The Lure

Acknowledgements

In writing this novel I have benefited from many discussions with colleagues, friends and family. Dr Anna Gavin helped me with matters medical and biochemical; Martin Murphy advised me on computer matters; Tigran Khanzadyan and Georgi Pavlovski helped me with Russian, as did my son Bruce with Norwegian. Dr Peter Herring gave me insights into the mysterious glowing wheels sometimes reported at sea: the cited reports are from the logbooks, deposited in the Met Office, of numerous trained observers in the Voluntary Observing Fleet. I am indebted to the Met Office for permission to quote them and to Sir Arthur C. Clarke for pointing out that this strange luminescence has been given the evocative name ‘Wheels of Poseidon’. The lyrics in Café Roland are from The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay. I am especially grateful to my wife Nancy who assisted me in countless practical ways, not least in photography at various locations used in the book.