“But Mr. Maxfield is not here because of Caged. He is here to discuss his memoir, Framed, which is his account of the Van Meter case and his years in prison. Framed was released this week, and we just learned that it will debut at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. And now, without further ado, I give you Joshua Maxfield.”

The audience applauded, and Joshua basked in their adulation. He did not want the applause to stop. It sounded so terrific. After all the years of silence his genius was finally being recognized. And he was a genius. A towering literary genius whose works would live forever. He was convinced of it. The years between The Wishing Well and Caged had simply been a hiccup in his climb up the mountain to the pinnacle of success. His publisher was clamoring for his next book and, as soon as his tour ended, he would begin work on it. Of course, right now, he was too distracted to think about what it would be. In fact, he had no idea whatsoever.

The following people helped me with the research that hopefully made Sleeping Beauty believable: Steve Lesser, Brian Ostrum, Dr. Nathan Selden, Dr. Howard Weinstein, Ashley Berman, Bridget Grosso, Mary Joan O’Connell, and Christine Brown. My editor, Dan Conaway, definitely made the book more readable, and I appreciate the help of Dan’s intrepid assistant, Jill Schwartzman.

Thanks also to the countless bookstore owners, clerks, managers, and author escorts who have been so kind and supportive during my many book tours. I bet you never guessed that you were unwittingly helping me with my research for Sleeping Beauty. Thanks also to Marie Elena Martinez and Elly Weisenberg, who organize my book tours and never get their numbers wrong.

I want to thank everyone at HarperCollins and the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency for their enthusiastic support.

Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank my family, Doreen, Ami, Daniel, and Chris, for putting up with me.

Phillip Margolin’s insider’s view of the criminal mind comes from his unique background as a long-time criminal defense attorney. All nine of his novels have been New York Times bestsellers. His PerfectBound e-books are Wild Justice; The Associate; Ties That Bind; and Sleeping Beauty. Visit www.phillipmargolin.com.