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Nonfiction crime: “Rother is the next Ann Rule.”
-- NYT #1 bestselling author Gregg Olsen
“Caitlin Rother's meticulous research shines in this masterful page-turner, as does her her skill at placing readers inside the investigation and courtroom. DOWN TO THE BONE is the definitive rendering of a vexing, horrific family mass murder. When it comes to case coverage, Rother never disappoints.”
-- Dr. Katherine Ramsland, forensic psychology professor and author of The Serial Killer's Apprentice
Crime fiction: “With a journalist's eye for the telling details of life, Caitlin Rother is a keen architect of the most important part of storytelling: character. The people in her prose grip you tightly with their truth.”
-- NYT bestselling author Michael Connelly
Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 16 books, ranging from true crime to thrillers and memoir. A New York Times-bestselling author and investigative journalist, Rother worked nearly 20 years for daily newspapers. Writing books full-time since 2006, she draws from decades of watchdog reporting on topics from addiction to suicide, mental illness, murder, government, political corruption and the criminal justice system. A popular speaker, she has appeared more than 250 times on TV, radio, and podcasts as a crime expert. After teaching writing workshops for more than 10 years, she now coaches a limited number of authors. In her spare time, she enjoys ocean swimming, and sings and plays keyboards with In the Lounge, a jazzy, bluesy trio. Explore the photo galleries and learn about her latest titles, backlist, videos, and podcasts!
LATEST RELEASES:
“Caitlin Rother’s meticulous research shines in this masterful page-turner, as does her skill at placing readers inside the investigation and the courtroom. Down to the Bone is the definitive rendering of a vexing, horrific family mass murder. When it comes to case coverage, Rother never disappoints.
--Dr. Katherine Ramsland, author of The Serial Killer’s Apprentice
“In the high desert, four bodies lay buried in the ground--the youngest victim just 3-years-old. In DOWN TO THE BONE, Caitlin Rother presents the riveting story of a botched investigation, multiple suspects and a web of lies. Was justice ever served? The question will remain with you long after you finish reading.”
--Diane Fanning, True Crime Author
DOWN TO THE BONE: A Missing Family's Murder and the Elusive Quest For Justice (Citadel, June 24, 2025)
Joseph and Summer McStay, and their two young sons, Joey Jr. and Gianni, went mysteriously missing from their house in Fallbrook, California, in February 2010. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) investigated their disappearance as a missing persons' case for months, after finding no blood or any physical evidence of foul play in the house.
However, the circumstances were certainly suspicious: eggs were left out on the counter, a half-eaten apple on the stairs and two bowls of popcorn on the futon, indicating they left in a hurry, yet their family had no idea where they were.
The SDSD let the case go cold, deciding the McStays had left voluntarily to Mexico, even though there was no activity on their phones or credit cards. Nearly four years later, their skeletal remains were discovered in the High Desert of San Bernardino County -- with holes in their skulls, along with a sledgehammer consistent with the injuries, and Summer's bra sliced in half and her pants pulled off.
A year after that, Joseph's business partner, Charles "Chase" Merritt, was arrested for their murders, but maintains his innocence. After many twists and turns in the case, a revolving door of different defense attorneys, and a protracted trial, Merritt was found guilty and, after more delays, sentenced to death row. Nonetheless, some observers believe Merritt was wrongly convicted, or if he was involved, didn't act alone. Rother takes her usual deep dive into this case.
“If you love true crime books where the author goes far beyond what is already known and has been proven in court, and raises questions that need to be asked, this is a book for you."
--Justin Brooks, founding director, California Innocence Project and author of You Might Go to Prison Even Though You're Innocent​
BODY PARTS: A Serial Killer's Deadly Compulsions (Citadel/2025)
In this updated edition, Rother has added 32 pages of new material about the identification of serial killer Wayne Adam Ford's first victim, via forensic genealogy, 25 years after he killed and dismembered her in Eureka, CA. This 25-year-old victim now has her name back--Kerry Anne Cummings--and her family, whom Rother interviewed for this new edition, now has closure.
The rest of the book takes a psychological look at the life of Ford, a long-haul trucker who was convicted of murdering four troubled young women during rough sex, dismembering two of them, then turning himself in so he wouldn't kill again. Still claiming the women’s deaths were accidental -- and that their strangulation was erotic asphyxiation, for their pleasure -- Ford is on death row, but has been moved from San Quentin to a state prison in San Luis Obispo, California.
If you have tips on this or other book-worthy stories, please contact Rother at caitlinrother@gmail.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
COMING SOON:
Book 1 and 2 in the new "Katrina & Goode" thriller series (Feb. and June, 2026)
“Rother delivers a gripping expertly woven crime thriller from the first page. HOOKED is a tense, multi-faceted plot filled with murder, secrets, and a brilliantly plotted cover-up that keeps the pages flying.” --Audrey J. Cole, USA Today bestselling author of Missing in Flight
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“Smart, gritty and intricately plotted, this addictive police procedural features unforgettable characters and a plot that cuts as deep as it twists. The chemistry between investigative reporter Katrina Chopin and homicide detective Ken Goode is electric. . . and the plot multi-layered, delving into corruption and the many masks it hides behind. I was hooked from the start!” --Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of What Lies in Darkness
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“Sunshine, murder, and money—Caitlin Rother’s appropriately titled HOOKED has it all, and feeds it to the reader one stimulating bite at a time. Rother's tight plot and sharp details bait the reader into joining her on this thrilling ride.”
--Jaime Parker Stickle, author of Vicious Cycle
HOOKED, the first in the new "Katrina & Goode" thriller series
(Thomas & Mercer, Feb. 1, 2026)
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In this suspenseful thriller by Caitlin Rother, an investigative reporter and a homicide detective fight a sexual attraction as they join forces to expose a layered scheme of dark and dangerous secrets.
​When reporter Katrina Chopin and detective Ken Goode lock eyes, there’s an immediate attraction. Sparks fly as they bond over cocktails, sharing their common experiences of being orphans and losing loved ones to suicide.
​But the next time they meet, it’s from opposing sides of a high-profile case. Two biotech execs, whose company is developing a groundbreaking sexual enhancement drug, turn up dead in the wealthy seaside enclave of La Jolla Farms, where Goode can readily see that the forensic evidence doesn’t add up.
​As they work their own angles, sometimes together and sometimes at odds, their growing attraction threatens to cost them their jobs―and their lives. As Katrina and Goode pursue answers behind these mysterious events, a secret stalker taunts Katrina with details of her tragic past, which takes her to the brink of death. But once the duo rips the mask away from this beautiful paradise, the corrupt underbelly behind all that glitters is revealed.
“In HOOKED, Caitlin Rother sets the hook early and reels you in chapter by chapter in this fascinating murder mystery. Rother's attention to detail and crime scene knowledge, which has made her the best true crime writer of our time, gives the novel a gritty sense of verisimilitude. Goode and Katrina are layered and complex characters who come together to make a formidable investigative team. I can't wait to read about their next case!” --Matt Coyle, author of the bestselling Rick Cahill crime novels
“HOOKED had me hooked from the first chapter. Rother's true crime fans will devour her new thriller. Sharp dialogue and fast-paced, HOOKED is an excellent start to a new series. Can't wait for the next one!” --Alana Albertson, #3 Amazon bestselling author of Badass
Book #2: STAGED
(June 16, 2026)
