If someone had asked me years ago what career I might choose if writing didn’t exist, my answer probably would have surprised them.
Because instead of something predictable…
I would probably have become a medical examiner.
Yes. The person who investigates how people die.
Before you start backing away slowly, hear me out.
Medical examiners do something incredibly important. They are the professionals responsible for determining the cause of death in cases where the answer isn’t immediately obvious. They examine evidence, analyze injuries, and piece together the final moments of a person’s life.
In other words, they solve mysteries.
And if you’ve read any psychological thrillers, you already know writers love mysteries.
There’s something fascinating about the process of uncovering the truth when the answer isn’t immediately visible. Medical examiners rely on observation, logic, and careful attention to detail. Every clue matters.
Every detail tells a story.
That’s not all that different from writing suspense.
In psychological thrillers, the writer becomes a kind of investigator as well. We examine motives, behavior, secrets, and contradictions. We ask uncomfortable questions about what really happened and why.
Just like forensic investigators, writers spend a lot of time asking:
What actually happened here?
And perhaps more importantly:
What is someone trying to hide?
Both professions revolve around uncovering the truth.
Of course, writing psychological thrillers has one major advantage.
No lab coat required.
And fortunately for the world, my investigations now happen entirely on the page.
But I’ll admit something.
Whenever I read about forensic science, medical examiners, or the strange details investigators use to reconstruct a story from physical evidence…
I still find it fascinating.
Writers are curious people by nature.
Some of us are simply curious about slightly darker things than others.
Case closed… until the next Kross Examination.