Dan’s Words Newsletter

You can’t damage your eyesight by looking at the bright side of things.
Hello Friends, 

Thanks to those who read No One is Safe!

The feedback has been motivating! 

Grab a copy. I promise you won’t guess what happens.

True Crime – Familial DNA – 

Each person’s DNA is unique and the reason DNA is powerful evidence. When someone leaves their DNA at a crime scene; they were there.

Though a person’s DNA is one-of-a-kind, the DNA of family members resemble each other. The closer the relationship, for example, parents, the more similar the DNA.  As the distance in relationships grow, say, 2nd cousins, the commonalities lessen, but are still telling.

It’s the way that commercial DNA companies trace your family tree. In some cases, surprising results may upset long held believes. For example, imagine learning you had a sibling for the 1st time.

Looking for similarities, law enforcement is conducting searches, hoping to use the information to identify suspects in current and cold cases.

Two types of searches are possible, one is of the criminal data base.  Using the samples collected from people arrested and those who voluntarily gave police their DNA, officials search to see if the DNA from a crime scene is close to one in the system.

The larger and more controversial pool of DNA records are the genealogy data bases that the public use to find relatives and ancestors. 

In both cases, finding a relative with DNA similarities gives the police something to work with. They can look at the relations of the close match and using standard practices, investigate to see if any of them knew the victim or was in the area, etc.

How is this accomplished? In all DNA, there are genetic markers.  Technicians, focusing on twenty critical markers, run the DNA through software that compares the crime scene DNA against the data base.  

A match on half of the critical markers, strongly suggests a person is the parent, child or sibling of the suspect. Technicians who do the familial searches, provide detectives with a list of matches, starting with the closest relatives.

It should be noted that several DNA services, including 23AndMe and Ancestry, no longer share their data based with the police. 

The inability to access many consumer DNA sites impacts the police’s ability to use this important tool. Familial DNA is also facing opposition from civil libertarians, who are concerned about privacy and racial profiling.

Wine Time – Chianti – A Tuscan Gem. Check it out in Wine Considerations.     Salute!

Deals & Steal deals – Check out these deals & Freebies.

Note – ‘Luca’ books are standalones. You don’t need to start with the 1st one. They’ re also in KindleUnlimited.

No One is Safe : A Luca Mystery Book 15

When the first girl goes missing…

…his initial lead is the perfect lie.

Is this a grand cover-up or a rush to judgment?

With 20 years on the force, Detective Luca has seen much. A rape case and a missing girl investigation land on his desk. Both cases have brought more questions than answers. The rapist has remained at large, but he’s sure they can track him down. The real mystery lies with the missing teenage girl.

Derrick thinks they’re cut and dried.

Luca knows he’s wrong.

The friction between the two of them is a distraction. Luca is sure of one thing; if he doesn’t get to the bottom of the missing girl, he might not find her alive.

The clock ticks.

You’ll love this new Detective Luca mystery because it’s a twisted mix of suspects and deception that will keep you guessing until the end.

Get it now.

The Preserve Killer : A Luca Mystery Book 14

When murder becomes a game…

…there’s only one question.

How many people are playing?

Get it now.

Buried at the Lake: A Luca Mystery Book 13

***WOW. I’m amazed how many people have read this book. It continues to sell very well. Thanks!***

 

The presumption was murder.

Everyone assumed they knew the killer…

…but what if they were wrong about the crime?

Get it now.

Works in Progress

I’m more about 40 thousand words into a new Luca.

The momentum has slowed as I’m deciding on a few more twists.

It may be the last in the series as you know it.  The writing is going well and there are a couple of major plots going on!

Stay tuned!

The best selling Luca Series

Move over Bosch. Make room for Frank Luca. A real life, homicide detective whose obsession is hunting down killers. 

The best selling Luca series has expanded to 15 novels, all stand-alones. (plus a prequel) They are all in KU. 

 Step into Luca’s world.