Law and Disorder (37 page)

Acknowledgements

Every book starts out with major debts to the many people who supported the project, the author and the process. Camilla and I owe so much to Susan McCarthy, who is passionate about the Dragon Boat Festival and who, along with Chris Raines, was generous with time and information. As usual, Janet MacEachen came through to keep Camilla in line. I am grateful to Mary MacKay-Smith, Victoria Maffini, John Merchant and Linda Wiken for insights on the manuscript, and most especially to Lyn Hamilton, who took the time to read and comment on
Law & Disorder
despite her grave illness. Many thanks to Ronnie Keough, Rick Mofina, Stephan Dirnberger, Cody Crosby of Spytech and Lieutenant Brad Grant of Ottawa Fire Services for essential information. If there are any errors, they are mine, of course.

As for the real Beverly Leclair, thank you and your family for supporting REACH, a great cause. Speaking of great causes, the SPCA of Western Quebec’s inspired description of their adoptable dogs warms the heart and opens doors.

You may recognize much of Ottawa. But don’t tear your hair out looking for previously unknown streets, charitable organizations, restaurants, boat companies, offices or businesses. Sometimes a story requires a little flexibility. It’s one of the joys of fiction. And of course, familiar readers will know that Camilla will always make a left turn wherever it suits her, signs notwithstanding.

To the RendezVous Crime gang, Sylvia, Allister and Emma, I appreciate everything you do to make my books come alive. And on the home front, thanks to my husband, Giulio, for ongoing patience and support, and to Daisy and Lily for extra cuddles.

Before she fell into a life of crime, Nova Scotia-born Mary Jane Maffini was a librarian, a public servant and a mystery bookstore owner.
Law
& Disorder
is the latest of six books featuring cranky Camilla MacPhee. West Quebec is the setting for the comic Fiona Silk mysteries. The third series features Charlotte Adams, a professional organizer and amateur sleuth in upstate New York.

Mary Jane has been a two-term president of the Crime Writers of Canada, a charter member of the Ladies’ Killing Circle, and has served on the board of directors of the Canadian Booksellers Association. She has won two Arthur Ellis awards for Best Short Story. She is a frequent speaker on the writing process, mysteries and Canadian crime writing. Mary Jane lives and plots in Ottawa, along with her long-suffering husband and two princessy dachshunds.

Find out more at
www.maryjanemaffini.com

BOOKS BY MARY JANE MAFFINI
The Camilla MacPhee series
Speak Ill of the Dead, The Icing on the Corpse, Little Boy Blues,
The Devil’s in the Details, The Dead Don’t Get Out Much, Law & Disorder

The Fiona Silk series
Lament for a Lounge Lizard, Too Hot to Handle

The Charlotte Adams series
Organize Your Corpses, The Cluttered Corpse,
Death Loves a Messy Desk