Laura Griffin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She started her career as a reporter, first working for college papers then covering the education beat in Chicago. Though her research has shifted to novel-writing, her fiction takes readers deeper with her knack for getting to the heart of a story.

The Last Close Call

The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin

Rowan is a ground-breaking DNA researcher who has stepped away from helping the police in lieu of supporting adoptees in finding their family of orgin. Jack is a skilled detective, haunted. but the case he can’t solve. When it appears the elusive and meticulous West Campus Rapist’s attacks are escalating, the two must partner up to find the assailant.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What makes a great thriller in your opinion?

A great thriller should take you on a fast-paced, high-stakes journey. It can be a psychological journey (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn springs to mind), or maybe an action-packed quest (like Angels & Demons by Dan Brown). But the key is that something important is at stake and there is usually a ticking clock.

You worked as a journalist and noted this gives you a lot of inspiration for your books. What are some recent news stories that got your fiction wheels turning?

It’s been fascinating to see how genetic genealogists are helping police solve some of their toughest cases, including the case of the Golden State Killer in California and, more recently, the murder of a group of university students in Idaho. Across the country, genetic genealogy is turning police investigations upside-down as more and more departments enlist the help of genetic genealogists. These cases inspired my new book, The Last Close Call, about a genetic genealogist in Austin, Texas.

You write at a very prolific pace, what do you think helps you produce books at this rate?

I got my writing start as a newspaper reporter, and I think the fast pace of the newsroom is ingrained in me.

It seems you’ve done a ton of interesting trainings/ride-alongs to bring authenticity to your police procedurals. What was one of your favorite research experiences?

While writing a book about a forensic anthropologist, I visited a place known as “The Body Ranch,” a research facility in central Texas where scientists study bones and human decomposition. The place is a bit gruesome but so much interesting research is happening there, and the location helped inspire the Delphi Center in my Tracers series.

What was the last book you read where the twist took you by surprise?

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

What are some of your favorite books for “spooky reading season”?

Lucy Foley has such a gift for creating dark and mysterious settings, whether it’s a windswept Irish island (The Guest List) or the Scottish Highlands (The Hunting Party).

Share a few books that you feel have shaped you as an author!

Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series helped spark my interest in forensics. I love how she weaves scientific details into her stories. And Nora Roberts showed me how effective it is to have a relationship at the heart of any story.

Can you give us a preview of what you’re working on now?

I am putting the finishing touches on Liar’s Point, the new book in my Texas Murder Files series. This novel is a romantic thriller set on the Texas Gulf Coast—one of my very favorite places. I just saw the cover art for this one, and I’m so excited about it! Liar’s Point comes out in May of 2024.