Natural History (23 page)

Acknowledgements

In writing this novel, I used a number of sources, but I'm particularly indebted to Jeffrey Taylor's
Facing the Congo
(Abacus, 2001) for the “Colonel Ebeya” and certain borrowed details of Jane's experience in Kinshasa. I also relied on Mike Farrel's
The Killing Ground: A Journey to Rwanda,
for details of Mugunga refugee camp and its surroundings. Farrel's long article and much else besides can be found on the Human Rights Watch website—
www.hrw.org
.

Along the way, many people provided help and encouragement. Among them, Tom Adams shared his knowledge of the Zoo Licensing Act (1981) and the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (1973). Cris Warren sent me monkey books to help with my monkey book, and never failed to make me laugh. Ian Hand provided me with insight into the running of the British Mental Health Services—he also introduced me to Joy Division and gin, but that was a long time ago. Steve Braunias, an expert in such matters, helped me survive a prolonged assault by vicious baboons. My wife, Nadya, was remarkable in her unwavering support. (But then, Nadya is remarkable in every way—except for tidying shoes. Where my marriage is concerned, I still can't quite believe my luck. Or stop tripping on randomly abandoned footwear.) And Tim Binding, as ever, was my untiring friend and my mentor. I hope you like this book, Tim.

Because
Natural History
is a work of fiction I've taken many liberties, not least with the geography of Devon. I hope most of the untruths in these pages are deliberate, a way to help me tell a story. Those errors which aren't deliberate are—naturally—my own damn fault.

About the Author

Neil Cross (b. 1969) is a British novelist and screenwriter best known as the creator of the multiaward-winning international hit BBC crime series
Luther
, starring Idris Elba, and the international hit horror movie
Mama
. His highly acclaimed memoir,
Heartland
, was shortlisted for the PEN/Ackerley Prize in 2006. Cross has also written several thrillers, including
Captured
,
Holloway­ Falls
, and
Always the Sun
, which was longlisted for the 2004 Man Booker Prize. Cross continues to write for TV and film in the United Kingdom and the United States. He lives with his wife and two sons in Wellington, New Zealand.