This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Graeser Dornbush to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Hole in the Woods, which is out now through Ally Press! Hole in the Woods was inspired by the 1989 true-life murder case of Shannon Siders in Newaygo County, Michigan that was solved after a cold case team was formed in 2011 and ultimately arrested, tried and convicted the killers in 2015. Jennifer uses her training in forensics to create a realistic portrayal of a criminal investigation and the level of work it takes to close cold cases. Hole in the Woods blends fiction with real-world forensics to create an emotional story about the quest for justice for victims of violent crime. Jennifer has teamed up with The Cold Case Foundation and a percentage of Hole in the Woods sales will go to the foundation.
Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about her background and her first investigation at age 8, early forensic science, processing the horrors of true crime, HOLE IN THE WOODS, the impact of the Shannon Siders case, the nature vs nurture debate, the forensics academy, consulting on TV, The Cold Case Foundation, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Jennifer. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!