Jess is an Amazon Charts bestselling, ITW, Anthony and 2023 Minnesota Book Award-winning author who's also been shortlisted for Edgar and Agatha awards. She writes crime fiction, nonfiction, children's books, YA adventure, and magical realism.  She is also a retired professor of creative writing and sociology, a recipient of The Loft's Excellence in Teaching fellowship, a Psychology Today blogger, and a TEDx presenter (check out her TEDx Talk about inspiration behind her first published novel).  When she’s not leading women's writing retreats, reading, traveling, or fostering kittens, Jess Lourey is drafting her next story. She lives in Minnesota, where twenty-three of her books are also set.  Jess Lourey shares some backstory on her crime fiction: “I grew up in St. Cloud, MN, in the ‘70s, at a time where there were at least two serial killers operating in my neighborhood. We then moved to Paynesville, MN in the ‘80s, when eight boys were abducted and returned in this small town, leading up to the murder of Jacob Wetterling, an eleven-year-old boy who lived nearby. There was so much violence all around me. My entire childhood, I saw women and children being harmed and not much in the way of justice or accountability. That has left an indelible mark on me, and in my thrillers, I strive to give a voice and perspective to those who are hurt.”  This book will be a favorite of true crime lovers as will this interview! Don't miss it!