Welcome to Hemlock Investigations, where I explore the shadowy corners of Christian fiction—chasing motives, unraveling mysteries, and shining light into the darkest parts of storytelling. This blog brings together high-stakes stories threaded with hope, grounded in faith, and fueled by the truth that darkness never gets the final word.

How Real-Life Cold Cases Inspire Suspense Fiction
And how Appalachian mysteries shaped one of my own stories There is something uniquely haunting about a cold case. Unlike crimes that end with arrests and answers, cold cases linger. They settle into a place. They root themselves into families, landscapes, and local memory. In small towns—especially in Appalachian communities—the past doesn’t drift away. It stays close. It’s told and retold. It’s felt in what people avoid, what they protect, and what they never quite stop waiting to understand. That reality is what continues to draw me to cold cases... Read more...
Romans 12:21 in Action: Fighting Fictional Crime with Courage and Conviction
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”— Romans 12:21 Crime fiction has always been fascinated with darkness. Murder, betrayal, corruption, and cruelty sit at the heart of the genre, daring readers to look directly at humanity’s worst impulses. Yet Christian suspense approaches this darkness differently. It does not deny evil’s existence, nor does it soften its consequences—but it refuses to let evil have the final word. Romans 12:21 offers a powerful lens through which to understand why Christian crime fiction matters and how it functions: Do... Read more...
When Light Confronts Evil: How Christian Fiction Tackles Crime Without Glorifying Darkness
Welcome back to the blog, friends.If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love stories that walk straight into the shadows—but never lose sight of the Light. As a Christian romantic suspense and mystery author, I’m constantly balancing real danger with real hope. Crime fiction can easily drift into glorifying darkness, but Christian fiction has a different mission. We confront evil to expose it—not elevate it—and to remind readers that God’s truth still breaks through every lie. Today I want to talk about how Christian crime and... Read more...
Top Christian Suspense Novels That Nail High Tension and High Hope
Christian suspense thrives on that rare balance of pulse-spiking danger and unwavering hope. It’s the genre where darkness presses in, secrets twist tighter, and yet faith keeps the path lit. If you love stories that grip your nerves while strengthening your spirit, these novels deliver that perfect fusion of high tension and high hope. Read more...