Jennifer Chase's Blog, page 38

The Story Begins…

The EMILY STONE SERIES wasn’t something that I initially planned in the beginning – at least not consciously anyway. In fact, I was planning on some spinoff stories with some of the other characters. I guess it’s safe to say that I wasn’t prepared for the continuing adventures, not only for Emily Stone, but for myself as well. It evolved quickly and I’ve never regretted my choice. I can’t express how thankful and appreciative I am that so many readers have enjoyed the series. Writing for Emil...

What Do Crime Scene Characteristics Really Mean?

Crime scene characteristics are extremely important to all criminal investigations, especially homicides and serial crimes. After the forensic analysis of the physical evidence found at the crime scene is completed and the victimology is established, then the task of determining the specific characteristics of the crime scene begins.

This is the most interesting part of the investigative process of finding out who committed the crime and why. It definitely piques my interest and it is one of t...

Thriller Thursday – A PERFECT SETUP from Douglas Wickard #NewRelease

It’s that time again! I love Thriller Thursday, what can I say? I thought it was appropriate to announce the second Sami Saxton novel by Author Douglas Wickard. Now on to the Q&A with Author Wickard…

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1. If a world disaster was eminent, how would Sami Saxton prepare for the inevitable?

Have a Sami martini, frozen vodka right from the freezer, no vermouth, and call it a day! Probably, two!

2. How do you get into the head of Sami?

She gets into mine. Sami can be VERY persistent.

3. How would you b...

Gunshot Residue Creates an Impression

Gunshot residue or GSR is an important component to any homicide crime scene involving the discharge of a firearm. It tells a story. The big question is how accurate is the story and is it retold correctly. As they say, some evidence may not be what it seems. The best place to start is at the beginning of course.

First, a little background on GSR. What exactly is it? GSR is categorized as trace evidence and it is made up of the compounds lead, barium, and antimony. When someone fires a gun the...

Getting to Know a Serial Killer Hunter EMILY STONE

It’s been extremely difficult and even a little bit dangerous, but I’ve managed to track vigilante detective Emily Stone down to ask her a few questions. It seems that she is always on a case and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Can you blame her? After all, she does investigate covertly and right under law enforcement’s noses. It is not unusual that she has stared directly into the eyes of a serial killer.

I’ve been asked some interesting questions from readers that only she can answer. I had to...

DEAD BURN Now Available in Paperback

“It’s a good day to live.” ~ EMILY STONE

SYNOPSIS:

Terrified California residents face the shocking dilemma of yet another serial killer roaming freely in their neighborhoods. However, this time it is an evolving serial killer anomaly that relentlessly searches for, hunts down, and ingeniously traps his victims before unleashing his fiery rage. Always two steps ahead of the cops and fire investigators, the killer hones in on the next sinful target leaving a trail of bones and ashes behind as ev...

Choose Your Words Carefully

When you’re writing about a special moment in a novel, such as a harrowing escape or a tender love scene, do you write whatever moods strikes you or do you choose your words carefully? In other words, do you wrangler your words together with extreme care or just sling them onto the page?

We have an amazing language with an abundance of words. In fact, people who learn English as a second or even a third language often comment that we have so many words to learn and some have several meanings a...

Can You Tell a Lie and Not Get Caught?

Years ago, I had an interview with a police department for a forensic position. I had already been fingerprinted, interviewed by the supervisor, had an in-depth background meeting with the background investigators trying to catch me in a lie from my thirty plus page application of my background, and the investigator even visited my home. I still wasn’t done with the interview process yet! The final phase of the interview was the infamous lie detector test.

I’m a fairly easy-going, straight to...

COLLATERAL DAMAGE Excerpt Blog Tour with Frederick Lee Brooke

It’s Thriller Thursday! Please welcome friend and fellow author Frederick Lee Brooke and one kick-ass heroine Annie Ogden in Collateral Damage. How could I resist? I’m honored to be a part of the tour.

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Win a $25 Amazon gift card AND a signed paperback edition of any book by Frederick Lee Brooke!

To win, all you have to do is visit every blog on the 26-day Collateral Damage Excerpt Tour and leave a comment showing that you read the excerpt. That’s it! See the blog list and join the tour …

Mond...

Gather Around and Discover the Impression Evidence at the Crime Scene

“There is no branch of detective science that is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps.”

This was simply stated by the fictional detective character, Sherlock Holmes from A Study in Scarlet written in 1881.

How important is impression evidence?

The short answer: It is extremely important to any crime scene investigation.

I find the various types of impression evidence to be a fascinating study. This is the one area, with exception to the study of the psychological asp...