What Supernatural and Real Crime Have in Common

At first glance, the supernatural and true crime seem completely different. One deals with what can’t be seen. The other with what can be proven. But the longer I write both . . . the more they begin to look the same.

I think this is because at their core, both are about the same questions:

• Why do people do what they do?

• What pushes someone across a line?

• And what does it take to come back?

In real crime, those answers are grounded in evidence. In supernatural stories, they’re explored through influence--diabolical or otherwise. But the tension is identical. Both worlds deal with unseen forces--not always spiritual.

Sometimes true crime deals with psychological forces. These can be every bit as powerful as unseen spiritual forces. Sometimes true crime deals with emotional forces--and we all know how strong those can be. Sometimes true crime is rooted in history, pressure, or fear--all very valid and powerful sources of force.

What looks like a single moment—a crime, a decision, an act—Is almost never just that. It’s the result of everything that came before.

That’s why I write both.

Because whether the story is grounded in reality or touched by the supernatural . . . it’s still about the same thing: The choices people make—and what shapes them before they ever realize they’re choosing.

In the Shadow of Angels deals with both true crime and the supernatural. As you read it, think about how powerful both forces can be . . . and you'll see why I chose to include them in the story. The same can be said for In the Realm of Angels and In the Dreams of Angels.

My new St. Augustine Series, which I have already started and hope to have out next year, will explore these themes even further. While the supernatural is absent from my Savannah series, the other forces are there.

If you want to know why--you have to look at these things. The truth is never as simple as we think.

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