Researching Sam’s Next Case: The Everglades
If you made it to the end of A Killer in Shadow, this won’t be a surprise. Samantha Hayes is headed to the Everglades. And before I could send her there, I had some homework to do. One of my favorite parts of writing the Samantha Hayes series is that Sam’s work with the FBI […]
Behind the Mask: A Work in Progress
One of the questions I hear most often is: “What are you writing next?” Sometimes the answer is a fully outlined novel. Sometimes it’s pages of notes on a whiteboard. And sometimes it’s something in between. Today, I thought I’d share one of those in-between projects. While the Samantha Hayes novels are told through the […]
Why Criminals Repeat Themselves
One of the biggest misconceptions about criminal investigations is that every crime is completely unique. In reality, people are creatures of habit. We all develop routines without even realizing it. We drive the same route to work. Order the same meal at our favorite restaurant. Reach for the same coffee mug every morning. Those habits […]
The Investigation Begins Today
Every book begins with a single idea. For months, A Killer in Shadow has existed only on my computer, in notebooks, and in countless revisions spread across my desk. I’ve spent hours moving clues, refining dialogue, tightening scenes, and asking myself the same question every mystery writer asks: Will readers see what I want them […]
Why Every Detail Matters
When people think about solving a crime, they often imagine a single dramatic breakthrough. A hidden fingerprint. A surprise witness. A confession that changes everything. Real investigations are rarely that simple. More often than not, cases are solved because investigators patiently collect hundreds of small details until a picture finally begins to emerge. That’s one […]
Building a Behavioral Profile
When most people think of an FBI investigation, they picture fingerprints, DNA, and physical evidence. Those things certainly matter. But for Behavioral Analysis Unit agents like Samantha Hayes, the investigation often begins somewhere else. Behavior. Every decision a person makes tells a story. Where they choose to go. How they interact with other people. The […]