Long Gone

Mary Espenschied, Mary Frances Bass Jay, Mary Hohulin, Mary Marino-Strong, Mary Olson, Mary Phillips, Maryann Mercer, Maryellen Hannah, Matt Shaw, Matt Wieland, Maureen Wiley Apfl, Melissa Towe Downing, Merle Gornick, Mev Wilson, Michael Bok, Michael Cotton, Michael Rosenthal, Michael Sladek, Michael W. Sherer, Michael Walter, Michell Verduzco, Michelle L Ross, Michelle Moran, Michelle Phillips, Micki Fortenberry Dumke, Mike Houston, Mike McPeak, Mitch Smith, Nancy Laughlin, Nancy M. Hood, Naomi Dorris Houston, Naomi Johnson, Naomi Waynee, Neal LeBaron, Nick Christie, Nicola Trwst, Nidia Hernandez, Nik Nikkel, Nils Kristian Hagen Jr., Nisha Sharma, Nita Lapinski, Owen Weston, P. J. Feinson, Paddi Burke, Pam Davidson Reimer, Pamela Jarvis, Pamela Pescosolido, Pamela Picard, Pat Neveux, Patricia Burns Porter, Patrick Riley, Patti James Anderlohr, Patti MacDonnell, Patti Neal Blackwood, Patty Luecke, Paul Deyo, Paul Feeney, Paula Daniel Steinbacher, Paula Friedman, Paula Rossetti, Penny Anderson McIntosh, Pepper Goforth, Phillip Jones, Phillis Spike Carbone, Phyllis Taylor Malone, Rachelle Gagne, Ramsey Burton Doran, Raymond Benson, Raymond Fundora, Rebecca S. Autrey, Rebecca Turman, Rebecca Woodbury, Reggie White, Renee James, Rhonda Leach Peterson, Rich Maxson, Richard Dory, Richard Reed, Rita Messina, Rob Friedman, Robert Carotenuto, Robert Carraher, Robert F. Klees, Robert Gooch, Robert Hartman, Robert J. Scheeler, Robert Ray, Roberta Boe, Roberta Clardy, Robin M. Healy, Robin Parsons Eastwood, Rocky Romeo, Rod Viator, Ron Cervantez, Ruby Jordon, Russ Cashon, Ruth Jordan, Ruth Miriampolski, Ruthie Vescoso, Sal Towse, Salli Schwartz, Sally Fortin, Samuel Perry, Sanam Dowlatdad, Sandie Herron, Sandie Hinkle, Sandra Cranmer, Sandra Jean Krna, Sandra Lee, Sandra Speller, Sandy Ebner, Sandy Plummer, Sara J. Henry, Sara Johann, Sara Thomas Simpson, Sara Weiss, Sarah LaPorte, Scott Irwin, Seale Ballenger, Shannon Anderson Crable, Shannon Keane English, Sharon Brown, Sharon Faith Graves, Sharon Swanson Magee, Shaun Slaathaug, Shawn McMichael Orgeron, Sheila Dawson, Sherree’ Scarlott, Sherri Merkousko, Sherri Young Coats, Sherrie L. Saint, Sherry Chaffin Rasmus, Sheryl Cooper, Sheryl Ditty Hauch, Shirley Grosor, Sidney C. Mansfield, Siobhan O’Shea, Sita Laura, Stephanie Glencross, Stephanie Mary Haskell Gleave, Stephen Scarbrough, Stephen Tremp, Steve Gonzales, Sue McLauchlan Faulkner, Sue Stanisich, Sue Torf, Sue Young Fulks, Susan Abe, Susan Anderson, Susan Lowe, Susan Marsh, Susan P. Bagley, Susan Purins Meuckon, Susan Ransom Grimes, Susie Cowan Hudson, Suzanne C. Dubus, Suzanne Collier, Suzanne Sheppard, Suzanne W. Goldstone, Suzee Neal, Tanya Currin Faucette, Tasha Alexander, Ted Myers, Tena Clark Faruque, Terri Bischoff, Terry Boatman, Tim Busbey, Tim Hanner, Tina Tenley, Tina Warren, T. J. Carrell, Tolfe Lee Albert, Tom Russell, Tommye Baxter Cashin, Tony Sannicandro, Tori Bullock, Traci Boeh Wickett, Traci Hohenstein, Trena Klohe, Trudy Peltier, Tyra Bradbury, Veronica Piastuch, Vickie Parshall, Victoria Waller, Viola Burg, Wallace Clark, Wallace Henry Wyeth, Walter Caldwell, Wayne Ledbetter, Wayne M. Blake, Wendy Brown, Wendy Hall, Will Thomas, William Brennan, William Bruner, and William Penrose.

I apologize for omitting names of other kitchen-cabinet participants, as I surely have, but please do know how much I appreciate your ongoing online support between books. See you on the interwebs!

Acknowledgments

The idea for Long Gone came during one of my regular early morning strolls through New York City’s West Village. It was early 2009, when each cold day seemed to bring a new wave of unannounced and abrupt business closures. The familiar diner that was there on Monday would be replaced by an empty storefront on Tuesday. I found myself thinking about the employees who had lost their jobs. I wondered whether they received any more notice than the customers. I wondered what it would be like to show up at work one morning to find your entire professional life… gone.

By the time I was ready to start writing, I’d been living with that kernel of an idea for nearly a year. I felt like I knew Alice Humphrey, her family, and the other people in her life. To my surprise, during those intervening months, I also kept hearing from a missing girl and her guilt-stricken mother. To my amazement, I realized they belonged in this book as well.

Careful readers will probably recognize shadows of other recent events on the pages of Long Gone. Fictionalized versions of real world stories, either those I encountered as a prosecutor or have followed from afar, often seep into my novels. These are, of course, fictionalized, as in made up and untrue, and should not be construed as a comment upon any actual person or event.

I am so thankful to the people who help me take the voices in my head and turn them into books instead of a trip to the mental hospital: At Spitzer Literary Agency, my tremendous agent, Philip Spitzer, and his associates, Lukas Ortiz and Lucas Hunt; and at HarperCollins, Jonathan Burnham, Heather Drucker, Mark Ferguson, Angie Lee, Michael Morrison, Nicole Reardon, Jason Sack, Kathy Schneider, and Leah Wasielewski. I don’t have sufficient words of praise for the professionalism, dedication, and intelligence that my editor, Jennifer Barth, continually brings to our relationship. I’m forever appreciative.

Thanks as well to Carrie Blank, Jonathan Hayes, Nikki Jones, McKenna Jordan, Dan Judson, Julian Ku, Josh Lamborn, David Lesh, Chris Mascal, NYPD Detective Lucas Miller, Heidi and Greg Moawad, Gary Moore, Richard Rhorer, Anne-Lise Spitzer, and Richard Urrutia.

Finally, I am the luckiest girl in the world thanks to my super-cool husband, Sean.

About the Author

A former deputy district attorney in Portland, Oregon, Alafair Burke now teaches criminal law at Hofstra Law School and lives in New York City. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she is the author of the Samantha Kincaid series, which includes the novels Judgment Calls, Missing Justice, and Close Case. Most recently, she published Angel’s Tip, her second thriller featuring Ellie Hatcher.

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