Max Collins - Ask Not

My friend and longtime research associate, George Hagenauer, made many trips to Iowa for brainstorming sessions and research planning as we wrestled with handling this sprawling, often surrealistic subject. Thank you, George.

Thanks also to my friend and agent, Dominick Abel, who made sure this book happened; and my editor, James Frenkel, who gave Heller and me the chance to finally take on the JFK case.

As usual, the greatest thanks go to Barbara Collins — my wife, best friend, and valued writing collaborator — who was working on her draft of our next “Barbara Allan” — bylined novel while I was writing this one. Despite being caught up in her own book, she endured my constant opinion-seeking and need for a sounding board, and always had sharp suggestions to help me stop my head from spinning with research and find a steerable path.

On a number of occasions over the years, I have said in interviews and elsewhere that the Heller saga would conclude with the Kennedy assassination. For those who consider that bad news, I can reveal that Heller is contemplating a memoir about Robert Kennedy (dealing with both rackets committee days and RFK’s assassination) as well as one on the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s even possible that Heller will one day discuss a certain minor burglary at the Watergate Hotel.