FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES, my fourth Kick Keswick adventure and tenth novel, is set in a London auction house and at a royal wedding in the Italian lake country, and features a nun, a spoiled superstar model, a sociopath, a pair of octogenarian busy-bodies, unbelievable food and wines, beautiful jewels, and incredibly delicious chocolate cupcakes with Grand Marnier icing. It was a romp to write and has received raves from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. I have many thank yous. I thank God first for everything. In this business, agents, publishers and editors are similar to God, and I have landed in a very fine place, indeed. This outstanding team of professionals is dedicated to the same goal of making each novel the best it possibly can be. At St. Martin's Press, Sally Richardson, Publisher; Matthew Shear, Vice President and Publisher, St. Martin's Paperbacks; and especially my editor, Jennifer Enderlin, Associate Publisher. Working with Jennifer, one of the industry's most admired editors, is rich and rewarding—her vision, creative input and knowledge are amazing. Thank you, Jen. I also thank Associate Editor Kimberly Cardascia, who is as solid as a rock—responsive, organized, unflappable and positive. At Trident Media Group, Robert Gottlieb, President and CEO, and Kimberly Whalen, Vice-President and Agent, are top professionals at the top of their game—accessible, thinking, working and selling. They are awesome. My books are now published in Germany, Holland, Russia and Spain. Many, many thanks to Suzanne and Blair Taylor, owners of Barolo Grill and Enotec Imports. In October 2005, Peter and I were in Piemonte for a few days and they flew over to take us on a tour of Gianni Gagliardo's vineyard in Barolo, followed by an astonishing lunch at Il Belvedere. We had white truffles with each course and two magnums of wine—one Barbaresco and one Barolo. Oh, Dio. It was among the most memorable and by far the most expensive meal we've ever had and we can't wait to do it again! Thank God, we had a driver. The Taylors, along with Chuck and Barbara Gray, introduced us to Lago d'Orta, Villa Gippini at the San Rocco Hotel, and Villa Crespi. Blair also advised on the Italian wines, and Hal Logan, president of the Colorado Chapitre of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, advised on the French—their selections are ideal and we all benefit from their willingness to share their extensive knowledge and expertise. In August 2006, I held a contest for Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes—the response was gratifying and fattening. Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to Betsy Schrott of New York City whose recipe became the inspiration for the molten chocolate cherry cakes in this book. They are heavenly. Without the culinary expertise and recipe testing assistance of Susan Coe Weiss and our daughter-in-law, Courtney Kellogg, I don't know what I would have done. They made countless batches of chocolate-cherry cupcakes and we all agreed that Betsy's were the best—her recipe appears in its entirety on my website. Thanks to Leslie Carlson, General Manager of the Garden of the Gods Club, for the beautiful care she and her staff took of me and the dog during my writing sojourn there. As always, any mistakes are mine. Love and undying thanks to: Mary and Richard who still take my calls but don't invite me over very often any more; Mary Lou and Randy who continue, selflessly, to head-up my Paris research department; Margaret and Mike Wilfley for a spectacular launch party in their garden; Marcy and Bruce who never say no—to me, at least; Pam and Bill for their friendship; Mita Vail; our next-door neighbor Judith; my best customer, Sally; McKenna and David for reading an early draft; Heidi for my beautiful website; Kate and Jill for holding things down on the home fronts and Shannon and Miriam for holding things down at headquarters; and the cowgirls of the National Western—I am so proud to be a member of that team. I am grateful for the Connecticut Kelloggs and the Colorado Davises; for my darling mother's grace, courage and sense of adventure; for Maj. Hunter R. Kellogg, USMC, his elegant, remarkable wife Courtney, and their Duncan and Delaney; Peter and his fiancee Bede; our wire fox terrier, Kick, who makes me laugh all the time but is bored out of her mind living in the silent world of a working writer, and, of course, for my beloved Peter. Thanks to his generosity, support, patience and sense of humor, he's let my writing become a priority. Plus, he's somehow able to pretend that it's always a pleasure to live with me. It is, in fact, always a wild and hearty pleasure living with him. I hope you enjoy FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.