From Poison to Forensics: The Real-Life Research Behind Fictional Crime

How do you write a frozen corpse in a heated pool and make it believable? What’s the etiquette when cold-calling a forensic entomologist? And how do you stop your own research from hijacking the plot?

In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling mystery author Lee Clark, whose Matthew Paine Mysteries spans spans seven intricately researched novels. We dive into the weird, wonderful, and sometimes disturbing world of crime fiction research from poisons and human trafficking to cold cases and black diamonds.

Lee shares how she turns real-world expertise into gripping plot points, why she’s never afraid to approach a subject matter expert, and what she does when her characters (or her rabbit holes) take the story in unexpected directions. We also talk about writing emotional truth, editing with a scalpel, and the fine line between curiosity and chaos.

Whether you’re writing thrillers, historical fiction, or anything that requires digging into the dark corners of human behaviour, this episode will leave you feeling informed, inspired, and slightly worried about our search histories.