Nathan Dylan Goodwin is a well-established author in the wide field of genealogy crime novels. I’ll cover some of his other novels at a later date.
The Chester Creek Murders was a new departure for him as it forayed into the investigative genetic genealogy field combined with policing, as a US police detective hires a firm of genetic genealogists called Venator to help solve 3 cold case murders. The author did a lot of research for this novel and the methodology employed can be used by anyone looking to track down an unknown DNA match. You wouldn’t think people writing names on coloured post-its would be so exciting (as they trace closer and closer ancestors to the killer), but I found it hard to put down.
This riveting (if you like genetic genealogy!) read can certainly help you escape the world for a while. My only issue with escape level is that the novel is set in the early stages of 2020 so Covid creeps into the story. I like to pretend, at least when I’m reading for pleasure, that it doesn’t exist.
Good news is that this book is the first in a series so they’ll be back for more cold case before long. I’m already looking forward to it.
Loved this story too!