What Bob Siders Taught Me About Justice and Closure
Bob Siders waited twenty years for justice. He never got closure. I met Bob while researching my standalone novel, Hole in the Woods, which was inspired by the real cold case of his daughter, Shannon. In the book, Shannon becomes a girl named Nina Laramie — a high school grad in 1989 who heads […]
A Birthday, a Speakeasy, and Chicago
Bitter & Twisted No, I’m not. Bitter & Twisted is the name of the venue where I’m going to spend my birthday party this year! I decided to celebrate with a 1920s-inspired cocktail party at a speakeasy in Phoenix, low light, whispered conversations, conspiratorial, craft cocktails, and bartenders who look like they know things they’re […]
What’s Coming in 2026: Stories, Courses, and New Adventures
Dear Readers, As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself doing something I rarely do this time of year — slowing down. But not because I planned it. A small medical accident intervened in my life just as the holidays were ramping up in early November. It all began with my new […]
Join Me at the Creepy Book Club Retreat 2026
There’s a certain thrill that comes from gathering with people who love stories that give you chills. The kind of readers who can’t resist a locked-room mystery, a cold case, or a spine-tingling twist. This February 19-21, I’m thrilled to join that kind of community at the Creepy Book Club Retreat 2026, where I’ll […]
Behind the Glam: The Realities of a Writer on the Road
If you picture author travel as a blur of first-class upgrades, luxury hotels, and readings with standing ovations, you’re not alone. But also? You’re not entirely right. Unless you’re an A-list name with a PR team and a publisher footing the bill, most writers are navigating the road in a very different way. That airport […]
Adventures by the Book: Where Readers and Authors Meet (and Magic Happens)
Hi friends, Jennifer here! As you know, connecting with readers is the heartbeat of my work. Whether it’s through my books, events, or forensic storytelling workshops, I love meeting the people who bring my characters and cases to life. That’s why I’m overjoyed to share some big news: I’ve officially partnered with Adventures […]
Bouchercon Confidential: A Mystery Writer’s Guide to the Crime Fiction Event of the Year
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when hundreds of crime writers and mystery lovers descend on a city known for jazz, ghosts, and gumbo, this post is for you. Bouchercon isn’t just a conference. It’s the Super Bowl of the crime fiction world. A place where plot twists spill off the page and into real […]
Raised on Autopsies, Fueled by Stories: How Growing Up Around Death Made Me a Crime Writer
I grew up around the dead. That might sound dramatic, but when your dad is the county medical examiner and his office is set up in your house, it feels a bit like horror movie. I didn’t know that my childhood wasn’t normal. While other kids were watching Saturday morning cartoons, I absorbing kitchen table […]
Jennifer’s Top 5 Crime Reads of the Year
Why We Love The Enduring Power of Crime Fiction There’s something irresistible about a great crime story. Whether it’s the slow-burn tension of a psychological thriller, the methodical unraveling of a detective procedural, or the cozy charm of an amateur sleuth, or a medieval knight solving a historical whodunit, mysteries keep us turning pages late […]
From Page to Screen: Could The Coroner’s Daughter Become a TV Series?
For years, readers have asked me: Could The Coroner’s Daughter become a TV show? As a crime writer and a lifelong lover of forensic dramas, I’d love nothing more than to see Emily Hartford’s world brought to life on screen. The idea of a TV adaptation has been on my mind from the very beginning—because […]
