opinions, and good humor have seen me
through three books now. She’s also just really fun to hang
out with. Thanks for all the excellent guidance over the
years. Many thanks also to Jim Levine and Daniel
Greenberg and everyone at Levine Greenberg Literary
Agency.
My editor, Lindsay Sagnette, is a dream: Thank you for
lending me your expert ear, for letting me be just the right
amount of stubborn, for challenging me to do better, and for
cheering me on during that last stretch – if it weren’t for you,
I’d have remained ‘82.6 per cent done’ forever.
Much thanks to Crown publisher Molly Stern for the
feedback, the support, the sage comments, and the
endless energy.
Gratitude 
also 
to Annsley 
Rosner, 
Christine
Kopprasch, Linda Kaplan, Rachel Meier, Jay Sones, Karin
Schulze, Cindy Berman, Jill Flaxman, and E. Beth Thomas.
Thanks as always to Kirsty Dunseath and the gang at
Orion.
For my many questions about police and legal
procedures, I turned to some very gracious experts. Thanks
to my uncle, the Hon. Robert M. Schieber, and to Lt. Emmet

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B. Helrich for always letting me run ideas by them. Huge
thanks this round to defense attorney Molly Hastings in
Kansas City, who explained her job with great grace and
conviction. And endless gratitude to Det. Craig Enloe of the
Overland Park Police Department for answering my 42,000
emails (modest estimate) over the past two years with
patience, good humor, and exactly the right amount of
information. Any mistakes are mine.
Thanks, for many and varied reasons, to: Trish and
Chris Bauer, Katy Caldwell, Jessica and Ryan Cox, Sarah
and Alex Eckert, Wade Elliott, Ryan Enright, Mike and
Paula Hawthorne, Mike Hillgamyer, Sean Kelly, Sally Kim,
Sarah Knight, Yocunda Lopez, Kameren and Sean Miller,
Adam Nevens, Josh Noel, Jess and Jack O’Donnell,
Lauren “Fake Party We’re Awesome” Oliver, Brian “Map
App” Raftery, Javier Ramirez, Kevin Robinett, Julie Sabo,
gg Sakey, Joe Samson, Katie Sigelman, Matt Stearns,
Susan and Errol Stone, Deborah Stone, Tessa and Gary
Todd, Jenny Williams, Josh Wolk, Bill and Kelly Ye,
Chicago’s Inner Town Pub (home of the Christmas
Morning), and the unsinkable Courtney Maguire.
For my wonderful Missouri family – all the Schiebers,
the Welshes, the Flynns, and branches thereof. Thanks for
all the love, support, laughs, pickle rolls, and bourbon slush
… basically for making Missouri, as Nick would say, ‘a
magical place’.
I received some incredibly helpful feedback from a few
readers who are also good friends. Marcus Sakey gave me
sharp advice about Nick early on over beer and Thai food.
David MacLean and Emily Stone (deareth!) were kind
enough to read 
Gone Girl
in the months leading up to their

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wedding. It doesn’t seem to have harmed you guys in the
least, and it made the book a lot better, so thanks. Nothing
will stop you from getting to the Caymans!
Scott Brown: Thanks for all the writing retreats during
the Gone Girl Years, especially the Ozarks. I’m glad we
didn’t sink the paddleboat after all. Thanks for your
incredibly insightful reads, and for always swooping in and
helping me articulate what the hell it is I’m trying to say. You
are a good Monster and a wonderful friend.
Thanks to my brother, Travis Flynn, for always being
around to answer questions about how things actually work.
Much love to Ruth Flynn, Brandon Flynn, and Holly Bailey.
To my in-laws, Cathy and Jim Nolan, Jennifer Nolan,
Megan, Pablo, and Xavy Marroquin – and all the Nolans
and Samsons: I am very aware of how lucky I am to have
married into your family. Thanks for everything. Cathy, we
always knew you had one hell of a heart, but this past year
proved it in so many ways.
To my parents, Matt and Judith Flynn. Encouraging,
thoughtful, funny, kind, creative, supportive, and still madly
in love after more than forty years. I am, as always, in awe
of you both. Thanks for being so good to me and for always
taking the time to harass strangers into buying my books.
And thank you for being so lovely with Flynn – I become a
better parent just watching you.
Finally, my guys.
Roy: Good kitty.
Flynn: Beloved boy, I adore you! Also, if you are
reading this before the year 2024, you are too little. Put it
down and pick up Frumble!
Brett: Husband! Father of my child! Dance partner,

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emergency grilled-cheese maker. The kind of fellow who
knows how to pick the wine. The kind of fellow who looks
great in a tux. Also a zombie-tux. The guy with the generous
laugh and the glorious whistle. The guy who has the answer.
The man who makes my child laugh till he falls down. The
man who makes me laugh till I fall down. The guy who lets
me ask all sorts of invasive, inappropriate, and intrusive
questions about being a guy. The man who read and
reread and reread and then reread, and not only gave
advice, but gave me a bourbon app. You’re it, baby. Thanks
for marrying me.
Two words, always.

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