Follow Me Home: Interview with Sheriff Jenna Alton

‘Wow this book was amazing… totally thrilling and had me hanging on to every word… leaves you wanting more… Well worth 5 stars, in fact I wish I could give it more.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars

Her bare arms are scratched and bleeding as she runs through the forest. The light fades behind her but she must keep running. She knows what will happen to her if she stops… 

The body of Amos Price lies in a pool of blood on the polished floor of an otherwise empty house in the small town of Black Rock Falls. With no signs of a break in, and no clues left at the scene, Detective Jenna Alton is at a loss.

But as the team begins to unpick the life of the reclusive victim, they discover a disturbing link between Amos and the disappearance of several young girls in the county going back years.

Days later, Ely Dorsey’s body is found in a remote motel on the outskirts of town. Jenna fears not only that the murders are connected to the missing girls, but that the killer hasn’t finished yet.

As Jenna tries to work out who will be next, the killer suddenly starts sending her deputy, David Kane, messages. Is she being taunted? Or does the murderer want to be caught? And will Jenna discover who’s behind these killings before more people die?

An absolutely nail-biting thriller with plenty of twists, Follow Me Home is perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott.

e-book, paperback and audio.
Buy link: myBook.to/FMHSocial

DK: Please welcome Sheriff Jenna Alton from Black Rock Falls.

Jenna: Morning. Before we start, I’m sure you had a good reason to write about such a controversial subject can you explain.

DK: My aim was to bring awareness to the dangers children face from pedophiles. Monsters hide in so many places and can be people you trust.  They lurk where children frequent, and are most dangerous on online, games rooms, chat rooms and message apps posing as kids.  

Jenna: I see but as sheriff, you placed me in a difficult position. No one should take the law into their own hands, or we would all be out killing murderers. On the other hand, I could see how someone abused as a child would want to seek revenge.

DK: The vigilante represents the anger in children murdered or ignored. The shouting out from the grave for justice, if you like. Someone has to speak out for them. I was surprised how many people ignore the fact that child abuse is rampant in our society. They turn away as if the word ‘pedophilia’ is a swear word or if they ignore what's happening, it will go away. In the news recently, a young girl was suffering abuse, she told her teacher on more than one occasion and they did nothing. The monsters murdered her.

Jenna: Yeah during our investigation, we met up with a whole lot of hostility from victims of abuse. They had asked for help at the time and their parents were too ashamed to report the incident or refused to believe it could happen.

DK: Exactly.  How did you handle the case?

Jenna: I had to be tough both inside and out to keep Kane and Wolfe on track. I had a killer on the loose and my priority was to apprehend the murderer. When it became apparent we had a pedophile ring in Black Rock Falls, of course my priority was to prevent them taking any more children.

DK: As kids, we are all told about keeping away from the ‘dirty old man’ who snatches up children but now we know monsters lurk in every corner.

Jenna: They certainly do. The “innocent” touches from the clown at a party, the “loving” boyfriend who moves in with a lonely woman and abuses her children are more frequent than people care to admit. My main concern is how easily pedophiles groom children online.

DK:  What did you discover in your investigation?

Jenna: Most people are aware of the threat of a kidnapper taking a child when they are alone, walking home from school or out on their bicycles for instance. That scenario is what most people believe is the worst threat but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The monsters infiltrate online chat rooms, games rooms and social media as you mentioned before. They pretend they are kids and make friends with as many children as possible. If they find a suitable candidate, they take if further. They appear to the kids as ‘safe’. They use the kids’ language and spend months grooming a child to trust them.

DK: What would you say to parents to prevent this happening?

Jenna: Avoid all of the above but in saying this, we all know it is impossible to keep kids off the internet or their cellphones. Talk to your kids and make them aware of the dangers. Tell them never to arrange a meeting with a person they've met online or give out personal details, like their phone number, address, where they go to school, what time their parents get home and so on. If they must go online, protect their personal information. Don’t shy away from the reality this problem exists. The dirty old man waiting to steal your child might be the handsome guy mowing your lawn. Monsters don’t carry a warning.

DK: And I gather, don’t take the law into your own hands?

Jenna:  If you want to stop the monsters, report anything suspicious to the authorities. Listen to your kids. Be vigilant to what they are doing online. Be aware of the sex offenders in your area and watch your kids. Children are our most precious asset. What are they doing right now? 

D.K: Thank you so much for dropping by today.

Jenna: My pleasure. Stay safe.


More books in the Kand and Alton detective series series:

www.dkhood.com