Random Victim (28 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Every writer has a list of people he wishes to acknowledge, and the problem is you can never thank them all. But, to name
a few…

First, I’d like to thank Joseph Wambaugh. It was reading his book,
The New Centurions
, so many years ago that first steered me toward the Military Police and then into civilian law enforcement. I owe you one,
Joe. Thanks.

My former teachers, from Miss Rehak ripping up my story in front of the class in sixth grade, to my undergrad days at NIU
learning the basics from Mary Sue Scriber, James McNiece, and Orville Baker, to my second undergrad experience at Moraine
Valley Community College refining my writing (and my Spanish) under Len Jellema and Rolando Arocha, to the final polishing
in grad school at Columbia College studying under Patricia Pinianski, Shawn Shifflett, and Patty McNair…and all the rest who
are too numerous to mention here, I humbly thank you all. As the saying goes, if you’re reading this, thank a teacher.

And as the other saying goes, if you’re reading it in English, thank our military. I’d like to extend that to all the protectors,
civilian and military, who stand watch, whether in foreign lands or on our soil…Who stand together or walk alone…Who are out
there on that thin line that separates civilization from chaos…Who do their best to keep evil away from innocence, thus allowing
society to sleep blissfully at night…Who are ready to lay down their lives in the protection of others.

I can say that I’ve met some of the finest people I’ve ever known while spending the majority of my adult life in uniform
(both civilian and military). I am honored to have stood beside them.

It is to all of these people, and so many more, that this book is truly dedicated.

PRAISE FOR MICHAEL A. BLACK
AND
A KILLING FROST!

“[Black], a long-time Chicago area police officer, brings the same inside knowledge of police investigations and politics
readers get from Joseph Wambaugh.”

—Sara Paretsky

“Mike Black breathes new life—and rare authenticity —into the classic American PI genre. If you like your action hard-boiled
and unrelenting, you can’t go wrong with Ron Shade.”

—Andrew Vacchs

“[An] intriguing first mystery.…Essential for fans of hard-boiled detective fiction.”

—
Library Journal

“Black’s novel rings with the authenticity of an author who is also a full-time Chicago-area policeman. His strong character
development and ability to build suspense will hook readers’ interest—and leave them eager for the next installment in what
promises to be an engaging series.”

—
Booklist

“[An] assured debut in the classic hard-boiled tradition.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“A brawny debut, so foursquare in its characters and prose that you can hardly wait till Shade finally gets to put those kick
boxing skills to use.”

––
Kirkus

Other
Leisure
books by Michael A. Black:

A KILLING FROST

Copyright

A LEISURE BOOK®

April 2008

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Copyright © 2008 by Michael A. Black

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E-ISBN 13: 978-1-4285-0375-5

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