Acknowledgements As always, my deep gratitude to wonder-agent, Martha Webb, for her steady hand in guiding this novel through bookish waters. My thanks to VERVE books – notably, my editor, Jenna Gordon – for being aligned from the start with my vision for Stargazer and for helping to make it shine. Thanks to the most extraordinary publicist, Hollie McDevitt for your creativity. Special thanks to Elsa Mathern for my favourite book cover to date. I grew up reading and re-reading books that, in one way or another, made their way into all of my stories to come. Thanks to all the authors who made an imprint on me. Especially: Donna Tartt, whose book, The Secret History, I read while studying Latin and Classics in high school and have read almost annually ever since. I have one copy with no

