My new release, Blood Trails, deals with the subject of DNA. The series stars Michael Flint, Heir Hunter. You’ve heard of ancestry.com, right? The website traces relatives, finding connections to people you didn’t know existed or — in the mind of this mystery writer — people who have gone missing. My new Heir Hunter series works […]
Tag Archives | DNA
Bad News For Criminals Who Left DNA Behind
The science news I’m about to tell you about is really, really bad news for criminals who haven’t been caught yet. Imagine there was a break-in at your home, and all the burglar left behind was a drop of blood. Scientists are now fine-tuning technology that would allow them to create a computer-constructed image of the […]
How a Vacuum Solved a Utah Cold Case
I’ve done a lot of research on the topic of DNA as a mystery and thriller writer, and because of my background as an attorney. Just when you think you know everything a writer needs to know about DNA, you find another fascinating morsel. Let me preface by saying that DNA can be unreliable. In my […]
My Worlds Are Colliding!
As a crime fiction author and lawyer, DNA is involved in a lot of what I’m thinking and writing about all the time. DNA especially took the spotlight in my Thriller Award Finalist novel Jack and Joe, which explores the connections between Jack Reacher and Joe Reacher. Since then, I’ve been blogging occasionally about true […]
Who’s Your Blue-Eyed Mommy?
Lee Child and Jack Reacher and I have blue eyes. Do you? If you have blue eyes, we might be cousins. Who knew, right? A recent study, reported by LiveScience.com, claims that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. “[W]e can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor,” Eiberg said. […]
True Crime: Sweatshirt DNA Releases Father of Family Murders
As a mystery and thriller writer, my books require extensive research on DNA. DNA is so packed with data that it’s no surprise DNA has been the key to solving countless mysteries. But DNA isn’t always the whole story, is it? And you know I’m interested in justice, because of my background as a lawyer, and as a human […]
Owl or Lark? Why It’s Okay to NOT Be A Morning Person
When do you do your best work? For me, it’s any time AFTER morning. Or, as my friend Lee Child famously said, “Nothing of value happens before noon.” I totally agree! Does this make me a bad person? Does it mean I’m lazy or weak? Of course not! It’s just that we owls operate a […]
10 Years Later, Orlando’s Jennifer Kesse Still Missing
Writing about both central Florida and the DNA’s role in solving crimes this week, I was reminded of Jennifer Kesse, a well-known missing person’s case out of Orlando that I’ve blogged about before. This January (2016) marked the 10-year anniversary of 24-year-old Kesse’s disappearance. Are you familiar with the case? Her family works hard to keep […]
5 Recent, Weird, and TRUE Pieces of DNA News
As a crime writer, I love DNA to the moon and back. Seriously— DNA is so valuable for clues and evidence in the books I write, I don’t know what I’d do without it. Well, no one would exist without it. But you know what I mean. DNA is frequently the subject of mind-bending news […]
Your Memories Might Not Be As Private As You Thought
I’m fascinated by DNA. It answers so many questions about our origins and development. To me, DNA proves that nature trumps nurture, almost every time. Do events shape us or do we shape our world by who we are and how we engage? You probably can guess which way I’m leaning. Doing research for my most […]
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