Writing the Keegan Series: More Than Just Murder



When I started writing the Keegan series, I didn’t set out to write just another detective story. The world has plenty of those—sharp-jawed sleuths brooding over whiskey, twisted killers taunting police with cryptic riddles. What I wanted was something different. Not a story about murder, but a story about people.

Sure, homicide is the catalyst. It kicks things into motion, forces my characters into late nights, bad coffee, and moral dilemmas that don’t wrap up neatly by the last chapter. But at its core, the Keegan series is about the impact of crime—on the victims, the families, and most of all, the people who investigate it.

The Keegan Difference: Humor, Introspection, and Family (the Found and the Stubbornly Sticking-Around Kind)

John Keegan isn’t your typical detective. He’s sharp, yes. Persistent, absolutely. But he’s also tired in a way that isn’t just about long hours and cold cases. He’s a man constantly processing the world around him, trying to make sense of both the crimes he investigates and the relationships that define him. And the way he protects himself? Sarcasm, a well-timed eye roll, and an unwillingness to admit he cares as much as he does.

That balance—humor and introspection—is what sets the Keegan series apart. These books aren’t bleak for the sake of being bleak. They acknowledge the weight of what’s happening, but they also find moments of light in the absurdity of life. The banter between Keegan and his longtime partner Karl Lavin isn’t just filler; it’s survival. The way Pauline, Keegan’s wife and an undercover officer in her own right, calls him out on his nonsense isn’t just entertaining—it’s the heart of their relationship.

And speaking of relationships, the Keegan series is built on them. These aren’t just coworkers who happen to share a case file. They’re people who have spent years in each other’s lives, for better or worse. They fight, they push each other’s buttons, but when things get dark, they show up. Readers don’t just follow along for the mysteries—they come back for the people. Because over time, these characters start to feel like friends, like family, or at the very least, like people you’ve known for a long time.

Detective Work as a Mirror for Human Nature

In a way, every murder case in the Keegan series is just an excuse to dig into people. To see what makes them tick, what they hide, and what they’re willing to do when backed into a corner. Every suspect, every witness, every grieving family member is carrying something, and the investigation isn’t just about catching a killer—it’s about uncovering those truths.

And the detectives? They’re not immune to that scrutiny either. The job wears on them, changes them. Every crime scene leaves a mark, every decision haunts them in ways they don’t always admit. The real story isn’t just about solving the case—it’s about what that process reveals, about both the people involved and the ones trying to make sense of it all.

Why Readers Keep Coming Back

If you’re looking for a series that’s all about puzzle-solving, Keegan’s cases will give you that. But if you want something more—characters that stay with you, relationships that evolve, moments that feel all too human—that’s what truly defines these books.

Because at the end of the day, the Keegan series isn’t about murder. It’s about the people caught in its wake. And more than that, it’s about the ones who can’t look away.

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