A Walk on the Wild Side - ASU's student crime scene lab EEK by Pamela Tracy

I'm lucky enough to belong to a fabulous RWA group called Desert Rose.  This past Saturday we had an excursion to a student crime scene lab. When it was first announced, my hand was in the air.  I love, love, love romantic suspense.

Yes, I know, crime scene and romance not necessarily two words that go together.  But, think of Turner and Hooch, Castle, etc.

Here's a big thank you to Kim and Leslie Jones for introducing the greater Phoenix romance authors to Kimberly Kobojeck, who stood at the door like a spider and said, "Come into my web.  I'll hook you."  Er, she didn't really say that, but I'm a writer so took a little liberty.

Just inside the door we are welcomed
by one of Kobojeck's contemporaries

Soon, we are at a crime scene.
There are lots of clues.
We see pills - was it an overdose.
We see a glove - who left it behind, was the victim smothered.
We see blood spatter (Yes, it is spatter, not splatter) on the lamp shade.
And, then, there's the baseball bat.

Blood is everywhere
And so is the crime lab technician

Did you know that if there's blood spatter on the wall
And the guilty party paints over it
It will still be found.
Oh, yeah.
And, the piece of wood with all the spots...
Well, it's paint - latex, primer, base coat, etc

Fingerprints are an amazing thing.
John Dillinger tried to get rid of his.
Even twins do not have the same.
And, now there's something about the indentations on your ears being individual
But really, now that we have DNA testing, do we really need all the above.
Oh, yeah

Here we have a few Desert Rosers, ready to solve the crime!

Pamela Tracy's favorites genre to write is suspense.
Go figure.
Her next is The Soldier's Valentine.
It's heavy on romance, though.
And light on suspense.
But, the suspense is there.
Just no crime scene.
This time.