Some stories choose you.
That was the case with my true crime thriller, Hole in the Woods. It wasn’t a story I set out to write. It wasn’t one I brainstormed over coffee or outlined neatly on a whiteboard.
It was a story that lived in me for decades. A story I carried long before I ever realized I would write it.
Because Hole in the Woods is based on a real murder case—one I had a deeply personal connection to. The real life rape and murder case of Shannon Siders haunted my hometown, shook my community, and changed the lives of so many people I grew up with.
It was a case that took 25 years to solve.
Who Was Shannon Siders?
In July 1989, 18-year-old Shannon Siders was like any other small-town girl looking for adventure. It was summer in Newaygo County, Michigan, and she wanted to spend a night out with friends.
She never made it home.
For months, her disappearance was a mystery—until October, when a hunter stumbled across her remains in a remote wooded area.
It didn’t take long for investigators to determine what had happened: Shannon had been brutally beaten to death. But finding her killers? That was another story.
And that’s where my personal connection begins.
My Connection to the Case
I grew up in Fremont, Michigan, just a few miles from Shannon’s house. We were the same age—even though we didn’t go to the same schools, she was a girl I might have seen hanging around the ice cream shop we all went to, or the library, or park.
When her remains were found, my father was the medical examiner who performed her death investigation.
At the time, I was just a teenager, and though my dad never went into graphic detail, I knew enough. I knew Shannon’s death had been violent. I knew her father, Bob Siders, was devastated. I knew there were multiple suspects but no proof to implicate anyone.
And I knew that justice—if it ever came—wouldn’t be swift.
For years, her case went cold.
No arrests.
No closure.
No answers.
But Shannon wasn’t forgotten. Not by her family. Not by her community. And certainly not by me or my family.
25 Years of Waiting for Justice
For over two decades, Shannon’s murder remained a mystery.
Her father, Bob, never gave up hope. He kept her story alive, pushed for answers, and fought for justice.
Then, in 2011, there was a breakthrough. A cold case team reopened the investigation, re-interviewing witnesses, reviewing forensic evidence, and piecing together what had really happened that night in 1989.
By 2014, arrests were made.
Paul and Matthew Jones—brothers who had been on investigators’ radar since the beginning—were charged with Shannon’s murder.
And in 2015, the case went to trial.
By this time, I was no longer a teenager hearing about the case from my father—I was a crime writer. And I knew I had to be there.
I spent three weeks in the courtroom, logging 80+ hours of trial research, taking notes, and listening as forensic experts, attorneys, friends, family, and two eye witnesses painted a picture of what really happened that night.
Justice was finally served. Both men were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
But even as the verdict was read, I knew:
This wasn’t just a true crime story.
This was a story about perseverance, about hope, about a father who never stopped fighting for his daughter. And about a team of crime fighters and investigators who dug relentlessly for the truth.
It was a story I needed to tell.
Why I Wrote Hole in the Woods
I didn’t want to write a true crime book. There were already several TV documentaries produced on her case.
I wanted to write a novel—one that would bring readers deep into the emotional heart of the case, not just the facts. One that would show how crime and the pursuit of the truth ripples through families, communities, and even investigators.
Most importantly, I wanted to write a book that wasn’t just about darkness—but about light, resilience, and the human spirit.
That’s why I created the heroine Detective Riley St. James, a 30-something Detroit detective navigating her own past traumas while solving a fictionalized version of Shannon’s case. St. James is the perfect protagonist for this story because she, too, has been a victim of violent crime and hasn’t gotten justice for the wrongs done against her. Probably never will.
This story became a way to explore the long-term impact of violent crime—how it changes survivors, investigators, and entire communities.
St James’ journey mirrors what so many people involved in real-life investigations go through—the doubt, the determination, the gut-wrenching reality of chasing justice, and the hope that even in tragedy, something good can still emerge.
The Heart of the Story: It’s About More Than Just Crime
Hole in the Woods is a suspense thriller that embodies so much more than a whodunnit.
It’s about justice—solving a cold case and making two killers pay for what they did.
It’s about forensic science—the clues, the evidence, the process of uncovering the truth.
It’s about the long fight for answers—what it takes to solve a case decades later.
But underneath?
But at its core, Hole in the Woods asks one of the biggest questions we all face in life:
How do we find hope after suffering?
For Shannon’s father, hope meant never giving up the fight for justice.
For the investigators, hope meant believing in the case—even 25 years later.
For St. James hope means fighting for another’s justice and letting go of one’s past wounds, finding forgiveness of oneself, and allowing a space for inner healing to take place.
It’s about the power of forgiveness, the resilience of love, and the courage to demand justice, even when the odds feel impossible.
The Writing Process: Blending Fact with Fiction
To bring this story to life, I combined:
Extensive courtroom research – I attended the full 2015 trial, taking detailed notes on the proceedings, the arguments, and the emotions in the room.
Real forensic science – My background in forensics helped me ensure the details were accurate and reflected real investigative work.
Interviews with investigators, forensic experts, and people close to
Shannon’s case – I wanted to understand not just the facts, but the human impact of the crime.
Emotional truth – I fictionalized elements of the story to explore the lasting impact of trauma, the complexities of investigations, the price of justice, and the resilience of those left behind.
But perhaps the most important part of this process was working with Shannon’s father, Bob. He gave his blessing for this book, and his unwavering fight for justice became the heart of the story. Bob’s courage, strength, and love for his daughter shaped the way I approached Hole in the Woods. His belief in seeing justice done—despite decades of waiting—is something I will never forget.
I hope this story brings honor to Shannon’s memory while sharing a story that resonates far beyond the horror of the crime. No matter how dark things seem, justice and hope are always worth fighting for. No case should be forgotten. No victim should be silenced. And no fight for truth is ever wasted.
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