He Was Not There
He Was Not There by P. D. Workman Coming Soon!
Series: Zachary Goldman Mysteries #6
Genres: Mystery, Mystery/Suspense, Suspense
Store links: Amazon
Goodreads
And then he was gone.
About He Was Not There
Zachary Goldman just wants to put everything that happened to him that night at the hands of a monster behind him forever. But when Heather, his estranged sister, asks for his help in bringing her own rapist to justice, there is no way he can turn her down.
The case is cold, three decades ago. Heather never saw her attacker’s face, as he was wearing a mask. At the time, the police did everything they could, but there have been new advancements in technology and Zachary hopes to turn up something he can use to solve the case.
Somehow, he needs to find a way to finally bring Heather some peace, even when it means dealing with his own painful memories.
Sample coming
Coming soon
+ Praise for Zachary Goldman Mysteries
— an amazing and suspenseful story. It carries you away into a psychological tailspin that keeps you going in so many different directions.
— A really good piece of detective fiction with some novel and original features which keep the reader guessing until the last few pages.
— I love the way the investigation plays out…very interesting. That is done very well. It held my interest. I very much wanted to find out the outcome…
— Very well written. [Zachary] is flawed with a capital F … In spite of his problems, he is a very sympathetic character and doggedly pursues the truth.
— [She Wore Mourning] made for a pleasant read while presenting an interesting story.
— What a great story. Fabulous plot with interesting and complex characters. I was totally involved into the wee hours. Many twists and left waiting until the end. Highly recommended
— Wow! I just finished it. In one day! I could not stop reading it! This book grabs hold of you from the start. It’s a very well written detective novel. It pulls you not the story and is very emotional. You feel for the characters. This is the first novel I have read by this author but it will not be my last. I highly recommend this book.
+ Author's Note
Author’s Notes may contain spoilers
I bought my son a DNA test kit for Christmas to help him to learn about his ancestry and possibly track down some biological relatives. At the same time as I was brainstorming ideas for the next Zachary Goldman book, I was also doing a deep dive into the subject of DNA testing, familial matches, what DNA could tell you about your health, etc.
There was a furor in the news over using partial/familial matches on genealogical databases or police databases to find the blood relatives of suspects and then using genealogical research to identify the perpetrator. Genealogical database companies were being forced to consider privacy issues, and police/government authorities to consider the ethics and the dependability of the science behind familial matches. It was a great time to be thinking about using DNA to solve cold cases. So it was only natural that Zachary Goldman would be hired on to solve a cold case murder of his own. The laws in Vermont (they always seem to be a little bit different in Vermont…) threw some additional wrenches into the works!
Since this was a cold case, I also ended up doing a lot of research into the ways that sexual assault laws have changed over the decades, along with attitudes and treatment of the victims and “rape culture” of the eighties. And, of course, into how DNA science has progressed since that time and how thousands of untested sexual assault kits are now being processed (or not.)
History of DNA/Rape kit testing
Rape kits were first proposed (by a woman) in the early 1970s. They were standardized later in the 70s as the “Vitullo Evidence Collection Kit.” This was before DNA testing could be done. They could do ABO and serological testing of blood and visual comparison of hairs and fibers.
DNA evidence first went to court in 1986 in England and 1987 in USA. It did not gain full acceptance until 1997. CODIS became operational in 1998.
38 states now mandate “all felons” DNA databases, where convicted felons must submit a DNA sample.
The first “cold hit” conviction, where no suspect has been identified, but samples from a crime scene submitted to the local, state or federal DNA database result in a match from a previously convicted offender, occurred in 2002.
As far as I can see, the first time familial DNA matches were used to identify suspects which led to arrests/convictions was 2017.
As this technology has matured, it was discovered that there were tens of thousands of rape kits across the USA that have never been DNA tested, and many had, in fact, been destroyed. Some rape kits were destroyed within days of being taken without any testing ever being done. Others were destroyed a few months or years later, while the statute of limitations clock was still ticking. Some departments had a six-month destruction policy.
Untested kits that are still in existence are now in the process of being tested, and the laws are in flux as policymakers try to enact new laws to prevent rape kits from being destroyed and to mandate DNA testing.
+ Book Club Resources
Pinterest Board: Mental Illness
DNA Search Method that Caught Golden State Killer No Longer Available
Should familial DNA searching be legal in all 50 states?
The citizen scientist who finds killers from her couch
How the U.S. Ended Up With 400,000 Untested Rape Kits
Destroyed: How the trashing of rape kits failed victims and jeopardizes public safety
Recovering from Rape and Sexual Trauma
Male Survivors of Sexual Assault Face Unique Challenges to Recovery
What It Was Like To Report Sexual Harrassment & Rape in the 1980’s
The story behind the first rape kit
+ Praise for P.D. Workman
“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”
“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”
“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”
“I’ll read anything by P. D. Workman that I can get my hands on.”
“Every book by PD Workman that I’ve read has been a gripping one, however different the genres are, going from lighter mysteries to really dark ones… this is one of my favourite, most dependable authors.”
“P.D. Workman is an incredibly versatile writer. No matter which of her books I read I am drawn into a great story and honestly, I don’t think I’ve followed another author that could go from cozy mystery to YA to a PI series dealing with mental health issues. Really enjoy her books!”
+ He Was Not There on my Blog
Her Work was Everything
He Was Not There
New releases! June, Into the Light, and more
They Thought He was Safe
Excerpt from Gatefather
Looking toward the light
Excerpt from Every Breath You Take
Gem, Himself, Alone and a round-up of free goodies!
Do No Harm and other New Releases
Excerpt from Two Kinds of Truth
Christmas in July!
Fresh new releases—Gem Himself Alone and more
Excerpt from I’ve Got my Eyes on You
Freebie Round-up Vegan Baked Alaska and More Summer Reading
Excerpt from Dangerous Minds
Summer writing
Books for your birthday
Books for PTSD Awareness Day
Enjoy Vegan Baked Alaska and these other great reads!
Father’s Day Books and Deals
Excerpt from Golden Prey
Ann Hunter’s runaway new YA book
June freebie round-up – Apple-achian Treasure and more
Excerpt from Beautiful Boy
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About P. D. Workman
P.D. (Pamela) Workman writes riveting mystery/suspense and young adult books dealing with mental illness, addiction, abuse, and other real-life issues. For as long as she can remember, the blank page has held an incredible allure and from a very young age she was trying to write her own books.
Workman wrote her first complete novel at the age of twelve and continued to write as a hobby for many years. She started publishing in 2015. She has won several literary awards from Library Services for Youth in Custody for her young adult fiction. She made the USA Today Bestseller list in 2019. She currently has over 40 published titles and can be found at pdworkman.com.
Born and raised in Alberta, Workman has been married for over 25 years and has one son.
