The Midnight Witness
Page 26
He kissed her cheek, and they agreed to talk on Saturday.
The door closed behind him as Camilla came out of the bathroom.
“Where’s he going?”
“He has to go home and sleep. He’s going back to Aberdeen on Wednesday, and he’s got a lot to take care of this weekend, but he said to say goodbye and give you a kiss on the forehead.”
Camilla’s phone rang, and she hurried to answer it.
Author’s Note
The Midnight Witness is a work of fiction. The characters are solely the product of my imagination and bear no resemblance to any persons living or dead. The world I’ve built up around the events in this book naturally resembles the real world, but I’ve permitted myself the artistic freedom to change certain details. Morgenavisen and the King’s Bar, for example, exist only within these pages.
It was vital for me to gain firsthand knowledge of the sort of people I’ve written about. My heartfelt thanks go out to those who were kind enough to spend time helping me in my research. Without them it would have been impossible to create Louise Rick’s world. Any errors in the book are exclusively my own.
—Sara Blaedel
Acknowledgments
From my very first publication and onward, I’ve been a stickler for thorough research, which is essential if the goal is storytelling that is believable, authentic, and realistic. I’ve had enormous help along the way. Special thanks go to my now old friends at Copenhagen’s Police Headquarters, without whose help the framework around Louise Rick wouldn’t hold. A big, fat, massive thank-you to Tom Christensen, Flying Squad, who has been with me all along the way, and has generously contributed with talk and details as the book was in process. Deep gratitude for your time and compassion.
Heartfelt thanks go, as always, to my brilliant friend, forensic expert, Steen Holger Hansen, who is there to help out when a plot needs to be spun together. Without you there would be no books.
Great thanks to my talented Danish editor, Lisbeth Møller Madsen, and to my publisher, People’s Press. It’s a pleasure to work with you.
A billion thanks to my wonderful, supersmart American editor, Lindsey Rose, and to the spectacular, endlessly committed team at Grand Central. It is a thrill, an honor, and an enormous joy to work with you all. I appreciate every single effort you’ve made on my behalf. So happy to be here.
Thank you so very much to my fabulous and savvy American agent, the unparalleled Victoria Sanders, who works magic for me, and to your incredibly wonderful associates, the lovely and talented Bernadette Baker-Baughman and Jessica Spivey, whose great work, all around the world, leaves me filled with gratitude and aware of just how fortunate I am.
Thank you to clever and tireless Benee Knauer, who knows what I am thinking and what I mean, and how to capture it perfectly. It means so much to know you are there, to have you behind and beside me.
I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the American crime-writing community and to my dear American readers. I cannot sufficiently convey how much your warm welcome has meant to me; you have made my dream come true. I love this country so much, and I’m delighted to call it my second home.
My warmest thanks must go to my son, Adam, whom I love with all my heart, and who has traveled every step of the way with me on this indescribable journey.
Want even more Sara Blaedel? You don't have to wait.
Tap here to find your new favorite book.
Get sneak peeks, book recommendations, and news about your favorite authors.
About the Author
Sara Blaedel’s suspense novels have enjoyed incredible success around the world: fantastic acclaim, multiple awards, and runaway number one bestselling success internationally. In her native Denmark, Sara was voted most popular novelist for the fourth time in 2014. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark’s most prestigious literary award. Her books are published in thirty-seven countries. Her series featuring police detective Louise Rick is adored the world over, and Sara has just launched her new Family Secrets suspense series to fantastic acclaim.
Sara Blaedel’s interest in story writing, and especially crime fiction, was nurtured from a young age. The daughter of a renowned Danish journalist and an actress whose career included roles in theater, radio, TV, and movies, Sara grew up surrounded by a constant flow of professional writers and performers visiting the Blaedel home. Despite her struggle with dyslexia, books gave Sara a world in which to escape when her introverted nature demanded an exit from the hustle and bustle of life. Sara tried a number of careers, from a restaurant apprenticeship to graphic design, before she started a publishing company called Sara B, where she published Danish translations of American crime fiction.
Publishing ultimately led Sara to journalism, and she covered a wide range of stories, from criminal trials to the premiere of Star Wars: Episode I. It was during this time—and while skiing in Norway—that Sara started brewing the ideas for her first novel. In 2004 Louise and Camilla were introduced in Grønt Støv (Green Dust), and Sara won the Danish Academy for Crime Fiction’s debut prize.
Originally from Denmark, Sara has lived in New York, but now spends most of her time in Copenhagen. When she isn’t busy committing brutal murders on the page, she is an ambassador with Save the Children and serves on the jury of a documentary film competition.