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 […]
Building Willow Creek
Every mystery needs a setting. But the best mysteries give readers a place they never want to leave. When I first imagined the Willow Creek Mystery series, I knew I wanted the town to be more than a backdrop for a murder investigation. I wanted it to feel like a place where you could spend […]
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 Claire Can’t Walk Away from a Mystery
One of the questions I’ve been thinking about while planning Secrets and Scones is a simple one. Why does Claire keep getting involved? After all, she’s not a police officer. She’s not a private investigator. She owns a bakery. Most people would probably stay as far away from a murder investigation as possible. Claire never […]
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 […]
Coming Home to Willow Creek
Over the past several months, I’ve spent a lot of time in San Diego alongside Samantha Hayes, following clues, building behavioral profiles, and trying to stay one step ahead of a killer. As much as I love writing psychological thrillers, there’s something special about returning to Willow Creek. It feels a little like coming home. […]
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 […]
Inside the Storyboard: Building Secrets and Scones
Claire’s Corner Inside the Storyboard: Building Secrets and Scones One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “How do you come up with your mysteries?” The truth is, they rarely begin with the crime. For Secrets and Scones, everything started with a single question: What if Claire Anderson had the chance to finish the […]
The Next Mystery Is Beginning…
Claire Anderson thought the biggest challenge this summer would be keeping up with the bakery. Then a family tubing trip changes everything. When Jordan discovers a human bone along the riverbank, a decades-old mystery resurfaces, pulling Willow Creek into an investigation no one expected. As Claire searches for answers alongside Sheriff Pete Croft, Deputy Hannah […]