Acknowledgments

Blood Work is a work of fiction but it was inspired by conversations with my friend Terry Hansen, who received a heart transplant on Valentine’s Day 1993. I thank him for his openness in discussing the emotional and physical changes such an event brought to his life.

I would also like to thank all those who offered their advice and expertise to me during the writing of this novel. Any mistakes in these pages are my own. Particularly, I would like to thank Linda and Callie for putting up with me; William Gaida, LAPD-retired, for teaching me the art of hypnotic interrogation; and Jim Carter for showing me around boats and Cabrillo Marina. Also, thanks go to Gene Riehl, FBI-retired, Scott Anderson, computer czar, Larry Sulkis, first gunner, and Scott Eyman, the writing guru who helped talk me off the ledge after I spiked 240 pages-on purpose!-and had to start again.

The book and the author were benefited immensely by the thoughts of those who read it along the way. They include Mary Connelly Lavelle, Susan Connelly and Jane Connelly Davis, Joel Gotler, Brian Lipson, Philip Spitzer, Ed Thomas, Bill Gerber, Melissa Rooker and Clint Eastwood. (Special thanks to Joel for the harmonica riffs.) My editor, Michael Pietsch, did his usual superb job in taking a massive manuscript and making smooth sense of it.

Lastly, once again thanks to the booksellers who help me tell my stories.

– Michael Connelly

Los Angeles

Michael Connelly

MICHAEL CONNELLY is the national bestselling author of City of Bones , A Darkness More than Night , Void Moon , Angels Flight , Blood Work , and The Poet . The winner of an Edgar Award, a Nero Wolfe prize, a Macavity Award, and an Anthony Award, he lives in Tampa, Florida.