The Dying Light (62 page)
Henry Porter
London, May 2009
London, May 2009
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to Pamela Merritt, who read and corrected the first drafts of this novel, and also to my former editor at Orion, Jane Wood. The astute suggestions of my new editor at Orion, Jon Wood, as well as a close reading by my agent, Tif Loehnis of Janklow and Nesbit, contributed significantly to the final form of
The Dying Light.
There are several other people I would like to thank for their help - sometimes unwitting - particularly The Earl of Onslow, Murray Hunt and Andrew Dismore MP of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Jay McCreary, the video/audio investigator for CY4OR gave me invaluable advice on his speciality of visual forensics, and Dr Ian West, who is a carbonateevaporite sedimentologist by trade, inspired me with his photographs of Shropshire’s unique geological formations. Jill Kirby of the Centre for Police Studies was responsible for the name of the system that plays such an important part in this story and which comes from government documents that she unearthed. Thanks to Patrick Garaux of the Alinéa Bindery who helped me with information about book binding, and Charles Fisher who gave me a room in which to write at Chateau de Felines and advice on the manuscript.
The Dying Light.
There are several other people I would like to thank for their help - sometimes unwitting - particularly The Earl of Onslow, Murray Hunt and Andrew Dismore MP of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Jay McCreary, the video/audio investigator for CY4OR gave me invaluable advice on his speciality of visual forensics, and Dr Ian West, who is a carbonateevaporite sedimentologist by trade, inspired me with his photographs of Shropshire’s unique geological formations. Jill Kirby of the Centre for Police Studies was responsible for the name of the system that plays such an important part in this story and which comes from government documents that she unearthed. Thanks to Patrick Garaux of the Alinéa Bindery who helped me with information about book binding, and Charles Fisher who gave me a room in which to write at Chateau de Felines and advice on the manuscript.
This story takes place in some wonderful old buildings. I spent at lot of time in St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow, and poking around other parish churches in the Marches so I thank those who look after them so well. I am grateful to Dr Alan Ryan, the Warden of New College, Oxford, for allowing me so much freedom to roam in the buildings where I set a part of my story. I want also to thank Joanna Mackle of the British Museum, Dr John Curtis, the Keeper of the Middle East Department at and Dr Irving Finkel who showed me round the Arched Room in the BM and explained cuneiform to me. Finally, thanks are due to Tim Glister of Janklow and Nesbit who thought of
The Dying
Light as a title.
The Dying
Light as a title.
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